Another spirited display by Cambridge Harriers almost saw the team snatch victory in the 4th fixture at Norman Park, losing out to Dartford Harriers by half a point.
The team again showed great strength in the field, and a welcome return for Francois Potgieter who came 2nd in the M35 High Jump with 1m. 65, with Wole Odele jumping 1m.40 to win the M50 without failing at any height, and Tim Carter came 5th in the M60 with 1m, soon after his fine run in the 200m, where he dropped two age groups, coming 5th in the B M35 event with 29.4 secs. Wole again ran well, dropping an age group to come 3rd with 26.0 in the A string. Stanley Thomas improved again for 2nd in the M50 with 27.2 secs, and it was a welcome return for Doug Lucas, after a horrendous knee injury, running 29.0 secs for a 3rd in the M60.
Back in the field, and in the javelin, Peter Wishart, dropping an age group came 6th in the M35 with 19.80m and Paris Hunt throwing well again for 3rd in the M50 with 34.70m. Peter Hawney backed these up with a fine 3rd in the M60 with 23.05m. In the shot-put, again Peter Wishart threw well for 4th in the M35 with 8.29m and Stanley Thomas turning his hand to shot-putting and mixing it with the throwers, performing well with 9.57m for 2nd in the M50. There were a few non-scorers, with Paris Hunt 7.99m, Wole with 7.22m and Peter Hawney (M65) 9.04m so good strength in depth.
Back on the track in the 1500m, Matthew Preston ran a gutsy 3rd in the M35 A string narrowly missing 2nd with 4mins 39.8, and was backed up well by Dom Fiore also coming 3rd in the B string with 4min 57.1 secs. Christian Poulton led for most of the way before succumbing to the Blackheath athlete, but was rewarded with a time of 4min 52. 2 secs for 2nd in the M50. There was a non-scoring Cambridge Harriers champs! With Mark Ashby getting back to fitness, winning in 5mins 5.9 secs, Steve Smythe in 5mins 25.5, Wole with 5mins 36.5 and new recruit Ian McCarthy with a debut of 5mins 48.9.
So, onto the final event the 2km walk and it was the usual two Johns, in the shape of Club President John Corcoran, without chain, dropping an age group coming 5th in the M35 with 14m 04.2 secs and John Murphy coming 3rd in the M50 event with 13mins 23.0. But it was Steve Smythe walking as a non-scorer, who with 13mins 05.8 secs may have walked himself into the final if the club are lucky to reach the final.
So, with two fixtures to go the club are in a strong position but still need the athletes to turn out, so please contact the relevant manager for the next fixture at Ashford on the 27th June.
RESULTS: M35 200M Wole Odele (M50) 26.0 3rd M35 200M Tim Carter (M60) 29.4 5th (B String) M35 1500M Matthew Preston (M40) 4.39.8 3rd M35 1500M Dom Fiore (M40) 4.57.1 3rd (B String) M50 2000M WALK John Cocoran (M50) 14:04.2 5th M35 HIGH JUMP Francois Potgieter 1.65 2nd M35 SHOT PUTT Peter Wishart (M55) 8.29 4th M35 JAVELIN Peter Wishart (M55) 19.80 6th M50 200M Stanley Thomas (M55) 27.2 2nd M50 1500M Christian Poulton 4.52.2 2nd M50 2000M WALK John Murphy 13.23.0 3rd M50 HIGH JUMP Wole Odele 1.40 1st M50 SHOT PUTT Stanley Thomas (M55) 9.57 1st M60 JAVELIN Paris Hunt (M50) 34.70 3rd M60 200M Douglas Lucas 29.0 3rd M60 HIGH JUMP Tim Carter 1.00 5th M60 JAVELIN Peter Hawney (M65) 23.05 3rd
NON-SCORING RESULTS: M50 1500M Mark Ashby (M55) 5.05.9 M50 1500M Steve Smythe (M55) 5.24.5 M50 1500M Wole Odele (M50) 5.36.5 M50 1500M Ian McCarthy (M55) 5.48.9 M50 1500M Peter Hamilton (M65) 5.49.8 M50 2000M WALK Steve Smythe (M55) 13.05.8 M50 SHOT PUTT Paris Hunt (M50) 7.99 M50 SHOT PUTT Wole Odele (M50) 7.22 M50 SHOT PUTT Peter Hawney (M65) 9.04
MATCH RESULTS 1. Dartford 6 / 64.5 2. CAMBRIDGE HARRIERS 5 / 64 3. Bexley 4 / 60.5
OVERALL DETAILS 1. Dartford 23 / 241.5 2. CAMBRIDGE HARRIERS 17.5 / 221 3. Medway & Maidstone 14.5 / 197 4. Bexley 12 / 206 5. Ashford 9 / 190 6. Blackheath & Bromley 8 / 162.5