County pentathlon title for new record holder

Tuesday 11th May 2004, 12:00AM BST.

ERICA BODMAN claimed two island age-group records in winning the Hampshire county pentathlon in Portsmouth. The 2003 Island Games high jump gold medallist won four of the five events, the exception being the 80m hurdles.

Her time of 2min. 23.1sec. for the closing 800 metres was a new island under-17 record (hand-timed) and her grand tally of 2,950 comfortably surpassed the existing GIAAC mark held by Kimberley Goodall.

None of her four rivals got anywhere near the Bruce Longden-coached athlete, the runner-up from Havant AC finishing 674 points adrift.

Bodman achieved four personal bests with 13.8 for the 80m hurdles, 7.30m for the shot, 4.70 for the long jump and her 2-23.1 800m.

Conditions for her favoured high jump were far from helpful and yet she leapt 1.61 metres.