TAVISTOCK College athletes starred at the English Schools’ Track and Field Championships in Birmingham last weekend.

The college picked up three medals at the prestigious event, which was held at the Alexander Stadium, which hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Hazel Stead was national champion in the junior girls’ hammer competition, while Phoebe Milburn took silver in the senior girls’ hammer and Nicolas Maczugowski claimed bronze in the senor boys’ 400m hurdles.

Milburn and Maczugowski had also won medals last year..

Milburn, 17, of Yelverton, threw 46.73 metres to finish second. Her PB is 50m but she was still pleased as she was competing against rivals older than herself.

She said: “I’m very happy with my throw. That’s about average so far for this season.”

The Tavistock Athletic Club member has already achieved national recognition. Last year, aged 16, she was selected by England Athletics for the Under-18 England team for the Welsh International championships and took part in the England Athletics U17 Championships. She is trained by club coach Elaine Fileman. She is now up against tough opposition in the nationals, again in Birmingham this Sunday (July 21).

“I’m looking forward to the nationals, but I’m in the first year of being in the under twenties, so there are some older and experienced girls who are really much better than me. But it will be good experience,’ she said.

Meanwhile, her sister Catelyn, also from Tavistock College, took part in the triple jump.

Phoebe’s mother Fiona Milburn said: “I’m very proud of both the girls. Phoebe really loves doing this, so we don’t mind supporting her in any way. There’s a lot of travelling and accommodation expense, but it’s well worth it.

“Phoebe will be up against big opposition as a relative newcomer to the under 20s with some vastly more experienced opposition. She’s not fazed by that however. The same with Catelyn, she might not have got the result she wanted, but it’s very valuable experience to be at a big event with all the pressure, high level competition and general atmosphere. She did so well to be chosen out of the whole of England school to get there in the first place. But they seem to thrive on it all, which I am very happy to go along with.”

Thirteen youngsters from three schools in West Devon competed as part of the Devon Schools Athletics Team at the ESAA finals. They joined a total team of 40 from schools across the county with Tavistock having the largest contingent. Nine athletes were from Tavistock College, two from Okehampton College and two from Mount Kelly College in Tavistock.

Tegan Brown, who had won the junior girls’ hammer last year, just missed out on another medal, finishing fourth in the older age group event, while Mount Kelly’s Rory Summers ran a PB time of 49.11 seconds to finish fifth in the senior boys’ 400m.