Pontefract athletes on track for promotion to Yorkshire Premier Division

Club chairman Cyril Jones is confident that the club will be able to provide another good performance in match three at Cudworth at the end of June and if they win again they will be promoted into the Premier Division for 2024.

Match two was held at Grimsby with the result: 1st Pontefract 263 points; 2nd Skyrac 196; 3rd Longwood 118; 4th Keighley 71.

Harrison Carter was again in good form in the U17 men's age group, winning the shot putt with 9.93m and the javelin with 21.66m.

Archie Fraser won the U17 men's long jump with 4.65m.

Madison Toddington won the U17 ladies age group shot putt with 8.36m and the javelin with 17.31m.

Tom Shinkins won the U15 boys 300m in 43.4. In the U15 girls age group, there were wins for Niamh Fraser in the javelin (20.46m), Milly Force in the 800m (2:41.6) and Abigail Teece in the long jump (3.95m).

Isabella Tordoff won the U13 girls age group long jump with 3.55m and the 70m hurdles in 16.8. Julian Rutkowski was first in the U13 boys shot putt with 3.79m.

The U15 girls 4x300m relay team of Abigail Teece, Holly Jackson, Milly Force and Emily Kelly set a club record when finishing second in 3:27.2.

Pontefract AC also competed in match one in the Northern Track and Field League, which is for seniors, U20s and U17s.

In their first Division One match after being promoted as champions of Division Two last year the opposition was much stronger and, without six of their younger athletes, who were unavailable because of school exams, Pontefract could only finish fifth.

The result was: 1st – Leeds City 391 points; 2nd Spenborough 371; 3rd Skyrac 238; 4th Harrogate 235; 5th Pontefract 217; 6th Holmfirth 116.

Johanna Sutcliffe was in excellent form, winning the women's 800m in 2:34.7 and the 3000m in 11:34.3.

Will Carter was a tower of strength in the men's team. He competed in seven events, winning the pole vault with 3m and discus with 31.31m. He was second in the shot putt with 10.23m.

Eleanor Birden was second in the women's triple jump (9.33m) and second in the 100m hurdles in 21.5. Jane Williams was second in the hammer with 14.84m.

Kevin Waite clocked 68.5 seconds in the 400m to set new club records for men over 60 and over 55. Richard Howes set a new club record for men over 60 in the hammer with 18.80m.