SAL 4 Turns up the heat

WGEL finished third in a competitive home SAL fixture amid near record temperatures on Saturday 13 August. The heat made it challenging to those doing multiple events, making it particularly impressive that winners Ipswich/Colchester&Tendring had no gaps to win in the highest score in the division this year. The home team by contrast won marginally more events on the day but were involved in a tight battle for second throughout the day. Even though Woodford pulled clear of previously promotion chasing London Heathside, finishing behind Stevenage & North Herts leaves a potential nervy final match with a risk of relegation.

The conditions were favourable for the 100m and Gwen Datey responded with a marginal PB of 11.97 (+1.0), which is the joint fastest legal time in the Southern League since 2015, to earn the women’s athlete of the match award. The men’s equivalent went to George Vaughan for his 14.77 110m hurdles. Joanne Ryan took the 100m B string in 12.67, but slightly faster were non scorers Lakhesia Adams-Poku (12.50) and U17 Benie Massembo with a big PB of 12.61. The mens 100m also saw a double win from Sikiru Onigbanjo (10.84) and Merveilles Massembo. 6 other athletes also ran PBs at the distance: U17W Keisha Bediako and Sanzia Obiero (who both also ran best times at 200m), Nathan Yao on his Woodford debut, Somto Jideofor, Ayo Osundun and Roshaun Edwards.

A competitive women’s hammer competition saw three leaders in the final round, with Chiara Okereke winning on the final throw with 49.28 after it appeared Simbi Sikiru had clinched it with her final 48.97. Chiara was also a comfortable winner of the shot put (11.30), Abigail Allen broke 30m for the first time in competition to win the discus (30.04) and Kirsty Bateman-Foley was a convincing javelin winner in 37.68. Woodford were on the wrong side of a last round reversal in the discus with Devon Douglas and Hugh Williams overtaken, though this still left Hugh as B winner. Hugh was also the highest points scorer for the team, including winning the B hammer, as he competed in all 4 throws despite the extreme heat. Lee Lovelock-Jemmett took the B shot behind Hugh in his first time at the event in over 10 years before winning the javelin in 44.04. There was frustration for long jump winner Lawrence Davis, as despite a PB of 6.99 and another 6.98 effort his quest for 7 continues. In the high jump Joba Ashiru and U17M Marcel Winter with a 1.75 equal PB took the wins, while Amelia MacDonald’s 1.58 seasons best lost out to a very busy international heptathlete. U17W Kharina Partridge took what was surprisingly her first SAL victory in the triple jump with 10.67.

Athletes rightly decided that doubling up with distance events in the heat was best avoided and along with gaps in the jumps this pushed WGEL down to 4th as the day wore on before a strong finish kept the team in contention for 2nd. Kyra Boyce was a clear winner in the womens 400m. At 200m Lakhesia Adams-Poku took the B win in the womens race behind Jo Ryan’s 2nd in the A, while Merveilles Massembo and Winfred Hakeem took the double win in the mens 200. Alicia McArdell was happy enough with her 1500m win of 4:55.58 given the conditions with Jess Adams taking the B in a seasons best of 5:06.83. The womens 4x100m quartet was safely anchored home to victory by U17W Keisha Bediako in 49.50 having been provided a strong platform by Benie Massembo, Jo Ryan and Lakhesisa Adams-Poku, while the men’s 4x100m team were edged out for the win late on (43.83). The mixed 4x400m quartet of Max Richards (54.6), Kyra Boyce (58.6), Jo Ryan (59.8) and U17M Marcel Winter (53.1) extended away for a convincing win in 3:47.08. The result will leave Woodford in the lower half of the 16 team table, with others dangerously close behind as Stevenage & North Herts climbed out of the relegation zone. WGEL likely need no worse than 3rd in the final match at King’s Lynn on Saturday 10 September to ensure the team stays in Division 2.