Fin Lumber – Fry, Christopher Voice (Coach), Ilya Korchev, George Armstrong Smith, Freda Pearce and Daisy Connor.
It was an exciting 3 days for 8 Eastbourne Rovers athletes who were selected to represent Sussex Schools at The English Schools Track & Field Championships from 11th – 13th July held at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. The venue was particularly special as the Commonwealth Games took place at the iconic stadium in 2022.
The event is a pinnacle in the athletics world for young aspiring athletes, with many specifically training to reach the elite level and required entry standards. In the lead up, all targeted events on a local, regional and county level to achieve selection.
Eleanor Strevens – Gold in the Senior Girls 800m
Eleanor Strevens showed her supreme form in the 800m senior girls race clinching the gold in 2 mins 9 secs. She executed her race to perfection and her coach Christopher Voice said, ‘Eleanor did exactly as we’d planned, leading through the bell, then started to squeeze up the pace with 300 to go, holding the inside lane and attacking on the home straight.’
Eleanor had an impressive run up to the event, competing 2 weeks earlier in Manchester at the Olympic trials where she placed an impressive 4th, with the first 2 only qualifying for Paris.
Nathan Burge, coached by Sue Keen, reached the finals of the junior boys 300m and was only just off the podium in the final with a respectable 4th in 37.17 seconds. Nathan knocked .5 off his personal best to win his heat in 36.4secs. Adam Churchyard, coached by Liz Brandon, placed 7th in the inter – Boys discus with 39m 70cms.
Daisy Connor missed out on the finals of the Inter Girls 800m by the narrowest of margins placing 3rd in her inter – girls 800m heat in 2 mins 12 seconds. Daisy has had a fine season so far, and is only the first year in her schools age group, so no doubt will be targeting finals in 2025.
George Armstrong – Smith competed in the junior boys 800m race finishing in a time of 2 mins 10 secs. In the lead up to the event, George earnt his place at the English Schools event with an impressive personal best time of 2 mins 6 seconds representing Sussex Schools at the Cunliffe Cup Championships in Middlesex on 15th June.
Freda Pearce had the choice to compete in the inter girls 1500m or 3k as she had impressively achieved both entry time standards despite having another year in her age group. She chose the 3k distance and didn’t disappoint with a personal best time of 9 mins 58secs to position 8th.
Fin Lumber – Fry was part of a very fast 1500m heat and was only just off his personal best time with 4 mins 20 seconds placing 8th. Ilya Korchev raced strongly in the inter boys 1500m and was just outside qualifying for the final in 4 mins 3 seconds in 5th.
Coach Christopher Voice said ‘This is the highest number of athletes the club have had at the English Schools Track & Field Champs. They have dedicated themselves to training specifically to target the entry standards required to take part. We hope the representation from Eastbourne Rovers will continue to grow even more at events of this level’