Vale Royal Sprint Girls Smash Records and Win Gold Medals At North Of England Indoor Championships 2004

Vale Royal AC Sprinters were out in force at the North Of England Indoor Championships 2004 at Sheffield Indoor Arena on 18th and 19th January 2004.

The Vale Royal Girls shone in tough heats, semis and endured the pressure of the final in front of a large crowd at the 200 metre indoor track.

Morgan Brown won the gold medal in the U15 girls 200 metres setting a new championship best in the final to the cheers of the Vale Royal Support squad who made themselves heard throughout the arena. 

Morgan gained her first  major championship medal of her development in athletics.  The new championship record for the Under 15 girls 200 metres set by Morgan was 26.15 seconds which will stand for hopefully many years to come.

Morgan was joined in the final by training partner Rachel Stokely who is a member of West Cheshire Athletic Club, yet trains with the Vale Royal Sprints Squad, coached by John Lightfoot.  Robyn Wainwright also contested the championships with a good time in the heats.  

Equally pleasing was the progress Of Vale Royal AC Sprinter Hayley Jones who won two Gold Medals in the Under 17 Ladies age group.  Hayley won the 60 metre sprint and the 200 metre sprint smashing the records for both events, and this is an amazing achievement as Hayley has another year in this age group.

Hayley powered down the 60 metre straight and around the 200 metre track over the two days to smash the records to the delight of the Vale Royal AC Sprints support squad who once again cheered the championships best records.

With a new championship record for the Under 17 ladies 60 metre sprint with a time of 7.82 seconds to shatter the old seven year record.  In the 200 metre (one lap round the track) Hayley again smashed the record with a new time of 25.54 seconds to the delight of the stadium.

3 Championship Records!!!!

John Lightfoot (Sprints Coach) was delighted with all the girls and Allyn Condon (Commonwealth Gold Medallist/Sprints) heaped praise on the girls who rose to the challenge last weekend.

Club President, Harry Evans was equally delighted with the progress of the girls, and was at the stadium personally to see the girls in action.  He commented that the club has a excellent reputation, mainly in cross country and long distance running, however, the sprints squad has now started to make a significant impact on the club.