OWEN Merrett smashed his personal for the sixth time this summer as he retained his Wiltshire Schools’ junior boys’ hammer title at Swindon in impressive style, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 13-year-old Sheldon School student again showed why he is one of the most promising young hammer throwers in the county as he eclipsed his previous best of 44.33m set last month with a mighty launch of 46.02m.

That not only earned him gold in the junior boys’ competition edging out talented rivals Harry Ricketts, from the Ridgeway School and fellow Sheldon student James Viner, but also consolidated his place at fifth in the UK rankings for U15 boys.

“I am very happy with that and it was nice to win with a personal best,” said Merrett, who lives in Chippenham.

“I was not expecting anything like that but was obviously hoping for it. My coach was impressed.”

That coach is former English Schools’ champion and ex-GB junior international Matt Spicer, who advises Merrett and Viner from his home track in Yate.

“Training has been going really well this year and having already had six personal bests I am hoping to reach 48 metres this summer,” added Merrett.

“That would put me in contention for a medal at the English Schools’ Championships.”

Before then Merrett will be in a strong Wiltshire team heading down to Exeter on Saturday for the South West Schools’ Championships, when he will be looking to improve upon his bronze medal 12 months ago.

One of the best races on the track came in the inter boys’ 100m hurdles in which just one-tenth of a second separated the top three finishers in a virtual blanket finish

St Augustine School’s Peter Adeosun was given the nod over Lavington’s Will Scammell as both boys were given the same time of 14.6secs, which was a PB for both, while Sheldon’s Femi Akinbobola won the bronze in 14.7secs.

It was Akinbobola’s second medal of the day as he also won the inter boys’ 200m with Dauntsey’s Matthew Bark-Churchill crowned the 100m champion.

Also in the hurdles Malmesbury School’s Willa Gibb raced to a superb win in the junior girls’ 75m event clocking a championship best time of 11.4secs, which also smashed her own personal best. Gibb also won the 100m in 13.0secs.

Sheldon student Jake Burkey celebrated his final appearance at the county schools’ competition in style as he soared to a personal best of 6.93m to beat his previous mark of 6.71m.

That jump lifted Burkey to the top of the South West rankings for U20 men and is also 13th best across the country so he should start favourite to retain his South West Schools’ title as well this weekend.

The Howorth family from Hilperton enjoyed their usual medal haul but there was a real golden glow this year as all three St Augustine’s College student struck gold.

Twins Robert and John raced away with the senior boys’ 800m and 1500m titles respectively while all-rounder Rory opted for the long jump which he won with a leap of 6.62m, which was just seven centimetres outside his PB.

Corsham School’s Jade Littlechild won the senior girls 1500m at her first attempt so made the podium for the fifth successive year at the event and will be looking to repeat that feat in Exeter this weekend.

St Laurence School student Robyn Ellison had a busy day as she won both the senior girls’ triple and long jump events while Dauntsey’s Georgia Pickford did the double in the shot and discus.

There were no surprises in the junior girls’ javelin with current South West number one Megan Galpin, of Warminster School, winning with a throw of 36.48m to finish well clear of St Mary’s Calne athlete Rose Strutt.

Wiltshire Schools’ Track & Field Championships, Swindon, Senior boys – 100: 1 Charlie Curry (SJ) 11.40; 2 Jacob Wilkinson (BW) 11.70; 3 Tom Haworth (LP) 12.20; 200: 1 Curry 23.5; 2 Kieran Short (SJ) 23.9; 3 Jacob Wilkinson (BW) 24.0; 110H: 1 Sam Roberts (S) 16.0; 2 Kieran Short (SJ) 16.4; 800: 1 Robert Howorth (SA) 1:56.3; 2 Hayden Bailey (MT) 1:57.9; 3 Josh Hole (BW) 2:07.9; 1500: 1 John Howorth (SA) 4:03.6; 2 Ethan Pierce (AS) 4:14.6; 3 Dan Davis (SJ) 4:15.5; 3000: 1 Mark Poynting (BW) 9;48.3; 100H: 1 Peter Adeosun (SA) 14.6; 2 Will Scammell (LA) 14.6; 3 Femi Akinbobola (S) 14.7; LJ: 1 Jake Burkey (S) 6.93; 2 Nathan Bye (ST) 5.88; HJ: 1 Kieran Short (SJ) 1.85; 2 Jack Rigby (D) 1.80; 3 Bye 1.54; TJ: 1 Short 12.46; Hammer: 1 Josh Ricketts (R ) 46.40 (CBP); Discus: 1 Ricketts 32.84; SP: 1 Josh Hole (BW) 11.54.

