Stevenage and North Herts Athletics Club

Stevenage & North Herts AC members have been competing as individuals at various venues around the South of England.
The Southern Counties Senior and under 20 championships were held at Crystal Palace last weekend; Neil McLellan collected the silver medal in his javelin event (69.37m); Loren Scanes placed 4th in her under 20 hammer event (32.23m) and 9th in the discus (28.54m); Dan Poulton placed 7th in the final of the 800m (1m55.39) and Natasha and Victoria Little placed 6th & 7th in the under 17 3000m event.

The following day saw the other end of the age groups competing at a Minors meet at Watford. Pick of the day was under 11 boy, Nathan Gardner, long jumping 3.99m and Matthew Cockburn clocking 2.05.4 for his 600m race. Kirsten Ingram ran in the 80m(13.9) and 600m (2.35.6)

Watford was also the venue for Cameron Webb (100m 11.34), Callum McKechnie (1500m 4.30.88) and Bunmi Awokoya (100m 12.52) in the popular Wednesday Open meetings.

Biggleswade AC promoted a jumps meet at Sandy on Thursday where personal bests were posted by Laurie Pirie (Senior Man) beating his 4 year old mark with a high jump of 1.92m. Personal bests in the high jump also to under 11 boy Nathan Gardner (1.30m) and under 13 boy David Spicer(1.20m)
A personal best was also posted at Sandy by under 15 girl Alex Gates in a new event for her, stretching out to a triple jump of 10.15m which ranks her 4th in the country.

England Athletics National under23/under 20 championships were held at Bedford where Tonderai Tomu finished 6th in the final of the 400m. On a very windy day he clocked 49.20secs, a time which he beat in both his heat (48.56) and semi-final (48.16) which were held in better conditions on the previous day. Also on the first day, Dan Poulton clocked 1m56.39 in his 800m heat.

On Sunday, Hertfordshire County staged its 3rd day of Championships at Hemel Hempstead where talented under 13 youngsters took on the day-long pentathlon event. Winner of the boy’s championship was William Ridgeway totalling up 1138 points with his best disciplines being high jump (1.35m) and shot (7.09m). Placing 5th in the girl’s championship, Elena Cervi scored a total of 1222 points with her best discipline being the long jump (3.84m). Victoria Little won the under 17 3000m title (11m19.7) followed home by her twin sister Natasha (11m 42.8).

HERTS COUNTY SCHOOLS ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
HELD AT WATFORD; JUNE 14 2008
(Finalists (top 8 )
Five Stevenage and North Herts members collected the Gold Medals for their events at the Hertfordshire County Schools Athletics Championships held at Watford .

Top boy was Daniel Gardner (Marriotts), in the 8/9 years age group, winning and setting a new personal best by pole vaulting 3.25m, which is a National Standard, guaranteeing him a place in the County team for the English Schools Championships at Gateshead in July. Four more boys made their respective finals, 2nd place to Jake Exton (Nobel), with his javelin throw of 39.77, followed by Billy Vernon-Hamilton (Hitchin Boys) in 5th place with 32.24m. In the discus event, Ed van den Berg (Hitchin Boys) placed 4th with 31.15m.

In the older age group for years 10/11 second place medals were collected by Lewis Keeble (Barclay) for 53.9 in the 400m, and by Connor Winters (John Henry Newman) vaulting 2.85m. Another javelin thrower, Jack White (Heathcote) placed 3rd with a PB of 43.51m. Two 7th places went to Heathcote pupils, Luke Langley and Warren Herridge in the 800m and 1500m respectively (2m25.3 and 4m45.3)

Top girl was Beccy Knapp (Nobel), who threw the hammer 34.57m, which is a new Championship Best Performance for the years 10/11 age group. Following her into second place, with a new personal best was Frances Gross (Heathcote) with 30.70m. Beccy was second in her other event, throwing the discus 25.29m
Also winning in this age group, Moe Sasegbon (Queenswood) high jumped a seasonal best performance of 1.62m, followed by Anne Rees (Heathcote) in third place (1.56m). Karen Meadows (Freman College) placed fourth in the 1500m, clocking 5min 38.9.
Both Moe and Beccy gained the entry standard for consideration for the English Schools Champs in July.

Two club members in the girls years 8/9 events also shone. Renee Hector (John Henry Newman), won the discus with 29.53m, which is an entry standard for the English Schools meeting, and Alex Gates (Highfield) won the long jump with a personal best of 5.00m, which is only 5cm below the required entry standard.
Janet Browne (St Francis College), placed second in this age group high jump (1.50m) and was 8th in the 75m hurdles (13.4); Ayo Awokoya (Hitchin Girls) put the shot a personal best distance of 9.05m to place 3rd, and Hannah Dewhurst (St Francis College) ran a season’s best of 5m14.2 for 5th place in the 1500m.

