Track & Field Round-Up
Several Woodford athletes competed for their Universities at the BUCS Championships held at Bedford over the weekend, led by titles for Youcef Zatat, Lucy Marshall, Thalosang Thsireletso and a medal for Joseph Dewar, As reported below there was also a pleasing return to action after serious injury for James Bongart. There was also news of good performances in the US over the weekend.
Youcef Zatat's win at Bedford came as he retained the title he won both in 2014 and 2015, and he did so with a new personal best of 17.20m, a very encouraging performance in his first competition of the year. Lucy Marshall's title was won in the hammer with a distance of 57.74m, and came after placing 7th in 2014 and 2nd in 2015. Lucy also placed 8th in the shot with 11.66m. Thalosang Tshireltso won the triple jump title with a distance of 15.17m (+1.8) to add to the indoor title he gained in February, Joseph Dewar was the other medalist, and the European junior silver medalist placed 3rd in a race won by sub-10 sec sprinter Chijindu Ujah. Joseph recorded 10.58 secs (-0.9) after winning both his semi and heat, the latter with 10.42 secs w (+2.3), Having missed the indoor season with injury this was a solid opening to Joseph's season.
Others who made finals were Channel Hemmings who placed 5th in the triple jump with 11.30m w (+2.9), Daniel Gray who placed 8th in the 400m with 50.58 secs, but having recorded a fine 47.80 secs in his semi-final, and James Bongart who returned from serious injury to also place 8th in the javelin with an encouraging 54.01m. In qualification rounds, both Anna Clark and Sophie Riches made the 800m semi-finals, Anna was 4th in hers with 2m18.37 secs , after a 2m18.16 secs heat, and Sophie was 8th in her semi with 2m25.14 secs after a 2m19.77 secs heat. In the men's 5000m Bradley Wattleworth just missed the final with a 15m06.50 secs clocking for 8th in his heat, in high jump qualifying HCA member Kashif Jones cleared 1.91m, and in discus qualifying there was a personal best for Huw Williams with 35.26m.
In the US at the Drake Relays, Cindi Ofili recorded 11.57 secs w (+2.7) over 100m although she did not contest that final, but did win her speciality final over 100mH in a good 12.90 secs (+1.4) At Starkville, Missouri Hollie Pattie-Belleli recorded personal bests over 200m with 24.44 secs (-0.3) and also over 100mH with 13.62 secs (+1.3). At Clemont Florida, at the NTC/PURE Spring Invitational there was a season's best in the triple jump for Tosin Oke who placed 2nd with 16.65m (+1.5).