Momentum Track Club competed at the final match of the 2026 Youth Development League Lower season on 1 August at Lewes Community Athletics Track, with six athletes across the U14 and U16 age groups producing a solid set of performances to close out the league campaign.
The Youth Development League is the main team competition structure for junior club athletics in England, running across separate Upper and Lower divisions with matches staged at venues across the region throughout the outdoor season. The Lower division provides a pathway for developing athletes to compete regularly in a team environment across track and field events for U13, U14 and U16 age groups.
The standout performances of the day came from siblings Giles and Pippa, who both won their respective throwing events and finished in the top ten overall point scorers at the match.
Giles, whose javelin personal best of 55.70m established him as one of the leading junior javelin throwers in the country earlier in the season, threw 15.24m in the shot put and 44.54m in the javelin on the day. He had also competed at the England Athletics Age Group Championships at Bedford a week earlier, where he threw a discus personal best of 45.90m — making for a busy period of competition across multiple throwing events. Winning both events at the final YDL match is a fitting way to close the league season.
Pippa won both her events in the U14 field, throwing 10.96m in the shot put, 29.27m in the discus and 26.10m in the javelin. The discus mark extends a London U14 discus lead she had already established at Kingston in May with a throw of 29.14m. Competing across three throwing events in a league match and winning two of them reflects both her versatility and her standing in the U14 throws rankings.
On the track, Alex won the U16 800m in 2:08.4. Emma ran the 80m hurdles in 13.2, Lauren covered the 200m in 30.2 and the 300m in 47.2, and Esme ran the 800m in 2:29.8.
Results
U16 Alex — 800m — 2:08.4 (1st)
U16 Giles — Shot Put — 15.24m (1st) / Javelin — 44.54m (1st)
U16 Emma — 80m Hurdles — 13.2
U16 Lauren — 200m — 30.2 / 300m — 47.2
U16 Esme — 800m — 2:29.8
U14 Pippa — Shot Put — 10.96m (1st) / Discus — 29.27m (1st) / Javelin — 26.10m