Medalmania as West Norfolk athletes prosper at championships

Three members of West Norfolk Athletics Club returned home with three gold medals and one silver at the Eastern Counties Championships at Cambridge.

The trio of Lucy Koenigsberger, Matthew Bailey and James Greenhalgh all made the podium with some inspired displays between them.

Koenigsberger warmed up with a silver in the shot (10.06m) before taking gold in her favoured hammer with a decent throw of 48.97m.

Bailey ran well for fourth in the 100m (11.47) and then for the third year running won the seniors men’s 110m hurdles in 16.12.

Greenhalgh competed in the 400m hurdles for the first time at this level and didn’t disappoint, winning the senior and under-20 race in 59.7 seconds.

The following day, Greenhalgh travelled to Reading for round three of the Youth Development League Premier Division.

He showed no signs of tiredness and won the 400m hurdles A string handsomely in a huge personal best and club record time of 57.72.

Later that day he was placed second in the 110m hurdles (15.5).

Also in Reading, Charlie Williams jumped 5.17m for fifth in the A string long jump, before winning the B string shot with a slightly below par shot (10.83m).

Williams also ran a leg of the 400m relay where the team was placed fourth.

Nathan Protheroe, competing for the first time in this league, ran well for first in the B string 110m hurdles (17.0) and scored well for the team in long jump and in the sprint relay.

Rahim Benson kept up the club’s strong hurdling tradition with a B string 400m hurdles win in 62.14.

Elsewhere, Alfie Williams, competing in the Eastern Combined Events Championships in Bedford, was unlucky to finish just outside the top six which would have earned him qualification for the national championships later in the season.

Three no jumps in the long jump cost Williams, who was otherwise delighted with a fine set of results, which included a 1.62m personal best in the high jump.