Nene Valley Harriers lead all the way home from Bedford

Leading after the opening 400m hurdles event, thanks to maximum points by Sean Reidy and captain Dave Bush, the 2015 champions remained in front all afternoon.

And just as their lead looked to be coming under threat Martin Tinkler and Simon Achurch picked up maximum points in the day’s final event, the discus, to secure a famous win.

Nene Valley chalked up plenty of wins, but the highlight of the afternoon was 16 year-old Aaron Hunt’s second-placed run in the 1500m.

Hunt took the race to a pair of experienced runners from Bedford and County AC, and despite being passed in the final lap he held on to finish second in a time of 4:04.9, over two seconds inside the English Schools Championships qualifying standard.

Young athletes are establishing themselves in the Nene Valley senior ranks thick and fast. Under 23 Sean Garmory comfortably won the 400m with a 50.5 clocking while Alex Hampson from the same age group was first in the 800m in a time of 1:58.2.

Bush picked up his second win of the day in the B 110m hurdles.

As is often the case Nene Valley dominated the mens’ throws with Tinkler winning the shot with a putt of 14.32m, along with the discus and B hammer. Achurch won the B discus and hammer while Ben Stephens threw 13.42m to win the B shot.

The ladies also put in a fine performance picking up win after win on the track.

Claire Smith was first in the B 200m while Georgie Ivens won the 400m in 59:00.

Teenager Megan Ellison tore the field apart as she won the 800m in 2:16.1, with another youngster, Amber Park, runner-up in the B race.

Emma Maltby and Rosie Jacobs earned Nene Valley maximum points in the 1500m while track specialist Nicky Morgan won the B 5,000m.

Away from the track Bethany Denial achieved a B long and triple jump double while shot putters Becki Hall and Priscilla Dadzie earned maximum points.