The Personal Bests keep coming

Star pole vaulter Sophie Dowson equalled her best of 3.60m in placing fifth in the England Athletics U20 Championship at Bedford. Dowson was beaten by just one U17 competitor, who also scaled 3.60m

The fortnightly Watford Open Graded Meetings provide excellent opportunities for athletes to target their personal bests in competition with runners of a similar standard. Brothers Jack and Ben Bloom both lowered their 800m times in the latest meeting, with Jack, 14, recording 2:15.57 and Ben, 11, achieving 2:29.56. Sophie Peters, 13, improved her best to 2:41.69.  Jack Bloom reduced his time further to 2:14.22 in the Barnet Schools Championships the following day, while Peters gained a new 1500m PB of 5:29.6 in the Youth Development League at Reading.

Three Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers took victories in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Peterborough. Jessica Hurley took the U17 in 42.2 while Judah Yawitch (2:21.8, PB) and Matti Harris (2:27.5, PB) took the U13 800m A and B races respectively.

Highgate Harrier Tal Pelmont, 15, set two new personal bests in winning the 800m (2:11.9) and placing third in the 1500m (4:39.9) in the Southern Athletics League at Parliament Hill.

South of England gold for Sophie Dowson; several schools' county medals; and world class Israeli performances

Harrow AC pole vault specialist Sophie Dowson, 16, gained her most significant victory to date at the South of England U20 Championships at Lee Valley. Her winning clearance of 3.60m matched her personal best, which positions her fifth in the UK U17 rankings.

The various Schools County Championships saw several medal winning performances by Jewish athletes. Eden Davis took 200m gold (22.4) and 100m silver (11.2) in the Hertfordshire U17 Championships, while Anna Barnett took discus gold (34.41m) and shot put bronze (9.40m) in the Kent U17 competition. Both of her performances were personal bests. Jessica Hurley (Herts U17 300m), Rachel Ayrton (Middlesex U17 800m) and Matti Harris (Herts U13 1500m) all gained silver medals, while Lia Radus (London U15 1500m) and Emma Taylor (Middlesex U15 javelin) took bronzes. Greg Hurley took fourth in the Herts U15 300m. All of these performances were close to or exceeded the athletes’ personal bests.

Two Israeli women, both originally from the Ukraine, have been producing world class performances on the international stage. Marharyta Dorozhon, 27, set an Israeli javelin record of 64.56m at the Oslo Diamond League on June 11. In winning the event she beat the European and double Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova, as well as the current and previous world champions Christina Obergfoll and Mariya Abakumova, and the current world leader Sunette Viljoen. Her performance ranks eighth on this year's world list.

Hanna Minenko, 25, moved to fifth in the world rankings and set a national triple jump record of 14.61m when finishing second in Prague on June 8. Minenko also holds the Israeli long jump record of 6.52m, which she set last year.

More PBs at the Watford Open Graded Meeting

David Stone, 13, ran a well-judged race to take victory in his 1500m heat at the Watford Open Graded Meeting in a new PB of 4:36.44. Fellow Shaftesbury Barnet runner Richard Goodman, 22, contested his first 1500m in four years in the elite race, placing fifth in 3:51.28. Rosalind Zeffert moved to 17th in the UK V50 100m list with a time of 15.73, while Gabe Yawitch, 14, set a new best time of 13.10 over the same distance.

Ellie Edwards, 18, gained a double victory in the North of England League at Bury, winning the U20 100m (12.8) and 200m (26.1). Her sister Orli took the U13 javelin silver medal in the Cheshire & Greater Manchester Championships with a throw of 20.20m.

Philip Benson, 22 set a new PB of 4:06.11 competing for Harrow AC in the British Athletics League at Watford.

Personal Bests galore

Eden Davis broke a competition record that had stood since 2006 to take the U17 100m title at the prestigious Bedford International Games. His time of 10.76 was a new personal best that moved him to fifth in the national age-group rankings.

At 10 years of age, Maayan Radus beat older rivals to win the Middlesex U13 1500m championship at Mile End. Her time of 5:09.80 sliced more than 15 seconds off her previous best. Her sister Lia, 13, also cut her PB substantially in taking the U15 1500m silver medal in 4:56.14.

Ellie Edwards won the Cheshire & Greater Manchester U20 100m title in 12.46 while her sister Allana placed third in the U17 300m hurdles in 49.31. Both performances were PBs.