Lancashire County Championships

Well that was a weekend and a half. All the news that’s fit to print about the County Championships.

For me I was officiating with Mrs Casey at Blackpool in the Lancashires.

Keeping us company were Miss A Peers, Nurse M Lockwood (an honorary Pembrokian) and young Mar-Bel Casey covering five throwing events between them.

Anna won her 10th consecutive senior javelin title and rediscovered her winning discus form to make it a double. She is now, officially, the best all-round lady thrower we have ever had. Megan followed her in both events for a brace of silvers, and a personal best in the javelin as a bonus.

A hot favourite in the U13 discus poor Mar-Bel put three out of the sector. From this adversity would shine her true character, but more about that later.

The Swifts went medal-hunting at Wavertree in the Merseyside Champs. Beth & Katelyn came away with 5 medals between them; a fine haul of precious metal. The pick of performances being Katelyns winning 34.30m U17 hammer and Beth’s defeat of her mother in the shot & discus which almost earned her a long walk home !

Over in Cheshire Jordan Kelly won their senior county discus title with 37.47m. If he’s not over 40m by the end of the season I’ll eat my hat.

Then on to the performance of the weekend. Following on from her bitter disappointment the day before young Mar-Bel returned to Blackpool to face down her demons in the U13 hammer. To say she did so with style would be a gross understatement. Apart from winning and putting another 10% on her PB she smashed the county record by over 12m. Her 34.62m now puts her at #17 on the UK all-time list. That showed real character, you can’t coach that; athletes either have it, or they don’t.