Somma Power lived up to her name with a superb display to take the girls' under-15 pentathlon title when the Essex County Athletic Championships opened at Basildon's Gloucester Park.

Somma, a member of the Basildon Athletic Club and pupil at Southend High School for Girls, is still only 13, but left older rivals trailing in her wake as she won the gold.

She had a 4.91m leap in the long jump, ran the 75m hurdles in 12.6 secs, threw the shot 9.28m, cleared 1.48m in the high jump and completed the 800m in 2m. 57s.

Somma is among the top local stars you'll able to see in action as the Essex event continues at Southend Athletic Club's Garon's Park track tomorrow and Sunday.

There was further under-13 success for the Basildon club when David Bottjer won the 1500 for boys in 4 mins. 56.2 secs from Southend's Daniel Quinn (4 mins. 57.3 secs) with Alex Briggs (Thurrock Harriers) third in 4 mins. 59.5 secs.

Also from Basildon, pole-vaulter Kit Branch is another youngster ahead of his time. The pupil of King John School, Thundersley, who lives nearby in Kiln Road, competed in the under-15 pole vault and took the gold to match the success he's been enjoying in the world of rugby union this year with Rochford.

Basildon attended a Southern Women's League meeting and recorded several personal bests in finishing fourth out on five.

The boys and girls enjoyed victory from Bedford, Huntington and West Suffolk in winning an Eastern Young Athletes League meeting at Bedford in a meeting which eventually depended on the under-17 relays - all of which the new towners won.

At Woodford Green, the Basildon team competing in the Southern Men's League Second Division had a battling second place behind the home side, who included several athletes with national league and international experience.

The foundation of this excellent result was laid by outstanding and victorious performances in all three jumping events.

Clint Nichols made a welcome return to competition by winning the A long jump and B high and triple jumps.

Darryl Stone, still only 17, jumped 1.95m to win the A high jump. Richard Peters took the A triple jump and the B long jump.

Despite being without their entire middle distance squad due to the Essex Champion-ships the following day, Basildon's boys won their McDonald's National Young Athletes Meeting emphatically on 192 points from Bedford (162), Enfield and Haringey (126) and Chiltern Harriers (55).

An excellent fighting team display was capped by "man of the match" Darryl Stone, in the under-17 high jump, with yet another fine 1.95m.

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