VETERAN shot putter John Nicholls is now the champion of Lancashire.
The Stockton Heath athlete had been a dominant force in the Cheshire Championships for four decades.
“I triggered my ‘born in Lancashire’ right to compete in the Lancashire Athletics Championships,” said the 53-year-old.
> READ: Warrington AC is home to some of UK's fastest runners this year“After 41 years of Cheshire I chased a new challenge.
“I needed a competition to excite me and they have a putter called Dan Upton who was only 13cm behind me in this year’s rankings.”
Upton is now 32cm behind after Nicholls won the event with a putt of 13.42cm.
He now has a dilemma for 2020, the Lancashire or Cheshire editions?
“I’m not sure which I will do next year, depends where the best competition will be,” he said.
“It’s always good to shake things up and keep myself on my toes.”
“At 53 I am quite happy, but would have been nice to go over 13.50.I always want more.”
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