National Athletics League Match One - UPDATED

Woodford’s first fixture of the new “hybrid” NAL season took place at Lee Valley on Sunday. As the sport of Athletics eased back into high level competitive Club competition for the first time since August 2019, there were just four of the NAL Premiership clubs at this fixture with the others of the 16 clubs in this top division being at three separate fixtures. Woodford’s fixture included Harrow, NEB and SBH. For this season only team results have been placed on the quality of performances, akin to how multi-events are scored but using different points tables. Although far from an ideal system as weather conditions (especially wind direction) can be quite different from one venue to another as can the tactical or otherwise nature of longer races it does allow some comparison to be made across the whole division. Woodford’s team consisted of some of our experienced BAL/UKWL athletes and many younger athletes who were making their debuts at this level. Based on the scoring system in use Woodford’s three highest points scorers in their individual events were Youcef Zatat, Will Grimsey and Ciaran Wright, with Yemi Mary John the next and the highest scoring woman with a fine personal best and European Junior qualifying mark over 400m. Whilst Woodford finished 3rd in this match at Lee Valley only 3 other Clubs from the other matches around the country scored more points under this format to leave after the first round Woodford in 6th place of the 16 teams in the Premier Division. Points scores for the top 8 Clubs  (subject to further scrutiny); TVH 569, Birchfield 544.5,SBH 532.5, Harrow 505.3, Blackheath & Bromley 479, Woodford Green w EL 465.3, Trafford 460, Sheffield 433.3.

Meeting photos from Eva Gilbert Photography

Matt Williams' photos on Twitter @JumpingBackward 

The men’s scoring was led by Youcef Zatat current UK number two in the shot who placed 2nd with 17.57m, behind the UK number one, Scott Lincoln. Youcef also threw 39.80m in the discus and 46.87m in the javelin. The next best men’s performance according to the scoring tables was recent European Team Championship second placer Will Grimsey who won the high jump 2.16m. Next best was Ciaran Wright in the hammer with his 63.16m for 3rd in the “A”. Ciaran also gained valuable points in the “B” discus and shot events.

The women’s scoring was led by Yemi Mary John in the women’s 400m. Yemi Mary had already bettered the European Junior 400m qualifying mark of 54.10 secs in her first ever effort over 400m with 54.05 secs to earn her first GB Junior vest at the recent Loughborough International and on this occasion, in just her third ever race over the distance, went significantly under that qualifying mark as she won a good race from the outside lane to record a significant personal best of 53.49 secs.

In the other men’s field events fortunes were mixed. In the “B” javelin decathlete Howard Bell stepped in at the last minute following a late withdrawal and threw 40.45m, this was after already having placed 3rd in each of the LJ with 6.87m (+1.0), 110H with 15.89 secs and the PV with 3.80m. Backing up Will Grimsey in the HJ was U/20 Joba Ashiru who was a little below his recent p.b. of 1.95m but nevertheless cleared 1.85m. Joba also cleared 6.19m (-1.3) in the “B” LJ for 3rd and was also 4th in the “A” TJ with a p.b. of 13.59m (+0.3). In that “B” competition another U/20, Marquelle Fyffe, was close to his p.b. as he placed 2nd with 12.57 secs (0.0).

In the women’s field events, Lucy Marshall was unavailable, meaning Simbi Sikiru was elevated into the “A” string where her 48.19m placed her 4th. Abigail Allen covered the “B” and she was 3rd with 37.20m and also 4th in the “B” DT with 28.19m. The A string discus saw Precious Hamilton in a high standard competition with other leading U/20’s, she was close to her recent personal best with 41.71m which placed her 3rd. Simbi also covered the SP placing 4th in the “B” with 8.33m with Claudia Reid recording 9.01m for 4th in the “A” and also gaining a valuable “B” string JT mark. In the “A” JT Jane Davidson was 4th with 27.46m having earlier placed 4th in the 100mH with 15.56 secs and cleared 1.40m for 3rd in the ‘B” HJ. Amelia MacDonald cleared 1.60m to place 3rd in that “A” event and was 2nd in the “B” LJ with 5.28m (0.0). However, she fell at the last hurdle of the “B” 100mH and limped across the line. Thankfully none too seriously hurt afterwards. In a good “A” LJ , Kitty Eleyae was 3rd with 5.75m (+1.2) and later recorded a TJ “B” string win of 10.86m (+1.2). That proved to be a double with Denesha Rocastle winning the “A” also recording a p.b. of 11.82m (-0.6).

