Southend Athletic Club stage the first section of their open meeting, which incorporates the club championships, at the Garon's Park Track on Sunday.

Start time is 11.30am and the second half of the programme will take place on Saturday July 24.

Spectators are welcome at the Eastern Avenue venuue throughout the day and refreshments will be available.

There were some outstanding performance from current young club members, and newcomers to the sport, when Southend staged a minithon.

Competitors tried their hand at running, throwing and jumping, earning points which went towards obtaining "star" grades at the end of the proceedings.

Depleted men struggle with Sutton task

Basildon's senior men athletes travelled to Sutton knowing that a win was essential to maintain their promotion drive.

Unfortunately, although they were always in contention, at the end they were just a handful of points behind undefeated league leaders Milton Keynes.

Missing several key athletes and, for the first time, unable to field athletes in four events, Basildon nevertheless recorded some excellent performances.

In the high jump, Darryl Stone cleared 1.95m to win the A string and James Everard was second in the B.

Once again the 400m hurdles was a source of maximum points through Steve Surety (A) and Dan Glover (B).

Surety was also in great form when competing in the 400 hurdles at the UK AAA under-20 championship, claiming fourth spot in the final with a personal best and club record 53.89s.

He also heads the rankings for this event in the National Junior League.

John Jordan recorded a double victory in the 100m (10.9s) and 200m (22.1s). Glover scored his second win in the B 200.

The 4 x 100 relay squad scored success through Surety, Jordan, Clint Nicholls and Andy Pickles.

A clutch of second places were recorded through John Branch (matching his son Kit's success in the pole vault), Sean Vellar (javelin), Graham Bradfield (shot and discus), Surety (400m), Clint Nicholls (110m hurdles) and Eamonn Martin (1500m).

The 4 x 400m relay team were beaten by the narrowest of margins, both them and the winners recording 3m. 31.2s.

On home territory at Gloucester Park, Basildon's youngsters won their McDonald's match by over 70 points from three others teams. Their total was 249 with Ipswich (179) their nearest rivals.

Southend also had a good McDonald's success with Daniel Quinn star athlete of the meeting.

Unlucky for some?

The number 13 may be unlucky for some, but certainly not Basildon Athletic Club.

For no less than 13 of their star members will be competing in the English Schools' Athletic Championships, being staged at Bury St Edmund's today and tomorrow.

Five take part in junior events - Katie Flaherty (200m), Kit Branch (pole vault), Somma Power (long jump), Stacey Ward (1500m) and Ryan Holmes (hammer).

In the intermediates the New Towners are represented by Darryl Stone (high jump), Rob Smith (3000m), Kim Wall (300m), Ellie Childs (800m), Shelley Moles (shot putt), Matt Colton (hurdles) and Jennifer Short (800m).

Katie Smith is Basildon's lone entrant at senior level in the 1500m.

Katie and Somma are both from Southend High School for Girls as is star intermediate javelin thrower Louise Mathews, who competes for Thurrock Harriers.

A number of the New Towners make the trip in good form and none more so that Kim Wall who, at McDonald's Young Athletes League under-17 girls' 200m showcase race at Gateshead, won with an impressive time of 24.48 seconds.

Kim, who has won AAA under-17 titles at 200 and 300 and is a reigning English Schools champ, made her Great Britain debut at 15. In Gateshead she raced in front of a crowd of 7,762.

In the McDonald's event on home territory at Gloucester Park, Kit Branch was voted "man of the match" with an under-15 pole vault of 3m dead - a AAA Grade One standard.

Katie Flaherty will go into the action boosted by her glorious 200m and long jump winning performances in Corby last week when Southend High took the junior girls title at the national schools track and field cup.

Rob Smith will be lifted by a 3000m championship best performance in the Basildon District Schools Championships.

Big date - some of the Basildon Athletic Club members competing in the English Schools' Championships.

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Fry gets chance to shine

Apart from the 13 Basildon Athletics Club members, there are a number of other south-east Essex pupils contesting the All-England Schools Championships over the next two days.

From Greensward, Hockley, Southend Athletic Club's Jason Fry competes in the intermmediate pole vault boosted by having recently set a new personal best of 3.90m.

Another Southend AC entrant is senior high jumper Simon Thomas, a pupil at Southend High.

Greensward's Hannah Wilhelmy goes for the intermediate triple jump and others in the starting frame as Robert Mason (Chalvedon) and Clio Sigismondi (King John).

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