Microplus UK Athletics Championships, Manchester (29th/30th June)
The UK Athletics Championships doubled as the trials for the Paris Olympics, with the first two finishers in each event guaranteed selection provided they had achieved the World Athletics qualification standard. Daryll Neita went into the weekend having already bettered the QT for the 100m and 200m. On Saturday evening in miserable conditions Daryll retained her British 100m title in 11.24s. On Sunday she finished second to Blackheath's Dina Asher-Smith over 200m in a seasons' best of 22.46s.
In the 5000m race walks (non-Olympic event), Luc Legon (2nd claim) won silver in a season's best of 22:53.92s. In the women's Hannah Hopper took the bronze, also in a season's best of 24:52.19s, just a handful of seconds outside her personal best. Daniel Falode finished 6th in the triple jump with a best of 15.24m. Holly Dixon experienced the British Championships for the first time recording a time of 4:19.90s in heat two of the 1500m.
Southern Counties Veterans AC Kent League Division 1, Eltham (Fri. 28th June)
The club hosted the fourth of the SCVAC (Kent) League matches at Sutcliffe Park.
Men (Tim Carter): Congratulations to the team again producing a fine performance - another 4th place on the night (frustratingly only a half point behind B&B and only 3.5 points behind Dartford in 2nd place). We maintained 4th place overall stretching our total points from Ashford in 5th place. All events were covered on the night.
Pride of place goes to the winners including the ever impressive Chris Loudon (a busy competitive week notwithstanding) - M35A 1500m - 4:11.4s, Hjalti Rognvaldsson M35 high jump (1.50m) and Mark Culshaw (M55) in the M35 2000m walk (12:01.4s )
Second places for Mark Ashby (M60 - 12:04.0s) in the M50 2000m walk (a close battle between the two Marks), Edmund Adigwe (M45) in the M35B 1500m - 4:27.3s, Paris Hunt (M60) showing his improving javelin skills in the M50 event - 32.40m and an ' under the weather' Martin Leat providing a gritty performance in the M60 1500m - 5:21.3s.
Paris and Wole Odele (M55) again showed their versatility - in addition to above, Paris gaining a point in a highly competitive M50 200m. Wole gained a solid 3rd place in M50 high jump, 5th in the M35B 200m and a point for the team in M50 1500m - not his favourite distance. Peter Wishart M60 produced a very solid 3rd place in M50 shot coming back from a minor operation and a point in the javelin. Duncan Hope (M40) provided a turn of speed in M35A 200m with- 26.2s - impressive for a middle distance runner. Non-scoring included a season's best 200m for John Barron (M65) - 32.6s and a fine run in the 1500m for Duncan Hope - 4:49.4s.
Women: The women's team finished fourth on the night and are currently third in the league, albeit only ahead of Dartford and Medway on match points as all three clubs have an identical total points score.
Stephanie Dann secured the only win for the team on the night, recording a PB in the 2000m race walk of 13:33.1s. Natalie Mann finished second in the javelin (20.83m) and 3rd in the shot (8.10m).
Rose Baker, having only completed the Three Peaks Challenge with her son Brett on Wednesday, found it in her legs to run the W50 1500m taking 3rd in 6:22.1s and finishing 2nd in the W50 race walk in 13:45.2s.
Stephanie Dann - Natalie Mann
National Young Athletes League (Upper Age Group), Hendon (Sun. 30th June)
The club’s foray into the upper reaches of the YDL came to an end on Sunday as, despite a strong men’s team, reports Mick Bond, our lack of depth in the women’s team meant a much depleted turn-out and whilst final results are still not in, relegation seem certain. This has to be put into perspective however as the club have never reached this level in the past and were competing with what are probably the top five Under 20 clubs in the UK so we should actually celebrate how much progress the club has made in recent years.
The match also sat between two Greenwich Schools events that the club organises each year with 14 schools attending the boys event and 18 in the girls, where we actively recruit new youngsters, so maybe we will bounce back to the top level again next year!
There were some notable highlights including another club record for Elijah Olaleye in the 400m hurdles, a shot put of just short of 16m by Michael Bridge and some good sprinting and sprint hurdling by Dayne Douglas and Hans Nmaju.
Club Record for Elijah Olaleye - the clock stopped at 55.07s
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