Author: Luke Angell

Team Kennet Under 14 Girls Crowned Wessex League Champions 2026

Written by Luke Angell on 14 July 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

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.

💙💛

Ben East Claims International Victory in Italy!

Written by Luke Angell on 9 July 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

Ben East continued his impressive run of form by taking victory at the Meeting Lignano in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy, on 8 July.

Competing against a strong international field, Ben produced a winning throw of 79.89m to take top spot ahead of Czech athlete Jan Výška (78.81m), with fellow Briton Michael Allison finishing third with 76.33m.

The competition brought together athletes from Great Britain, Italy, the Czech Republic and Latvia, making it another valuable international performance as Ben continues to build momentum during the 2026 season.

🥇 Results

1st – Ben East (Great Britain) – 79.89m
2nd – Jan Výška (Czech Republic) – 78.81m
3rd – Michael Allison (Great Britain) – 76.33m

Ben has now put together a string of high-quality performances this summer, consistently competing at the highest level across Europe. Winning international competitions like this is another important step in his continued development and highlights the excellent work being done by Ben and his coaching team.

Well done, Ben! 💙💛

Essential maintenance and alternative training

Written by Luke Angell on 9 July 2026. Posted in General Club.

Dear all.

Effective from Monday, 24th August 2026, the entire CCAT facility will be temporarily closed to allow for essential maintenance on the track and runways. Subject to weather conditions, we anticipate resuming training activities at CCAT on Wednesday, 23rd September 2026.

Please note that while some maintenance work will commence on the track prior to this date, the facility will be accessible for use from 6:00 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The committee is actively reviewing venues to ensure suitability for all training groups. Please note that some groups may be assigned to different locations. Once venue selections are finalised, coaches will be notified promptly, and arrangements will be communicated accordingly. All venues will have a risk assessment in place.

Please refer in the first instance to www.teamkennet.co.uk for all details.

Berkay Represents Turkey at the Balkan U18 Championships

Written by Luke Angell on 5 July 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

Team Kennet athlete Berkay Altuntaş proudly represented Turkey at the Balkan U18 Athletics Championships in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, competing against some of the best young discus throwers from across the Balkans.

Berkay recorded a best throw of 44.70m to finish 11th in a strong international field, adding another valuable championship experience to his growing athletics career.

It has been another memorable week for Berkay, having recently been crowned Turkish Discus Champion, and earning the opportunity to wear the Turkish vest on the international stage.

Everyone at Team Kennet is incredibly proud of Berkay’s achievement and would also like to recognise coach Cheryl Angell, who has spent many years working with Berkay and helping to develop the foundations of his throwing career.

Congratulations, Berkay. We look forward to following your continued progress and wish you every success for the rest of the season.

From Team Kennet to Turkish Champion

Written by Luke Angell on 5 July 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

Congratulations to Team Kennet athlete Berkay Altuntaş, who travelled to Turkey to compete in the Turkish Athletics Championships, returning home as the Turkish Discus Champion in the 2012–2013 age group.

Berkay produced a winning throw of 48.83m to take the national title, adding another impressive achievement to his young athletics career.

This result is particularly pleasing for Team Kennet, with Berkay having spent many years working with coach Cheryl Angell. Cheryl has played a huge part in Berkay’s development as a thrower over a number of years, and this national title is a fantastic reward for all the hard work that has gone into his progression.

Everyone at Team Kennet congratulates Berkay on becoming Turkish Champion and wishes him every success for the future.

Team Kennet Battle to Fifth in Closely Contested Wessex League Match

Written by Luke Angell on 28 June 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

Team Kennet travelled to Swindon on Sunday for the third round of the Wessex Young Athletes League, looking to strengthen their position inside the league’s top six. With several key athletes away competing at the South of England Championships and other events, the squad faced a difficult challenge but still produced a host of outstanding performances across the track and field.

Match Result

Abingdon – 337
Marlborough – 306
Slough – 286
Wimborne – 273
Team Kennet – 237
Poole AC – 63

Despite finishing fifth overall, Team Kennet remains well placed in the league standings, with several athletes unavailable for this fixture.

The club’s biggest success came from the girls’ squad, who continued their outstanding season by recording another team victory to remain unbeaten and maintain their position at the top of their league.

The day began with the 75m hurdles, where Ella Parsons finished third in 16.35, while Darcy Claridge produced an excellent run to finish second in the B string in 16.20. In the Long Jump, Orlagh Stratford cleared 4.08m for fourth place, while newcomer Karaleia Bamfield impressed with 3.80m to finish third in the B string.

