Gilad Nachshen shines over 800m

Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Gilad Nachshen, 12, has risen to sixth in the UK U13 800m rankings, recording 2:16.34 at the recent Watford Open Graded Meeting. Nachshen, who has only recently resumed running after some months off with a calf injury, will represent Hertfordshire in the forthcoming Inter-counties Championships.

Three further young athletes have set new PBs that place them in their age-group national standings: Rebecca Hurley, 18, recorded 68.36 for 400m hurdles at Lee Valley; Lia Radus, 14, posted an 800m time of 2:20.6 in a British Milers Club race at Eltham; and Joel Alexander, 14, cleared 1.50m in the high jump in the Youth Development League at Hornchurch.

Bini Bloom, 13, improved his 800m time to 2:24.72, also at the Watford Open Graded Meeting.

Lia Radus reaps the benefit of new training regime

Lia Radus, 14, has positioned herself as one of the country's leading young 1500m specialists in the space of two races. She earned her place at next month’s English Schools Championships by winning the London Schools U15 title in a new PB of 4:46.55. She then cut her time to 4:42.9 with a win in the Young Athletes League at Bromley. This raises her to 13th in the UK age-group rankings.

"They were two very different races", Radus reflected. "In the London Schools I sat in behind the leader and sprinted with 300m to go. But at Bromley the leader set off very fast and tired herself out. I was left out in front for the last half of the race. But I'm benefiting from a new training routine, more tailored to my needs and with a greater emphasis on speed. So I have learned better pace judgement and how to save some energy for a final surge.”

Four community athletes contested the England Athletics U20 / U23 Championships at Bedford. In the U23 division, James Bongart took javelin silver with a PB throw of 57.71m, while Hannah Viner placed fourth in the 5000m in 17:49.71. Sophie Dowson placed fourth in the U20 pole vault, hampered by vaulting with a pole of the wrong specification. Her own implement had been taken away in error, and this certainly cost her a medal. Eden Davis narrowly missed a place in the U20 100m final.

Sale Harrier Lucie Wolfenden, 14, won the Mason Trophy Inter Counties Schools pole vault title at Birmingham. Her winning height of 2.75m was a 15 cm personal best and moved her to 13th in the UK age-group rankings.

Two medals for Eden Davis

Eden Davis, 17, medalled twice in the South of England U20 Championships at Lee Valley. Herts Phoenix sprinter Davis gained silver in the 200m in 22.03 and then bronze in the 100m in 10.97, in both events running against a headwind.

Pole vaulter Sophie Dowson, 17, took on senior opposition at the Welsh Championships in Cardiff, placing fifth with a clearance of 3.65m.

James Bongart, 19, moved to ninth in the UK U23 javelin listings with a throw of 56.72m in the British Athletics League at Sportcity, Manchester. Also at Sportcity, Ellie Edwards, 19, cut her 100m best to 12.38 in the North of England U20 Championships.

Continued improvement by Lia Radus

Contesting the "A" stream 1500 m race in the British Milers Club PB Classic at Milton Keynes, Lia Radus, 14, recorded 4:47.7 to cut three seconds from her best time for the event.

Ellie Edwards, 19, took silver in the Greater Manchester & Cheshire senior 100 m Championships, recording 12.8s seconds against a strong headwind.

Lia Radus shines in the British Athletics One Mile Road Championships

Lia Radus,14, narrowly missed out on a place on the rostrum at the Junior British Athletics One Mile Road Championships, held as part of the Westminster Mile series of races. Radus placed fourth in the U15 Girls’ event in 5:13, the same time as bronze medallist Lucy Olsen. David Stone, 14, placed 23^rd in the U15 Boys’ race in 4:52, while Matti Harris, 13, recorded 5:27 to finish high up in the non-championship field. In all cases, actual “chip” times, adjusted for the time taken to pass the start line, were one or two seconds faster.

Highgate Harrier Hannah Viner, 20, trimmed her 10,000m PB by 37s to 36:03.87 at the Highgate Harriers Night of 10,000m PBs, which incorporated the Olympic Trials. The performance raised Viner to 7^th in the UK U23 rankings.

For the second year running, the three younger members of the Hurley family each won medals in the Hertfordshire Championships at Watford. Rebecca,17, won silver in the U20 400m hurdles in a personal best of 68.99. Greg, 15, recorded 57.80 for silver in the boys’ U17 400m, while Jessica. 16, took bronze in the girls’ U17 400m in 59.98. Eden Davis, 17, gained silver in the U20 100m, recording 11.16. Davis followed this achievement some days later with triple victories over 100m, 200m and 400m in the Southern Athletics League at Erith.

Lucie Wolfenden, 14, cleared 2.60m for silver in the U15 pole vault at the Greater Manchester & Cheshire County Championships at Macclesfield.