WARRINGTON Athletics Club are celebrating one of their runners returning from the English Schools Championships with a gold medal and debut international selection.
Lewis Shaw produced a stunning personal best performance to cross the line first in the intermediate boys 100m hurdles final at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
He clocked 13.11secs, which defeated his previous best 13.24secs produced at the Merseyside County Championships in Liverpool on May 12. Shaw has a wind-assisted 13.1secs under his belt, too.
ENGLISH SCHOOLS CHAMPION & NOW INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE🏴
— Brian Shaw 🏃♂️ (@BriShaw81) July 13, 2024
So proud of Lewis today, 3-4yrs of hard work has finally paid off as he won the 100mH today in a new PB of 13.11secs
Looks like he’s off to wales next week to run for ENGLAND 🏴🏴🏴🏴 pic.twitter.com/rT9qIBnJjr
His display, while representing Merseyside Schools, has earned him selection for the SIAB Schools International to be held at Carmarthen Athletics Track in south west Wales on Saturday.
Shaw, who is from St Helens, won his heat the day before in 13.36secs.
Warrington AC hurdles coach Neal Petley had further reason to be delighted when another of his runners also reached a final.
Olivia Crawford missed out on the medals but delivered a strong display in the junior girls 75m hurdles, running into a wind and clocking 11.59secs to place fifth for Cheshire Schools.
The day before, she qualified by finishing second in her heat with 11.44secs to equal her personal best time.
Esme Heavey ran an excellent race to set a new personal best 9mins 46.29secs in the intermediate girls 300m as she narrowly missed out on the medals with fourth place.
Also running for Cheshire Schools in the same age group in the 1500m, Warrington’s Imogen Wharton finished seventh in her heat with 4mins 46.95secs but did not progress to the final.
And another clubmate Alfie Blizzard ran well to finish sixth in his junior boys 800m heat with 2mins 05.37secs beating his personal best but failing to progress to the final.
In the junior girls long jump Tallie Sze (Cheshire) was 12 with her second longest ever jump of 5.14m although it was wind assisted.
While in the intermediate boys 1500m Jack Marwood finished seventh in his heat with 4mins 04.02secs but did not progress to the final.
When the Cheshire team was selected Jack was a member of Warrington AC but has since changed to Salford Harriers.
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