The 1500m produced another strong performance from Maisie McCurtin, who finished second in 5:06.9, while Claridge claimed an excellent B-string victory in 5:50.78.

There were valuable points throughout the throwing events. Ella McDonald finished second with 27.52m, while Ayla Wyvill won the B string with 14.49m. Wyvill later added fifth place in the Discus with 10.99m, while Affra Bailey finished fourth in the B string with 9.04m. Bailey then claimed second place in the Shot Put with 6.34m, matched by Wyvill with second place in the B string thanks to 5.92m.

One of the performances of the meeting came in the High Jump, where Orlagh Stratford cleared an outstanding 1.50m to take victory. The jump moves her to UK No.1 for her age group and into the Top 20 Under-14 athletes nationally, despite still having another full season remaining in the age group. Quin Joyce also impressed, clearing 1.30m to finish third on countback.

The 800m produced a superb double victory for Team Kennet, with Joyce winning in 2:25.6 before Affra Bailey secured the B-string win in 2:39.06. On the track, Bamfield finished fourth in the 100m in 14.7, while Lottie Longhurst was fifth in the B string with 15.7. Stratford then added third place in the 200m in 29.1, with Longhurst again finishing fifth in the B string in 31.1. The relay quartet rounded off another excellent day with fourth place in the 4x100m relay.

The boys’ team faced a difficult task with several key throwers and jumpers unavailable, but still produced a number of excellent performances to finish third in their section. Oliver Young clocked 12.6 in the 100m and 25.4 in the 200m for two fourth-place finishes. Matias Manrique Hueglas finished fourth in the B-string 100m in 13.4, before taking third in the B-string 200m in 26.5. Young also finished fourth in the 300m with 43.2, while Josh Brain claimed second in the B string with 41.9.

Frank Edwards recorded 2:29.07 in the 800m before returning just twenty minutes later to compete again in the 300m. In the field events, Brain and Aron Titlow both finished second in their respective Long Jump competitions with 5.48m and 4.84m, while Brain also claimed third in the High Jump after clearing 1.40m.

Team Kennet dominated the Discus, with Oscar Hook winning with 26.67m and Josh Ladds taking the B-string victory with 22.93m. Valuable points also came from the Shot Put through Hueglas (7.21m) and Edwards (6.64m), while the relay team completed the day with fourth place.

Another third-place team finish came from the girls’ squad, highlighted by a superb double victory in the 300m. Olivia Bentley won the A string in 44.23, while Ella Cronk claimed the B string in 46.95.

Jess McCurtin finished second in the 1500m before matching that placing in the High Jump with 1.30m. In the Long Jump, Izzy Payne cleared 4.73m for third place, while Cronk jumped 4.06m to finish second in the B string.

One of Team Kennet’s most consistent performers once again was Catherine Wood, who collected second place in both the Discus (23.42m) and Javelin (23.52m), before adding third place in the Shot Put with 8.43m. Cronk also finished second in the B-string Shot Put with 5.45m.

Bentley later added third place in the 100m (13.95) and fourth in the 200m (28.34), while Payne finished third in both B-string sprint races, recording 14.66 for 100m and 29.37 for 200m. The relay team narrowly missed out on second place, finishing third in 56.7.

Elsewhere, Theo Nightingale was Team Kennet’s only Under-17 athlete in action and produced an excellent clearance of 1.90m to win the High Jump. Alfie Cronk competed across all three throwing events, taking third in the Discus (19.66m) and Shot Put (7.16m), while finishing sixth in the Javelin. Seb Lane also represented Team Kennet in the 100m, recording 14.42.

Although Team Kennet had to settle for fifth place overall, the club once again showed its strength across all disciplines despite missing a number of key athletes. With several competitors expected to return for the next fixture, the club will be aiming to climb back up the league standings while building on another weekend full of impressive individual performances.

Team Kennet Athletes Shine at South of England Championships

Written by Luke Angell on 28 June 2026. Posted in Track & Field.

A small team of Team Kennet athletes travelled to the South of England Championships in Chelmsford over the weekend, producing an excellent set of performances despite competing in extremely challenging conditions under an Amber Heat Warning.

Leading the way was Isla Ladds in the Under 14 Girls’ Discus. Isla produced the performance of her career, smashing her personal best with a superb throw of 29.00m. The mark earned her a bronze medal and moved her to 10th in the UK rankings, finishing just centimetres away from both the silver and gold medal positions.

Isla also competed in the Long Jump, progressing through the morning qualifying round with a leap of 4.48m to secure her place in the afternoon final. She went on to finish an impressive 10th overall with a best jump of 4.25m.

