Young athletes on track for award

The Running Bath performance of the month competition for Julyhas attracted a terrific shortlist for the prize of a pair oftraining shoes from the city's top athletics store.

The Aviva English Schools' Championships at Gateshead was the biggoal for many local athletes this summer and it is no surprise thatsix of the ten contenders excelled on that stage on the openingweekend of the month.

The National Junior League, with TeamBath athletes representingthe new composite Team Avon squad, and the South West Inter-Counties Championship, in which Avon and Wiltshire were represented,also provided opportunities for athletes to impress our judges.

RHYS BROWN The 16-year-old TeamBath 400m hurdler finished seventhin 57.63secs in the inter boys' event at the Aviva English Schools'Championships, having run an electronic personal best of 57.46 inthe heats. ELISE GAUNTLETT The TeamBath pole vaulter recorded apersonal best of 3.10m to win the B event for Team Avon in theNational Junior League at Cheltenham. The 16-yearold added 5cm toher previous best, set the previous month at the South West Schools'Championships, lifting her to 15th in the UK Rankings. HANNAH GRUBBThe Team-Bath AC teenager won the inter girls' pole vault at theEnglish Schools' with a new personal best of 3.60m, adding 10cm toher previous mark, and was subsequently selected to representEngland at the British Schools' Championships - which she also won.It does not get an awful lot better than that.

ROBERT HOWORTH Representing Wiltshire at the South West Inter-Counties Championship, Howorth won the under-13 boys' 800m in 2mins25.19 at the Exeter Arena. EMILY HUTCHINSON The 14-year-old finisheda fine sixth in the junior girls' shot with 10.80m, her second bestthrow of the summer, on her English Schools' debut. NATASHA LEWISCompeting for the Avon team in her final appearance at the EnglishSchools', the 18-year-old, who has had a quiet season, finishedsixth in the senior long jump with a mark of 5.19m.

CHLOE MERRITT In her first appearance at English Schools', the 15-year-old Team-Bath athlete cleared a personal best of 1.60m in thehigh jump, adding 2cm to her previous PB, to finish an impressivefourth in the junior girls' event. LAURA SMITH The 17-yearold RoyalHigh School student claimed a 200m and 400m double in the NationalJunior League match at Cheltenham, clocking 25.9secs and 60.3respectively, the former her second-fastest time this year. ALEXSTAINTHORPE The 17-year-old TeamBath runner smashed her PB by 12seconds - dipping under five minutes for the first time - to win the1,500m in 4mins 48.33secs in the final National Junior League matchat Yate.

IMOGEN WOLSEY The 17-year-old has made a successful switch to the2,000m steeplechase and, in only her third attempt at the event,clocked a time of 5mins 1.56secs to smash her previous PB by almost17 seconds. That earned her an English Schools' silver medal.

The Chronicle's athletics coverage is sponsored by Running Bath,Bath's specialist running shop. Catering for runners of allabilities, from complete beginners to experienced athletes, itoffers a wide range of running footwear, apparel and accessories.Visit Running Bath at 18 High Street, Bath, call 01225 462555 or logon to www.runningbath.co.uk.