An improved team performance from the opening fixture saw ESM leading the way at one stage before being overtaken by Thames Valley Harriers. Shereen Charles was selected as female athlete of the match for her 100m/200m double and there were other A string wins for Tania Cyrus, Mel Canning, Charlotte Gould, Rafal Morawski, Will Pinder, Chris Hepworth, Szymon Swigon, Matt Clampin and Martin Densley.
Women’s track events: Shereen Charles’s sprint victories were backed up by a B string win in the 200m from Tabita Botuli and a B string 2nd in the 100m from Nadia Mills. Tania Cyrus set another PB in winning the 400m and Mel Canning was a clear winner of the 100m hurdles. Tabita, Nadia, Mel and Shereen had a narrow win in the sprint relay.
Tabita Botuli hands over to Nadia Mills in the 4x100m relay
In the 1500m and 3000m, Alison Hopkins found the same Oxford athlete too strong for her in both races but Patricia Thomas’s efforts were rewarded with two B string wins. Shim Amin became the first Ealing athlete to run the steeplechase in this league when she volunteered for the event after finding out that there was no team for the 4x400m relay.
Women’s field events: there was a shot/hammer double for Charlotte Gould while Grazina Narviliene had B string wins in shot and javelin. Afiya Williams threw A string javelin and discus. Helen Leadbetter competed in all four jumps, finishing second in the long, triple and pole vault. Freya Johnson was the team’s only other jumper.
Men’s track events: the wins by Will Pinder in the 800m and Chris Hepworth in the 1500m were the two stand out performances. Luke Nicholas and Mark Cameron picked up useful B string 2nd places in these races and Luke also finished 2nd in the B 400m behind Sean Buckeridge. Szymon Swigon finished 2nd in the 400m hurdles with Samson Baah 2nd in the B string. Szymon scored more good points as the only athlete to turn up for the 110m hurdles.
Steve Elson and Mark Delahunty both finished 2nd in the 3000m. In a waterjump-less steeplechase Tom Yates, making his debut for the team, came through for 2nd ahead of Phil York who won the B string. In the sprints, Dewayne Simms, Kema Egbunike and Laurence Gittens all finished 3rd. Both relay teams finished second.
Men’s field events: Matt Clampin and Martin Densley cleared the same height in the high jump for A & B string wins. Martin also won the pole vault and Matt finished 2nd in the B long jump. Nigel Bourne finished 2nd in both A string long and triple jump and Jovan Watty had another 2nd in the B triple jump. Easily the best result in the throws was Raf Morawski’s win in the hammer. Bob and Martin Densley shared the other throws.
Match result:
1 TVH 202 points
2 ESMAC 189.5 points
3 Oxford City 152.5 points
4 Sutton & District 33 points
Photo by Jean King.
Full results on power of 10. The results of the first league meeting at Hemel Hempstead are here.