On the track, in addition to Yemi Mary John’s win there were some high standard sprint races into headwinds. Jenna Wrisberg placed 4th in both the 100m and 200m “A” races, recording 12.40 secs (-1.6) and 25.89 secs (+0.3) respectively. In the “B” strings, U/17 Shona Vincent acquitted herself well placing 2nd over 100m with 12.27 secs (-1.0) and was also 2nd over 200m with 25.31secs (-0.9). Jasmine Mitchell’s win in the “B” 400m with 58.85 secs ensured a double win, and earlier Jasmine had placed 2nd in the 400mH with 64.80m. Millie Finch won the “B” with 72.92 secs. The 800m scored well with Chloe Bradley just getting the better of Anna Clark as she placed 2nd in the “A” race with 2m13.89 secs and Anna winning the “B” with 2m15.27 secs. Anna also doubled over 1500m where she won the “B” with 4m53.68 secs, as a new HCA member U/20, Jessica Norkett was 3rd in the “A” with 4m42.44 secs. Another new HCA member, Aoibheann Pearce, also an U/20, won a close finish in the 2000m s/ch recording 7m43.09 secs, a personal best.

As far as the men’s track events were concerned there were some mixed fortunes. The “A” 200m and 400m races sadly saw both athletes pull up with hamstring problems. Tolani Alaba in the 200m and Sam Day in the 400m. There was a good run however in the men’s “B” 400m where Nabil Tezkratt, another U/20, impressed with a significant personal best to place 2nd with 48.16 secs, currently ranking him 6th Junior in the U.K. The men’s “A” 100m was sadly a farce with the race called back after a good 60m having been run but by a recall pistol which the athletes couldn’t hear and all but one athlete who stayed put in his blocks completed the full 100m, including Woodford’s Sikiru Ononabjo who crossed the line of this “race” first with 10.99 secs. The race was re-run just 15 mins or so later and unsurprisingly the athlete (albeit the fastest on paper) who didn’t run the original 100m comfortably won, with on this occasion Sikiru placing 3rd scorer with 11.03 secs (-1.0). The “B” 100m saw Matthew Adum-Yeboah place 3rd with 11.12 secs (-0.7) and in the “B” 200m Winfred Hakeem recorded 23.21 secs for 3rd. The middle-distance events were all decent races. The 800m saw “A” and “B” races combined, Ewan Dyer was close to his p.b. for 2nd with 1m51.53 secs and Ed Shepherd covered the “B” to place 3rd with 2m00.00 secs. The 1500m saw Ben Potrykus make his club debut and, having been in very good recent form, he was determined to ensure that the 1500m didn’t become a tactical affair and led from gun to finish holding off a strong challenge at the end to win by half a second, very close to his p.b. with 3m46.72 secs. Moving down in distance in the “B” Angus Holford did well and placed 2nd in the “B” with 4m05.09 secs. The 3000m saw Ed Shepherd back in action over a more familiar distance and he placed 2nd with 8m32.74 secs as was James Stockings in the “B” with 8m46.61 secs. Over 400mH it was pleasing to see Declan Gall back in action in that event for the first time in 3 years placing 3rd in 55.29 secs, having taken the first hurdle on his wrong leg he should be capable of a fair bit quicker before too long. In the “B “George Vaughan impressed winning a good race with 53.71 secs. He later returned to his old event the 110mH and was 2nd in the “B” with 15.23 secs (-1.9). It was also pleasing to see Tom Beedell back in action on the track, although currently in a more ultra-distance spell of training Tom agreed to fill a gap returning to his old specialism and placed 2nd in the “B” 3000m s/ch with 10m48.91 secs, as Josh Entwistle another whom it was good to see back in track action place 2nd in the “A” with 10m22.78 secs.

In the non-scoring 100m races Akawsai Banahen, Winfred Hakeem and Jo Ryan each raced over 100m, recording times of 11.30 secs (-0.7),11.48 secs (0.9) and 13.12 secs ((-0.9) respectively. Jo also raced in the non-scoring 200m and recorded 26.06 secs (-0.9)

The meeting rounded off with the relays and both women’s teams won. Jenna Wrisberg just held off a strong challenge from SBH on the final leg after Gwen Datey, Denesha Rocastle and Kyra Boyce had combined to lead at the final change with the team recording 48.42 secs. The 4x400m squad of Jasmine Mitchell (62.0) Kyra Boyce (58.6), Chloe Bradley (60.0) and Yemi Mary John (54.3) comfortably won with 3m54.83 secs. Both men’s teams were 2nd, the 4x400m team of Sikiru Onibanjo, Winfred Hakeem, Matthew Adum-Yeboah and Akwasi Banahen recording 42.63 secs. The 4x400m squad of Declan Gall (49.70 secs, Ewan Dyer (51.30 secs), George Vaughan (51.53 secs) and Nabil Tezkratt (50.59 secs ) combining for 3m23.12 secs.

Despite this being a far from normal return to high level club competition the meeting was blessed with good weather and it seemed as if all the athletes on show enjoyed the opportunity to return to real competition after a break of almost 2 years for many. The one issue was that it was confirmed, as many had predicted, that the timetable is impossible to keep to at a venue with only one throwing cage leading to the men’s javelin starting more than a hour late. Hopefully with all the remaining fixtures being held at venues with additional throwing cages it might be less difficult to keep to the planned timetable.