TRIPLE JOY FOR BRANT.

Although she has only just taken up the event, Epsom and Ewell teenager Natalie Brant struck gold in the triple jump when she competed in the Surrey indoor championships at Crystal Palace. In winning the under 17 title, the Tolworth Girls School youngster beat last year's top Surrey under 17 triple jumper, Denise Howell from Walton.

Natalie, from Agar Close, Tolworth, leapt a personal best of 10.43 metres to win by just three centimetres.

She collected a hat-trick of medals, taking silver in the 60 metres and long jump. "I though I'd give a triple jumping a go but I was surprised to win it", she said.

Walton's Susie Williams beat her international sister Helen in the 60 metres by one-tenth of a second in 7.8 sec. Her Walton clubmate Fiona McDougal won the junior women's pole vault with 2.30 metres, while Epsom and Ewell's Joanna Bennett took the under 17 shot with 10.15 metres, ahead of Kingston and Poly Lindsay Maguire (9 metres).

Kingston's Nick Owen produced another good shot putting effort to win the junior men's title with 14.51 metres, while Hercules Wimbledon's John Brown won the senior championship with 10.98 metres.

Epsom and Ewell's Robert Paul took the junior high jump with 1.95 metres, while Hercules Wimbledon's Morris Tolaram won the junior 60 metres in 7.3 sec. His brother, Simon, was runner-up in the senior race in a slightly faster 7.2 sec.

Hercules Wimbledon president Dave Orchard set a good example, winning the long jump and taking second in the hurdles and joint second in the pole vault.

q Hurdler Andrew Tulloch was the most successful of the Belgrave contingent competing for Britain in the European indoor championships in Valencia.

He was seventh in the final in 7.66 sec after winning his semi-final in a fast 7.55 sec.

Sean Baldock also reached the 400 metres final but stumbled on the final lap to jog in in 50.05 sec. Earlier, he had clocked 46.59 seconds in his semi-final.

Sprinter Dwain Chambers seems to be having difficulty recapturing the form that won him the European outdoor junior 100 metres title last summer. He failed to reach the final in Valencia, finishing fifth in his semi.

High jumper Ben Challenger found it tough, finishing 10th equal in a top class contest with 2.22 metres.

Epsom and Ewell's Julia Bennett was eighth in the pentathlon with 4,226 points, while Surrey shot putt champion Judy Oakes, making her 80th appearance in a British vest, was sixth with 18.42 metres.

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