Aviva England U/20 & U/23 Championships

This weekend saw several WGEL athletes in action at Bedford in the Aviva England U/20 and U/23 Championships, and Trials for the World Junior Championships. Performances were led by three silver medals, from Kitty Eleyae, Mike Baker and Sam Watts, and two bronze medals, from Stephanie Gaynor and Jordan Kirby-Polidore.

Bedford's weather was as usual, but on this occasion like most of the UK, very blustery over the weekend. Kitty Eleyae's silver medal came in the U/23 long jump where her effort of 6.10m (-0.9), led the competition until she was just over-hauled in the final round. Mike Baker was pleased to return to his best as he placed second in the U/23 400mH with 51.68 secs, just 0.04 outside his best ever. In the U/23 200m, Sam Watts was also second, in 21.33 secs (+1.1), having run 21.18 secs (+1.6) in qualifying from his semi-final. In the men's U/20 event over the same distance, Jordan Kirby-Polidore picked up a bronze medal with 21.55 secs (+0.9), having also run quicker in his semi with 21.45 secs (+1.1). In the heats of the U/23 200m , Omololu Abiodun just missed out on moving through with a 22.19 secs (+1.5) clocking, whilst Eugene Ayanful did move through to the semis where he recorded 22.09 secs (+1.6) after 22.06 secs (+0.9) in his heat. Eugene, had the previous day progressed through to the 100m semi-finals where he recorded 10.79 secs (+0.9), and just missed out on making the final.Woodford's other medal came from Stephanie Gaynor in the women's U/23 100mH where she too was close to her best ever, just 0.02 secs outside, as she clocked 13.60 secs (+1.7) for her 3rd place.

Just missing out on medals were Matt MacLaughlin who was a close 4th in the U/20 800m with 1m52.62 secs and Peter Clarke, also 4th in the U/23 hammer with 54.69m. There were two 5th places for Youcef Zatat, both in personal bests, 15.15m in the U/20 shot, and 47.47m in the U/20 discus. In the U/20 400m, Paul Scanlan made the final where he placed 6th with 49.96 secs after recording 49.66 secs in his semi. Particularly unlucky was Alex Cornwell in the final of the U/23 1500m, when in 4th place and looking about to challenge the leaders at the 200m to go mark, he and another athlete both fell. Alex wasn't hurt, but in race won in 3m45 secs, he was disappointed as it appeared he would have significantly improved his current personal best of 3m49 secs. Other Woodford athletes in action in the heats, were Holly- Pattie-Bellieli with 14.73 secs w (+2.1) in the U/20 100mH, Daniellia Alakija, a new member and an U/17, who recorded 25.55 secs and 58.14 secs in the 200m and 400m respectively, and Kitty Eleyae who recorded 12.42 secs (+1.3) after her long jump efforts. There were two medals for HCA members, Myra Perkins took the U/23 hammer with 56.06m and Moe Sasegbon was 3rd in the U/23 HJ with 1.74m