The Senior Men’s team, which includes under 17s and under 20s (as well as veterans!) competed in their league at Braintree on Saturday. They won the 4 team match scoring 104 points, beating Braintree (100), Havering & Mayesbrook (80) and Loughton (75). Most of the team members competed in two or more events.

Ton Tomu and Cameron Webb doubled up in the sprints, winning both the A string and B strings in the 100m and 200m races. Dan Poulton and Callum McKechnie won their A & B races in the 800m, as did Adam Searle and Luke Langley in the 1500m. Callum went on to win the B string in the 3000m steeplechase. Barry Mainstone won his 400m hurdles B race, and went on to the 100m hurdles, discus, hammer and javelin B events. John Mayor spent his afternoon in the throwing areas, competing in the shot, discus and javelin events. Laurie Pirie won the A triple jump, and Nick Stoppard won the long jump A, injuring a hamstring in the process. Adam Searle ran the 3000m steeplechase A and also took part in the hammer competition. Lee Grint long jumped in the B event.

The high jump and pole vault events, big point scorers for the club at most meetings, were not held due to inadequate equipment.

Both the 4 x 100m relay and 4 x 400m relays were won by Stevenage, with Cameron Webb, Sam Pollen, Sam Poulton and Ton Tomu in the shorter race (46.1) and Dan Poulton replacing Sam Pollen for the longer event (3m26.5)

Moving onto Sunday, the club’s Young Athletes team competed in the Eastern League at St. Ives and also came away with a win, in their 6 team match scoring a massive 697.5 points, beating teams from Cambridge (651.5), Huntingdon (466), Watford (464), Braintree (263) and Harlow (148).
In the boys under 15 team, Laurence Levy won his three events, (B high jump, A hammer, and A shot). Double winner in this age group was Jake Exton (A hurdles and javelin), and single wins were posted by Liam Vooght (B 100m), Joseph Reid(B 800m), Paul Spicer (B 1500m), Billy Vernon-Hamilton (B javelin) and Daniel Gardner (A pole vault)
Another pole vault first was scored by Connor Winters in the under 17s age group A string.
Two girls in the under 15 age group collected three first places; Renee Hector in shot,discus and hammer A strings and Alex Gates in the A 300m and B 100m and shot events. Janet Browne won two events (B hurdles and A high jump). Alex and Janet teamed up with Monica Hamilton and Laura Agnew to win the 4 x 100m relay. In this age group other wins went to Temi Fajobi (B 300m), and Hannah Dewhurst (A 1500m).
Three under 13 girls won their events, Elena Cervi won two ( B 200m and B 800m), Sophie Keeble (B shot) and Emily Evans ( B discus)
Five under 17 girls also won; Julia White (B 100m), Jess Barber (B hurdles),Chloe Vernon-Hamilton (B long jump), Frances Gross (B triple jump), and Anne Rees (A shot).
The two matches lead to the mens team placed 4th in their 16 team league table and the Young Athletes also 4th in their 26 team league.

Stevenage and North Herts AC hosted their Southern Women’s League match at Ridlins Stadium, Stevenage on Saturday.

Highspot of the day came from Beccy Knapp, breaking her own Club Record twice for the Hammer Throw, while guesting in the competition, finishing up with 35.44m.

The Club team finished in second place with 147 points in the 4 team match; Guildford were 1st (175 points), Basildon 3rd (130ponts) and Ashford 4th (91 points).

The Senior high jump and pole vault competitions proved to be high point scorers; Moe Sasegbon won the A high jump (1.55m), with Nikki Andrews winning the B (1.50m) and Louise Shortland and Anne Rees winning A & B pole vaults with 3.40m and 3.00m respectively.

Shelley McLellan put the shot a season’s best distance of 12.10m winning by nearly 3 metres!. Sandra Reed belies her veteran status, backing up the younger members by winning both the B 100m and 400m hurdle races and placing second in B long and triple jumps.

Another set of double winners came in the under 15 girls discus event, Renee Hector winning the A with a great 29.34m personal best, followed by Sophie Goddard in the B with 19.94m.

Second placed athletes in the under 15 age group were Monica Hamilton (B 100m), Temi Fajobi (B 400m and B long jump), Laura Agnew (A 75m hurdles), Alex Gates (A long jump), and the 4 x 100m relay team.

In the three under 17 events, second places were gained in all of them; Bethan Scanes (A 80m hurdles) and Jess Barber (B 80m hurdles and A 300m hurdles).

Senior second placers were Joanne Mansell (A 1500m), Natasha Little (B 3000m), Moe Sasegbon (A 400m hurdles) ,Bethan Scanes (A triple jump), Beccy Knapp (B shot), Loren Scanes (A discus and B hammer), Frances Gross (A hammer and B discus) as well as the 4x400m relay team.

