News

A small team of four SNHAC Vets and two officials travelled to Harrow for the second league match of the season. Sandra Reed took part in the 200m, High Jump and Javelin, winning her 200m race and the High Jump, Andrea Westcott was in action in the High Jump and javelin, while husband Chris stretched his legs in an 800m race finishing in second place. Steve Mayfield had a busy evening with an early Long Jump competition and later competing in the 200m and Discus which were at the same time. Steve was beaten into second place in the last round of the Discus. Field Officials Dani Mainstone and Norma Harris also made the journey, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere at the match while officiating the Discus.

Six Stevenage and North Herts athletes travelled to Manchester over the weekend to represent their County Schools Associations at the Championships. Covid restrictions meant that each age group competed on a different day and travelled independently rather than as a team. It was great to see these Championships back on after missing a year and in a very different format. The top 16 selected in each event went ‘head to head’ with some events run as time trials as heats and finals couldn’t be completed on the same day.

Jessica Astill won her heat of the 300m in 40.13 en route to a Silver medal. She came up against strong competition in the final, running a personal best of 39.24 to narrowly miss out on first place.

The Seniors had been first up on the Friday. 400m hurdlers Ed Laws and Joel Evans ranked 8th and 9th going into the races ran in the second heat of this event with Joel finishing 4th and Ed 5th in 56.42 and 56.70. The result from the two races, saw them finish in 8th and 9th. The Inter age group competed on the Saturday. Shanumi Akinfenwa placed 12th in the high jump clearing 1m52, Aimie Taylor was 9th in the pole vault vaulting 3m15 and Will Galliford placed 8th in the 1500m steeplechase in 5.02.46.

Congratulations to all of our athletes who competed in Bedford yesterday. A massive thank you to all of those volunteers and parents who helped to run the teams and the events these matches cannot take place without your support. Very provisional results can be found here.

Three of the Club’s younger athletes were in action at Lee Valley over the weekend, representing Hertfordshire Schools at the Regional Schools Combined Events Championships. Up against athletes from London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire Berkshire and Middlesex Junior athletes Bobby Pitman, Jamie Timms and Lucy Baverstock competed in their first Pentathlons. Jamie and Bobby were in action on Saturday and finished in 9th and 10th place respectively with total point scores of 2172 and 2072 points. Jamie had personal best performances in the 80H 12.7, SP 7m77, HJ 1m53 and 800m 2.22nins while Bobby’s were in the hurdles 13.0, SP 8m54, HJ 1m41, LJ 4m94 and 800m 2.25mins. The Hertfordshire team were second. Lucy was in action on the Sunday scoring and was the only Herts athlete to finish in the Junior Girls competition with a total score of 2,357 points. PBs came in the 75H 12.8, SP 7m47 and 800m 2.50mins.

11 of the Clubs athletes travelled to Perivale for the second Youth Development League of the season for U17/20 athletes. U20 Libby Taylor won her Hammer competition easily, throwing over 43 meters. Emily Knight was second in the 100m hurdles in 16.3 and U17 Isaac Whitten was third in the 1500SC.

A very different English Schools Championship awaits the five SNHAC athletes selected to represent Hertfordshire Schools in Manchester at the end of next week. No travelling with a team, limited spectators, and a different age group each day. Only the top ranked 16 in the country in each event are competing with time trials replacing heats and finals in the long sprint, sprint hurdles and endurance events.

Ranked 1st in the Country Intermediate Girl Jessica Astill is set to compete in the 300m, ranked 12th Shanumi Akinfenwa will compete in the high jump and Will Galliford ranked 10th will compete in the 1500m steeple Chase. Seniors Ed Laws and Joel Evans ranked 8th and 10th respectively will compete in the 400m hurdles. Ranked 7th Intermediate Girl Aimie Taylor will be representing Cambridgeshire Schools in the Pole Vault.