3rd place finish in SAL1
Woodford finished third in their first Southern Athletics League fixture of the season, at Hornchurch on Sunday 20 June. For this season only the league is regionalised, with the team competing in the East London division. Hosts Havering were clear winners ahead of Thurrock, while after a slow start WGEL pulled clear of Ilford and Newham and Essex Beagles.
The SAL was the last of the track and field leagues to start for the season, but unlike others there were no restrictions on numbers of competitors, events or teams. The overall league table will be based on the best absolute score by each team in the year (as some divisions will have fewer fixtures) and hosts Havering used home advantage to full effect to score 344 points, a higher score than they achieved in their first NAL match allowing for different eligibility. Woodford will aim to benefit from their home matches on Sunday 11 July or Saturday 14 August to move up the overall league table, but used the first fixture to ensure athletes had the opportunity to compete rather than focusing on filling gaps. While Woodford scored notably more per scoring position filled than any other team, the gaps meant they finished over 100 points behind the hosts, and almost 40 behind Thurrock.
WGEL started the day strongly with a PB from Simbiyat Sikiru in the womens hammer, 49.64, the team’s highest score of the day for a clear win with Abigail Allen second overall in 39.28PB. Simbi was the highest overall scorer for team too, thanks to her 8.83PB in the shot and covering the B string discus. The mens hammer was almost as strong an event, with Peter Clarke’s 51.20 the team’s top male score and Fergus Harford the best B and 3rd overall in 30.34. The overall highest scorer in the men was Hugh Williams, thanks to his wins in both the shot (backed up by Peter Clarke taking the B) and the discus, while he also covered the B javelin behind Lee Lovelock-Jemmott’s 46.67. Another double winner was Joba Ashiru, taking the high jump with an equal PB of 1.95 and the triple jump in 13.17.
Despite some strong field performances, gaps on the track made keeping up with the other teams challenging. Louise Gilbert and U17 Kezia Beeton were the first Woodford track athletes to race and in a competitive 800m heat took 2nd in 2:18.26 and first B string in 2:19.56PB respectively. A poor start just cost Gwen Datey victory in the womens 100m A race despite a PB of 12.27. This was the team’s highest track score of the day, with Gwen’s 25.25PB in the 200 the next best despite being in the B race. The 200m A race was won by Joanne Ryan (26.04) having previously won the 100 B in 12.71. There was a significant contingent of other women racing the short sprints too, including a 200m victory for Levania Ugonna-Mba (27.78) and PBs from Ashleigh Simonds (28.03) and Rennay Dobson (28.43). It was Rennay’s second PB of the day after 67.23 in the B 400, while Kyra Boyce took the A race in her individual debut at the distance in a decent 58.08. Alicia McArdell took 2nd in the 1500m with 5:01.34 with Lily Yates one position behind in 5:06.39.
In the men’s sprints Medwin Odamtten was edged into second in the A 100 in 11.19, and also finished second in the 200 in a new PB of 22.98. U17 Kaidan Chambers bounced back from disqualification in the 100m to take a close 2nd in the B 200 in a PB of 23.20. U17 Miles Whitchelo improved his 100m best to 12.30. Medwin and Kaidan combined with Adrian Richards and U17 Ben Richards to take 2nd in the 4x100m (45.43). The mens 4x4 team of Adrian Richards, Ben Richards, his brother Max Richards and Joba Ashiru also came in 2nd in 3:35.73.
The women’s relays saw convincing victories in the fastest time the club has posted in the SAL. The 4x100m team of Temi Olusesan, Kyra Boyce, Gwen Datey and Sophie Anderson finished clear in 49.71, while the 4x400 team of Joanne Ryan, Kyra Boyce, U17 Zahara Malcolm and Sophie Anderson were never challenged and ran 4:03.89. Hopefully the rest of the team will be as strong as the women’s sprinters for the home fixture on 11 July, where the team will look to move considerably higher up the overall league table.