IN ONE of the most impressive displays of talent by a Wiltshire athletics club in recent years, Swindon Harriers was represented by 13 athletes grossing a medal haul of 10 at the South West Inter-Counties Athletics Championships at Exeter recently.

As well as the impressive medal tally, which included double rostrum appearances by Morgan Gascoigne and Keeleigh Chapman, five personal bests were posted by athletes ranging from under 13 to under 23. In total, eight of the 13 athletes took home silverware.

Among those who shone on a blustery and rainy day was 14-year-old Keeleigh Chapman, who won the 80m hurdles in a fast 11.7 seconds, and later posted a PB of 41.44 seconds in the 300m.

Chapman was further rewarded when she was told that she had been selected to represent the south west of England at the UK School Games, to be held in Sheffield on September 1-4.

Another medal-hungry athlete who also achieved regional selection was 16-year-old Gascoigne, competing for the first time at the championships in the under 20 age group.

After a tight battle with the long jump title holder, she took silver with a respectable 5.17m, but in the triple jump she went one better to clinch gold with a leap of 10.70m.

Gascoigne, who as with Chapman competes as the youngest in her age group, has also earned a place in the South West Athletic Academy squad that will to travel to Antwerp in Belgium at the end of August. Here she will compete against athletes from France, Germany and the host country.

Among the group of young speed merchants coming up through the ranks is under 15 Julia Cook who, despite still recovering from a shoulder injury, posted a useful 12.82 seconds in the 100m.

The even younger Johan Warensjo came fifth in the 75m hurdles at under 13 level with a PB of 13.30 seconds, and took bronze with a second PB of 1.39m in the high jump.

The conditions did not favour the 1500m runners, but under 17 Nyle Clinton still managed to shave a huge two seconds off his best to come in third in 4:21.8.

Elsewhere, under 17 Lillie Bellamy struggled to keep up her initial fast pace, however she still came in a very respectable second (4:55.10).

Maddie Perrins and Carla Huynh came in fifth and seventh in the under 15s race with their times being 5:10.20 and 5:11.70 respectively.

In the under 15s 400m, event newcomer Ciaran Cooper enjoyed an impressive race as he recorded a time of 56.14, just outside his PB.

The 3000m saw under 17 Will Ballard finish ninth in 9:57.3 while the ever-reliable Dan Pidgeon took silver in the under 23 800m with a swift 2:01.8.

Field events were not left out of the medal mix as Beth Large (under 17) came third in the shot with a PB throw of 8.18m, before taking seventh in the discus with 15.43m.

The under 13 B shot was launched a considerable 6.92m by Jordan Large, who took sixth place.