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New Balance English Schools' AA Track and Field Champs 2016: Preview

The New Balance English Schools' Athletic Association Track and Field Championships are to be held on 8th July and 9th July at Gateshead Stadium starting at 10am on both Friday and Saturday. The competition is a highlight event for many young athletes throughout England, and has seen the beginning of a great athletics career for many of our athletes.

While some athletes who have been selected for the European Youths or World Junior Championships may not be competing it looks set to once again be a very high standard of competition.

England Athletics will enable you to follow all the action at www.englandathletics.org/liveevents.

Here are just a few of the athletes likely to be in contention this weekend with many more great competitions expected throughout the programme.

Junior Girls

Among the athletes to look out for are Jade Spencer- Smith (Club: Harrow AC, Coach: Ellie Spain) from Middlesex who was the winner of last year’s Pole Vault and has cleared 3.61m this year. Molly Canhan (Club: Exeter, Coach: Kevin Canham, County: Devon Schools) has run 2m 07.8s in the 800m this year, and Charlotte Williams (Club: Blackburn, Coach: Michael Hitchon, County: Lancaster Schools) has thrown the Hammer 54.39m this year.

Junior Boys

In the 800m Max Burgin (Club: Halifax, Coach: Brian Burgin, County: West Yorkshire) has a time of 1m 54.36s to his name this season and Ben Pattison (Club: Basingstoke & Mid Hants, Coach: Dave Ragan, County: Hampshire) has clocked 1m54.56s - making this one of the races to watch over the weekend. London's William Andoh (Coach: Michael Whittaker) has a time this year of 36.06 for 300m and will be hoping for a podium position.

In the High Jump Dominic Ogbechie (Club: Highgate, Coach: Juliet Kavanagh, London) has achieved a height of 1.91m just last month and is a clear leader in the national rankings, and Aran Thomas (Club: Wakefield, Coach: Michael Swain, County: West Yorkshire) is also well clear in the 1.25k discus rankings - having thrown 46.15m.

Intermediate Girls

In the 1500m Tilly Simpson (Club: Hallamshire AC, Coach: Steven Marshall, County: Derbyshire) has a time this year of 4m 25.6s and will be looking to impress in the final. In the High Jump competition Natasha Smith (Club: Stroud, Coach: Kerry Eddie-Jury) who competes for Gloucestershire has jumped 1.77m and in the Pole Vault Molly Caudery (Club: Cornwall AC, Coach: Stuart Caudery, County: Cornwall ) has reached 4.01m.

The heavy throws look like they will be exciting events - in the Shot we have Hannah Moyneaux (Club: Nene Valley, Coach: Geoff Capes, County: Lincolnshire) who has achieved 14.44m this year and will be hoping to add to her collection of ESAA gold medals. In the Hammer there are two 60m plus throwers; Olivia Stevenson (Club: Kingston upon Hull, Coach: Dave Smith, County: Humberside) has a PB this year of 63.40m, and last year's winner Katie Head (Club: Newham & Essex Beagles, Coach: Paul Head, County: Essex) has thrown 62.68m.

Intermediate Boys

Some competitive events look set to be contested in the field, Alfie Scopes is looking to defend his discus title (Club: Tonbridge, Coach: John Hillier, County: Kent) with a recent throw breaking the 55m mark. Joshua Hewitt (Club: Liverpool H, Coach: Grant Brown, County: Merseyside) who is competing in the High Jump has cleared 2.07m this year and will also look to defend his title, to add to his 2016 England indoor U17 High Jump and Heptathlon golds.

Depending on their perfomance, competitors in the Inter Boys' and Girls' events may be selected to represent England at the SIAB Schools' International Track & Field competition in Ashford, Kent on 16th July.

Senior Girls

Last year Chloe Esgbona (Club: City of Stoke, Coach: Helen Esegbona, County: Cheshire) won the Intermediate 300m Hurdles - this year as a Senior she will be running the 400m Hurdles with a best time this year of 62.18s. Another winner from last year who has moved up an age group is Emily Gargan (Club: Gateshead, Coach: Sam Stanislaus, County: Durham ) competing in the Triple Jump who jumped 12.36m at the England Athletics 20 Championships and is currently ranked 3rd in the UK. Livvy Connor (Club: Lewes/Crawley, Coach: Richard Pilling, County: Sussex) who won the Senior Girls' Pole Vault last year has a PB of 3.90m.

Senior Boys

The 3000m could be an exciting race, with Derbyshire's Hugo Milner (Club: Derby) - who placed 5th in the 3 mile London Mini Marathon among those in action. SEAA indoor champion High Jumper Adam Jones (Club: Southampton, Coach: Erik Little, County: Hampshire) won in the Intermediate competition last year and has consistently heighted 2.05m over the past few months. Another winner from last year’s Intermediate competition is George Marvell (Club: Stevenage & North Herts/Oaklands Col, Coach: Paul Dickinson) from Hertfordshire has thrown the Hammer 64.42m this year.

Tickets

Friday 9th July: £12, under 16 and OAP £5.

Saturday 10th July £14, under 16 and OAP £6.