NENE Valley Harriers crowned 29 county champions and took 53 other medals at the Lincolnshire County Track and Field Championships at Grantham.
The club racked up 24 silvers and 29 bronze medals, with their athletes also achieving 20 personal best times (PB) and smashing four club records, as well as setting three championship best performances.
Emma Hornsby was awarded joint holder of the Patemen Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding all-round Lincolnshire under-15 female athlete. The Bourne Grammar School ace’s performances over the last track and field season secured the title, which she is sharing with one of Lincoln’s cross-country athletes after the judges were unable to decide between the two of them.
On the opening day of the championships, Alex Hampson ran away from team-mate Cameron Marshall to take the under-15 boys’ 1,500m championship in a club record time of 4.20.04mins. Marshall took the silver medal.
Ashley Sandall also won the under-15 boys’ 400m, beating fellow Nene Valley Harrier Sam Smith with a championship best time of 53.6secs.
The following day, Grace Mullins stormed away from the pack in a mixed age group field to win the under-20 women’s 3,000m in a championship best 10.30.9mins.
Nene Valley’s other track club record came from award winner Hornsby, who won the under-17 girls’ 300m hurdles in a time of 48.7secs.
Two club records fell in the field as Hornsby claimed the under-17 women’s long jump title with a jump of 5.27m and Emily Maltby landed the under-20 triple jump crown with 10.76m.
• FOUR wins from Martin Tinkler couldn’t stop Nene Valley Harriers finishing last in their Southern League match at Stevenage.
Tinkler, a former English Schools bronze medallist who joined from rivals Peterborough Athletic Club this year, was in superb form in the throws, winning the discus (A string), hammer (B), javelin (B) and shot (B).
Ken Baker weighed in impressively with wins in the hammer (B) and discus (B).
The Latvian Sumskis twins were both in winning form too, Edgars victorious in the 3,000m (A) and Juris first home in the 800m (B).
Lloyd Kempson managed a PB in the 400m (B), with his 54.9secs enough for third place.
In the women’s events, Emily Maltby was in superb form with an A-string sprint double in the 100m and 200m, as well as winning the long jump (B).
Also on winning form was Grace Mullins, who added yet another notch to her impressive list of middle-distance wins with glory in the 3,000m (A).
Veteran Tracey Lazenby secured wins in the 1,500m (B) and 3,000m (B), while Kelly Lawrence took the hammer (A) with a fine throw.
Natasha Seagal was on great form too, clocking up a 13.2 second PB for first place in the 100m (B) and setting another new best in the 200m (B), which was good enough for second.
Seagal’s 4.95m in the long jump (A) was a new PB too – and good enough for third place.
Overall, Nene Valley recorded 159 points to finish fourth out of four.
That leaves them comfortably above rivals Peterborough Athletics Club at the half way stage in the season.