MORE THAN 600 athletes crammed into King's Park for the Bournemouth Spring Open meet.

And the home club shone that day on April 9, 2002, as four athletes nailed English Schools' qualifying times ahead of July's national championships.

Louise Watton, a15-year-old Wimborne javelin star, destroyed her British under-15 record personal best of 41.44m by an astonishing 1.11m as she launched the spear 42.55m on her way to under-17 gold at the Bournemouth Athletic Club-hosted event and Special Olympics.

Bill Walters comfortably booked his place with a gold-medal winning personal best 15.42m in the under-17 shot putt while team-mate Dan Hepplewhite's silver (14.71) also saw him achieve English Schools' qualification.

Bournemouth Athletic Club Spring open meeting......(please check all names) Cara Roberts...(in the yellow on left)
Cara Roberts' leap of 5.46m won her junior long jump gold as she met the standard and Dan McDonald cleared 1.92m in the under-17 high jump to complete the BAC English Schools' early season qualifiers.

Richard Reeks leapt to a Poole AC record 1.80m behind McDonald and took another second place in the long jump.

Bournemouth Athletic Club Spring open meeting.....
Club-mate James Rayner won the junior long jump with 5.82m while Sarah Elliott was runner-up in the under-13 200m. Under-15s Lizzie Guscott (long jump) and Emma Long (discus and javelin) also achieved second places.

Shot putter Bruce Holden completed a worthwhile week on the South Coast with a new South West veteran's record of 13.92m.