It must be something about the Yorkshire water that helps to develop combined event athletes. Inspired by Jessica Ennis’ recent performance in the World Championships, young Doncaster A.C. athlete Nicole Bewley went to last weekend’s ESAA English Schools' 22nd Combined Events Championships in Bedford, to represent South Yorkshire Schools, and hoping to emulate Jessica’s heroics.
Nicole, who turned 15 just a week earlier, did not get off to the best of starts in the 75m Hurdles, which is normally one of her strongest events. She completed the course in 12.1 seconds, some 4/10ths slower than her P.B., which left her in 10th place after the first event, with a total of 663 points.
However, Nicole bounced back in the next event, the Shot, beating her PB of 10.50 no less than three times, and throwing a best of 11.13m. This gave her another 604 points and a running total of 1267 points, which rocketed her up the table into 2nd spot. Moving on to the high jump, Nicole again performed well, equalling her PB of 1.60m and scoring 736 points. This raised her total to 2003, and lifted Nicole up into 1st placce.
The next event was the Long Jump, where Nicole jumped 4.82m, just 6cm below her PB. However, it was enough to score another 511 points and kept her in the top spot going into the final event, the 800 metres. Her previous best outdoors in this event was 2.48.8 but she knew that she would have to improve upon this to stand any chance of doing well overall. Despite finishing in 2.44.31, and beating her best by almost 4.5 seconds, it was not enough to hold off the challenge from Essex athlete Hayley McLean, and West Midlands athlete Nikita Campbell Smith. However, her excellent 3rd place overall, with a total of 3038 points, automatically qualifies her for selection to represent England in an indoor Home International fixture in Glasgow on 5th December.
Nicole was not the only representative from Doncaster A.C. at these championships. In the Intermediate Boys Octathlon, 16 year old Liam Ramsey finished in a terrific 9th place on 4652 points, out of 38 competitors, setting a number of PBs, but feeling that he could have perhaps done better in a few events. He may feel a little disappointed but, to finish 9th out of the whole of England is a terrific achievement and bodes well for 2010.
Club Chairman Dave Lilley said, “Nicole and Liam are just two of a number of potential stars of the future at the Doncaster club, and typify the tremendous talent that exists here. Getting to the English Schools Combined Events Championship Finals is an achievement in itself, of which the athletes, their families, the club, and the town should be extremely proud. To then go on to represent your country is a tremendous honour, which every athlete should aspire towards. We look forward, with anticipation, to seeing how Nicole performs in December”.
Bedford International Athletics Stadium - Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September 2009
Junior Girls Pentathlon
| Electronic timing – | |||||||
| Pos No: | Name | Team | 75H | SHOT | HJ | LJ | 800 |
| 3rd | Nicole Bewley | S.Yorks | 12.1 | 11.13 | 1.60 | 4.82 | 2:44.31 |
| Progression Score | Points | Points | Points | Points | Points | ||
| 10-2-1-1-3 | 3038 | 663 | 604 | 736 | 511 | 524 | |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | |||
| 663 | 1267 | 2003 | 2514 | 3038 | |||
1st Hayley McLean Essex 3236
2nd Nikita Campbell-Smith West Midlands 3127
3rd Nicole Bewley South Yorkshire 3038
Intermediate Boys Octathlon
9th
| Liam Ramsay | SYorks | LJ | Discus | Javelin | 400m | 100H | HJ | Shot | 1500m |
| 6.06 | 27.94 | 38.06 | 51.27 | 14.17 | 1.66 | 9.69 | 4:37:39 | ||
| 6-12-14-9-8-8-12-9 | 4652 | 600 | 424 | 414 | 757 | 781 | 512 | 467 | 697 |
| 600 | 1024 | 1438 | 2195 | 2976 | 3488 | 3955 | 4652 |
Dave Lilley
Chairman
Nicole Bewley becomes the first Doncaster A.C. athlete to put on an England vest after the club changed its name and came to train and compete at the new athletic track at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Nicole Bewley is to represent English schools in the Combined Events Indoor International at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow on 5th December after winning a bronze medal in the Junior Girls Pentathlon in the English Schools Athletics Associatioon Combined Events Championships at Bedford International Stadium on 20th September.
Nicole finished in 3rd with an overall points score of 3038. She started well with a 10th place after the 75m hurdles opening event, this was followed by a massive personal best of 11.13 in the shot putt which sent her soaring to 2nd in the table. The third event was the one that sent her to the top of the table with a 1.60 in the high jump. She consolidated this position even further in the long jump with a 4.82m jump. There was everything to play for going into the last event the 800m which is probably her least favourite of the five, Nicole came in at 2:44.31 and had an agonising wait before being delighted to win a medal at her first ever English Schools Combined Event final.
Sue Parrish
Track & Field Secretary
