A TALENTED trio of Colchester Harriers athletes enjoyed medal success at this year’s prestigious English Schools Track and Field Championships at the Alexander Stadium, in Birmingham.

Charlie Dobson, Graig Anya Joseph and Finn O'Reilly brought home four medals between them for their schools' county teams in track and field events at the event, contested by 2,000 youngsters.

Harriers sprinter Anya Joseph won two medals, after competing in the Junior Boys' under-15 category.

Competing in his first-ever national competition, he qualified quickest from his 100 metres heat in a new personal (PB) and club record of 11.13 seconds.

He then had to cope with three false starts in his semi-final to test his nerves.

But displaying great maturity, he remained focused and executed another good race to win, equalling his earlier time.

In the final, Anya Joseph once again displayed a calmness above his years and fought well after a poor start.

He stormed through the field to claim a superb silver medal (11.17s) in a race that was split by just over half a second from first to eighth place.

Anya Joseph also competed for Team Essex in the 4x100m heats, bringing the baton home to qualify for the final in a time of 44.40s.

In the final, he claimed a bronze medal, after bringing the baton home for the Essex Junior Boys in a time of 44.26s.

English Schools debutant Dobson eased home first in the Senior Boys' under-19 200m heats in 21.50s.

He then lined up next to double English National sprint champion Romell Glave, of Surrey in a much-anticipated final.

Glave was metres ahead of Dobson as they entered the home straight but the Harriers sprinter made good use of his relaxed technique to drive through.

In one of the most exciting competitions of the day, Dobson finished five hundredth of a second behind Glave to take a spectacular second place in a time of 21.20s and another PB and club record.

Dobson was also part of Team Essex's 4x100m relay team that finished fifth in the Senior Boys' final, running the long second leg.

He has now been invited to compete in the 150m at the Great North City Games for English schools in Newcastle, in September.

Harriers' O’Reilly won a superb bronze for Suffolk in the Intermediate Boys' under-17 javelin with an enormous throw of 60.68m, increasing his PB by 6.40m.

It was a remarkable achievement, considering he has only competed with this weight (700g) once before.

Harriers duo Rebecca Jeggo (Team Essex) and Caitlin O’Reilly (Suffolk Schools) both competed in the Senior Girls' 100m.

Jeggo ran into a head wind and was unable to make up ground in her heat after a hesitant start, finishing fourth in a time of 12.53s.

The wind turned itself around for the second heat and O’Reilly battled to fourth place in a time of 12.40.

But the duo failed to progress after finishing just outside the qualifying time for the final.

Harriers' Phillipa Davenall had to withdraw from the competition due to a knee injury just days before the championships.