Zane Duquemin won silver in the discus

JERSEY came agonisingly close to winning an historic three golds on the first day of the English Schools athletics championships yesterday – but in the end were still understandably cock-a-hoop to have secured three silvers.

Zane Duquemin in the senior discus, Kathryn Rothwell in the intermediate discus and Shadine Duquemin in the junior shot all made the medal standard with a show of steel in the Don Valle Stadium, Sheffield.

Jersey’s astonishing record over recent years in the throws events reflect great credit on the Jersey squad’s local coaches and other specialists such as John Hillier who are regular visitors – and, of course, the athletes’ dedication.

Shadine Duquemin, the young sister of Zane, was a mere three centimetres away from taking top spot amongst the cream of national juniors with her shot putt of 11.63m, while Rothwell – a double NatWest Island Games medallist, including gold in the discus – threw a personal best of 39.97m, only to be bettered by nine centimetres.

Zane Duquemin (17) – so used to winning of late, with gold at national intermediate level, Island Games and Jeux des Iles – was pipped by his national nemisis Curtis Griffth-Parker (ranked No 4 for his age group in the World, no less) who threw just 70 cm more than the Jersey youth’s 53.80m.

Duquemin’s progress has been so impressive in recent years, however, that he probably would not be celebrating his silver performance too much as his below PB distance was just over a metre short of qualifying for the GB Under-20 team in the European Championships in Serbia.

But at 17 he still has another year and remains a tremendous talent.

Jersey’s athletics development officer Andrew Winnie, in charge of the CI team in Sheffield, was delighted by his charges’ three silvers: ‘On another day they could all have been golds, but three silvers at national level is a tremendous achievement. I am extremely pleased. I hope we do as well today.’

Another Island Games gold medallist, 400m runner Gemma Dawkins will go in today’s final, having run a relaxed semi-final in 56.1 to qualify in second place. Felicity Johnson-Deeley, also an Aland medallist, goes in a straight 3,000m final.

Danielle Leerson, in her first venture to the Nationals, and running a year younger that most, suffered the agony of failing to make the 800m final ‘by the width of her vest’ in an extremely fast heat. Several of those qualifying from the other heats ran slower times.