ByBrian Sacks, Brian Sacks
TEAM GB’s young athletes achieved a medal haul of two golds, two silvers and a bronze in individual track and field events, as well as securing two relay bronze medals.
Sam Shindler-Glass struck gold in the junior 800m on his 17th birthday, 45 minutes after placing fifth in the 3000m and a day after taking silver in the 1,500m.
Ellie Edwards, 16, took gold in the girls’ 200m to add to her bronze in the 100m, and gained a third medal by anchoring a mixed international team to bronze in the girls 4x100m.
James Bongart, 16, took silver in the junior javelin with a massive personal best throw of 53.31m, and gained a
second medal by teaming up with Adam Muscat, Jack Reece and Daniel Gubbay to take bronze in the junior 4x100m relay.
Shindler-Glass said: “Both the 800 and the 1,500 came down to final sprints after uneven early pace. I couldn't catch Tal Braude of the USA in the 1,500, but in the 800 I pushed hard with 300 metres to go and did not look back. It was a relief to break the tape and a thrill that my birthday was announced on top of the podium.”
Edwards was delighted with her performances, which included setting a personal best of 12.68 in the 100m.
Britain was represented by two athletes in senior events. Oliver Ziff finished a brave 7th in the 5000m, recording 15:40.24 in very hot and sultry conditions. Nick Davis placed 7th in a top quality 400m final, in which Donald Sanford set an Israeli record of 45.65 to beat last year’s Olympic finalist, Australian Steve Solomon.
Locally, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Nathan Bloom, 14, and David Stone, 11, produced outstanding performances in a series of graded 1,500m races at Watford. Bloom cut his PB to 4:24.55. Stone overhauled the field to take
victory in his race in 4:42.34, lifting him to 7th in the UK Under 13 rankings.