Golden weekend for Harrier Jamie in National indoor championships (From Barry And District News)

Golden weekend for Harrier Jamie in National indoor championships

BARRY and Vale Harrier Jamie Jones picked up three gold medals at the Welsh National Indoor Athletics Championships in Cardiff at the weekend, to cap off an excellent weekend for the club.

Jamie began his golden weekend in the u15 60m sprint, winning the final in a personal best time of 7.54 seconds.

He then took the long jump title with a leap of 5.86m.

Jamie has already won British, Welsh and Welsh Schools long jump titles.

Jamie was a little stiff in the 200m heats, winning in 26.06 secs, but turned on the heat in the final, and though a few metres down at the halfway mark, he pulled away to win in a personal best of 24.06 secs, taking his tally for the weekend to three gold meals.

Sian Balchin won gold in the U13 shot putt with a throw of 7.55 metres, which would have taken a medal in the boys age group.

Jenny Wade, having previously won AAA indoor and outdoor and schools high jump titles, did not disappoint. Recovering from injury and with little training behind her, plus moving up to the U17 age group, she jumped 1.55 metres for another gold medal.

Calvin Maclaggon added another championship gold medal in the U-20 60m sprint, in a time of 7.04 seconds, another personal best.

Sian Balchin came fifth in the long jump on 3.54 metres.

In the same age group, Naomi Ross, in her first championship, won her 60m heat in a personal best time of 9.17 seconds to secure a place in the final.

She finished fourth in a blanket finish, and only a close scrutiny of the photo-finish showed that she had missed out on a medal by about three inches.

In the U15 age group, Kayleigh Balchin found it tough in the heats of the 60 metres, taking fourth place in 8.83 seconds.

Polly James, having moved to the U-20 age group, tried her hand at sprinting over 60m, and went straight into the final, coming fifth on 8.52 secs in a fast race.

Dominic Papura, who has also been plagued by injuries, was not pleased to find there were no heats in the senior men's 60m, but blasted away from the blocks in a straight final and although beaten into second place, he achieved his aim of running under 7.0 seconds, with a time of 6.98 seconds.

Sunday's competition began early for Polly James in the U20 women's long jump, and snatched the bronze with 5.05m, missing silver by 2cms.

Moving up to the U15s, Imogen Lewis came third in the 800m heats in 2 min 38.11sec, a personal best by more than 5 seconds.

Kayleigh Balchin, in her second of three events at the championships, came second in the 200m heats in 29.99 seconds, but missed out on the final. In the long jump she came 5th with 3.98m.

Lois Guthrie, in her first championships, took third in the 200m U13 Girls heats in 31.37 secs, and just missed a place in the final.

Barry Harriers still seek more athletes for Wednesday evening training at Jenner Park, 6pm start.