News

The second SAL of the season saw 16 Vets, Seniors, U20s and U17’s travel to Battersea on Sunday. The weather was kind and the team fought for every point. Many athletes competed in five events and in one case seven to fill the gaps – Sandra how do you do it? There were many ‘firsts’ during the match – the first time Adam Searle has run a 400m Hurdles and 4x400 relay, the first time Andrew Kelly put on a Club Vest, borrowed some spikes (thanks Libby) and after one PV training session and some emergency in match coaching in HJ and SP (thanks Dylan and Barry) gained three second B string places, the first time Barry has run 400m in 20 years, the first time Shannon has run a 1500m SC, the first time Aimie Taylor has jumped 9m+ in the triple jump, the first time U17 Bobby Pitman competed at 400H (and they were senior height) and lovely to see Club Chair Paul racing on the track for the first time since having COVID. Jane Taylor probably travelled the furthest to an SAL Match to bring Libby, Aimie and poles from Nottingham and Shannon and Andrew carried weights the furthest – two heavy pole bags from the furthest car park and then had to push them over the fence!

We had too many gaps, so finished fourth but scored 50 points more than at Thurrock. Croydon won, Ealing Southall and Middlesex second, Dacorum and Tring third just 18 points ahead of SNHAC.

There were A and B wins in the women’s PV Shannon and Aimie 3m40 and 3m, Women’s Discus Kerry and Libby 32m01 and 29m33, Women’s Javelin Kerry and Dani 40m02 and 18m21. Libby won the Hammer 47m74. There were A string second place finishes for Shannon Rapacchi 100H, Aimie Taylor TJ and Kerry Murch SP. Kerry was second in the B HT. There were A string second place finishes from Alex Pickard 400m 58.6, Dylan Baines HJ and TJ 1m63 and 12m58, Barry Mainstone SP 8m33 and Jamesdean Aitkins JT 31m 20. B string second places came from Bobby Pitman 200m, Adam Searle 400H and HT, Andrew Kelly HJ, PV and SP, Jamesdean LJ and Barry Mainstone JT. The men’s 4x400m team of Alex, Jamesdean, Bobby and Dylan also came Second 48.5. The match finished with the mixed 4x400m relay where Adam, Isobel Geere, Sandra and Alex enjoyed the experience finishing third in 4.26.7

Match photos will be on the photo gallery by the end of the week, the next match is at home on the 26th June where Team Manager Norma Harris hopes to have athletes filling every event.

Seventy of the Clubs younger athletes supported by 40 Club Officials, Team Managers and Parents who volunteered to help with officiating and providing refreshments (a big Club money earner) ensured that our EYAL home match was a great success. A big thanks to all those that helped the day run smoothly and to all those athletes who not only competed in their main events but volunteered to fill gaps on the team sheet which saw a handsome win at the end of the day. SNHAC 629, Bedfordshire Lions 453, Bedford and County 439, Cambridge and Coleridge 241, West Suffolk 115 and Peterborough 102. This win moves the Club up to 7th place in the League and if we can maintain these results will ensure a place in September’s final.
In the U13 Girls section there were wins for Hazel Spitzer 1500m 5.39.50, Edythe Oughton 70H 13.08, Skye Barnet HJ 1m31 and Connie Dykes LJ 3m94. The girls also won the relay – 59.44. In the B string events there were wins in the 200m, 800m, 1500m, 70H, HJ and LJ. The U15 Girls section saw Lily Cotter win the DT and HT. There were B string wins in the 300m, 800m, HJ and DT. U17 Annabel Howells went under 42 seconds for the first time winning the 300m in 41.95 and there were B string wins in the 300m, 1500m and JT.
U13 Alastair Gall Gray won both the 100m and 75m Hurdles – 14.7 and 15.9 and Monty Norwood won the HJ 1m20 in his first competition for the Club. There were B string wins in the 75H and DT. The boys also won their relay 62.9. U15 wins came from Harrison Lund 800m 2.22.53, Lewis Price LJ 5m22 and Tomaz Periera Garcez JT 23m44. B string wins came in 300m, 800m, 1500m, 80H, SP, DT and JT.
U17 Jamie Timms won all of his events PV 2m60, HJ 1m60 and JT 43m20 – all three PBs. Other wins came from Callum Fairey 400m 57.4, Will Galliford 1500m 4.23.26, and Adam Bungay TJ 11m16. The boys also won their relay – 49.34. B string wins came in the 400m, 800m, 1500m HJ and TJ
Team Managers Libby Taylor and Shannon Rapacchi were delighted with the results and are looking to the next match on the 10th July in Cambridge.

