Tough start to Southern League campaign
WGEL’s Sweatshop Southern Athletics League season began on Saturday 16 April in conditions that would been chilly for a Met league, with the rain and wind also limiting standards. A team depleted by fixture clashes finished fourth behind host St Albans, Orion, and Peterborough but ahead of Vale of Aylesbury and Luton B. Woodford were strongest in the throws, led by Lucy Marshall’s Athlete of the Match performance in the hammer (recorded as 53.85, though officials were unable to measure her longest throw), ably backed up by Stephanie Howe’s senior league debut (41.85). An even more dominant mens hammer saw Harry Clarke (53.44) beat his brother Peter who was returning from a long injury lay-off (51.75). James Bongart is starting to recover form after his lay-off, winning the javelin in 52.58, while Devon Douglas won the shot (with Peter Clarke taking the B string) in addition to his discus speciality (44.26). Eike Vardja’s 8 match winning streak in the SAL javelin came to an end with a narrow defeat (33.85?), but she was once again the top individual points scorer in her 5 A string events, including a TJ PB (9.92).
Woodford’s top track performer was Anna Clark who, after a narrow defeat in a tactical 800m duel (2:18.25), came back to win the 400m in relaxed fashion before coming 2nd in the 200m and running both relays. Tomaz Plibersek provided a hurdling masterclass to ease to 2k steeplechase success in the only other A string track win. B string wins included Carl Rendora and U17 Shakkira Sikiru in their respective 100m races in conditions that almost guaranteed slow times. New member Shakkira’s success, along with that of runner up in the B 200 Samanta Bendaraviviciute, is a reminder of how much stronger the team will be for the next match when we do not have a fixture clash with the EYAL. Concluding our success was a team manager double in the triple jump, led by UKWAL team manager Keith Newton off a short approach.
The second SAL fixture will be in Thurrock on Saturday 21 May, by when a much stronger performance is likely including many of Saturday’s National 12 Stage team, numerous youngsters and athletes back from warm weather training into conditions that should no longer be more than 20°C colder than they are used to competing in. The final 3 SAL matches are all at home, but a strong showing at Thurrock will be needed to remain in contention for promotion by then. Due to league expansion, promotion beyond the top 2 teams is dependent on a paper match between regional leagues, so it would be great if national league athletes are able to turn out at least once in the SAL this season.