ATHLETICS: THURROCK’S young cross-country runners have had a successful weekend.

In the Essex Junior Schools competition at Chelmsford’s Hylands Park, Harry Parker had a fantastic race to win a gold medal in the Year 6 boys competition, while his Harriers’ team-mate Keirra Scott finished 12th in the girls race.

Action returned to Hylands Park the following day with the Year 7 and Year 8 South East Schools Intercounties Champs.

Harriers’ Hayley Instance had a fantastic run in the Year 7 girls race to finish 12th and the first Essex runner home while Taylor Newell finished 26th in the Year 8 boys race and the fifth Essex scorer.

Many of the youngsters who had run cross-country races over the weekend also made their first track appearances of the season at the Havering Open.

There was a string of personal bests for Harriers despite it being, for most, their first track competition since last summer.

Parker was one of those who achieved a new lifetime best, running 2m 25.6s in the under-13 boys 800m with his team-mate Mason Hambleton also getting a PB in the same event (2m 46.9s).

Taylor Newell (U15B, 2m 25.1s), Reece Scott (U15B 2m 29.2s), Heather Peters (U15G 2m 47.4s), Rhiannon Ryan (U15G, 2m 48.8s), Amy Raven (U13B 3m 2.8s) and Keirra Scott (2m 49.1s) all also recorded PBs in the 800m. Aidan Simpson (U17) got himself a hat-trick of new PBs, in the high jump (1.70m), triple jump (10.95m) and 100m (12.6s).

Charlie Splarn (U15) got two bests in the 100m (12.5s) and 200m (25.0s) while Natalie Labeau (SW) got a new PB in the 100m of 13.0s and Will Slaughter (U17) ran a best ever time over 400m of 58.1s.

l A GROUP of Thurrock Harriers youngsters competed at the Lee Valley indoor stadium in the Minithon competition.

Demi Eves, 10, took part in her first 60m hurdles and finished fifth in 12.9s. She was first in the 200m with a new PB of 34.8s. And in the 600m she stormed to first with a massive PB of 2.00.11. Hannah Argent competed in her first Minithon competing in the long jump with a jump of 2.63m before taking on the 200m (38.5s) and 600m (2.37mins). Emily Knight competed in the 60m hurdles in (11.4s), 60m sprint (9.4s) and 2nd in the 200m (33.8). Jessica Smith logged a PB in the high jump (2.41m), 60m hurdles (10.9) and shot (6.50m).

Chloe Brand competed in the turbo javelin, long jump (2.88m) and 60m (10.6s). Jamie Symonds 60m (10.2s), 60m hurdles (18.3s) and competed in the long jump.

Harrier’s Oluwatumise Abbas competed in the long jump, 60m and 200m.

For athletics see the THURROCK GAZETTE every Thursday