Excellent performances by Davis and Goodman in Europe

Eden Davis anchored the GB 4x100m relay team to within 0.08 seconds of a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy. The team recorded 39.67 for fourth place, having won their heat earlier in 39.38. Davis said, “We didn’t get the result we wanted but our time was brilliant and the other teams broke records to beat us. I am proud of what I have achieved this season and I couldn't have done it without my coach Cathy Walker. I have enjoyed a wonderful welcome into the GB team and I've loved every minute of being part of it.”

Richard Goodman defied torrential rain and wind to breach a long-sought-after barrier. Goodman, 24, recorded 13:59.94 for 5000m in the Night of Athletics at Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. It was his third race in ten days, having set times of 3:52.37 for 1500m and 8:14.76 in the earlier ones. “I am happy to be running injury-free,” Goodman said, “and I hope this will serve as a stepping stone to further progress next season”.

Three young Shaftesbury Harriers set 800m PBs at the latest Watford Open Graded Meeting. Gilad Nachshen, 13, recorded 2:06.14, while Adam Cahn, 15, and Matti Harris, 14, set times of 2:05.02 and 2:16.49 respectively.

800m specialist Adam Firsht, 14, dropped distance to record 40.5 for 300m in the Sussex U15 League at Lewes.

Maccabiah gold for Eden Davis, Ellie Edwards and David Stone

Eden Davis, Ellie Edwards and David Stone have each won Maccabiah gold medals in spectacular style.

Team captain Ellie Edwards, competing in the Open (that is, senior) age group, demolished her previous best times to take gold in the 200m (24.85) and silver in the 100m (12.17). She also took a bronze medal as part of a composite 4x400m relay team that included three Australian runners.

Edwards reported, “In both events I was up against faster athletes. I was especially nervous at the start of the 200 because three of my competitors had beaten 25 seconds while I never had. So I was delighted with both my performances, especially my 200 gold in a huge personal best. Taking responsibility for my team of ten athletes throughout the Games was one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but also the most enjoyable."

Eden Davis, 18, stormed to victory in both junior sprints, taking the 100m in 10.51 and the 200m in a new personal best of 21.68. Davis said, “It was difficult at first to train in the heat of the Israeli summer, but after a few days we adapted. It was a tremendous experience and everyone was very supportive, barring a bit of gamesmanship from the Israeli athletes.”

Competing against athletes three years his senior, David Stone, 15, took victory in the junior 3000m by a 60m margin in 9:07.54. Stone commented, “I saw the 1500, in which the Israelis stayed back and kicked at the end. So I decided to go off as fast as possible to avoid getting caught. Luckily the plan worked.”

Idan Gal-Shohet, 16, took the bronze medal in the junior long jump with a fine jump of 6.56m. Joel Alexander, 15, set a new high jump PB of 1.60m, to place fourth behind three Israeli 18-year-olds. Rachel Ayrton, 17, placed fifth in the junior 800m having led during the first lap. Ayrton has the rare distinction of having competed in two Maccabiahs in two different sports, having represented GB in swimming in 2013.

The GB junior 4x100m relay squad of Joel Alexander, Idan Gal-Shohet, David Stone and Eden Davis came home with silver medals, thanks to a storming anchor leg by Davis. A team of Alexander, Gal-Shohet, Stone and Tal Pelmont also took bronze in the junior 4x400m relay.

In total, 20 nations were represented on the track, with Israel unsurprisingly dominating the medal table. Probably the most impressive performance in global terms was that of Ukrainian-born Israeli Marharyta Dorozhon, 29. Dorozhon won the Open javelin gold with a throw of 63.07m. This ranks her 17th in the world this year, and is likely to secure her place in next month’s World Championships in London.

Sophie Dowson again on the rostrum at the English Schools Championships

Sophie Dowson was delighted to earn the Senior Pole Vault bronze medal at the English Schools Championships at Birmingham. Dowson, 18, cleared 3.70m, matching the height that won her the silver medal in last year's event. It was a fourth successive English Schools Championships appearance for the Blackheath & Bromley Harrier. Dowson said, "It was a very long competition and I was really happy to earn my medal. My technique was holding up well. But as I have gained in strength this year, I now need to transition to a pole specified for a more powerful vaulter. The prospect is quite exciting."