Three of Mick Shortland’s hammer squad visited the St Ives Track on Wednesday;
Beccy Knapp threw 33.00m, Frances Gross 29.75 (PB) and Loren Scanes 19.85m

SNHAC at Herts County Track and Field Championships
Stevenage May 5 Watford May 11

Stevenage and North Herts collected a huge number of medals at the Herts County Track and Field Championships for all ages held over the past two weekends at Stevenage and Watford.

Leading the way on Sunday at Watford, three athletes, all coached by Beth Harris, won their pole vault events, each of them setting new Championship Best Performances. Louise Shortland (Senior) and Daniel Gardner (under 15) both vaulted 3.40m and Anne Rees (under 17) cleared 3.20m which was also a personal best result. Daniel had another win in the triple jump (11.21m) and a second place (long jump 5.20m). Anne also won the high jump (1.50m)
Other double event winners were Daniel Poulton (Senior) with a great PB in the 800m (1m53.58) and 1500m (4m.04.1) and Jasmine Forde (Senior ) with 4m 49.1 (1500m), 61.05 (400m) plus a massive PB coming second in the 800m (2m17.61). Under 13 girl Shannon Rapacchi won both the shot and javelin events (6.05m and 19.27m) and Under 20 Bunmi Awokoya won both the 100m (12.71), shot put (10.56m) and was second in the 200m (25.44)
Joylyn Saunders (veteran 50+) collected three firsts (100m, 200m and shot) closely followed by Jan Gates (veteran 40+) with two firsts (200m and discus). Three more veterans placed first; Jeremy Rackham(40+ 800m plus 2nd long jump and 3rd 100m and 1500m), Len Allbrighton (60+ shot) and Mick Shortland (50+ javelin).
Athletes with single wins were Josh Moss (under 17 1500m plus 2nd in 800m 1.59.95), Ton Tomu (senior 400m), Laurie Pirie (senior high jump), Neil McLellan (senior javelin), Jake Exton (under 15 javelin), Vishnal Saroye (under 13 high jump plus 3rd long jump), Shelley McLellan (senior shot), Joanne Mansell (under 20 800m),Chloe Vernon-Hamilton (under 17 300m hurdles plus 2nd in 400m), Beccy Knapp (under 17 hammer), Alex Gates (under 15 300m plus 3rd in long jump).
Silver medals were won by Adam Searle (senior 1500m plus 3rd 800m -1.59.41), Barry Mainstone (senior triple jump) Aaron Hull (senior javelin), Lewis Keeble (under 17 100m and 400m), Connor Winters (under 17 pole vault), Paul Spicer (under 15 u80mhurdles), Laurence Levy (under 15 high jump, shot, and hammer), Billy Vernon-Hamilton (under 15 javelin plus two 3rds in 100m and 200m), David Spicer (under 13 75m hurdles), Frances Gross (under 17 hammer plus 3rd discus), Alice Rackham (under 15 high jump), Ayo Awokoya (under 13 shot); also veteran men Stephen Pickett, Paul Keeble, Patrick David, Mick Shortland, and Steve Feely competing in various events.
Bronze medals went to Cameron Webb, Sam Poulton (2) , Tan Chowdhury, David Pickett (2), and Sophie Keeble.
The club entered 23 relay teams at Stevenage, and won 9 gold, the same number as their great rivals from Herts Phoenix AC, thereby sharing the relay trophy. Winning teams were senior men, veteran men, under 17 men, under 15 boys, under 13 boys, and under 20 women in the 4 x 100m event. The 4 x 400m winning teams were the senior men, under 17 men, under 15 boys.

The Club's busy summer league season started this weekend. On Sunday, a large contingent travelled to Braintree,Essex, where the overall team came second behind Chelmsford, beating Dacorum, Southend, Colchester and Braintree, putting themselves into seventh place in the 25 team table.

Stars of the show were the under 15 boys who won their age group scoring eight individual first places. Daniel Gardner led the way winning the pole vault(pb of 3.40m) and B high jump; the other winners were Josh Swain (B 100m), Liam Vooght (B 200m), Paul Spicer (B long jump), Jake Exton (A javelin) and Jack Gates (B javelin). The other team members were Peter De'Ath, Tom Kinsella, and Laurence Levy.

The under 17 boys placed second with 9 first places. Nick Stoppard won three- A100mhurdles, A long jump,and A shot. The other winners were Sam Pollard (A 100m) Lewis Keeble (A 200m), David Pickett (B 200m), Connor Winters (B 100mhurdles), Jack White (A javelin) and the 4x100m relay team.

