City of Portsmouth AC members lift curtain on new season with host of personal bests at the Mountbatten Centre

Logan Cookson produced three personal bests in a City of Portsmouth AC early-season open athletics meeting at the Mountbatten Centre.
By Simon Carter
Published 8th Apr 2022, 14:13 BST
Zak Williams (middle) set two new personal bests in the 200m and high jump. Picture: Paul Smith.Zak Williams (middle) set two new personal bests in the 200m and high jump. Picture: Paul Smith.
Zak Williams (middle) set two new personal bests in the 200m and high jump. Picture: Paul Smith.

Competing at under-15 level, he leapt 4.73m to win the long jump as well as clocking 13.37 in the 100m heats and 27.46 in the 200m heats.

Zac Williams fashioned two best performances in the 200m (23.7) and the high jump (1.60m).

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Sprint trio Fola Odofin (200m, 26.0), Sadie Blake (400m, 61.26) and Jess Heng (400m, 64.18) clocked best ever times

Charlotte Pabari set a new City of Portsmouth AC club record of 38.03m in the Under-13 Javelin. Picture: Paul Smith.Charlotte Pabari set a new City of Portsmouth AC club record of 38.03m in the Under-13 Javelin. Picture: Paul Smith.
Charlotte Pabari set a new City of Portsmouth AC club record of 38.03m in the Under-13 Javelin. Picture: Paul Smith.

The highlight, though, was the performance of Lily Baggott. In her first-ever track season, she clocked 25.85 in the 200m and a wonderful 12.44 in the 100m - only 0.04 away from the club record that has stood since 1999.

Many of the middle distance athletes across all the ages excelled, with personal bests for Bella Digby (Under-20 women, 800, 02:25.74), Charlotte Despard (Under-20 women, 1,500m, 04:57.80) and Florence East (Under-15 girls, 800m, 02:21.27).

A number of the throwers made excellent starts to the season with personal best performances.

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These included Tyler Pattison, with 45.58m in the Under-20 discus, and Jack Holt in the Under-17 javelin (49.00m).

Logan Cookson set three new personal bests. Picture: Paul Smith.Logan Cookson set three new personal bests. Picture: Paul Smith.
Logan Cookson set three new personal bests. Picture: Paul Smith.

One of the best performances of the day came from George Rodgers. Having only taken up the shot seriously last year, his winning 12.27m distance in the senior men’s event was a great start to the season.

Charlotte Pabari continues to showcase her potential with a club record of 38.03m in the Under-13 Javelin. To put this performance in context, that throw places her seventh on the all-time list of athletes of this age.

‘The results from the open (meeting) are encouraging across the whole of the club,’ said CoP secretary Paul Farres. ‘They provide a wonderful base for each athlete to fulfil their full potential once the track and field season actually gets underway.’

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Matches and events now come fast for the City of Portsmouth AC. On April 24, the opening Wessex League meeting is held for Under-11 Quad kids, Under-13/15s and some athletes from other junior age groups.

A 1,500m heat. Picture: Paul Smith.A 1,500m heat. Picture: Paul Smith.
A 1,500m heat. Picture: Paul Smith.

On the same day, in the National Youth Development League for Under-17 and Under-20, a composite team with Winchester kicks off the season in Division 1A south at Hillingdon.

One more promotion this year, on the back of the last four years, would place them in the highly competitive Southern Premier with the other elite club teams from the south of England.

The top National League programme starts on May 7.