ATHLETICS: THURROCK’S top young athletes will be taking on the best in the country at this weekend’s UK Indoor Championships in Sheffield.

Great Britian junior internationals Hayley McLean and Khai Riley-Laborde have both been invited to race this weekend in an event that also doubles up as the World Indoor Championship trials.

McLean, 19, the European Junior 400m champion, will be making her first appearance of the season, with the Stanford-le-Hope teenager racing over the flat 400m.

Purfleet’s super fast Riley-Laborde will go head-to-head with some of the country’s best sprint hurdlers in the 60m hurdles.

Meanwhile, a handful of Thurrock youngsters performed in the under-15 and under-17 London Games at Lee Valley.

William Edwards School pupil James Pearson – who this summer made the switch from Thurrock Harriers to Enfield & Haringey AC – bagged himself a personal best of 12.96m in the under-17 men’s shot-putt, as well as running 9.04s in the 60m hurdles.

Another former Harrier, Shannon Jameson ran a personal best of 9.64s in the women’s under-17 60m hurdles. Jameson is now being coached by former Great Britain hurdles star Tony Jarrett at Newham & Essex Beagles, along with another young Thurrock hurdles star, Robbie Clarricoats.

Current Thurrock Harrier Senniz Jessener ran 10.48s in the under-15 60m hurdles.

And team mate Beth James ran a best of 8.94s in the under-17 women’s flat 60m.Thurrock’s athletes will be split between Epping Forest and Lee Valley this weekend.

Cross-country specialists will be at the final round of the Essex Cross-Country League in Epping while track and field athletes will be back at Lee Valley competing in the Essex and Eastern Indoor Championships.