The trial of the Club’s new portable Wifi system proved an enormous success (many thanks to Paul Griffin). Results were fed directly from Photo Finish to Match results and enabling all participants to access results quickly after events with no paper required.

Competing in the National Athletic League on Saturday at Bedford Libby Taylor won the hammer 48m17 and was third in the DT 28m50, Shannon Rapacchi was second in the PV 3m51. Ed Laws was fourth in 400H 56.94 and Jess Astill won the B string 400m in 56.00.

Six SNHAC athletes made the trip to Harlow on Wednesday night for match 2 of the Scott's Travel midweek 10k league. In ideal conditions it was Isaac Whitten who was first to finish in a time of 41 mins 52 seconds, which saw him take 2nd place in the U20s category ( and 31st overall). Next back was Tom Galligford , 53rd in 44.57. Trevor Mason was 66th (46.52) and Paul Pickard 93rd (54.47).

In the women's race Alex Gates finished in 13th (45 mins 49 secs) and Jenny Cotter was 32nd in 50 mins 59.

The next race is in Stevenage on June 15th and we are cohosting so offers of help would be very welcome!

Twenty of the Clubs U17/U20 athletes along with officials and parents travelled to Guildford on Sunday for second of the season’s YDL matches. There were some great performances, good competition, the weather stayed dry and the M25 kept moving, so a good day for all.

The U17 team totalled 5A and 6B string wins between them, wining the girl’s 4x300m and boys 4x100 relays as well. Abigail Manson won both 800 and 1500m races – 2.25.16/5.00.23, Annabel Howells won the 300m and B shot – 42.41 and 6m48, Imogen Rose won the B long jump – 3m78. There were wins for the boys from Will Galliford in the 1500m Steeple chase – 4.38.81 and Adam Bungay in the triple jump and B discus 11m21/16m, Isaac Whitten won the B SC – 5.02.63, Bobby Pitman the B 100H – 16.12 and George Fifield the B long jump – 4m54. Also in the Team were Kirsten Morley, Isobel Chamberlain, Prince Onwuegbuzie, Jamie Timms and Kacper Dyk.

In the U20 competition there was a double win for Ed Laws in the 110 and 400m hurdles – 15.42/ 55.72 and Jacob Kinchin- Smith in the TJ – 12m13 with B wins from Jamie Joseph in the triple jump – 10m95 Tyler Wannerton in the shot – 5m52. Also competing were Anya Nesbit, Alex Pickard and Tiago Pereira -Garcez.

Lovely weather at Thurrock greeted the team of 14 who travelled for the first Southern Athletic League match of the season on Sunday. Rhona Foster (Track), Alan Ephgrave, Paul Pickard, Helen Pickard and Julia Toffa (Field Team) along with Norma Harris (Team Manager) supported throughout the day and enjoyed some fine performances from Club Athletes.

Performance of the day came in the 2K steeplechase where U17 Athletes Will Galliford and Isaac Whitten both broke the Club Age Group record running 6.48.6 and 7.03.9 to win both A and B stream races. Tom Malone 400m 55.1, William Toffa 400m/800m, Tyler Wannerton 1500m and Adam Searle 5000m/1500m made up the men’s track team. Vet Athlete Barry Mainstone paired up with fellow Vet Steve Mayfield to cover the LJ, SP, DT, HT and JT.

In the women’s events wins came from Shannon Rapacchi HJ 1m45, PV 3m20 and B string Javelin 24m64, Kerry Murch won the SP 10m71, JT 37m16 and B string HT 33m46. Libby Taylor won the HT 48m42 and the B shot 9m62. Kerry and Libby were second in the A and B Discus. On the track there were second place finishes for Isobel Geere and Corazon Da’silva in the 200m 27.6 and 27.8 respectively. Isobel also competed in the 400m and Chris Feely 800m made up the women’s track team. Isobel, Corazan, Chris and Shannon made up the 4x100m relay team who finished 3rd 55.3.

Thurrock won the match with 227.5 points from Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets 123, Ashford 108.5 with SNHAC in fourth 108.

Running at the Loughborough International Jess Astill came fourth in her guest 400m.