THE track and field athletic season is in recess, but for some members of Dartford Harriers there was still time to reflect on a superb 2001 as they prepare for next spring's new campaign.

Their achievements even made the columns of Athletics Weekly, when their correspondent Steve Roe highlighted the Harriers.

What makes this story a little more unusual is that Alan Champion, who had earned a reputation for training sprinters, has successfully become a trainer of some of the multi-talented athletes with the Central Park-based club.

Alan, who helps runs the club with his wife Rosemary, has guided half-a-dozen youngsters, along with his wife and star veteran Anne Goad to countless titles and honours. He said: "It was true to say that I concentrated mainly on sprinters until three years ago. But by popular demand I branched out into a variety of events to coach.

"But the bottom line is that your athletes have to be multi-talented in the first place. I am only fine-tuning what is already under the bonnet.

"Take Grace Clements for example. She is the current 60-metre Kent champion, but she is also the Southern Counties' Heptathon title-holder at under-20 level, and came second in the South of England Schools' Hepthalon.

"Then there's Jade Weekes, who is under-17 Kent indoor high jump champion, who also was third in the South of England Heptathon, while Chloe Gale is the Kent Penth-athlon champion, and has won three county golds and a silver in the long jump and 100 metres.

"Rebecca Saunders competes at under-15 level and won both Kent and Schools' discus titles. She was third in the Schools' Nationals and South of England Championships and at under-13 level, she threw 34.80 metres the third best-ever by anyone of her age.

Alan added: "Tessa Clifford was runner-up in the Kent high jump and third in the 70 metres hurdles. She was also third in the multi-event minithon, while we also have talented male athletes with 14-year-old Warren Fernandez winning indoor and outdoor 60 metres and long jump titles.

"Anne Goad won 10 medals in various events last year including the British veterans' pole-vault title and the younger ones look up to the older athletes believing ... if they they can do at their age, so can we.'

"It makes you very proud of all their achievements, and a lot of credit must also go to my wife, who also coaches at the club and commits a lot of time and effort to the club and its members."

December 31, 2001 11:00