ELLIOT Bowker was a race-winner for Cheshire at last weekend’s schools inter-county competition for the Mason Trophy.

The County High School Leftwich pupil matched the entry standard for the national championships for the third time this season at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, winning the inter boys’ 3,000m final in 8:56.2.

He is ranked seventh in the UK this year for the distance in his age group.

Fellow mid Cheshire runner Katie Gerrard, from Grange School, was faster than her rivals in the inter girls’ 1,500m, timing 4:43.3.

Like Bowker, a teammate at Vale Royal Athletics Club, it is a marker that permits entry to next month’s English schools’ track and field contest at the same venue.

Discus thrower Jenny Pyatt, from St Nicholas RC High School, continues to shine too.

She followed victory at the county championships with a personal best of 33.82m to win the junior girls’ competition by a huge eight metres ahead of her closest rival from Derbyshire.

Fisayo Williamson-Taylor (Grange School) was sixth fastest in the junior boys’ 100m, clocking 12.0s, while Weaverham High School’s Katie Frith timed 12.7s on her way to seventh spot in the inter girls’ 80m hurdles.

Danielle Wakefield, also from Weaverham, returned a personal best 10.42m in the inter girls’ triple jump to finish sixth overall – the same position she occupied in the long jump after leaping 4.96m.

She won both B competitions for second counting athletes.

Weaverham’s Lucy Burch lowered her personal best to 12:11.5 in the inter girls’ 3,000m, while classmate Amy Howarth was ninth in the discus with 24.50m.

Vale Royal Athletics Club’s Amy Hinchly, who represents Chester & District as a student at Tarporley High School, eased to victory in Cheshire colours in the inter girls’ 800m.

Her time, 2:16.1, easily meets the entry standard for the English schools championships.

Another member at the Knights Grange-based club, Congleton High School’s Sam Whitehead, set the day’s third fastest time en route to victory in the inter boys’ 1,500m B final.

He finished that race in a lifetime best 4:09.1.

Sandbach High School’s Chloe Broad set a personal best 11:47.7 in the inter girls’ 3,000m.

Cheshire finished seventh in the final standings, with 310 points. West Midlands took home the title after amassing 370.

Mason Trophy
Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, Saturday (selected mid Cheshire schools athletes’ results) – Inter boys, 3,000m:
1. Elliot Bowker (Cheshire, CHSL) 8:56.2.

Inter girls, 1,500m: 1. Katie Gerrard (Cheshire, Grange) 4:43.3. 3,000m: 11. Lucy Burch (Cheshire, Weaverham) 12:11.5 (pb). 80mH: 7. Katie Frith (Cheshire, Weaverham) 12.7s. Long jump: 6. Danielle Wakefield (Cheshire, Weaverham) 4.96m. Triple jump: 6. Danielle Wakefield (Cheshire, Weaverham) 10.42m (pb). Discus: 9. Amy Howarth (Cheshire, Weaverham) 24.50m.

Junior boys, 100m: 6. Fisayo Williamson-Taylor (Cheshire, Grange) 12.0s. 200m: 10. Sam Denny (Cheshire, Grange) 24.7s; 12. Will Nowell (Cheshire, CHSL) 25.1s. Long jump: 13. Tom Rudge (Cheshire, Middlewich) 5.27m. Triple jump: 8. Matthew Gilmore (Cheshire, Grange) 10.84m. Shot: 16. Jake Lightfoot (Cheshire, Weaverham) 9.65m.

Junior girls, long jump: 11. Emily Edgar (Cheshire, Hartford CoE) 4.46m. Shot: 9. Katie Sparkes (Cheshire, Middlewich) 7.65m. Discus: 1. Jenny Pyatt (Cheshire, St Nicholas RC) 33.82m (pb).