Lucy's flying start

HARLOW athlete Lucy Chaffe showed her rivals a clean pair of heels at the curtain raiser to the new season last week (Chris Bevan writes).

Chaffe, 20, a member of Woodford Green with Essex Ladies Athletics Club, got off to a flyer at the Essex County Championships at Southend.

In only her second ever competitive race over 800m, she produced the performance of the day with her win in an impressive 2min 12.9sec.

She completed a superb double by putting on her spikes again to triumph in her usual event, the 400m, in 57.4sec.

Chaffe said: "It was definitely a surprise to win the 800m and in a good time too, I just wanted to try it for a change and see what happened.

"I had a go at the 800m in an open meeting at Welwyn Garden City a fortnight ago and won that too but the County Championships was the first time I did two laps at a proper event.

"I'm not going to just concentrate on just one event I want to keep running in both this summer. They help each other because the 400m keeps my speed up and the 800m looks after my strength."

Chaffe's next goal is to bring her 800m time down to 2min 08sec, the qualifying mark for the European under-23 championships in July.

This year is her first in senior competition after running at junior level for Britain since 1995. She added: "It is a big step up from junior to senior level but this year is the first time they have held a major championship at under-23 level, which makes the adjustment a lot easier.

"I'll definitely be looking to improve as the season goes on and bring my times down even more but I couldn't have asked for a better start."

A former pupil at Mark Hall School in Harlow, Chaffe now studies fitness and health at East London University in Barking and combines student life by putting the hours in on the track.

She has been a member of Woodford Green and Essex Ladies since she was 14 and has tried her hand at almost every sprint distance in that time.

She began as a sprinter over 100m and 200m but soon moved up to 400m where she has gained much of her success.

Brenda Wilmot, team manager at the club, said: "I wasn't surprised at all that she did so well at the 800m. She has a lot of stamina so that's what I expected.

"A lot of sprinters who have her sort of strength find that the 800m is their event. When Sally Gunnell was with us, she used to do a lot of two lap races because she was so strong and Lucy has shown she can do it too.

"She should continue in the 400m as well but there are lots of sprinters around and not a lot of 800m runners, if you have her sort of talent then it's probably best to use it where you can get the best rewards.

"I've got no doubts she will find a lot of success over the longer distance. To run 2min12sec in your first real race is remarkable and shows her talent and strength."

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