DESPITE a comprehensive exit from the British Athletic League Cup recently, a depleted Swindon Harriers side were still able to litter the recording sheets with personal bests.

With only 11 men and six women competing at Yate against full-strength, powerful teams from the likes of Swansea, Newport, Exeter and Bournemouth, Harriers nevertheless blasted out of the blocks with six athletes posting PBs.

The most prolific PB-achiever was under 17 speed ace Keeleigh Chapman, who lowered her 100m time to 12.6 and showed stamina and speed to record a PB in the 200m in 25.5 seconds, to take second place against quality sprinters in both races.

The only winner of the day was 16-year-old Morgan Gascoigne, competing in her first season in the senior/under 20 division.

In achieving her PB of 11.34m in the women’s triple jump, the Sheldon sixth-former not only took the gold in the event, but also broke a decade-long club record and jumped into first place in the triple jump under 20 rankings for the south west of England.

This also places the young ace, who entered the event for the first time six weeks ago, 11th in the national under 20 rankings.

Other youngsters showing commitment and stamina were Megan Fidler, who ran a courageous 400m race to equal her best time of 1:11.7 seconds and finishing fourth, while under 17 Georgie Smith set a new PB of 1.40m in the high jump to take bronze.

Harrier commitment to points-gathering was illustrated by under 17 Nyle Clinton, who arrived as a spectator but ended up throwing the javelin.

Valuable points for the women were also picked up by Beth Large following her third-placed finishes in the discus and javelin, recording distances of 21.17m and 23.52 respectively.

Jess Salles also collected third-placed points when she cleared 2.20m in the pole vault.

The men were less successful but spirits were lifted by Rob Churchill's gutsy 51.6-second PB run to finish fifth in the 400m, while veteran Nick Walker sailed over 3.50m in the pole vault to grab third in a strong field.

Swansea won both the men’s and women’s events and qualified for the BAL Cup final.