3:10pm Thursday 9th July 2009
By Andy McAllister
Robbie Schofield’s battle to reach the qualifying standard for the European Junior Championships will go to the last weekend after he fell short in the British Athletics League Meeting in Manchester.
Competing for his Newham and Essex Beagles Club, the 18-year old from Sawley was a close second in the 800m to Sam Ellis, but was outside the 1:49.5 he required.
As we reported last week, he had intended to have a shot at the BMC meeting in Leeds first, but he didn’t go after discovering that there was no electronic timing. His final opportunity will be at the English Schools’ Championships at Sheffield this weekend.
Three local clubs were winners in the Northern Track and Field League with Blackburn Harriers, boosted by a league record in the women’s hammer from Sophie Hitchon.
Laura Douglas of Sale threw 61.00m against Hitchon in the opening round of the series back in May, but now Sophie has responded with 61.34m at Stretford.
The Harriers won for the second time in three matches with 407 points to Sale’s 402 and go ahead of their Manchester neighbours in Division 1 by 17 points to 16.
At the same time, Rossendale Harriers were extending their lead over Spenborough in Division 3WC to three points after victory at Beckett Park in Leeds.
The combined Burnley and Pendle team were hosting their Division 4W match at Wilson Playing Fields in Hyndburn after the Seedhill ground was deemed unsuitable for senior competition because the horizontal jumps would have taken place on the inside of the track, endangering competitors from the throwing events.
The switch failed to ruffle their feathers as the team won comfortably, and consolidate their place at the top of the league.
On home territory, Hyndburn AC enjoyed a solid third place while Chorley AC were seventh.
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