Adam Firsht, 14, placed seventh in his heat of the Junior 800m in 2:06.03. "I was very happy with my performance. The heat and humidity meant that none of the competitors set a personal best", Firsht commented. "This was my first experience of a major competition. It was amazing to compete in front of a big crowd in one of the largest youth competitions in the world".

Eden Davis, 18, has been selected as a member of the GB 4x100m relay squad for the European Under 20 Championships which take place next week in Grosseto, Italy. Davis, who won bronze medals in the last two English Schools Championships, is currently competing in the Maccabiah in Israel.

Gilad Nachshen, 13, took victory in the U15 800m in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Peterborough, recording 2:08.4. The Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier also honed his sprint speed by contesting the 200m in 25.6 and 300m in 39.5. Emma Taylor, 16, also tackled three events at the meeting, earning multiple points for Shaftesbury Barnet in the shot (8.29m), hammer (23.13m) and javelin (28.48m). Bini Bloom, 13, set a personal best of 4:37.1 in the U15 1500m, while Matti Harris, also 13, recorded 4:47.6. Maayan Radus, 13, placed second in the girls’ U15 1500m in 5:05.8.

Hannah Viner, 20, set a 1500m personal best of 4:24.57 in the British Milers Club Grand Prix at Loughborough, to move to 16th in the national U23 rankings.

London Heathside youngster Jack Davis-Black, 12, set a 1500m PB of 5:13.34 for victory in the Middlesex Young Athletes League at Parliament Hill.

Anna Barnett, 18, set a personal best of 8.67m with the full weight (4kg) shot in the Southern Athletics League at Crawley.

Eden Davis makes his international debut

Eden Davis enjoyed a successful international debut to place third in his 100m heat at the Mannheim Junior Gala. His time of 10.53 qualified him for the finals, but the Great Britain Team Manager withdrew the sprinters in order to concentrate on the relay. "The whole experience was amazing", Davis enthused. "To put the GB vest on is a dream come true, and it is driven me to work harder to earn that vest again". Davis has now travelled on to join the GB Maccabiah squad in Israel.

Highgate Harrier Hannah Viner, 20, was fastest lady in the 5000m at the Orion Harriers Open, setting a new PB of 16:37.5. This places her in the top 10 in the UK U23 rankings.

David Stone, 15, improved his 3000m best for the second time in four days to record 8:55.79 at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. This performance makes him the eighth fastest Under 16 runner in the country over this distance, which he will also contest in the Maccabiah. Gilad Nachshen, 13, recorded 4:27.47 for 1500m at the same Watford meeting, while Bini Bloom, also 13, was timed at 4:38.11. Both performances were personal bests. V55 athlete Rosalind Zeffertt produced a strong 100m performance of 15.59. At the previous Watford meeting, Adam Cahn, 15, improved his 800m time to 2:06.17. Cahn contested the 1500m for the first time in the London Inter Club Challenge at Hendon, placing third in 4:34.93.

Lucy Wolfenden, 15, cleared a personal best height of 3.00m to finish third in the U17 pole vault at the Mason Trophy Inter Counties Schools' Championships at Birmingham. Wolfenden, who won the corresponding U15 event last year, will compete in the Maccabiah next week.

Brighton-based Joshua Firsht, 16, gained a 400m victory in 52.8 in the Youth Development League at Bournemouth.

Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Jessica Hurley, 17, entered the national rankings for the 1500m steeplechase on her first attempt at the event. She placed third in 5:51.05 in the Youth Development League at Reading.

Tal Pelmont, 17, amassed multiple points for Highgate Harriers by contesting the 400m, 800m and 1500m in the Southern Athletics League at Braintree. He set personal bests of 67.1 and 2:07.7 in the shorter events, recording 4:44.3 in the 1500m.

London Heathside youngster Jack Davis-Black, 12, set a personal best of 5:13.34 for a victory in the Middlesex Young Athletes League at Parliament Hill.