ATHLETICS: Carter tops the rankings (From Wiltshire Times)

ATHLETICS: Carter tops the rankings

11:10am Friday 21st September 2012 in Sport News

ALEX Carter soared to the top of the UK rankings for U17 men with a superb performance in the Yeovilton 5k road race, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Lining up for the sixth and final race of the summer series just outside Yeovil, the 16-year-old from Winsley finished runner-up in 15:09.

That not only shattered his personal best but also broke the U18 men’s course record held by Frank Tickner, who went on to become an established British international cross country runner.

It put Carter top of the UK rankings, 24 seconds clear of Ryan Thompson from Cambuslang (15:33).

“I am so happy with that time,” said Carter. “I had no idea how fast I was running until I saw the clock in the final 100 metres. It certainly felt fast so I had an idea it would be a decent time – but not that fast.”

Carter’s confidence is sky-high after recording personal bests in each of his previous four races, three on the track and one on the road.

Successive times of 3:59.36 – his first time under four minutes for 1500m – and 3:55.71 plus 8:36.3 for 3000m crowned a terrific track season and put him eighth and fifth respectively in the UK rankings.

The St Laurence School (Bradford on Avon) student carried that speed onto the road, winning the Running Bath 5k around the grounds of Bath University in 15:33 to carve 15 seconds off his previous best before smashing that in Yeovil.

“I was feeling good so I led the race for the first 2k and then the eventual winner (Berihu Tesfay) took over at 3k and I stuck on his back for 1k until he moved away,” added Carter.

Tesfay won in a swift 14:46 – though well outside the course record of 14:04 held by Rob Whalley, also of Bradford on Avon – as Carter dug in to ensure that he finished in a time quickest by an U17 man in the country this year.

“I always seem to run well at this time of the season and hopefully I can carry that into the cross country season,” added Carter.

“And it would be great to one day have a go at Rob Whalley’s record.”

Meanwhile, Hilperton youngster athlete Rory Howorth ended his season in style with a superb performance at the Havant Open meeting in Portsmouth.

The 10-year-old St John’s School pupil won the 600m in a time of 1:42.1 – a personal best and new Team Bath AC club record – that also lifted him to top spot in the UK rankings for U11 boys.

Emily Dixon was runner-up in the intermediate girls’ heptathlon at the English Schools’ Combined Event Championships.

Representing Wiltshire the 16-year-old St Augustine’s School student from Frome scored 4,338 points to secure her first national medal.

Dixon, who competes for Team Bath AC, opened with 12.16secs for the 80m hurdles, 1.56m for the high jump, 9.47m in the shot and then 26.90secs in the 200m.

To complete a hectic weekend she cleared 4.95m in the long jump, threw the javelin 4.95m and then finished with a time of 2:33.35 in the 800m.

Teammate Grace Redmond finished seventh in the junior girls’ pentathlon out of 27 competitors with 2839 points.

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