SALTFORD runners Holly Sanigar and Ewan Sparey both struck gold in a remarkable few minutes at the English Schools Track & Field Championships.
Ewan won the inter boys 800m, after finishing second last year. It was his second national title in three years, after his victory in the junior boys race in 2024.
Just minutes later at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, Ewan cheered Holly on as she completed the Saltford double by retaining her senior girls 800m title.
Both are Avon team-mates, members of Bristol & West Athletics Club and near-neighbours in Saltford.
The victory rounded off Holly’s English Schools career, which began with sixth place as a junior girl in 2022 and continued with fourth and sixth as an inter before consecutive senior titles.
Holly began the race excited at the prospect of another medal but added: “I was also nervous because I won it last year, so it was my first time going into a competition as defending champion.”
The race got off at a slow pace, which suited Holly’s style.
She said: “I feel like my finish has always been my strongest part of the race. So when it went off slow, I thought ‘this is definitely giving me a good chance.’
“One hundred and fifty metres to go was when I took the lead, and then I just held that to the finish line.”
The former Wellsway and St Brendan’s student now plans to study sports management at university. Ewan, meanwhile, still has two more years at the English Schools championships and already has two wins and a second place to his name.
He went into the race in Birmingham in a positive frame of mind.
He said: “I knew I was the fastest there and I knew what I had to do. In that respect, I felt really confident in my chances.”
For the first lap, he stayed near the front, controlling the pace. Then, with about 400 metres to go, another competitor took the race on.
“I sat on his heels and waited until the key mark that my coach and I had decided was 250 to go. That is when I took off.”
Ewan, who has just completed his GCSEs at Kingswood School in Bath, has since enjoyed success at the Schools International Athletic Board (SIAB) track and field international in Belfast, winning his 800m race.
