ERITH
The club got back to winning ways with a convincing victory over Herne hill and East Grinstead at last Saturday’s SAL fixture at Erith. On the men’s side of the team new finds this season Daniel Falode and Vitor Costa continued to impress, Daniel winning both the Long and triple Jump with 6.11 and 12.85 respectfully and Vitor winning the B string Shot and Discus. Hats off to Brandon Sikity and Iyi Adesan who braved the 110 m hurdles successfully to add maximum 8 points for the team and to all those who stepped in to cover events when a couple of members had to pull out due to injury and sickness. In the women’s side of the competition Chis Bond Team managed for the day and her report is as follows: - Bonnie, Jazz & Jenny pitched themselves out on the field for what was to be a long and hot day and did the club proud, nothing like a pat on the shoulder from your Team Manager at the end after your shoulders have been exposed to the sun all day hey Bonnie! Unfortunately, our two long jumpers didn’t have time to stake out their run up nor practice, non the less, they added value points at the beginning of the match to start the meeting off. Small point, Bexley are adamant in their rule of not providing poles for vaulting despite several of their club members arguing for us saying that they borrow poles when competing at Sutcliffe Park so surely the insurance rule must be there same! It was Katrina who kicked the meeting off on the track with a storming win on the 400mH, she seemed to set the trend for the day. In the 800m Holly & Molly - great for shouting out their names out, ran superb races. Holly having recently competed in the World Junior Triathlon where she stepped up to take 2nd place for GB on the podium – well done Holly! The 100m saw some great sprinting from Esther taking 1st and Renay 2nd in the B string. In the 400m Susan and Lara got a surprise when an athlete ran across them to join Lara in the inside lane, her club mates think she thought it was an 800m and she was DQ having started in an outside lane! In the 5000m it was Rose and Hannah who created such an atmosphere it made you want to get close trackside to cheer them on, Hannah invited the officials to douse her in water from the drinks table to cool her down, not sure expected to get quite so soaked? Another 1st and 2nd in the 200m, Ayanna & Renay determined to get the blue CH vests across the line in the sprints in good positions. In the 1500m, Sally stepped up to the `A’ string as our B string was stuck in traffic, fair due, she was travelling back from Cornwall to complete – M25 – anyone heard of it? Meanwhile at the other end of the field, despite wasps nesting on the ground by the javelin run up, Chris and Paige managed to stay calm. Paige looked effortless in her throws but unhappy with several I’d have wanted to keep! Fortunately, the ground was well watered being a football stadium also, so the javelins went in and Paige won comfortably. Back to field, only one vest remains in the competition and it belongs to CH, with her lovely jumping style Ayanna clears 1.58. Coming to a close and already way out in front with a massive point lead, Cambridge Harriers were not complacent about the relays, it was as if the whole team were coming together right to the end. 4 x 100m, Esther, Ayanna, Renay & Jazz – what a team. Having missed the 1500m, Lucy was determined to make it in time for the 4 x 400m relay. This relieved Molly who was willing to run the 1500m Steeplechase then a leg of the relay straight after.
Esther had a fast first leg building the confidence of the team that they could win this, she passed to Katrina who extended the lead to which Lara added, last leg Lucy just needed to get out of a car and run and she did bringing the team home in yet another first place to end the day.
Last but by no means least Esther rounded off her day with a pb and club record in the Triple Jump with a leap of exactly 11 metres
The team would like to thank all their coaches, stand in Team Managers, officials; familiar faces of Barry Ferguson &Tony Wright, plus a good team of Cambridge Harriers supporters on the day.
Overall the club retained its’ positions as second in the division. With two to get promoted but still one match to go the top of the division table is as follows
Bexley 16
Cambridge 15
Kent AC 14
Herne Hill 13
Hastings 13
Hercules Wimbledon 13
We are up against both Bexley and Hastings in our last match whilst Kent AC have a relatively easy match. If we are second and Kent win they will overtake us as they have more match points and we will miss out on promotion! So to guarantee going up we just now have to beat Bexley and Hastings and win our last match. Roll on Sat August 18th at Sutcliffe for the end of season show down!