English Schools Track and Field Championships 2026

The prestigious English Schools Championships were held at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July.
 
There were some excellent performances from the Chiltern Harriers athletes who were   representing their county schools associations in a variety of disciplines on what was an extremely hot couple of days.

The highlights were superb runs from Emile Morti and Tom Ford. Emile, representing Buckinghamshire Schools, had a tough qualifying process with only the winner of the four heats of the U18 Boy’s 110m hurdles on the Friday guaranteed to progress to the final plus four fastest non-automatic qualifiers. Emile won his heat in 14.09, the fastest time going into the final. On the Saturday temperatures were slightly down on the extremely tough highs of Friday, and Emile was running at 12.32pm. He had his best ever run to win the Championship title in a big PB of 13.66, complete with a -0.9 wind reading. Emile will therefore represent England in the home international SIAB meeting in Belfast next weekend.
 
Tom, competing for Hertfordshire Schools, was involved in the heats of the Intermediate Boys 3000m at 2.15pm on the Friday in painfully hot conditions. Tom calmly qualified with 9.08.75. The final was at 3.30pm on the Saturday and Tom ran a tactically astute race to claim the silver medal in 8.46.25 and also an England vest at the SIAB match. Tom has run twice for England in cross country but this will be his first experience of representing the country on the track.
 
All the other Chiltern athletes involved were taking part for Bucks Schools. Issy Robinson was competing in her third English Schools and this was her third different event. Previously Issy had qualified in 800m and 1500m steeplechase, but this year Issy was involved in U18 Girls 400m hurdles. Issy had done well to qualify, having only taken up the event in the latter part of this season, and ran well to record 70.58 in her heat; not enough to progress to the final. Maya Davis was in her second championships and had her best ever race in the heat of the Intermediate Girls 1500m to record a PB of 4.44.33. Maya was seventh in her heat, just a place away from qualifying for the final. 
 
Harrison Lawrence was making his debut and ran very well in his heat of the Junor Boys 800m, running just outside his PB in 2.06.35. Not enough for the final, but great experience gained. Juliette MacDougall was also in her first English Schools, running in Junior Girls 1500m. Juliette ran calmly to be 11th in 4.57.42, a little off her PB set at the Southern Champs last weekend.
 
 
All the six Chiltern athletes gave a very good account of themselves at this high level championships, which is an enjoyable but pressured environment. Good luck to Emile and Tom in Belfast next weekend!