Weekend launch for new season

4:39pm Friday 4th April 2008

A NUMBER of star names will feature among the record 365 performers entered for the Young Athletes Open Track and Field meeting being staged by Basingstoke and Mid-Hants Athletic Club at Down Grange tomorrow.

In the club's diamond jubilee year, athletes from as far afield as Bridgend, in Wales, and Hastings, in Sussex, have entered along with youngsters from all over Hampshire.

The age groups covered by this meeting range from the under-11s through to under-20s.

Several invitation senior events have also been included. The first event is scheduled for 10.45am and a packed day will conclude with the last track race at 5.40pm.

Among athletes entered are Great Britain junior international Holly Croxford, who lives in Hurstbourne Priors, runs for Winchester and District AC and trains at Down Grange.

Another athlete entered is new AAA indoor under-17 60m champion Keiran Showler-Davis, who trains in Basingstoke while also representing Winchester and District AC.

In the field events, the Elkins brothers from Bournemouth are bound to dominate.

Basingstoke's best will also be in action with the likes of Rebecca Curtis-Harris and Chris Ladhams likely to do well.

The medals for this meeting have once again been sponsored by The Tower Restaurant, at Viables, and any profits from the meeting will go to the club's track upgrade fundraising appeal, which is backed by The Gazette.