Inter boys – 100: 1 Matthew Bark-Churchill (D) 11.5; 2 Josh Dyer (SJ) 11.7; 3 Peter Adeosun (SA) 11.7; 200: 1 Femi Akinbobola (S) 23.0; 2 Jacob Kelly (MA) 23.9; 3 Dyer 24.0; 400: 1 Matt Smith (R ) 53.0; 2 Will Scammell (LA) 54.8; 3 Thomson Barrett (BW) 55.9; 800: 1 Ellery Cole (AS) 2:05.0; 2 S Butt (T) 2:06.6; 3 James Gordon (SA) 2:07.6; 1500: 1 Will Morris (D) 4:14.3; 2 Jack Latus (RWB) 4:14.9; 3 Patrick Mochan (LP) 4:16.7; 3000: 1 Max Sockett (RWB) 9:38.2; 2 Dan Poynting (BW) 9:44.1; 3 Andrew Ingleton (BW) 10:34.9; 100H: 1 Peter Adeosun (SA)14.6; 2 Will Scammell (L) 14.6; 3 Femi Akinbobola (S) 14.7; 400H: 1 Ellery Cole (AS) 63.10; 2 Alex Martin (CW) 63.30; 3 Joel Mattacks (JG) 64.90; LJ: 1 Rory Howorth (SA) 6.52; 2 L Natiu (AVC) 5.90; 3 Joss Ferguson (D) 5.79; TJ: 1 Luke Scott (SA) 12.12; 2 B Snow (BW) 12.01; 3 Chris Francis (R ) 11.42; HJ: 1 Zak Chukwuemeka (M) 1.80; 2 Jacob Kelly (MA) 1.64; 3 Aaron Allette (R ) 1.59; Discus: 1 Jamie Murray (AP) 29.63; 2 Charles Broillard (W) 29.55; SP: 1 H Clarke (BW) 11.52; 2 Daniel Evans (DTC) 10.98; 3 Thomas Back (BF) 9.58; Jav: 1 Simon Davies (L) 41.82; 2 Ferguson 41.62; 3 Ben Walker (MA_ 39.15;

Junior boys – 100: 1 O Henry (SS) 11.7; 2 Ty Bryan (NH) 11.9; 3 Tye Stroud (L) 12.0; 200: 1 Lanre Alli (M) 23.8; 2 Joe Carter (JB) 24.0; 3 Leo Chivers (CC) 25.7; 300: 1 Declan O’Neill (BF) 40.2; 2 C Fernando (BW) 41.0; 3 Max Ashton (MA) 42.1; 800: 1 Robert Jones (BW) 2:05.4; 2 Harry Cunningham (R ) 2:07.4; 3 Fraser Middleton (SA) 2:10.4; 1500: 1 Aidan McMullan (TS) 4:38.8; 2 Ollie Phillips (BW) 4:40.1; 3 Harry Woods (R ) 4:41.3; 80H: 1 D Sinclair (BW) 12.8; 2 Ed George (D) 13.0; 3 Michael Narruhn (SS) 13.9; HJ: 1 Theo Cochrane (BW) 1.74; 2 Lanre Alli (M) 1.60; 3 Leon Perry (S) 1.54; LJ: 1 Max Savage (MA) 5.15; 2 Cody Allen (WC) 5.08; 3 Josh Blake (DE) 5.08; TJ: 1 I Taylor-Holland (BW) 11.83; 2 James Rankin-Acosta (R ) 11.17; 3 J McGrath (BW) 11.05; Hammer: 1 Owen Merrett (S) 46.02; 2 Harry Ricketts (R ) 41.08; 3 James Viner (S) 40.20; Jav: 1 Theo Spurrell (C ) 33.76; 2 Robert Jones (BW) 33.03; 3 Merrett 32.03; Discus: 1 Mikael Evloev (M) 33.67; 2 A Graham (BW) 29.71; 3 James Viner (S) 27.86; SP: 1 Evloev 12.18; 2 Beau Gardener (CC) 11.95; 3 Elliot Milton (SA) 9.48;

Senior girls – 100: 1 Teresa Iannetelli (SJC) 12.90; 200: 1 Iannetelli 26.8; 2 Chloe Darlington (D) 29.3; 400: 1 Caitlin Rogers (SWG) 66.00; 800: 1 Becky Service (SWG) 2:46.7; 1500: 1 Jade Littlechild (C ) 4:47.8; 2 Alice Sullivan (G) 4:48.8; 3000: 1 Lucy Fitzpatrick (SM) 11:21.0; 2 Caroline Brenchley (SM) 11:28.6; TJ: 1 Robyn Ellison (SL) 10.61; LJ: 1 Ellison 5.09; 2 O Knight (SWG) 4.83; Jav: 1 Knight 35.85; SP: 1 Georgia Pickford (D) 7.78; Discus: 1 Pickford 30.39.

