SCOTT Gunning’s bid to break the Swindon Harriers’ club record to celebrate the Mark Cawte Memorial Meeting fell foul of the weather on Sunday.

Recent training had indicated that Gunning, who is coached by Howard Moscrop, was in good shape and ready to attack the record for the rarely-run 300m sprint, in what was his first outdoors competition of the summer.

Club chairman and meeting organiser Bryan Clinton said: “Apparently Scott had run 36.7secs in training the other week and the club record stands at 36.8secs, so it is well within his compass.

“But as Scott said afterwards, he did not expect to have to ruin the record in a freezer. It was bitterly cold at the Swindon track on Sunday, so cold it was ridiculous.

“I think of all us were impressed and amazed at how many athletes turned up to compete in such conditions.

“It was a fantastic turn-out, especially from the sprinters, who don’t like the cold at the best of times as it doesn’t help them.”

Gunning still made a brave attempt at the record and won emphatically in a time of 37.5secs, which was a personal best and should give him plenty of cause for optimism for the summer ahead – when the sun comes out and the temperature rises.

Clinton added: “I think Scott will do really well this season and he is going to join our group heading to Portugal at Easter for some warm-weather training, which I think everyone will enjoy.”

Chasing Gunning hard in the 300m was Harriers club-mate Elliot Doughty, who also ran a PB of 39.6secs.

Among the women, the fastest time was clocked by Harriers teenager Rachel Oram, who is coached by John Dill, as she recorded a PB of 46.7secs in the second heat, which was won by club-mate Archie Pierce (42.7secs).

The cold certainly didn’t help the sprinters but the meeting, which was set up to commemorate the contribution of club coach Mark Cawte to the Harriers and athletics generally, was an opportunity for an early season run-out to see how the winter training has been progressing.

Two of the Harriers’ best young sprinters came up against each other in heat four of the 150m, with Tyrique Bryan (19.1secs) just edging out Tye Leo-Stroud (19.4secs).

“Tyrique has talent coming out of his ears and was never going to let Tye beat him on Sunday and it was a really good race between the pair,” added Clinton.

“Both will have bigger tests this summer and it will be interesting to see how they cope with the competition.”

The fastest 150m times on the day were clocked by the Lavington Athletics pair of Callum Rea (17.0secs) and Jacob Wilkinson (17.8secs) as they finished one-two in heat one, with Harriers sprinter Freddie Dickinson third (17.8secs) in a PB.

In sixth and posting the fastest female time was Harrier Teresa Iannetelli with a PB of 19.7secs, while in the other heats, there were also notable runs by young sprinters Matthew Smith (19.8secs), Delleah Belgrave (20.7secs), Anna Curtis (21.6secs) and Olivia Pawson (21.9secs), who also won the U17s 80m hurdles in a PB of 15.1secs.

The longest races on the track were a 1,000m and two-mile events. In the former, Harriers teenager Joseph Knibb, who is coached by Kevin Buttle, was a class apart as he won by five seconds in a PB time of 3mins 02.7secs, with youngster Beth Davidse the quickest female in 3:24.1.

The two miles comprised eight gruelling laps of the track and Ethan Pierce showed great concentration and form to win at a canter in a PB of 10mins 41.3secs.

“Ethan got into a really good rhythm and maintained a nice, even pace throughout,” said Clinton, who coaches the runner.

“It was a decent season’s opener for him and there will be much more to come this summer.”

Conditions didn’t suit the field eventers much either, so much credit to the likes of young athletes Neve Keating (PB of 1.41m in the high jump) while in the long jump there were some fine efforts by Sam White (PB of 3.61m), Amy Ware (4.41m), Sophie Imeson (3.83m) and Ruby Hewitt (PB of 3.73m).

In the throws, Harrier Josh Ricketts won the senior shot with a PB throw of 11.22m and Issy Imeson was runner-up (8.22m) in the U15s event.

Among many others there were also wins for Harriers athletes Billy Dickinson (PB of 15.86m in the U13s shot), Josh Ricketts (PB of 39.53m in the senior hammer), Oz Scott (PB of 18.06m in the U13s javelin) and Katie New (20.30m in the U13s javelin).