Fantastic five prove age is just a number at British Masters Championships

The 2021 British Masters Championships for athletes aged 35 and over took place in Derby last weekend and saw five representatives of City of Sheffield & Dearne AC pick up medals in their respective events.

Tom Grantham won gold in Men’s over-35s 400m hurdles while Chris Ireland came first in the Men’s over-60s steeplechase and there was a silver medal for James Taylor in the Men’s over-35s discus.

Jed Turner and Mike Quinn also both won bronze in the Men’s over-60s and over-65s 800m events respectively.

“It was good for me and a few of the club athletes did really well,” said Tom, who teaches PE at King Edward VII school.

"I ran a season-best time and the fastest I have ran in two years. Four-hundred metre hurdles in my domestic age group is really strong, you have got people like Dai Greene (2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist) and Rich Yates (2010 Commonwealth Games 4×400m relay bronze medallist).

"A lot of people who kept at it [throughout lockdown] have done well.”

Several young athletes from Sheffield & Dearne also shone at last weekend’s Yorkshire County Championships.

Highlights included a clean sweep for the club in the under-20 discus event as Aaliyah Cawley took gold followed by Caitlin Rimmer in second and Olivia Ainley in third.

Sprinter David Chapman also set a new personal best time of 21.94 seconds as he won the Men's under-20 200m.

And there were golds for Callum Hay in the Men’s under-20 long jump and Rudi May in the under-15 pole vault.

City of Sheffield & Dearne AC are looking for sponsorship to continue competing in, and hosting, events into the indoor season and 2022.

Anyone interested in sponsorship opportunites should email [email protected].