A wonderful week for Orton-based para athlete, plus full athletics results round-up

On Sunday he won the 1,500m para race at a prestigious meeting at Warwick University with a new personal best (PB) of 4:06.75.

Then on Monday, Ballard received an email informing him that he'd been selected to represent England in the T20 1,500m at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix staged in June in Paris.

The previous week the Orton-based 21 year-old who runs for Hunts AC attended a meal where gymnastics legend Louis Smith presented him with a sports aid funding award to support his para athletics journey.

Olympic, and Strictly Come Dancing, champion Smith still lives locally.

​

PANVAC MAKE A SPLASH

​Peterborough & Nene Valley AC made quite a splash when opening their East Anglian League season at a cold and wet Embankment track on Sunday.

​The club came a very comfortable first in both the senior male and female categories, with the under 17 men and women both finishing as runners up after 44 wins led to a second place finish overall.

The under 13 girls and the under 15 boys also finished in second place out of the five clubs in action.

Sean O’Donnell was among the star turns winning the under 17 100m in a time of 11.1 and the 200m with a 23.3 clocking.

Finlay Smith ran a well-paced 1,500m winning the under 15 race with a time of 4:47.9. The versatile Smith also won the B javelin.

Under 13 Jake Henson ran 5:17.8 for his 1,500m first place, while Harry Collister clocked 52.8 for his under 17 400m win.

Noah Fell cleared 1.45m when winning the under 17 high jump, while Alphin Hadfield won the B 100m in the same age group. Damian McNally was first in the B under 15 long jump.

Iris Kwakye had a good day sprinting to victory in the under 15 100 and 200m races. Kwakye recorded times of 13.6 and 28.1. Izzy Hurn won the under 15 800m with a 2:39.3 clocking.

For the under 17s Ruby Hynes enjoyed wins in both the 300m and high jump. She ran a time of 44.4 in the 300m and cleared 1.40m with her best jump.

Edie Twell won the 200m in 27.5 and also finished first in the B 100m. Sienna Slater clocked 12.1 when winning the 80m hurdles.

Three under 13s won their events with Olivia Peach crossing the 800m finish line in 2:43.9. Amelia Robinson won the B race and Georgia Cleathero clocked 31.6 in the 200m.

The senior women almost made a clean sweep of the track races.

Pearl Ford won the 100m with a time of 13.7, Holly Aslin finished first in the 200m in 26.7, while Alexa Boole ran 65.8 for her 400m win.

Boole doubled up, also finishing first in the B 200m. Beckie Gray won the B 100m with Jennifer Smith first in the B 400m.

Elizabeth Eames clocked 2:33.8 to win the 800m with Olivia Walker first over the line with a 5:13.1 1,500m.

The ever-reliable Andrea Jenkins won the shot with a distance of 8.46m and the discus with a 28.67m throw.

Simon Achurch also took the spoils in two throwing events. He threw the javelin 41.33m and achieved a distance of 39.47m in the hammer.

Anything the ladies could do the men could achieve too, and they also completely dominated the track races.

Ben Ball won the 100m in 12.1, with B race 100m winner Edward Judd clocking 25.5 to take the 200m honours.

Felix Bowling won the 800m in 2:04.1 with Nathan Bunting clocking 4:15.5 in the 1,500m.

There were B wins for Micheal Major in the 1,500m, Luke Maddy in the 800m, and for sprinters Sam Friend and Dave Bush in the 200m and 400m races.

​LONG DISTANCE RUNS

Helpston Harrier Steve Robinson finished fifth and first over 40 in Sunday's Boston 10k with a time of 33.59.

Elisabeth Sennit Clough of PANVAC opted to run the marathon at Boston clocking 3:36.35 to finish as the 20th lady and the third over 45. Bushfield’s Laura Fountain was not far behind, crossing the line in 3:37.56.

Yaxley’s Steve Megson ran 3.39.27 at the Norfolk Marathon in Cromer on Sunday. Clubmate Kathryn Hawkswell finished in a time of 4.04.57.

Yaxley man Daniel Snipe clocked 3.18.10 in Sunday's Newport Marathon.