Croydon Harriers’ youngsters faced stern opposition at last weekend’s UK Youth Development League season opener.

The junior team finished sixth out of the six competing clubs at Harrow in the Southern Premier Two Division.

Wins were hard to come by, but there were some embattled efforts in the middle- distance ranks from Kieron Connor (U17 men’s 800m, two minutes 4.60secs) and Stevie Lawrence (U20 women’s 1,500m steeplechase, 5:25.6), who both secured hard-fought wins.

On the field, Verter Oppong-Kyei triumphed in the U17 men’s long (6.26m) and triple jump (11.86m).

In the throws, Omar Reid topped the U20 men’s discus standings with a 43.35m effort, and Giacomo Spagnoli followed suit in the javelin thanks to his 38.60m.

Tosin Salami made the club’s all-time rankings in 100m with a 12.3secs run, and then anchored the 4x100m U17 women’s team home to a memorable win in 49.7secs.

With the bottom two clubs in the division faced with relegation to the league’s third tier, the team will need more of that winning mentality come May 16 when they visit Reading for the next fixture.

Wimbledon Times:

Aaliyah Headley

Wimbledon Times:

Giacomo Spagnoli

At the Ebbisham boy’s league at Sutton Arena, the boys fared slightly better finishing fifth out of six clubs.

Tyson Inness (14.0secs) and Myles Copeland (14.5secs) scooped maximum points in the U13 boys' 100m. Louis Smithen edged to a win in the U13 boys' long jump with a 4.15m effort.

In parkrun action there four first’s for Harriers in different events. Ben Savill (Preston Park Brighton, 16:35), Jake English (Crystal Palace, 17:00), Jessica Moore (Lloyd Park, 22:29) and David White (Cornwall Park in New Zealand, 17:47) took the spoils.

This weekend sees over 25 youngsters from the club tackle the Virgin London mini-marathon representing the borough of Croydon.

Four Harriers tackle the main race itself and the men’s and women’s squad travel to St Albans for their opening Southern Athletics League Division Two East encounter.