BASILDON AC’s youngsters did themselves proud in the Eastern Young Athletes League final on their home track at Gloucester Park.

The squad finished second overall in the competition behind Bedford, while there was glory for the under-13 girls and under-17 women’s teams who each won their categories.

The under-15 boys team, meanwhile, was an agonising two points adrift of winners Bedford in their category.

Mae Bullman led the way for the under-17 women’s team, claiming maximum points by winning the A-string high jump (1.55m) and triple jump (9.84), plus picking up points in the 300m.

Charlotte Skeggs also clocked up big points for the team with third in the 80m hurdles B (13.1s), third in the long jump A (4.74m) and victory in the B-string javelin (26.96m).

But the biggest points scorers on the team were Olivia Bullis and Kiera Tippett.

Bullis won the B-string shot-putt (8.40m) and was second in both the A-string discus (22.81m) and A-string hammer (37.38m), while Tippett won the A-string shot (8.90m), was second in the B-string long jump (4.35m) and second in the A-string 1,500m (5m 07.2s).

Echo:

Olivia Bullis in the under-17 women's discus

Tippett’s King John School team-mate Maddy Bourne got the ball rolling with a win in the A-string 100m (12.8s) while the rest of the winning team included: Shannon McNeil, Tia Wood, Shannon Sims, Megan Rapley, Briony Findlay, Tilly Aitmarri, Sophie Wright and Rachel Eayrs.

The under-13 girls team actually finished joint top with Essex rivals Havering.

Among many stand-out performances, Evie Howe was the team’s biggest points scorer, winning the A-string long jump (4.26m) and finishing third in both the A-string 100m (13.9s) and 200m (29.3s).

Echo:

Evie Howe on her way to winning the long jump

Erin Lee had a fine win in the A-string 800m (2m 41.6s) while Mia Chantree was victorious in the A-string high jump (1.40m) after countback.

In fact, it was a one-two in the high jump as Jessica Krise won the B-string event with 1.25m while Danielle Keep won the B-string long jump (4.08m) and Lottie Hinson the B-string 200m (29.7s).

The remainder of the winning team were Emma Ramsden, Summer Thorpe, Caitlin Fowler, Ella Findlay, Chloe Jordan, Anna Wardell, Alicia Wisbey, Robyn Alderman and Rebecca Ashley.

The highlight of the under-15 boys team was a dominant run in the 1,500m from Mason Webb who won in 4m 22.9s, while the sprinters also showed well.

Tom Starling won the 100m B-string in 12.1s which was exactly the same time as the victor in the A-race from Norwich and Starling’s team-mate Ryan O’Connell who was given second by thousandths of a second.

O’Connell did taste victory, however, going on to win the B 200m in 24.5s.

In the 80m hurdles, Jack Broadbent won the B-string race in 12.5s which was the same time as team-mate Nicholas Cowen who was second in the A race.

Zoe Stannard was the club’s sole A-string winner in the under-15 girls category when she took the honours in the long jump (5.03m) and also picked up valuable points in the high jump and 300m.

Shirley Acquah-Davis won the B-string 75m hurdles (13.1s) and Devon Matthews won the B javelin (22.69m).

The under-13 boys had a solitary A-string win with Oliver Lill winning the 800m in style in 2m 22.4s while Brandon Heath was the man of the match in the under-17 men’s section.

Heath won both the A-string long jump (6.16m) and triple jump (13.04m) while there was a double win in the 100m hurdles courtesy of Lewis Beard (14.2s) and Parama Obi (14.9s).