DANIELLE Walker has gone through the entire track season unbeaten at 800m and 1500m.
What the tiny 12-year-old lacks in stature she certainly makes up for in heart, and on Saturday she won the 1500m in the Mid Lancs Medal Meeting at Preston Sports Arena.
The event is the climax to the Mid Lancs series and marks the close of the league season for our local clubs.
Danielle, who represents Burnley AC, has won around twenty races this year including Lancashire Championships at both 800m and 1500m.
Triple jumper Owen Woodward and sprinter Simon Woods each won gold medals for Burnley in the under 17's, Simon's coming in the 400m after he stepped up a distance.
Hyndburn's Claire Mitchell celebrated her 14th birthday yesterday, but she must wish she were three days younger.
The age groups are based on age at 1st September, which penalises juniors born in August.
In spite of being one of the youngest athletes in her year, she has had a strong season competing in a range of events. This time she won the javelin with a throw of 25.88m.
There was instant success for Thomas Cornthwaite who usually competes in the middle distances, the under 17 ran his first 3000m race of the season and took the gold medal.
Consistent Callum Fitzpatrick followed his strong run in last week's Europrint Fun Run with a Grade 1 Standard 2:20.7 in the under 13's 800m, while Joanne McVey gave Hyndburn their fourth gold in the under 13 high jump.
Caroline Smithson just missed gold in the under 15's 100m, but set a PB of 13.2 in winning the silver.
English Schools silver medallist Lee Pursglove continued his excellent season winning gold medals in the high jump and javelin.
However, he will probably be just as pleased with his bronze in the under 15 400m which he covered in 59.4 seconds in his first competitive race over the distance. Lee is currently preparing for his debut in the pentathlon.
Under 17's Victoria Snape and Eloise Manger took Chorley AC's gold tally to four with Vicky taking the 3000m in 11:06.0 and Eloise winning the javelin competition with 33.10m.
Pendle pair Vicky Haydock and James Robinson were both double winners in discus and shot.
Vicky was the only winning senior from our area as she threw and putted 28.41m and 8.10m.
James, an under 17 made distances of 30.77m and 11.22m. While James Rusius was Pendle's only track winner, taking the under 17's 1500m in 4:41.3, a former Pendle man took three gold medals.
Kieran Turner, now with Wigan Harriers won the under 15's 200m and 400m and was a member of the winning 4x100m squad.
Gold Medal Winners
Girls/Women: Under 13: Danielle Walker (B) (1500m 5:16.3), Joanne McVey (H) (high jump 1.25m) Under 15: Claire Mitchell (H) (javelin 25.88m) Under 17: Victoria Snape (CAC) (3000m 11:06.0) Eloise Manger (CAC) (javelin 33.10m) Senior: Vicky Haydock (P) (discus 28.41m, shot 8.10m)
Boys/Men: Under 13: Callum Fitzpatrick (H) (800m 2:20.7) Under 15: Kieran Turner (Wigan) (200m 24.2, 400m 55.0) Lee Pursglove (CAC) (high jump 1.74m, javelin 38.64m) Under 17: Simon Woods (B) (400m 54.6) James Rusius (P) (1500m 4:41.3) Thomas Cornthwaite (H) (3000m 9:35.9) Owen Woodward (B) (triple jump 12.59m) James Robinson (P) (discus 30.77m, shot 11.22m)
Key: B-Burnley, CAC-Chorley AC, H-Hyndburn, P-Pendle
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