ETHAN Pierce’s emergence as one of the most talented young middle distance runners in the county continued with a fine victory at the South West Inter Counties Track & Field Championships, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The Swindon Harrier not only claimed his best win of the season in the U20 men’s 1500m but also shaved 1.23secs off his personal best.

It was his third personal best of the summer at the distance and he has now carved almost 10 seconds off his best from 2017.

“Ethan has really matured as a runner this year,” said his coach Bryan Clinton.

“Every now and then an athlete finds that switch which sees him start racing at a different level and I think Ethan has done just that.

“He has been running 4mins 13secs a few times now and I believe that in the right race he is ready to go sub 4mins 10secs and is more than capable of going 4mins 5-8secs this season.”

Pierce wasn’t the only Harrier to enjoy the hot conditions in Devon on Sunday. In the U17 men’s 1500m clubmate Patrick Mochan, who is coached by Kevin Buttle, smashed his personal best by three seconds to win the silver medal.

It was his fifth PB of the summer and means he has now brought his time down from 4:28.11 in 2017 to 4:13.65, which represents a terrific improvement.

“I am really pleased for Patrick as that was a massive PB for him,” said Buttle.

“He has run very sensibly this summer and has picked his races carefully. He is coming good at the right time.”

Ben McIntyre is also in Buttle’s group and the versatile athlete came away with two medals with a gold in the under 17 men’s 1500m steeplechase and bronze in the 4000m hurdles, clocking a PB of 60.52secs.

Matt Smith continues to chip away at his PB in the 400m and he ran 52.34secs to push Wiltshire teammate Rory Howorth all the way to the line in the U17 men’s event.

Swindon’s throwers also impressed with golds for Josh Ricketts in the U20 men’s discus and Hannah Lewington in the U13 girls’ javelin.

To complete a busy day Ricketts also added two silvers in the hammer and shot while his younger brother Harry was third in the U15s hammer.

There was a silver from Simon Dill in the senior men’s 800m while fellow Harrier Sergio Martinez Gonzalez was fourth in the senior 5000m.

The New sisters also finished on the podium with Hannah third in the U17 women’s 300m hurdles and Kate runner-up in the U13s javelin.

In the sprints Lydia Rogers was third in the senior women’s 200m and youngster Delleah Belgrave was fifth in the U15 girls’ 100m.

South West Inter Counties Track & Field Championships, Exeter Arena (all Wiltshire unless stated) Senior men – 100 (+1.6w): 1 Will Kennedy 11.06; 2 Callum Rea 11.15; 200 (-0.1w): 1 Kennedy 22.61; 3 Louis Torto 22.98; 400: 3 Scott Gunning 51.53; 800: 1 Ben Robinson (G) 2:05.78; 2 Simon Dill 2:06.82; 5000: 1 Robinson 15:41.13; 2 Simon Nott 15:41.51; HJ: 1 Rea 1.70.

U20 men – 100 (+1.6w): 3 Kieran Short 11.76; 200 (-1.8w): 3 Jake Burkey 23.89; 400: 2 Jacob Norcliffe 55.06; 800: 1 John Howorth 1:56.98; 2 Robert Howorth 1:57.07; 1500: 1 Ethan Pierce 4:12.07; 110H: 3 Short 16.75; HJ: 2 David Thomas (A ) 1.65; 3 Short 1.65; LJ: 1 Marcin Olech 6.24; 2 Burkey 6.20; 3 Short 5.96; TJ: 2 Short 12.62; 3 Olech 12.17; SP: 2 Josh Ricketts 11.60; Discus: 1 Ricketts 32.00; Hammer: 2 Ricketts 50.19; Javelin: 1 Burkey 45.52; 3 Rea Rogan 39.19;

U17 men –200: 2 Femi Akinbobola 22.96; 400: 1 Rory Howorth 51.81; 2 Matthew Smith 52.34; 1500: 1 Will Morris 4:13.33; 2 Patrick Mochan 4:13.65; 3000: 3 Max Sockett 9:35.11; 100H: 2 Akinbobola 15.27; 3 Jake Cover 15.37; HJ: 2 Howorth 1.80; 3 Jacob Kelly 1.70; LJ: 3 Alex Martin 5.79; TJ: 3 Joseph Keane 12.48.

U15 boys – 200 (+0.3w): 3 Joe Carter 24.25; 800: 2 Robert Jones 2:05.31; LJ: 3 Fraser Middleton 5.39; Discus: 1 Owen Merrett 28.40; 3 James Viner 27.50; Hammer: 1 Merrett 48.09; 2 Harry Ricketts 44.71; 3 Viner 44.33.

U13 boys – 100 (+3.0w): 3 Charlie Staddon 13.78; 75H (+0.7w): 3 Charlie Staddon 13.03; SP: 3 Adam Merrett (A) 6.01; Discus: 2 William Barnard 17.50; 3 Merrett 14.92; Javelin: 1 Barnard 34.73.

Senior women –200: 3 Lydia Rogers 26.47; LJ: 2 Lydia Rogers 5.01.

U20 women –1500 S/C: 1 Caitlin Wosika 5:11.80; LJ: 1 Robyn Ellison 5.22; SP: 1 Gabriella Holt 8.37; 2 Georgia Pickford 8.07; Hammer: 3 Holt 40.00.

U17 women – 100 (+1.0): 1 Lucy Matthews 12.23; 200 (-1.0w): 1 Matthews 25.43; 300: 1 Matthews 40.50; 800: 2 Eleanor Webster 2:19.90; 300H: 2 Sarah Brett 47.06; 3 Hannah New 49.40; HJ: 1 Molly Hole 1.60; SP: 1 Hole 12.30.

U15 girls – 100 (-0.9w): 5 Delleah Belgrave 13.10; 300: 2 Stephanie Brooks (A) 43.58; 800: 1 Freya Buglass 2:17.51; 6 Brooks 2:32.18; 1500: 1 Bea Wood 4:33.49; 75H (+3.4w): 3 Issy Imeson 12.33; HJ: 1 Fiona Barkley 1.60; 3000: 3 Imogen Tanner 11:20.08; SP: 2 Maisie Johns 10.76; Hammer: 2 Joli Littlejohns 29.61; Javelin: 1 Megan Galpin 40.22 (CBP).

U13 girls – 100 (-0.1w): 1 Tyla Werrett 13.2; 200 (-0.4w): 2 Werrett 28.23; HJ: 2 Livvy Hewlett 1.45; 3 Poppy Nolan 1.40; SP: 2 Eloise MacDonald 8.22; DT: 2 Sophie Imeson 19.12; 3 Ellie Mullins 19.08; Javelin: 1 Hannah Lewington 40.69; 2 Katie New 26.45; 3 Ellie Mullins 21.54.