We are delighted to announce the recipients of the Jack Petchey Achievement Awards for March 2025. Below you will find the original nominations from their coaches, highlighting the fantastic achievements of these young athletes.
Elsa Pawson – pole vault (Coach, John Wakeman)
I would like to nominate Elsa Pawson for this award. In the two years Elsa has trained with Blackheath and Bromley Elsa has achieved so much and become a popular and valued member of the club. Helpful and friendly she encourages others and quietly excels without fanfare or drama.
As an U15 Elsa was EA National Champion ranked 1st in pole vault and won English Schools.
Last season she was Kent County Champion, won the SEAA inter counties and gained her first SIAB selection for England, all a year young, still being a first year U17.
She’s started her 2025 season in great form and has already won a silver at the indoor nationals.
Elsa has huge potential and is a real team player, competing for the club in the YDL, SAL and NAL where she vaulted alongside Olympian Molly Caudery.
Joseph Hill – Cross Country (Coach, Mike Reeves)
It is my pleasure to nominate Joseph Hill for a Jack Petchey Achievement Award as he epitomises the team spirit we strive to foster within our squad. Joseph consistently demonstrates dedication, perseverance and a deep commitment to both his own development and the success of his teammates.
This nomination comes at a particularly significant time for Joseph – last week he achieved his highest-ever finish at the National Cross-Country Championships, in 36th place, and led our team to an outstanding 5th-place finish.
Joseph’s character was exemplified in the final moments of the race when, as he approached the finish line, he overtook a teammate – an athlete he had often chased – while simultaneously urging him to keep pushing through to the end. This act of selflessness and camaraderie embodies the very essence of a team player.
Joseph’s methodical and purposeful approach to training has resulted in tremendous personal achievements. His dedication has led to personal best performances across multiple distances:
- 800m: Time reduction from 2:01 to 1:56 – broke the two-minute barrier!
- 1500m: Time reduction from 4:11 to 4:02 – a nine-second improvement.
- 3000m: Time reduction from 9:12 to 8:46 – a 26-second improvement.
The latter was one of Joseph’s most memorable performances. At last summer’s Kent Schools Championships, he displayed incredible determination in the Intermediate Boys’ 3000m. A race report described his performance: “In probably one of the most exciting races of the day, Joseph took on the hard work of leading out the 3000m. With his main rival sitting on his shoulder for seven laps, it took incredible determination to hold his ground. When the “free rider” surged ahead with 200m to go, Joseph chipped away, closing the gap. Coming off the bend, it was clear the finish line would be his. In the last 10 metres, his opponent’s legs gave way, and Joseph powered through the line in an astonishing 8:46, securing his place at the English Schools finals.”
Beyond his individual successes, Joseph has been instrumental to our team’s collective achievements. His contributions have helped secure:
- National English Schools – Team Gold
- National Cross-Country Relays – Team Silver
- National Road Relays – Team Bronze (despite a dog straying into the path of one of our runners!)
Joseph’s impact extends beyond athletics. His creativity and leadership amongst his peers were particularly evident when he took the initiative to produce a heartfelt multimedia tribute. He collated a beautifully crafted video compilation from all the athletes, to celebrate a coach’s significant birthday. This thoughtful act showcased both Joseph’s ability to bring people together, and his appreciation for the support network around him.
Joseph Hill is not only an exceptional athlete but also a role model. He embodies perseverance, teamwork and a passion for self-improvement. His dedication to both his own success and that of his teammates, makes him an outstanding candidate for the Jack Petchey Achievement Award.
Kian Farrell – middle distance (Coaches, Ashley Pearson, Paul Austridge and Ian Firla)
–Kian in photo above with Joseph–
We would like to nominate Kian Farrell for a Jack Petchey Award in recognition of his outstanding progress, dedication, and achievements over the past year.
Kian has demonstrated remarkable development, lowering his 400m time from over 54 seconds to 52.02 indoors, with every indication that this will improve further as he transitions to outdoor competition. His 800m time has also seen significant improvement, dropping to 2:01 last season, with the sub-2:00 barrier well within reach.
Beyond the track, Kian has excelled in cross-country, delivering exceptional performances for the club in the Kent League and representing both his club and school at the national level. A standout moment was his 9th place finish at the ESAA English Schools Cup Final in Leeds, a testament to his endurance and competitive spirit.
Balancing a demanding short-track schedule alongside an intensely competitive cross-country season is no small feat, yet Kian approaches it with unwavering commitment. Other than a short ski break, he has never backed off from the challenge.
Most recently, Kian took the bold step of moving up to train with Mike Reeves’ group, demonstrating his willingness to push beyond his comfort zone in pursuit of greater improvement.
As his longtime coaches, we are excited to see what he achieves in the coming season and strongly believe that his work ethic, attitude, and achievements make him an ideal candidate for a Jack Petchey Award.”
Jerico Senior – sprints (Coaches, Clem Leon & Anaïs Hemetsberger)
Jericho always attends training on time and has consistently been putting a lot of effort into his training, listening to and adopting feedback. As a result, he has improved his indoor 60m time from 9.18i in 2023 to 7.62i this indoor season. Similarly, his 100m and 200m personal bests from 2024 reflect his commitment and the progress he has made since the 2023 season:
- 100m: 14.27 (2023) to 12.33 (2024)
- 200m: 28.1 (2023) to 25.25 (2024)
