Hercules Wimbledon AC round-up: Arkell and Weir shine at SLAN meeting

BY TOM POLLAK

Freddie Arkell and Ellen Weir were the star turns as more than 50 Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club competitors were in action at the SLAN meeting.

Arkell, who goes to St Cecilia’s School, Southfields, posted an impressive 400m victory on his debut over the distance. He crossed the line in 51.25 seconds, the second fastest by a UK U17 this summer.

Arkell’s narrow one-lap victory came just a week after two lifetime bests at an open meeting at Lee Valley, North London. He won his 100m race in 10.94, with the help of a sizeable 3.3 metres per second following wind, to dip inside 11 seconds for the first time. He then strode to victory in his 200m race in 22 seconds, also the fastest time by a UK U17 this summer.

Weir posted the fastest women’s time for 3,000 metres at Coulsdon to chop more than 20 seconds off her PB as she clocked 9:50.16. It ranks her fourth UK U20 over the distance this summer.

Georgie Clarke was top U20 woman finisher in the 800m in 2:21.53 with Lulu Weisz fastest U17 woman (2:21.80).

Shawn Bell (U15) posted two PBs to win his 150m and 300m races in 19.19 and 40.87 respectively.

Romane McFarlane (U17) also bettered his PBs in winning his 150m and 300m races in 19.31 and 41.47.

Other club winners were all-rounder Mark Andrews in the high jump, Torin Cox in the 150m and Charlotte Gurney and Ella Smithier in the 300m.

Richard McDowell runs the longest race of his life on Saturday when he competes in the Thames Path 100 miles event from Richmond to Oxford – targeting the course record of just over 14 hours.

He warmed-up for the ultra-distance challenge by winning the South Downs Way 50 miles race from Worthing to Eastbourne in 6:02:19, finishing more than 18 minutes ahead of the second runner.

Alex Milne headed home a 256-strong field to win the Essex marathon in Saffron Walden in 2:28:00.