Jack Norton flying so high with English Schools' Championship success

Jack Norton achieved a brilliant English Schools' success in only his second serious year of athletics.
Jack Norton. Picture: Paul SmithJack Norton. Picture: Paul Smith
Jack Norton. Picture: Paul Smith

He improved his high jump personal best by 6cm with an outstanding clearance of 2.10m to take first place in the senior event.

Norton has made a big impression so early in his athletics career and his performances show so much promise.

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City of Portsmouth coaches have been really delighted with what he has achieved already with plenty more to come.

Paul Farres said: '˜His unrivalled natural ability to jump high is something to be marvelled at. His coach Phil Budd feels he has never seen such a natural talent at any athletic event in all his many years of coaching.

'˜Jack failed to clear a height last year in this event, rather overawed by the occasion. He learns quickly though and this year he improved his personal best by 6cms in this event alone and jumped an incredible 2.10m to take the win.

'˜Jack is now third in the under-20 British rankings behind two guys who represented Great Britain in world and European junior/youth championships.'

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The remarkable Elliott Evans gained a silver medal in the junior boys' 80m hurdles with a fabulous time of 11.07sec.

Tyler Pattison was also a silver medallist, and like Elliott he also saved his best ever performance ever for this competition in the junior boys discus.

It was also a good championships for sprinter Jacob Nelson, who was part of the Hampshire 4x100m bronze medal winning team.

In total 24 athletes trained at City of Portsmouth were competing for Hampshire and they all shone with some remarkable performances.

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To have such a large contingent in Birmingham is a great tribute to the coaching at the club and the buzz within the club.

Farres added: '˜To get 24 to the event from one club was amazing, to then get almost a quarter of these with medals is truly remarkable.'

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