Regional Winter Long Throws debut produces qualifying performances in Leigh

The inaugural North and Midlands Winter Long Throws Championships attracted more than ninety athletes, including five para-athletes, to Leigh Sports Stadium. The two-day pilot provided a new winter competition opportunity, with changing weather creating different technical demands across the programme.

Tara Simpson-Sullivan achieved the Commonwealth Games hammer standard with 66.90 metres despite rain. Five national hammer standards were recorded, while under-eighteen discus athletes Sidney Shorrock and Ben Roberts improved personal bests with 43.59 and 48.68 metres respectively on the drier second day.

Scarlette Slater-Rowley reached 45.11 metres in javelin, and younger hammer athletes also gained national-meeting entry marks. The federation welcomed evidence of demand for competition at this point of the season before the regional programme continued south and concluded with the national fixture at Loughborough.