Brewers scoops top Harriers gong

JAMES Brewer has been voted Cheltenham Harrier of the Year by the club members.

He also picked up three more awards as the Harriers celebrated a successful year at the club's annual presentation evening.

After winning the European Under-23 1500m silver medal in Lithuania, Brewer became the first Harrier to break the four-minute mile barrier.

His time of 3:54.80 at the London Grand Prix earned him selection for the British senior team at the World Championships.

For this performance Brewer was presented with the inaugural Glenn Bishop Record Breakers Award for the most significant club record of the year.

At the World Championships in Berlin Brewer set two personal bests and was unlucky to miss out on a place in the final by just eighth hundredths of a second as he clocked 3:37.17.

This earned Brewer the John Gore Trophy for best individual performance, and he was also named Male Athlete of the Year.

Female Athlete of the Year went to sprinter Jennie Batten, who was awarded the Tom Smith Cup for the best 100m performance.

After winning the English Schools 200m championships, Batten represented Britain in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Finland where she won gold in both the 100m in 11.73 seconds and 200m in 24.37 seconds.

The season also saw 16-year-old Batten equal the Harriers senior record – which had stood for 25 years.

Decathlete Jamie Courtenay had a fine season and his contribution to both the Under-20 and senior teams alongside his personal success saw him awarded the Waterson Todman Senior Track and Field Trophy.

After winning the South West Schools decathlon title, Courtenay finished seventh in the English Schools Championships.

The Field Eventer of the Year went to javelin thrower James Campbell, who broke his own club record of 76.71m in Bedford in May.

Campbell won this year's UK Under-23 Championships and also tops the national rankings in this age group.

Middle distance runner Luke Carroll won the Notable Outstanding Performances award after another successful season which saw him win both the English Schools and British Schools 1500m titles.

Another middle distance athlete to pick up an award was Andy Prophett, who was awarded the Trevor Joyce Memorial Cup.

Prophett topped the national V35 800m rankings with his time of 1:54.74 and was also ranked third over 1500m with 3:59.4.

The Febery Cross Country Cup was presented to veteran Martin Ford for his performances in winning both the British V65 Cross Country Championship and the home countries international match in the same age group whilst representing England.

The Hurdles Cup was awarded to 400m hurdler Ashley Hill, who had a successful first season in his new event.

Hill, 17, won gold at the Midland Under-20 Championships and finished fourth in the English Schools Championships.

The Russell Smart 400m trophy was won by veteran Michael Gardiner who, despite an injury disrupted season, finished fifth in the V40 400m at the World Masters Championships in Finland.

The Malcolm Brewer Awards for the leading Under-15 athletes were presented to Annabel Sherry and Andrew Scull.

Sherry set a new club shot putt record of 11.31m as she won the South West inter-counties title and ended the season 10th in the national rankings.

Scull enjoyed a successful season over 400m and set a personal best time of 53.6 when winning the county schools title.

His indoor time of 54.00 saw him ranked fourth in the UK.