THE first major track and field competition of the season took place earlier this month with the Devon County Championships at Exeter and the Cornwall equivalent held at Carn Brea, Redruth. Seventeen Tavistock athletes featured at Exeter and some superb results were achieved across all age groups. It was a successful weekend for the club.

In the U13 boys age group Harry Herdman took silvers for the 200m and 600m and a bronze in the 100m. In the 600m he broke his own club record in a competitive race. Freddie Williams, Jude White, Jamie Valeron-Crocker and Benjamin Rogers all made their county championship debuts and performed well in their events.

In the U13 girls category Eleanor Mills took silver in the discus and shot just missing out on a medal in the javelin. Francesca Herdman battled well in tough 600m and 1200m races to achieve good times.

Top club sprinter Patrick Channings had mixed fortunes. He was disqualified from his U15 boys 300m race for an infringement at the start but in the 200m he took silver in an epic battle with a North Devon rival. Johnnie Williams took a silver in a fine 80m hurdles performance.

The U15 girls saw Mollie Rickwood valiantly run to finish fourth in the 3,000m, while Jade Kinsey and Jodie Stacey performed well in their track events. Jade's 300m time broke the club record. Lily Mills won a clutch of medals in the throwing events with gold in the hammer and javelin, silver in the shot and a bronze in the discus.

Adam Holland entered 10 events, earning bronze in the 200m, 800m and 3000m, silver in the 5,000m and long jump and gold for his triple jump. Fellow senior Adam Tofield collected a bronze medal for his 800m, narrowly missing out on a medal in the 400m.

In the veteran categories it was gold all around — in the Vet 50 category Richard Drage topped the podium in his 1,500m and 5,000m races. Vet 65 Bob Champion did the same for his 1,500m and Vet 55 athlete Allan Herdman took a trio of golds for the 400m, 800m and long jump.

Over in Cornwall, a smaller contingent of Tavistock athletes took to the track but medals still adorned their necks after some excellent performances.

Sam Lane De Courtin won his U17 men's 800m and Jasmine Gray also won gold in the 1,500m with a bronze in the 200m.