Team Kennet Under 14 Girls Crowned Wessex League Champions 2026
Team Kennet brought their 2026 Wessex Young Athletes League campaign to a close at Swindon on Sunday, with soaring temperatures and blustery conditions making for a challenging final fixture of the season.
Despite several athletes being unavailable due to holidays, other competitions and the extreme heat, Team Kennet produced another determined team performance to finish 4th overall, only a handful of points behind second place. Hosts Swindon Harriers claimed victory on the day with a dominant display.
The standout achievement came from the Under 14 Girls, who arrived at the final fixture unbeaten and leading their age group league. Although they were narrowly beaten into second place on the day by the hosts, it was enough to secure the 2026 Wessex Young Athletes Under 14 Girls League title – a fantastic reward for their consistency throughout the season.
The day began perfectly in the 1500m, where Quin Joyce and Maisie McCurtin delivered a superb one-two for Team Kennet, winning the A and B string races in 5:03 and 5:07 respectively.
Another victory followed in the High Jump, where Orlagh Stratford, currently ranked UK No.1 for her age group, comfortably won after clearing 1.50m, only just clipping the bar on her next attempt. McCurtin added another B string victory with 1.30m, while Joyce matched that height in the non-scoring competition.
There were more strong performances in the throws. Isla Ladds threw 25.69m for second in the Discus, while Ayla Wyvill claimed second in the B string with 14.68m. In the Javelin, Matilda Clare finished second with 28.10m, while Ella McDonald won the B string with an excellent 23.83m. Ladds also took second in the Shot Put with 6.35m, alongside Affra Bailey, who finished second in the B string with 5.35m.
The Long Jump saw Ladds jump 4.30m for third, with Clare also taking third in the B string with 3.76m. Bailey battled well for fourth in a fast 800m A race, clocking 2:37.3, while Stratford finished third in the B string. Clare was involved in a thrilling finish in the 200m, being awarded second place in 28.54, while Stratford finished third in 29.83. In the 100m, Karaleia Bamfield placed fifth in 14.3, with McCurtin sixth in the B string in 15.5.
Team Kennet also fielded two relay teams in the 4×100m, with Stratford, Clare, Bamfield and Ladds finishing runners-up in 57.5 seconds, closely followed by Wyvill, McDonald, McCurtin and Bailey in 59.0 seconds.
Returning from the English Schools Championships, Turkay Altuntas produced a sensational clean sweep in the Under 18 Men’s throws, winning all three events. He set a new Wessex League Discus record with 51.13m, while also winning the Shot Put with 14.06m and the Javelin with 24.80m.
The Under 16 Boys also enjoyed an outstanding afternoon in the field events. Noah Lauder Clark opened with a superb 50.09m Javelin throw to take victory, while fellow English Schools competitor Berkay Altuntas claimed wins in both the Discus and Shot Put. Berkay threw 45.16m in the Discus, narrowly missing his own league record, before completing a hat-trick of victories with 14.80m in the Shot Put. Noah added valuable points with fourth in the High Jump, clearing 1.45m, while Owen Tilsley won the B string with 1.40m.
On the track, Lauder Clark and Oliver Young both finished third in their respective 300m races, recording 41.88 and 41.99. Young later finished fourth in the 200m (25.1) and fifth in the 100m (12.09), while Tilsley placed fourth in both B string sprint races.
With only one Under 14 Boy available, Alfie Cronk showed great commitment by contesting three throwing events, finishing second in the Discus (18.71m), fourth in the Shot Put (6.91m) and third in the Javelin.
Competing as Team Kennet’s sole Under 18 Girl, Zoe Dickson won the Discus with 20.67m before taking second in the Shot Put with 7.81m.
The Under 16 Girls finished third overall in their age group. Olivia Bentley ran an excellent race to finish second in the 800m in 2:28.9. Olivia Rayfield placed fifth in the 100m before improving to fourth in the 200m with 29.7, while Ella Cronk finished fourth in the B string 200m in 29.89 and fifth in the 300m in 48.88. Rayfield and Cronk both secured third places in the Long Jump with jumps of 4.10m and 3.57m respectively, while Jessie McCurtin was unfortunately forced to withdraw from the High Jump through injury after clearing 1.20m.
The final fixture rounded off another successful Wessex League campaign for Team Kennet. While fourth place overall reflected a squad stretched by absences, the performances across all age groups once again demonstrated the club’s strength and depth. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Under 14 Girls, whose consistency throughout the season earned them the 2026 Wessex Young Athletes League title—a fantastic achievement and a fitting end to another memorable campaign.
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