England Athletics Age Group and Junior Para Championships 2026, powered by Citroën: Signing off in record-breaking style
Judging from the performances in Bedford at the England Athletics Age Group and Junior Para Championships, one thing is for sure: England’s athletes are progressing nicely. With each generation times and distances improve. Past winners are consigned to the history books and a new and exciting future begins… which now includes a new British record in the U16 300 metres along with the shot (both in the space of five minutes!). Here’s how the action unfolded on an action-packed day two:
U18s
The first couple of finals proved to be real headline acts on what was a cracking Sunday. The men’s 400 hurdles saw Luke Hussain (Andrew Fraser, Warriors) emulate his brother, Jay who had won the U16s race a few minutes earlier. He took the lead on the final bend and despite clipping hurdle nine, crossed the line first in a personal best of 53.22. It was his first England title and the best way possible to make up for the English Schools final where he hit the final hurdle and fell. “Fall 99 times, get up 100,” said Hussain afterwards, relieved to have survived clipping that hurdle. “I’ve fallen in my last three races, but once I was over that one, I knew I’d win,” he continued. “I was worried for him when he hit it,” said his brother, Jay, happy with his own gold medal.
A bold kick for home with 450 metres to run in the women’s 800 paid off for Posie Shaw (Shaftesbury Barnet). She held on to win in 2:10.39, braving a stiff headwind on the back-straight before an exciting final 100 metres saw her edge away. “I had planned on sitting in,” said Shaw. “But the wind was really bad, so I just went for it. I didn’t want to leave it until the final 150 metres, but the wind really knocked the sense out of me,” she laughed.
In the men’s race Henry Hemmings (Graham Lamb, Burton) even had time to wave thanks to a superb final 150 metres. Only fifth at the English Schools, nobody could live with his change of pace and he won in 1:52.94.
In a frantic 20 minutes with final after final, spectators barely had time to draw breath before the 400 metres runners went to their blocks. Running a controlled 48.34, Matthew Agbolegbe (Colin Corless, City of Southend) looked full of running as he crossed the line the best part of a second clear of his closest rival. Then, in the women’s race, Danielle Agyemang-Tolbert (Kenyouth Walters, Camb H) took the gold medal. She ran under 56 seconds twice – once to qualify on Saturday and then again on Sunday – to win the final in 55.85.
Keely Little (Stephen Cottle, Torbay) was equally impressive in the women’s 200 metres. She had a fantastic start and led the whole way to stop the clock in a stunning 23.31. One screen indicated it was a legal wind, but another suggested it was over the limit. It was finally confirmed at +1.5m/s for the fastest time in the country this year – a perfect race in every sense where 24.68 placed eighth!
In the women’s javelin, it was a little calmer as Lucy Bull (Carolyn Franks, Cheltenham and County) secured the title with her very first throw of 50.42. The newly crowned European U18 champion put a solid series together but could go no further on this occasion.
U16s
By 200 metres of the boys’ 300 metres just one question remained: how much closer would Jacob Narhkom (Upali Ukwatte Kankanamage, Colchester and Tendring) get to the British record? He was that far ahead. The answer was: a long way beyond it. He powered to 34.43, easily eclipsing the old mark of 34.61, holding his form perfectly. Then, in an exciting – not to mention historic – couple of minutes, over in the shot circle, Johnny Jones (Mike Martin, Trafford) threw a British record in the final round of the shot, adding 1cm to the old mark with 19.72.
“I’m really happy with that,” said coach Martin. “We knew he could go close as training had been going really well but we didn’t want to pre-empt anything.”
“Training has been going well and I’ve had some big throws,” agreed the new record holder, Jones. “It was nice to get one out here where it counts,”
It didn’t let up as Kayden Thomas (Craig Andrew, Shaftesbury Barnet) was next on in the 100 hurdles. His PB of 12.51 is the record and he actually ran faster in the semi, clocking a windy 12.35. He was fast again, winning the final in 12.44, but like so many had to settle for a windy time.
A blistering bend by Honor Oteng (TJ Ossai, BFTA) secured her the gold in the women’s 200 metres in 23.80 (+2.6), comfortably faster than her best ever 24.12. Never headed, she added that to the silver she took in the 100 on Saturday which was also in a wind-assisted race. Piers Spencer-Simms (Blackheath and Bromley) completed his 100, 200 double by winning both races. He ran a composed looking 21.78w to take the 200 gold.
Also getting in on the double act was Capree Cooper (Andrew Flemming, Barnet and District) who was equally dominant in the girls’ 300 metres. She ran a commanding looking 38.97 to add that title to the English Schools’ 800 metres title she won earlier this month.
Running your best ever time in the final is always perfect and that is exactly what Matilda Baxter (City of York) did to win the girls’ 300 hurdles. In second off the final hurdle, she dug deep and edged her way into the lead to stop the clock at 44.42, an improvement of close to half a second. And just four minutes later, the boys’ 300 hurdles produced an exact copy of the English Schools’ final as Jay Hussain (Andrew Fraser, Liverpool H) led from the first hurdle to take the title in 37.72. Behind him, Joshua Gilbert (St Marys) made him work every step of the way, as he did in Birmingham a fortnight or so ago, running 38.15.
A strong final 100 metres saw Gabriella Cheung (Vale of Aylesbury) win the girls’ 800 metres in 2:12.51. Through 400 in a shade outside 65 seconds, she covered a four-athlete surge with 250 metres to run and used her speed over the final 100 metres to pull away. The boys’ race was close to an exact copy as the indoor champion Emil Friedrich (Dale Garland, Guernsey) covered the big move on the final lap after a 60.8 opening 400 metres and used his strength and speed on the final straight to stop the clock in 1:58.65.
Out in the field, as expected Adanna Udechuku (Emeka Udechuku, Chelmsford) defended her girls’ shot title with 13.64 to add to the six her father and coach won starting way back in 1993. And in the boys’ discus, the world’s No.1 14-year-old Kendrick Onolememen (John Hillier, Cambridge Harriers) made light work of the tricky wind to throw 62.38 in the fourth round in a series that saw him go beyond 60 metres five times.
Junior Para
Jayden Ackermann, T54 (Richard Chiassaro, Harlow) produced an impressive treble. First up, he flew to a lifetime best in the 100, wheeling to a very impressive 15.24 in the 100, fully three seconds clear. “I was pleased with that especially as I reached 20.5mph,” he said. “I think that was my best event.” Next, he clocked a windy 29.11 in the 200 before he ended a successful day with a comfortable win in the 800 metres in 2:01.82.