A RUNNER has this week broken the longest standing men’s record on Warrington Athletics Club’s books.

Tom Baines from Whittle Hall repeated his heat time of 49.41secs as he finished fifth in the under 17s English Schools’ Championships 400m final at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Saturday.

That time betters the 49.5secs achieved at the same age group 52 years ago by 1970 Commonwealth Games 100m athlete John Harrison.

It is only the Great Sankey High School student’s second year competing in the event after starting out with mostly 200m and 300m sprints after joining the club in 2013.

At under 15s level he was the Northern indoor 200m title and was second in the English Indoor Championships over the same distance.

Outdoors he then won Cheshire Championships, Cheshire Schools and Mason Trophy Inter County Schools events at 300m, with his time of 36.17secs for the latter being a club record. He then finished third in the English Schools’ junior boys’ 300m.

In 2016 he won the under 17s Cheshire Championships and Cheshire Schools’ 400m, while he was second in the Mason Trophy and sixth in the English Schools’ intermediate boys’ 400m.

This year he won the under 17s Northern Indoor, Cheshire Championships, Cheshire Schools and Mason Trophy titles at 400m, leading into Birmingham where he had company from six clubmates.

Katie Lowery was the only other athlete from the club to reach a final, finishing ninth in the senior girls’ 1500m in 4mins 34.20secs after crossing the line fourth in her heat with 4mins 36.44secs.

Lauren Ferris was ninth in her heat with 4mins 41.83secs.

Fisayo Williamson-Taylor finished fifth in his heat in the senior boys’ 100m in 11.05secs, while Cameron Duff was fourth in his heat in the intermediate boys’ 200m with 22.73secs.

Cameron Meakin was fifth in the senior boys’ 110m hurdles heat with a personal best 14.78secs, while in the junior girls’ 200m Ashley Nemits was fifth in her heat with 26.37secs.