Fellow Under 14 athlete Ella Larkin enjoyed an outstanding two days in the 800m. Running in the first of four heats, Ella knocked almost two seconds off her previous best to qualify automatically in third place with 2:21.90. Returning for the final the following day, she produced another remarkable performance, taking a further two seconds off her lifetime best to break the 2:20 barrier for the first time, finishing 8th in a high-quality final with a superb 2:19.53.

In the Under 15 Boys’ Javelin, Noah Lauder Clark also celebrated a personal best, throwing 46.30m to claim an excellent 5th place against some of the best young throwers in the South of England.

Also representing the club was Oscar Hook in the Under 15 Boys’ Hammer. Having been unwell throughout the week leading into the championships, Oscar showed great determination to compete, recording 35.46m to finish 11th.

With multiple personal bests, a national top-10 ranking, a championship medal and several top-10 finishes, it was another successful weekend for Team Kennet athletes competing on one of the region’s biggest stages.

Chester Bailey Crowned Double European Champion in Madeira

Written by Luke Angell on 26 June 2026. Posted in Triathlon>Biathle.

Team Kennet is incredibly proud to celebrate one of the greatest achievements in the club’s recent history, as Chester Bailey returned from the 2026 European Biathle Championships in Machico, Madeira as a Double European Champion.

Representing Great Britain against the very best young athletes from across Europe, Chester produced two outstanding performances to claim two European gold medals, an incredible reward for months of dedication, hard work and determination.

His first European title came in the Under-11 Mixed Relay, where he partnered fellow Team GB athlete Pippa Burge. The pair raced brilliantly from start to finish, crossing the line to secure the gold medal and become European Champions.

Chester’s second gold medal completed a remarkable championships, confirming his status as one of Britain’s most exciting young endurance athletes.

“Chester travelled to Madeira in exceptional form. Earlier this season he was crowned GB Schools Biathlon Champion, finishing 1st from 76 competitors. He completed the 50m swim in 37.56 seconds before producing the fastest 800m run of the entire Year 5 Boys competition in an outstanding 2:27.05, securing the national title with 2,630 points. He had already won the European Championships qualification event to earn his place on the Great Britain team, making his double European gold the perfect reward for an incredible season.”

For everyone at Team Kennet, Chester’s success is especially rewarding. Many members have watched him develop through the club’s coaching programme, progressing from a promising young athlete into a national champion and now a European champion.

To represent Great Britain at any international championship is a tremendous achievement. To stand on the top step of the podium twice, listening to the national anthem and wearing two European gold medals, is something truly special.

Chester’s achievements also highlight the strength of Team Kennet’s junior athletes and demonstrate what can be achieved through commitment, perseverance and a love of sport. He has become an inspiration to many of our younger members who dream of following in his footsteps.

Everyone at Team Kennet would like to congratulate Chester on an unforgettable week in Madeira. We are immensely proud of everything he has achieved and look forward to watching his sporting journey continue in the years ahead.

Chester Bailey – 2026 Season Highlights

Double European Biathle Champion (Madeira)
European Mixed Relay Champion – Great Britain
GB Schools Biathlon Champion (Year 5 Boys)
Winner of the European Championships Qualifier
50m Swim – 37.56 seconds
Fastest 800m run at the GB Schools Finals – 2:27.05
Proudly representing Great Britain

Congratulations Chester – everyone at Team Kennet is incredibly proud of you!

SAL – Match 2, Aldershot

Written by Luke Angell on 22 June 2026. Posted in SAL, Track & Field.

It was a super hot and sunny day yesterday for Match 2 of the Southern Athletics League: Division 3 West. Team Kennet had four athletes competing, and our combined team with Marlborough Athletics Club was one of only three teams to break the 200 points barrier, finishing in third place with 224 points. Havant were second with 265 and Aldershot first with 270.

In the field events, Theo Nightingale put in a jump of 1.88m to clearly win the Men’s A High Jump. Luke Angell put in a huge throw of 59.41m to dominate the Men’s A Javelin and secure another Team Kennet first place. In the throws cage, Peter Saunders secured an excellent 3rd place in the Men’s A Discus with a throw of 30.04m. In the sand pit Chris Turner triple jumped 8.50m to secure a win in the Men’s B event.

Ben Schiffer-Harte picked up a lot of non-scoring experience on the field as well with a 3.82m long jump, 16.68m in the javelin and an 8.21m triple jump.

On the track Ben secured 2nd place in the Men’s B 800m with a time of 2:54:75. Chris secured a win in the Men’s A 400m Hurdles in a time of 1:32:12. The water jump was a welcome part of the Men’s 2000m Steeplechase, with Ben and Chris working together to push each others performance – Ben finishing in 8:54:85 to secure 2nd place in the Men’s B and Chris just behind in 8:57:75 to secure 3rd in the Men’s A event.

