‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes won gold and silver medals in the Senior Girls 800m and silver in the Intermediate Girls 800m at the ESAA Sainsbury’s English Schools Track & Field Championships at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on 13-14 July.

In the Senior Girls 800m final Rachel Stringer (Norfolk) and Lucy Dowsett (Cambridgeshire) fought it out for the gold medal way ahead of the rest of the field, with Rachel taking the win in 2:06.93 to 2:07.45. These times were one and a half second improvements on their personal bests for both athletes. Northumberland’s Gina Rutherford took the bronze in 2:11.27.

Lucy moved into the lead down the back straight on the first lap ahead of Rachel and the two ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes gradually pulled away from the field, going through the bell in 63 seconds. They had a great battle down the home straight with Rachel proving to be the stronger in the sprint finish. The two other ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athletes in the race, Suzi Boast (Cambridgeshire) and Emily Goodall (Sussex), were not able to perform at their best on the day and finished sixth and seventh in 2:15.54 and 2:17.93 respectively.

Rachel said: “I really wanted to win. My plan was to keep with Lucy although I didn’t know how quick she was going to go and wait until the home straight to launch my attack. It didn’t feel that quick and I am delighted with the time. Now I want to go and win in Belgrade (at the European Youth Olympic Festival on 22-27 July) for both myself and Lucy.”

Lucy said: “I definitely wanted to break 2:09 today as I have been stuck at that level all season. I knew that I had to attack and go for it as in other races I have felt that I still had something left at the end. Rachel just got me but it was a really good race. I ran as I planned but I couldn’t quite hold it. I wanted to win of course but I am pleased and it was a big PB for me.”

On Friday Rachel and Lucy had both won their heats impressively in 2:11.8 and 2:11.9 respectively to qualify for the final.

Humberside’s Kerrie Harris added a silver medal in the final of the Intermediate Girls 800m. By the bell a group of four athletes including Kerrie had broken away from the others with Rowena Cole from the West Midlands in the lead. Kerrie moved into the lead on the back straight but wasn’t able to hold off Rowena when she launched her attack off the final bend and went on to win in a personal best of 2:10.30 ahead of Kerrie who clocked 2:10.86 and Lancashire’s Leigh Lennon in 2:11.29.

After the race Kerrie said: “I wanted to win but I didn’t quite have enough at the end and Rowena ran a great race. I ran the race as I planned but just didn’t quite have the strength to hold on. I am happy with a silver medal though.”

The final was Kerrie’s third race of the weekend after winning her heat in 2:18.30 and taking second in her semi-final in 2:12.46 to qualify or the final. OCWK’s Alex Turner finished fifth in her heat in 2:20.61.

Jordan Kinney from the West Midlands finished sixth in the Senior Girls 1500m final in 4:34.45 after qualifying with 4:32.95 in her heat.


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