By Nicolas Atkin
AFTER setting a new 100m record at the Aviva English Schools’ track & field championships in Gateshead, Lewisham sprinter Daryll Neita hopes to keep the accolades coming.
The 15-year-old Cambridge Harrier took gold in the Intermediate girls’ 100m with a time of 11.63s, which also proved to be a personal best.
Her triumph was made all the sweeter after finishing as a runner-up last year and now the Prendergast Hilly Fields College pupil is looking to make winning a habit.
Neita follows in some illustrious footsteps by claiming a medal at the English Schools, as London 2012-bound Jess Ennis, Jack Green and Andy Turner all started their careers at Aviva Athletics academy schemes.
She said: “I just want to carry on with my good form and hope for another PB, then I will see where that takes me.
“I am just so happy and to break the record here at such a good championships.
“It feels amazing. I didn’t know what to expect from my race really but I tried to get off to a good start and then just focus on fast legs.
“I hoped to get a PB at the end of it.”
Neita added: “I really wanted to win because I came second last year, so I tried as hard as I could.
“I thought the record was achievable. I just ran a lot faster this year and I had more confidence in myself and attacked the track.
“It’s great fun to be part of a team and one day I hope to be part of the Aviva GB & NI Team as a professional athlete.
“I am so excited that I’ll be watching my heroes this summer and I hope it will make a huge difference for our athletes to know that we will all be backing the team.”
Neita wasn’t the only Lewisham athlete to come away with gold, with Mahmood Khaisto triumphingin the junior boys’ 400m.
Having been disqualified last year, the 14-year-old Prendergast-Ladywell Fields College pupil was delighted to record a PB of 50.39secs.
“I am very proud to win gold and get a new PB here,” said Khaisto, who is a member of S Factor Academy.
“It was really tough and I have been waiting for this for a long, long time.
“I have given everything in every session and I’ve been doing better every day, week by week.
“Now I’m hoping to breaking the record for my age.”
Aviva has been backing the British athletes and the GB & NI Team since 1999. Now it’s your turn.
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