Canterbury teenager Olly Downs earns second-placed finish at England Athletics under-15s pentathlon in Sheffield

Teenager Olly Downs has enjoyed a fine start to the year.

Downs, from Canterbury, achieved a second-placed finish at this month’s England Athletics under-15s pentathlon at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, along with a few new personal-bests elsewhere.

The 14-year-old earned 2,755 points to end up behind winner Josh Dako of Blackheath & Bromley AC who, like Downs, is coached by Alex Pope.

Downs said: “I came second. I was 70 points behind first.

"It’s quite cool to think about because I’ve not had that much training.”

Downs has certainly thrown himself into action.

The under-15 boys’ pentathlon competition in Sheffield consisted of the 60m hurdles, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump and the 800m event. In one of his favoured events, the shot put, Downs achieved a personal-best of 11.85m.

The East Kent Invicta athlete trains three times a week.

That leaves Downs - a Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys pupil - with plenty to pack into his busy schedule.

But he said: “It’s all fine.

"I just need to fit my homework and stuff in when I’ve got time, but it’s all going well at the minute.”

While he admits the success of fellow East Kent Invicta athletes Matthew Stonier and Alex Milliard helps inspire him, so, too, does his coach Pope.

He was winner of the 2022 London Region Volunteer of the Year award.

“He’s based in Dartford and with Blackheath and Bromley Harriers but, obviously, he travels down,” said Olly’s mum, Claire.

And Downs will hope to continue his rich vein of form into the summer months and the outdoor season.