‘Max has so much more’

Havering coach Sam Harrison admitted he wasn’t at all surprised to learn of Max Law’s gold medal-winning performance at the English Schools’ Championships in Gateshead.

The under-15 talent won the junior boys’ javelin with a throw of 50.25m, almost three metres better than his previous best and the furthest throw of any 15-year-old or under this year.

Harrison unfortunately wasn’t able to witness the event because he was competing for Havering’s men in their British Athletics League National Four meeting in Exeter – at the opposite end of the country!

But despite that, he was pleased to learn about Law’s throw and insisted much more is to come.

“Having worked with him since he was nine, I know he has the talent, so it wasn’t unexpected,” said Harrison.

“I don’t think that throw is the end of it for Max this season, there is a lot more left in the tank from him. When we trained on Monday he was even better than last week leading up to the English Schools’ Championships.

“We have the Nationals coming up in August, so that is the next target and I am sure we will be speaking about Max again very soon.”

Harrison would have loved to witness Law’s throw, but conceded getting to Gateshead would have been extremely difficult for him financially.

And with Havering’s men going for promotion, he had to represent them.

“It would have cost too much money to go to Gateshead,” said Harrison. “As a Havering coach it is just voluntary so I don’t get paid any money and to get to Gateshead when you factor in all the expenses it would have been too much.

“The men’s team look like they are going to get promoted from National Four to National Three as well, so it was a tough call for me.”