Thanks also to Ben, Peter, Chris and Cheryl, who all undertook officials roles throughout the day. The SAL always welcome more officials and it’s a great way to gain experience of those events not included in the junior competitions.

Historic Day For Team Kennet As QuadKids Team Breaks 2,000 Points

Written by Luke Angell on 15 June 2026. Posted in Quad Kids.

Team Kennet Make History With Record-Breaking QuadKids Performance

Team Kennet’s QuadKids squad produced one of the greatest performances in the club’s history at the latest Wessex Young Athletes QuadKids League match in Andover, becoming the first Team Kennet team ever to break the remarkable 2,000-point barrier.

The club not only won both the Boys and Girls team competitions but also secured the Overall Team victory, further strengthening their position at the top of the league standings.

The Girls now lead their league by almost 200 points, while the Boys have climbed into the top three. Combined, Team Kennet continue to pull away from the competition and remain firmly established at the top of the overall league table.

Using the official QuadKids scoring system, where only the top four athletes count towards the team score, Team Kennet amassed an incredible 2,029 points across both competitions.

To put this achievement into perspective, an individual QuadKids score of 250 points is considered an excellent performance. Team Kennet recorded multiple athletes above that mark across both teams, demonstrating the exceptional talent currently developing within the club.

Girls Team Shine

The girls produced a superb team total of 994 points, led by:

🥇 Matilda Saunders – 261 points
🥈 Praiya Foreman – 255 points
🥉 Olivia Kwit – 248 points
⭐ Hazel Balch – 230 points

The sprint event saw Praiya Foreman clock a superb 10.9 seconds for 75m, the second-fastest time of the day.

In the Long Jump, Matilda Saunders recorded 3.84m, also ranking second overall.

The Vortex Throw saw Saunders launch an impressive 33.47m, with Foreman close behind on 33.24m, producing the second and third best throws of the competition.

However, it was the 600m where the girls truly dominated.

Four Team Kennet athletes broke the two-minute barrier, with another narrowly missing out.

Praiya Foreman – 1:46.6 (Fastest girl of the day)
Olivia Kwit – 1:47.3 (Second fastest girl)
Matilda Saunders – 1:52.5
Florence Randall-Bird – 1:58.3 (First time under two minutes)

Both Ines Field (2:00.2) and Cecily Wyer (2:00.7) came agonisingly close to joining the sub-two-minute club.

The individual standings reflected Team Kennet’s dominance as the club secured an incredible 1-2-3 finish:

🥇 Matilda Saunders
🥈 Praiya Foreman
🥉 Olivia Kwit

Additional strong performances came from Ines Field, Cecily Wyer, Darcy McCurtin, Isabella Chapman and Florence Randall-Bird, all contributing valuable points throughout the competition.

Boys Team Break The 1,000 Point Mark

The boys were equally impressive, posting a remarkable 1,035 points.

Leading scorers were:

🥇 Chester Bailey – 269 points
🥈 Harvey Baker – 262 points
🥉 Matthew Jones – 253 points
⭐ Lenny Wyvill – 251 points

Just outside the scoring four was William Winter, who recorded an excellent 248 points, while Sebastian Lauder-Clarke, Percy Reed, Zac Skelton, Idris Gaye and Sebastian Rayfield all played important roles in the team’s success.

Winter was the fastest Team Kennet athlete over 75m, recording 11.1 seconds, while several teammates followed closely behind with times of 11.2 and 11.3 seconds.

In the Long Jump, Harvey Baker recorded 3.62m, while his 43.01m Vortex Throw ranked as the second-best throw of the day.

Once again, the 600m proved decisive.

Chester Bailey – 1:45.3 (Fastest boy of the day)
Lenny Wyvill – 1:49.8
Matthew Jones – 1:53.8
William Winter – 1:57.0

All four athletes broke the two-minute barrier, with Bailey and Wyvill both winning their heats.

A Landmark Day For Team Kennet

Breaking the 2,000-point barrier represents a significant milestone in Team Kennet’s QuadKids history and highlights the strength, depth and quality currently developing throughout the club.

To win both the Boys and Girls competitions, achieve a combined score of 2,029 points, and set a new club benchmark is an outstanding achievement.

The performance will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the finest QuadKids displays Team Kennet has ever produced and sets a new standard for future generations of athletes to chase.

Congratulations to every athlete, coach, official and parent who contributed to a truly historic day for Team Kennet.

💙💛