BOX athlete Livia Gauntlett ran one of the best races of her young career in America to propel herself up the UK 100m hurdles rankings.

On a sports scholarship at the prestigious Harvard University, Gauntlett sliced a substantial 0.28secs from her previous wind-assisted best set at the end of March with a sparkling time of 13.57secs finishing fourth in the Ivy league Heptagonal Championships in Philadelphia.

Significantly that time puts her fifth in the UK standings, is the third quickest by an U23 athlete from the UK this year and is sure to have been noted by the GB selectors.

Coming on top of a solid indoor season it can surely only be a matter of time before Gauntlett will earn her first international vest.

Closer to home the Howorth brothers from Hilperton have also enjoyed a superb start to the summer season.

Having already posted personal bests over 800m at Watford last month both John and Robert were in PB form again at the British Milers’ Club Academy PB Classic at Millfield School on Saturday.

In the 1500m A race John clocked an outdoors PB of 3mins 58.76secs – he ran slightly quicker indoors this winter – for second place while Robert slashed 3.5secs off his lifetime best with 4:01.31 and will surely dip under the magical four minutes barrier before the season is over.

To put those times into perspective John and Robert now lie third and fourth respectively in the South West rankings for U20 men over both 800m and 1500m.

In the mixed E race Corsham’s Jade Littlechild had a fine run to slice two seconds off her 2017 best with a PB of 4:44.15 to lift her to second in the South West rankings for U20 women.

In the men’s 800m A race, Bratton’s Hayden Bailey clocked 1:56.13 for eighth place and in the support races there were season’s bests for Sean Barry (1:56.13) and Caitlin Wosika (2:18.99).

BMC PB Classic, Millfield School, Somerset – 800: 8 Hayden Bailey (U20) 1:56.13; B: 10 Themis Bower (U20) 2:07.30; C: 2 Ellery Cole (U17) 2:03.77; 6 Sean Barry (U20) 2:07.01; D: 1 Harry Cunningham (Swin, U15) 2:06.89 (PB); 7 Archie Pierce (Swin, U17) 2:15.39 (PB); E: 6 Jack Gunning (Swin, U15) 2:21.37 (PB); F: 9 Fletcher Hart (Swin, U13) 2:28.47 (PB); 1500: 2 John Howorth (U20) 3:58.76; 4 Robert Howorth (U20) 4:01.31 (PB); 3000 B: 2 Alex Parsons (U17) 9:06.98 (PB); 9 Dan Patel (Swin, U20) 9:55.45 (PB).

Women – 800: 1 Anna Burt (U20) 2:08.62; B: 7 Caitlin Wosika (U20) 2:18.99; C: 10 Sophie Capel (Swin, U17) 2:32.13; D: 7 Harriet Hillman (Swin, U13) 2:25.20 (PB); G: 9 Louise Jeffries (W55) 2:47.64; B: 3 Ethan Pierce (Swin, U20) 4:13.47 (PB); 10 Jack Latus (Swin, U17) 4:22.31 (PB); C: 4 Justin Davies (U17) 4:24.45 (PB); E: 6 Jade Littlechild (U20) 4:44.15 (PB); 9 Lawrence Martindale (U15) 4:46.88 (PB); 10 Harry Woods (Swin, U15) 4:47.19 (PB); 13 Rebecca Pierce 4:51.99; 14 Caroline Brenchley (U20) 5:11.67; HL 11 Edith Chitty (Team Devizes, U13) 5:54.10 (PB).

RETURNING to action after injury wrecked her season last year, Imogen Dawe-Lane, of Devizes, clocked a time of 15.4secs in the 100m hurdles, narrowly missing the English Schools qualifying time on her first run of the season at the Brewer Game sin Cheltenham on Monday.

For good measure Dawe-Lane, who is a student at Dauntsey’s, also ran 12.9secs for the 100m and 26.8secs in the 200m and, all being well, will be looking to build upon that over the rest of the campaign.

The hurdles proved a rich picking ground for the club, in particular the men’s 100m hurdles where Team Bath athletes enjoyed a clean sweep – with all three sprinters claiming personal bests in the sunshine.

In-form Rory Howorth from Hilperton led the way with victory in a time of 14.4secs with Peter Adeosun runner-up in14.7secs and Devizes School student William Scammell third in 14.8secs.

Also in the hurdles there was also a PB for Sophie Martin in the 80m event as she clocked 13.2secs.

Not content with winning the hurdles Howorth then unleased a personal best of 6.59m in the long jump while in the same discipline youngster Ebony Hammond cleared a PB of 4.88m.

Brewer Games, Cheltenham – 100: 5 Delano Stewart (U20) 11.9; 7 Fraser Russell (U20) 12.1; Race 2: 1 Peter Adeosun (U17) 12.0 (PB); 5 Jonathan Evans (U17) 12.3; 200 - Race 1: 3 Stewart 24.7; Race 2: 2 Evans (U17) 25.5; 100H: 1 Rory Howorth (U17) 14.4 (PB); 2 Peter Adeosun (U17) 14.7 (PB); 3 William Scammell (U17) 14.8 (PB); LJ: 2 Howorth 6.59; 3 Scammell 5.69; 5 Fraser Russell (U20) 5.48.

Senior women – 100 – 3 Imogen Dawe-Lane (U20) 12.9; 5 Charlotte Longden (U17) 13.2 (PB); Race 5: 4 Sophie Martin (U17) 13.6 (PB); 200 – Race 3: 1 Dawe-Lane 26.8; 100H: 1 Dawe-Lane (U20) 15.4; HJ: 3 Renee Jelf (U20) 1.63.

U17 women –300 – Race 2: 6: India Ibbotson 45.5; 800 – Race 3: 7: Ibbotson 2:33.8; 80H Race 2: 2 Poppy Newman 12.9 (PB); 3 Sophie Martin 13.2 (PB); LJ: 3 Charlotte Longden 4.87 (PB).

U15 girls –75H: 3 Ebony Hammond 12.4; LJ: 2 Hammond 4.88 (PB).

ON THE road Corsham runner Mike Dooley achieved a landmark at the weekend as he made his debut for England in the Masters International 10k in Birmingham.

The Army officer admitted afterwards that he struggled in the heat, especially in the final uphill 10k, but battled valiantly to the finish to finish fifth in the over 55s age category in a time of 35mins 40secs and also helped to ensure England won the coveted team trophy.

“I found it very tough in the hot weather and with the final kilometre uphill I was struggling,” said Dooley.