Good start to UKWL season

Woodford's women's UKWL team contested the first round of the First Division on Sunday at Bristol. Striving for an immediate return to the Premier Division Woodford were winners by the tightest of margins, as they scored 216, the same as Blackheath also 216, with hosts Bristol on 210.5, Trafford 199, Cardiff 154, Harrow 146.5, Wigan 126 and Crawley 116. This was very good team performance with many athletes doing two or more events, and although there were only two "A" string wins, from Moe Sasegbon and Sylvia Cruz, there were many other good performances.

Moe Sasegbon's win came in the high jump where she cleared 1.70m for victory. Multi-eventer Moe also scored good points in the 100mH where she was 3rd with 14.39 secs (+0.2), and in the long jump where Moe was 2nd in the "B" with 5.24m (0.0). Also in the long jump and although not at her best Kitty Eleyae nevertheless placed 7th in the "A" with 5.35m (+1.8), and additionally was 2nd in the "B" triple jump with with 10.08m (0.0), as well as gaining valuable "B" string points in the "B" 100mH where she was 6th with 20.08 secs. Also competing in the triple jump was new member Chanelle Hemmings, who placed 4th with 11.21m w (+2.4)

Sylvia Cruz's win came in the javelin, with 44.79m. Sylvia was also 4th in the shot with 11.90m. In the "B" javelin Eike Vardja was 3rd with 25.81m and additionally gained valuable "B" string points with 3rd in the "B" pole vault with 2.10m. The "A" string pole vault saw Katie James clear 3.00m for 5th and Katie also gained valuable points in the "B" 400mH where she was 2nd with 75.47 secs, and also 5th in the "B" high jump with 1.50m. The hammer scored good points and Lucy Marshall got the better of Myra Perkins as she placed 3rd in the "A" with 58.86m, as Myra won the "B" with 57.26m. Lucy also placed 2nd in the "B" shot with 11.09m, and 7th in the discus with 26.83m, as Myra placed 5th in that "B" event with 24.36m.

On the track, Sarah Busby and Jo Ryan scored well in the sprints, Sarah was 3rd in the 100m with 12.22 secs (-1.8) and also 3rd in the 200m with 24.72 secs (-0.1), as Jo was also 3rd in the "B" 100m with 12.40 secs (-1.7) and then 2nd in the "B" 200m with 24.71 secs (-2.4). Over 400mH another debutant, Anna Nelson, was 2nd with 62.01 secs, and later placed 7th in the 400m flat with 58.33 secs. In the "B" 400m Anna Clark was 4th with 60.16 secs, having earlier placed 2nd in the "B" 800m with 2m17.32 secs. In the 800m "A" race, Chloe Bradley, another making her debut, was close to her best ever as she placed 2nd with 2m09.97 secs, and again over 1500m was close to her best as she placed 4th with 4m32.02 secs, with Bernadine Pritchett 4th in the "B" with 5m04.51 secs, before placing 5th over 3000m with 10m50.46 secs, with Zoe Watson 4th in the "B" with 11m46.44 secs. In the 2000m s/ch Kate Stockings gained good points with 3rd in 8m59.84 secs.

Both relay teams performed well: the 4x100m team of Sarah Busby, Jo Ryan, Chanelle Hemmings and Moe Sasegbon were 4th in 48.57 secs, and the 4x400m team of Jo Ryan, Chloe Bradley, Anna Clark and Anna Nelson recorded 3m53.20 secs for 3rd.

An encouraging start to the season for the team and for team manager Keith Newton, who will be hoping for similarly strong results as the season progresses.