BARROW and Furness Striders enjoyed huge success as the Cumbria Athletics Championships returned to town for the first time in 27 years.

The host club’s athletes exceeded all expectations, with medals and personal bests throughout the day, including 15 golds.

Among the outstanding performances, Adam Bailey stood out in the 100 metres, almost setting the track on fire with a blistering 10.8 seconds – one of the fastest times ever seen on a Barrow track.

As with many of the winning times, this was a track record at the new Furness Academy facility, though this one is likely to stand for a long time.

On a high after his 100m success, Bailey followed up by winning the 200m in 22.7 seconds.

On the women’s side, Striders’ Abby Hempsall retained her title in the 400m in 63.2 seconds and picked up silver in the 200m after crossing the line in 27.0.

The senior women’s 100m saw three Barrow athletes competing. In a close-run battle, Katie Travers finished second in 13.2, Jade Lawson third in 13.3 and Emily Howe fourth in 13.5. Ellenborough’s Charlotte Orton triumphed in a speedy 12.0 seconds.

They also contested the 200m, with Travers third in 28.1, Howe fourth in 28.2 and Lawson fifth in 29.2.

Two athletes came out of retirement for the championships and showed they still have what it takes. Martin Wilson won gold in the shot putt with a distance of 9.66m, ahead of Glaxo’s John Kelly (7.65m), who also won silver in the discus. Also competing in the shot was Barrow’s Sam Evans, who finished third with 7.15m.

Siona Hartley came back from retirement and won silver in the javelin with a throw of 29.03m.

Another out to retain his title was under-17 Josh Campbell, who won the high jump with a leap of 1.70m.

Not content with one gold, he comfortably won the 400m in 52.9 seconds.

Thomas Edmonds also collected a haul of medals, winning the under-17s javelin with 32.73m, the discus with 28.62m and taking silver in the shot with 10.45m.

Millie Chadwick ran a new PB in the heats of the under-15s 100m, clocking 13.6, only to lower the mark again in the final, winning gold in 13.2.

She followed up with another PB when taking top spot in the 200m in 27.3 and just missed out on a third gold when finishing second in the long jump with an effort of 4.43m.

In their first county championships Libbie Blaze and Eleanor Lowther also ran in the 100m, both recording times of 15.6 seconds in the heats.

Blaze clocked 33.8 in the 200m, again just missing out on qualifying for the final, and was seventh in the long jump with 3.07m.

Lowther was seventh in the javelin with 11.47m, an event where Rebecca Pearce was sixth with 12.62m. Both contested the shot, with Lowther fifth (5.07m) and Pearce sixth (5.06m).

Under-15s boy Ryan Wilson matched dad Martin’s golden day, and then bettered it. He won the shot (8.26m – with James McKenna third with 6.40m) and discus (24.87m) and took silver in the 100m in 12.3 seconds.

Brother Toby Wilson was also in on the family act, wining gold in the under-13s shot (6.33m) and discus (15.29m) and silver in the javelin (20.75m).

Hoad Hill’s Connor Braithwaite claimed double silver in the 300m (52 seconds) and 1,500m (6.15.4), while Connor O’Hara won silver in the 3,000m (11.52.8).

In the under-13 girls, Harriers ace Olesia Winder won the 1,500m, clocking 5.32.20.

For Striders Niamh McNally won bronze in high jump (1.15m), was ninth in the 800m (3.04.7) and 12th in long jump (3.07m).

Sophie Milburn took bronze in the shot (5.71m) and was fifth in her heat of the 75m.

Holly Murray came home fifth in the 800m with a PB of 2.47.6 and was fourth in the javelin (12.45m), while Laura Brown was 10th in the long jump and eighth in the 800m.

Rebecca O’Donovan finished sixth in the javelin (10.04m), fourth in her heat of the 75m (11.5 seconds) and second in her heat of the 150m (23.4 seconds), just missing the final.

Kate McKenna came sixth in her heat of the 150m (26.4), jumped 2.93m in the long jump and recorded 12.9 seconds for fifth in her heat of the 75m.

The Barrow under-11s boys sprinters were in top form, with five making the 60m final.

Lucas Seal won in 8.8 seconds, with Lucas Farren fourth (9.3), Finlay Strain fifth (9.7), William Scott sixth (9.9) and Joshua Larkin seventh (9.9).

Seal claimed bronze in the long jump – narrowly missing silver – with 3.45m. Scott was fourth (3.00m), Greg Mackenzie eighth (2.45m) and Blake Cooksey ninth (2.35m).

Strain won 600m bronze, just getting the nod over Scott, who was given the same time of 2.07.2 in a close battle to the line. Larkin was fifth (2.11.7), Cooksey seventh (2.22.9) and Lucas Farren finished in 2.27.7.

For the under-11s girls, Hannah Bushby was fourth in the 600m (2.09.2), Lucy Swarbrick fifth (2.11.4), Georgia Bell eighth (2.17.9) and Rosie Murray ninth (2.18.5).

In the long jump, Swarbrick finished sixth (2.91m), Murray ninth (2.66m), Rose Hartley 10th (2.59m) in her first competition and Bell 13th (2.46m).

In the 60m heats, Swarbrick ran 9.9 seconds, Bushby 10.0, Bell 10.6, Hartley 11.0 and Murray 11.2.

Striders ended the day with 15 gold medals, seven silvers and nine bronzes, and club spokesman Paul Burns said: “It was a marvellous day and they all did the club proud.

“We have waited 27 years to host these championships and it was well worth the wait. Winning 31 medals is a truly amazing achievement.”

Striders thanked everyone who helped ensure the championships were a success.

l The club train on Mondays and Thursdays at Furness Academy. Under-11s (minimum age eight) train between 5.30pm and 6.30pm, with all other ages from 6pm until 8pm. All are welcome.