COLCHESTER Harriers were in outstanding form at the Essex County Track and Field Championships, in Chelmsford.

One of the largest Green Vests squads for some time claimed an impressive seven golds in total, in addition to a haul of silver and bronze medals.

On day one of the event, Olivia Simon became Essex champion in the under-15 girls' hammer with a winning throw of 31.88 metres.

Philippa Davenhall achieved the same feat in the senior ladies' with a throw of 55.24m.

Harriers' first year under-17 Isabella Minder registered 3.70m in the long jump while Jess Scotchmer notched up a personal best (PB) of 3.72m, in the under-13 girls' final.

Sprinters Hollie Martyn-Whymark, Jessica Scotchmer, Talia Wynter and Olivia Gillon all performed well in the under-13 girls' sprint heats.

Maya Rattray won bronze in the under-17 girls' 100m final ahead of sixth-placed Ella Gray, with Daniella O’Leary also performing well.

In the under-17 men's 100m, Henry Lawes claimed bronze with Jimi Sijuwola also competing in the final, while Joe Clarke also took part in the heats.

Rebecca Jeggo (12.16 seconds) won gold in an exciting under-20 women's 100m final, finishing just ahead of second-placed Joy Ogunleye (12.17s), with Caitlin O’Reilly claiming a good bronze in 12.6s.

Joe Wilkin competed in a strong senior men’s race and finished fifth in a time of 12.64s, while Oscar Dawson was fifth in the men's under-20 800m final.

Rob Smith clocked two minutes 02.10s in the senior men’s 800m and Millie Presland was sixth in the under-15 girls' 1,500m final, in 4m 56s.

Under-15 athlete Madeleine Claydon ran PBs of 14.41s in the hurdles and 45.48s in the 300m, where she placed fourth in the final.

She also cleared 1.30m in the high jump.

Savanna Harrison finished just under her season's best of 9.56m in the women's under-17 triple jump while Helen Bloomfield claimed gold in the Veterans' 300m in 46.3s.

Stacey Ayers was a creditable fourth in 2m 20s in the senior women’s 800m and Jake Young ended the day with a magnificent gold in the men's under-20 400m in a time of 50.6s.

On day two, Daisy Hilson kicked things off with a fourth-placed clearance of 1.40m in the under-17 women’s high jump.

Milly Presland bagged the first podium with silver in the under-15 girls' 3,000m in a new Harriers record of 10m 55.98s, securing a top-ten national ranking.

Helen Bloomfield gained silver in the Veterans' 1,500m (5m 22s), as did Olivia Simon in the under-15 girls' pole vault.

Senior man Paul Cooper claimed javelin bronze (52.37m) while in the under-15 boys' category, Charlie Palmer clocked a PB throw of 21.64m to finish sixth overall.

Olympian Dominic King claimed bronze in the arduous 3k walk in 12m 40.00s but his brother Daniel King was disqualified.

Thomas Palmer ran a brave race to finish fifth in the under-17 men’s 800m final (2m 01.55s) and under-15 Emily Henderson finished fifth in her 800m in a PB of 2m 48.40s while under-13 runner Alice Begg secured a big PB in 2m 52.31s.

In the 200m sprints, under-13 sprinter Talia Wynter gained a new PB of 29.79s for fifth place, ahead of eighth-placed Olivia Gillon (30.64s).

Ella Gray ran blind from the outside lane to finish sixth in the under-17 women's final in a time of 27.72s, while Isabella Looker and Jennifer Palmer competed in the heats.

In the men’s equivalent, Henry Lawes was fourth in the 200m final with a PB of 23.48s while Joseph Clarke clocked 25.11s in his heat.

Rebecca Jeggo cruised to a superb gold in the under-20 women's 200m final in a PB of 24.73s, breaking her own club record to clinch her second title of the weekend.

In the senior men's 5K, Ramadan Osman executed a perfect race to finish with a new PB of 15.29s, taking almost two seconds off his previous best.

Elsewhere, Harriers' Michael Major becoming Kent senior 800m champion in a time of 1m 58s, while Eliza Betts was crowned Suffolk under-17 long jump county champion in a PB of 5.01m and Paul Clifford ran 1m 57.2s to win gold in Manchester, in the senior men’s 800m.