EAST Lancashire hammer ace Sophie Hitchon showed she is approaching this month’s World Championships at her peak after throwing a season’s best in Poland at the weekend.

The Burnley-born Blackburn Harrier finished third in the 61st Janusz Kusocinski Memorial Meeting on Sunday, behind two top throwers in current world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk and former world record holder Betty Heidler.

Hitchon’s 72.23m was her best throw of 2015 so far, and she showed her consistency with throws of 70.51m, 71.97m and 72.10m before that effort.

The performance moved Hitchon up to eighth in the Hammer Challenge Rankings and she will be confident of a good performance in the World Championships, which begin on August 22, with pole-vaulter Holly Bradshaw also in the squad, She said: “72.23 in Poland, pleased with the result now onto training camp in Japan before heading to Beijing for World Championships.”

Fellow Blackburn Harrier Joe Pearse also had a taste of international action when he competed in the annual Under-20 international match featuring teams from Wales, England North, England South and England Midlands.

The Welsh Athletics International took place at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium on Wednesday, July 29, and high-jumper Pearse was delighted with his performance.

The competition was won with a clearance of 2.10m with second place clearing 2.0m.

Pearse came fourth overall with 1.95m and second U20, the same height as all the others in the event.

Pearse admitted that pulling on his first England vest had reignited his love for athletics.

“Unfortunately my season hadn’t gone to plan due to a number of setbacks and niggles that just wouldn’t go away,” he said.

“I was losing the love of competition but at the Welsh International, in my first England vest, I found my love for competition again as I really started to enjoy myself.

“I came a surprise second and found my form once again knowing that I can go much higher next season if I can just jump more consistently.

“I am now looking forward to next season and hope to bring more personal bests after a solid and hopefully injury free winter.”