Inter girls – 100: 1 Emma Okunbor (SM) 12.7; 2 Sophia Hill (D) 13.2; 3 G Kirkham (SWG) 13.2; 200: 1 A Rattue (SWG) 27.9; 2 Hope Hann-Farmer (K) 28.3; 3 Susannah Hirst (SM) 28.6; 80H: 1 A Littlejohns (G) 12.5; 2 Sophie Martin (H) 12.7; 3 Sophia Hill (D) 12.8; 300: 1 Emily Davies (SL) 45.5; 2 India Ibbotson (H) 45.8; 3 Emma Jowett (G) 46.7; 300H: 1 Hannah New (KS) 49.70; 2 Lizzie Rutherford (SM) 51.50; 800: 1 Jessica Davies (SL) 2:25.2; 2 Madeleine George (D) 2:32.4; 3 Flossie Williams (G) 2:59.8; 1500: 1 Sophie Smith (M) 4:57.4; 2 Eva Porter (MA) 5:15.4; 3 Katie Robinson (SL) 5:26.1; 1500 steeplechase: 1 Catriona Edington (D) 5:53.8; 3000: 1 Susannah Hirst (SM) 11:07; 2 Lara Smith-Osborne (SM) 12:06; HJ: 1 M Hole (SWG) 1.65; 2 Emma Jowett (G) 1.52; 3 Antigone Lee (M) 1.49; LJ: 1 G Kirkham (SWG) 5.32; 2 Emma Okunbor (SM) 5.22; 3 Hermione Warburton-Hogben (D) 4.97; SP: 1 Hole 12.30; 2 Vicky Oge-Evans (SM) 10.00; 3 Sandy Du (SM) 9.18; TJ: 1 M Kunzer (G) 9.56; 2 Jess Rusby (G) 9.28; 3 Emily Davies (SL) 8.85; Hammer: 1 Anna Merritt (G) 52.76; Discus: 1 Merritt 34.89; 2 Imogen Ayling (D) 24.97; 3 Jess Doerr (RW) 19.50; Jav: 1 Mia Shaw (SM) 27.51; 2 Lucia Imi (M) 24.54; 3 Flossie Williams (G) 22.38.

Junior girls – 100: 1 Willa Gibb (MA) 13.0; 2 Tessa Carter (D) 15.5; 3 Erin Jeeves (SS) 13.6; 200: 1 Delleah Belgrave (LP) 27.2; 2 Indie Boyd (SM) 27.5; 3 Tallulah Baker (M) 28.3; 300: 1 Ophelia Pye (D) 42.7; 2 Millie Reeve (D) 45.7; 3 Kitty Marvin (SM) 45.8; 800: 1 Imogen Tanner (LS) 2:27.10;2 Amelia Skittrall (HW) 2:27.8; 3 Kelly Marsh (CW) 2:28.2; 1500: 1 Bea Wood (SWG) 4:27.3 (CBP) 2 Olivia Roderick (T) 4:56.7; 3 Freya Buglass (SA) 5:00.1; 75H: 1 Willa Gibb (MA) 11.4 (CBP); 2 Atalanta Hue-Williams (M) 11.8; 3 Maisie Arnold (D) 12.3; SP: 1 G Clarke (SWG) 10.04; 2 Saskia Darling (SM) 8.31; 3 Olivia Small (D) 8.19; Hammer: 1 J Littlejohns (SWG) 25.23; Jav: 1 Megan Galpin (W) 36.48; 2 Rose Strutt (SM) 31.87; 3 Lucy Wilkinson (SE) 31.05; Discus: 1 Connie Wood (C ) 25.17; 2 C Nunez (G) 23.63; 3 Bailey Greatley (K) 19.46; HJ: 1 C Miller (G) 1.51; 2 Jessica Kinneir (SJC) 1.48; 3 Darling 1.45; LJ: 1 Delleah Belgrave (LP) 4.85; 2 Edie Noble (LA) 4.84; 3 Tallulah Baker (M) 4.79.

CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS

Senior boys hammer: Josh Ricketts (Ridgeway School).

Junior girls 75 hurdles: Willa Gibb (Malmesbury School).

Junior girls 1500: Bea Wood (Salisbury)

Minor boys javelin: William Pischell (Salisbury).

Minor boys 1200: William Tavener (Salisbury).

KEY: (A=Abbeymead; AP=Abbey Park, Swindon; AS=Abbeyfield School; AVC=Avon Valley College; BF=Bradon Forest; BW=Bishop Wordsworth; C=Corsham School; CC=Clarendon College; CW=Commonweal; D=Dauntsey’s; DE=Devizes; DTC=Dorcan Technology College; G=Godolphin; HJ=Hardenhuish; HW=Highworth Warneford; JB=John Bentley; JG=John of Gaunt; K=Kingdown; KS=Kingsdown, Swindon; L=The Lawn, Swindon; LA=Lavington; LP=Lydiard Park Academy; LS=Leehurst San, Salisbury; M=Marlborough College; MA=Malmesbury; MT=Matravers; NH=Nova Hreod, Swindon; R=Ridgeway, Swindon; RW=Royal Wootton Bassett Academy; S=Sheldon; SA=St Augustines Catholic College; SE=St Edmund’s CoE Girls; SJ=St John’s School & Community College; SJC=St Joseph’s Catholic School Swindon; SL=St Laurence; SM=St Mary’s Calne; SS=Stonehenge School; ST=Stonar; T=Trafalgar School, Downton; W=Warminster; SWG=South Wilts Grammar for Girls; WC=Wyvern College.