Not to be outdone, the under 17 girls team also came second with eight individual wins. Anne Rees won two events (A high jump and B long jump); the other winners were Karen Meadows (B 200m), Chloe Vernon-Hamilton (B high jump), Bethan Scanes (A triple jump), Jess Barber (B triple jump), Beccy Knapp (B discus) and Frances Gross (A hammer). Club member Hollie Reader won the under13s B 1500m.

Saturday saw the Women's team of Seniors and under 15 girls at Eton in their Premier Division match where they came fourth with enough points to be 11th in the 16 team table. Against top-notch competition from Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow AC, Herts Phoenix AC and Horsham Blue Star AC, there were only two individual winners, both under 15s, Laura Agnew in the B long jump and Sophie Goddard in the15 B discus.

Many second places were taken by the seniors; Bunmi Awokoya got three (A 100m, 200m and shot-pb of 10.77m), Joanne Mansell (B 800m), Lizzie Hutchinson (B 400m hurdles) Nikki Andrews (B high jump), Anne Rees (B pole vault), Beccy Knapp (B shot and B hammer), and Loren Scanes (B discus).

Second places in the under 15 girls went to Janet Browne, (A high jump and B javelin), Jade Barber (B shot) and Renee Hector (A discus), and in the under 17s 80m hurdles to Jess Barber.

Finishing in fourth place in the senior 400m, Joylyn Saunders set a Great Britain veteran women's over 55 record of 65.3secs.

Competing for Oaklands College in the Southern Students Assoc Championships, at Lee Valley, Tonderai Tomu won the 400m in a pb of 48.0secs. Bunmi Awokoya was seconmd in the 200m (25.65) . Cameron Webb and Josh Moss set pbs in their events (200m 22.64 and 800m 2.00.5 respectively)

Four athletes set pbs at Watford; Callum McKechnie (800m 2.08.31), Adam Searle (1500 4.10.16), Dan Poulton (3000m 8.55.24) and Jasmine Forde (11.15.17).

Stevenage and North Herts AC has a new women's Hammer Throw record; set by 14 year old Beccy Knapp, just six months after her training partner Loren Scanes, set the previous one. Competing in an Open meeting at Bedford Stadium, Beccy threw the 4kg implement 34.24m, which puts her into second place on the East Region (under 17) ranking lists for 2008.

The Club sent a team to Lee Valley on Saturday to Enfield & Haringey AC's Alpha & Beta Trophy meeting. The Club finished in 6th place overall retaining it's place in the

Alpha meeting for next year. In the senior's match, Jasmine Forde set a new personal best time, winning the 800 'A' race in 2min 20.72. Joanne Mansell also collected maximum points in winning the 'B' string in 2min 22.90. Bunmi Awpkoya collected the only second place in the senior match, clocking 25.6 for 200m, following it up with 3rd in the shot (10.59m). Other third places went to Bethan Scanes (B 110m hurdles), Anne Rees (B 400m hurdles and B shot), Nikki Andrews (B high jump) and Wendy Meadows-Smith (B long jump). The senior team finished in 3rd place

Many of last year's under 15 team have moved into the under 17 and senior age group, and the team finished 6th (of 8) in their match. Highest placed was Alice Rackham, (3rd in B high jump), with 4th places being gained by Janet Browne (B 75m hurdles and A high jump), and Alex Gates (A long jump).

Other club athletes have competed in Open meetings; Ton Tonderai won the senior men's 400m at Highgate (49.6); Cameron Webb also ran clocking 11.3 (100m) and 52.7 (400m) as an under 20 man.

Lewis Keeble ran at Bedford winning the u17men 100 (12.7 into a 5.5m per second wind) and 4th in the 200m (25.0 wind -4.5)

As part of the London Marathon, Lewis ran in the 14-15years old age group Mini Marathon, clocking 17mins.58 for the three miles (62nd)) and Hannah Dewhurst clocked 20mins 58 (72nd) in her event.

March 28; Presentation Evening. Results will be posted shortly.

March 2008: New web site launched.

November 27; First draft of 2008 summer fixtures added to Fixtures Page.

November 23; SNHAC joins with Dacorum & Tring AC, St Albans AC and Watford Harriers to form NCW Herts, as a team in the National Junior League. Richard Powell will be our Team Manager

October 2007; Club Annual General Meeting; this will be on Thursday November 29th- important items for discussion- you should BE THERE

The Club has sent the new Registration fee of £3.00 for every member over 11 who has competed since 1 April 2007. You should receive your card in the post by the middle of November 2007. If you don’t get it by then, please see Margaret Powell or e-mail her on m.powell33@ntlworld.com

September 2007; Congratulations to Richard and Margaret Powell for winning at the EAST OF ENGLAND REGION AWARDS Presentation Evening held at Cambridge;