Minis Nail Sportshall

Thanks to Roy for this report…

It was glory all the way for the Jersey Spartan AC Minis last weekend as the girls’ team won the Sportshall Fun In Athletics Festival at Burgess Hill. In doing so they beat seven full county sides and emulated the talented Spartan team of 2002. The numerically under-strength boys’ team battled hard but were undermined by technical mistakes that cost them the higher position that their efforts warranted.

But for the girls all the practise over the holidays came together in spectacular fashion. Maximum points were gained on the track in the Obstacle Relay, Hurdle Relay (a dominant display from Olivia Mehigan, Libby Rothwell, Olivia Allbut and Tallula Norman) and ‘Over and Under’ as the baton passed faultlessly between the Jersey athletes. Second place in the 1×1 Relay and steady results in the other track events meant that the girls narrowly overcame a strong Berkshire team in these disciplines.

There was more success in the field events as Rebecca Wrigley and Libby Rothwell gained maximum points in the Balance Test, the latter defying gravity for the last few seconds to get the points. There was also a maximum in the Javelin as Katie Beirne and Florence Gothard justified their selection for this event in great style. Lillie Godden scored a first place in the Target Throw as did Olivia Allbut in the Hi-Stepper. Tallula Norman was fourth in Standing Triple Jump and Maia Hiram sprung to fourth place in the Vertical Jump.

In the end the girls raced away with an overall total of 442 points with Berkshire second on 424 and Hampshire third with 414.

The young boys’ team put up a spirited challenge against strong county opposition, always pushing their opponents hard on the track. Notably they claimed third place in the Grand Prix and fourth in Obstacle Relay and Parlauf. Rory Drummond led the track effort excellently. Again the Javelin proved a strong event with Jack Hardisty (4th) claiming good points. Luca Riva (5th Target Throw), William McGowan (6th Vertical Jump) and Louis Bootland (6th Speed Bounce) were Spartan’s top scorers in the field. The boys’ efforts were at last rewarded with an excellent win in the Hi-Stepper (Luca Riva, Charlie Thompson, Tristan Finlay). Ultimately though the team suffered from too many penalties and subsided to 8th position with 357 points compared with winners Berkshire on 419, so evenly were the teams matched.

The Spartan Minis were supported on the trip by Santander Private Banking.

Team: Alisha Jacobs, Florence Gothard, Grace McCarthy, Katie Beirne, Laura Spencer, Lillie Godden, Maia Hiram, Olivia Allbut, Olivia Mehigan, Rebecca Wrigley, Tallula Norman, Zara Johnston, Libby Rothwell, Ben Daniels, Charlie Thompson, Eoin McCullagh, Isaac du Val, Jack Hardisty, Louis Bootland, Luca Riva, Rory Drummond, Tristan Finlay, William McGowan.