Chichester athletes show spirit at Woking – even Sir Mo Farah approved...

Unfazed by the standard of competition, the squad of 22 performed with credit and were within touching distance of their rivals at the end of the match.

The most consistent Chichester group were the U15 girls and the squad of seven picked up useful points over the range of sprints, middle distance, jumps and throws.

Tilly Wyatt earned new PBs over 100m and 200m while the 1500m pair of Elodie Hill and Isla Hill scored well in that and the long jump.

Kitty Goodband and Anya Dickinson made their mark over 300m after Goodband and Isla Hill shone in the hurdles. Tilly Goodband showed form in the javelin, supported by Bella Noye, who picked up points in both high jump and shot. The seven scored in the 4x100 and 4x300m relays.

In the U15 boys’ events, one of only two double A and B string wins of the day came from Ben Stewart and Harry Clarke in the 300m, with times of 40.6 and 41.6.

Stewart and Harry Dunne took runners-up spots in the 800m and had the same result in the shot put. Clarke did the high jump and partnered Daniel Eliis in the 200m where both notched PBs. Ellis had earlier won the 80m hurdles in a new PB of 13.3sec, edging out a Portsnouth rival by a tenth of a second.

Supporting Ellis was Kai Lendrum, winning the B string, running a quick 1500m and backing up Keiran Mogridge in the javelin.

Showing great team spirit, Stewart, Dunne, Clarke and Mogridge gave a sterling performance in the 4x300m relay for third place in a excellent time just outside three minutes.

Chichester’s under-13s are a team in transition with the majority of last year’s squad having moved up into the U15s.

Max Gayle showed great form as runner-up in the hurdles and made his mark in the 150m and long jump. Joe Stewart won the B string hurdles and did well in 1200m and 150m while Finley Basford showed great determination in the 1200m, shot and long jump.

Four of the seven under-13 girls in action are still in the primary age group and the squad performed with great credit. Anna Wyatt spearheaded the sprints supported well by Sofia Hollands and Maya Stair over 75m and 150m respectively with Stair supporting Annabella Hollands over 800m.

Isla Pearson and Isabella Lendum ran well over 1200m and teamed up in the long jump while Lendrum supported Mia Hollands for good points in the 70m hurdles.

What exemplified the spirit of the Chichester squad was shown in the shot and javelin where Miai, Annabella and Sofia Hollands and Maya Stair, all from Walberton and Binstead Primary School, made sure events were covered – then tackled the 4x100m relay. Their reward? A selfie with Sir Mo Farah, there to support his twin daughters who were in one of the Surrey teams.

TONE ZONE RUNNERS

As the spring marathon season draws to a close Bognor’s Tone Zone Runners can reflect on success at Brighton, Manchester, Southampton and London.

Some 46 marathons were ran by 43 club runners.

At the London Marathon, 15 club runners took part and a host of club members went up to support them.

Jack Penfold was first to finish for the club in 2.39.02 running the second fastest marathon in the club’s history and finishing 534th out of 48,597 runners.

Christo Oosthuizen backed up his good performance in Brighton with 2.51.59. David Rowe ran a strong race to clock 3:12:02. Chris Gallagher finished in a new PB of 3.23, followed by Anne Kari-Enes 3.36, Duncan Stephenson-Gill in 3.39 and Emma Smith in a PB of 3.45.04.

Mark Williamsonfinished in 3.49.36, Lisa Broad ran her second London Marathon and got a new PB of 4.26. Stuart Thomson ran 4.48, Emma Tidmarsh was also running London just two weeks after Brighton Marathon and finishedin 4.56.30.

Rebecca Nicholl in 5.05 and Michelle Maxim in 5.16 both ran huge PBs. John Abell clocked aPB of 5.41 and Felicity Nowell, in her first London Marathon, finished in 6.29.

At the Manchester Marathon Tony Holcombe, who had run Brighton two weeks earlier, clocked 5.05, 20 minutes quicker than his Brighton time.

In the Southampton Marathon Ben Leney broke the four-hour barrier by 60 seconds.

Tone Zone had a large contingent at the Brighton Marathon, 29 taking it on.

Christo Oosthuizen was first across the line for the club in 2:51:59, Tom Howell ran a PB of 3:17:53 improving on last year’s’ time. Also setting new PBs were training partner Jess Thomson in 3:28:27 and Chris Crouch in 3:29:15.

Nathan Bilham ran almost 45 minutes quicker than his debut marathon to clock 3:31 with Sarah Zacal well within her target in 3:39, a huge PB.

Frazer Dean ran his first marathon in 3:48,as did Marlena Clark just a minute behind. Laura Williams crossed in 3:53.

Also under four hours were Marzena Sowinska (3:54), Cameron Coe (3:56) and Alan Coombs with a new PB of 3:59:50. Jon Comins completed his first marathon in 4:01, Karen Vilday ran a PB of 4:18, just ahead of Gary Griffiths (4:21) and Guy Hodgson (4:23).

Then came Tone Zone ladies who trained together through the winter, Susi Briggs ran 4:32, Jackie Williamson and Daughter Charlotte (in her first marathon) ran 4:39, alongside Emma Tidmarsh who smashed her PB. Kirstee Porter and Lucy-Jayne Isitt finished together in 4:44; Lisa Wadey beat her PB, finishing in 4:46.

Michael Fordsdyke (5:02) and Lousie Maddison (5:06) were next, then came Tony Holcombe in 5.24.

Sue Woodruff ran her first official marathon and finished in 5.37. Beth Suter and Magda Kuczera also ran their first marathon and finished together smiling and hand in hand in 6.01.