Emma Haley, 16, won the Intermediate girls' 800 metres, staged at Essex Schools Track and Field Championships staged at Melbourne Park on Saturday in a new championship record of 2m 11.6s beating the 31-year-old record, set in 1973 by Lesley Kiernan, of 2m 12.2s by 0.6secs.
Emma, a pupil at Chelmsford County High School for girls, who is trained by 1993 London and Chicago marathon winner Eamon Martin, ran with great front running commitment and headed the field all the way and despite close opposition for the first lap she powered away towards the end of the second lap to gain a five second victory and the new record time.
Philip Sergeant, a coach at Chelmsford Athletic Club, witnessed Emma's achievement and said: "It was an amazing piece of running. The conditions that day were awful and Emma had to wait all day to do it. She deserves the record.
"Many, like me, will recall Lesley Kiernan setting the record 31 years ago, and she went on to become an international athlete."
Published Friday June 18, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article