The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Nene Valley Harriers’ men were completely dominant in the first fixture of the Eastern Masters Track and Field League at St Ives.
Last years’ silver medallists at the end of season finals were complimented by their ladies’ team, who also performed well to finish second.
The ladies also made the finals last season, just missing out on third place, and hope to be amongst the medals this time round.
World Indoor Masters bronze medallist Dave Brown was unchallenged as he won the over-35 100m in 11.7secs and the 400m in 52.6secs, while Julian Smith clocked 12.2secs for his over-50 100m win.
Sean Beard was another over-50 winner with an 11.05 clocking in the 3,000m.
There were also first places for over-35s Sean Reidy in the high jump, James Mcdonald in the one-mile walk and Simon Achurch in the hammer and javelin.
For the ladies’ there were over-35 wins for Gemma Skells in the 100m and for Claire Smith over 400m.
Andrea Jenkins also won the hammer with a throw of 35.08m along with the javelin, while Philippa Taylor finished well clear in the over-50s 3,000m with an 11.05secs clocking.
Distance runners Nicky Morgan and Louise Alexander joined Skells and Smith for an easy victory in the 4x100m relay.
Peterborough AC were also in action, and Kay Gibson won the over-50 400m in 86.1secs with Judith Jacobs first in the javelin and triple jump.
Jacobs threw the Javelin 19.56m and achieved a triple jump distance of 6.65m.
Results: Men – Nene Valley 164pts; Ryston Runners 120pts; West Norfolk 119pts; Hunts AC 111pts; Corby 88pts; Peterborough AC 69pts.
Women – Ryston Runners 150pts; Nene Valley 97pts; Corby 96pts; Peterborough AC 50pts; West Norfolk 40pts; Hunts AC 14pts.
- Nene Valley Harriers finished in a pleasing third place in the Eastern Young Athletes League fixture at the Embankment track last Sunday.
Conditions were near-perfect for track and field, and the under-17 girls excelled by winning their age group.
Newcomer Keira Gilman had a successful day, winning the B 100 and 200m races.
Gilman’s winning 100m time of 13.1secs was equal to the time run by Katie Calcutt, the A race runner up.
Nene Valley completely dominated the middle distance events, with Flo Brill winning the A 800m in 2.19.3mins.
Evie Odlin was not far behind as the first B runner home, with a 2.22.7mins clocking.
Meanwhile, Molly Peel took the 1,500m honours in a time of 4.54.3mins and Olivia Mead won the B race.
Millie Weller and Francesca Fenwick both had a good day with Weller clearing 2.10m for first place in the pole vault. She also won the B high jump.
Fenwick dominated the high jump with a 1.60m clearance and finished runner up in the B long jump.
Danielle Pusey threw a new PB of 31.19 to win the Javelin.
There were some fine performances by the under-17 boys with Will Kong blasting his way to victory in the 400m in a rapid time of 51.5secs.
Kong also gained maximum long jump points.
Elsewhere, Joe Purbrick ran 13.8secs for a good win in the 100m hurdles while George Harrison won the B javelin with a distance of 32.93m.
Harry Golding was runner-up in the A event, throwing 36.97m.
Jason Bogle then ran 11.5secs in the 100m and 23.9secs in the 200m for second place in each event.
At under-15 level, Donovan Capes won the discus with a 34.08m throw and the shot with a distance of 14.31m.
Harry Hewitt was first across the line in the B 800m.
Katie Marsh with 4.65m had a good win in the girls’ under-15 long jump.
Result: City of Norwich AC 813pts; Chelmsford AC 639pts; Nene Valley 524pts; Cambridge & Coleridge 487pts; Peterborough AC 394pts; Team Norfolk 313pts; West Suffolk 255pts.
- Archie Rainbow, of Nene Valley, ran a British Milers Club 800m race at Leeds, and won with a new personal best (PB) of 1.55.66mins.
Phil Martin finished fifth in Monday’s Milton Keynes Marathon in 2:38.34hrs, just eight days after a successful London Marathon.
The Peterborough AC ace is running 12 marathons in 2019 to raise money for Mind, the mental health charity.
