Our second win in three matches gives us a good lead at the top of league, with a home match left to go.

One week before match 2 we had a team and set of reserves that could take on the world, but events happen and in the end we had a fantastic make do and mend effort to get a near full team. One week before match 3 we had a team that could fit in a mini, but again we pulled it out the bag to go to Tamworth well manned up and take a close win from the home team who were making a big push to avoid relegation.

The impact of UKWAL and BAL matches on the same weekend hit Birchfield Harriers and Notts AC A team harder than us and they slipped to 3rd and 4th place on the day with Abingdon AC becoming isolated in 5th on the day and in the league, and Cannock & Stafford recording their 3rd last place and confirming relegation before the last match. We are now 2 league points ahead of Birchfield and three ahead of Notts entering the last match at Yate on the 4th of August.

We were grateful to the many team members who turned up despite having the prestigious English School Championships this weekend and we wish them all well.

Special mention to Henrietta Anstey for stepping up to run the 400mH and Matt Lewis for taking on his second ever steeplechase in the heat as well as officiating all day long. Hannah Jackson, Mel Cooke, Lucy Wallace, Maria Townsend, Sam Boulton and Adam Brooks doubled up with the UKWAL or BAL match the day before with most also multi-eventing on both days.

Lucy Durham and Bethan Wakefield were the jump queens with both completing the Long, Triple and High Jump with PB’s and SB’s. Hannah Lewis, Liam Hillier and Jonny Shine deserve a medal for competing on a Pole Vault bed that could do with a good scrub.

The results on the day were fantastic with a total of 23 PB’s recorded by 18 people and 17 SB’s by 13 people. Particularly notable is Debo’s 200m that places him 2nd M35 in the UK on his first competitive outing for some time.

Everyone loves a good relay and the men’s 4x400m was that and more. Liam Hillier stared us off doing his 4th event of the day, passing on to Debo and then 1500m winner Greg Hayward handing over to our regular and wonderfully reliable anchor man of Kane Lee. Kane had a slight lead on Notts AC with Birchfield a little way back and never in contention for the win. Kane and the Notts runner traded the lead around the lap with Kane just behind at the end of the last curve to bring on a gutsy home straight battle from both runners with Notts holding on by only 0.4s. A brilliant team effort by us and Notts and if we get the same at the last match the home crowd could make the difference.

We look forward to the match at Yate when we have a good chance of reclaiming our League title that Birchfield borrowed this year.

Results are now on power of 10 at:
https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx…
PB’s and SB’s are listed below and apologies if I missed anyone:

Women’s PB’s: Melissa Cooke (200m), Lucy Wallace (1500m), Emma Jolliffe (1500m), Rosie Hattersley (3000m), Henrietta Anstey (400mH), Bethan Wakefield (LJ & TJ), Lucy Durham (LJ), Anna Loughlin (SP & HT), Thema Osborne Hendricks (SP & HT), Jo Smerdon (JT)

Women’s SB’s: Amena Kofi (200m), Georgia Taylor (400m), Bethan Wakefield (HJ), Lucy Durham (HJ), Jo Smerdon (DT)

Men’s PB’s: Tim White (400m), Abdi Hasan (800m), Greg Hayward (1500m), Andrew Drake (5000m), Darren Tremble (5000m & HJ), Liam Hillier (400mH & PV), Matt Lewis (2000m S/C), Jonny Shine (LJ)

Men’s SB’s: Debo Ademuyewo and 2nd in UK M35 rankings (200m), Kane Lee (400m), Darren Tremble (400mH), Jonny Shine (PV & TJ), Matt Muggeridge (TJ & JT), Sam Boulton (SP, DT & JT), Matt Spicer (SP), Reece Straker (HT)

Steve Grant, Pete Mountain and Matt Muggeridge