Met League 1: Young athletes flying at Claybury!
WGEL young athletes got their Met league season off to a flyer at Claybury on Sat Oct 15th 2022. In the U11-U13 races WGEL had 44 junior athletes competing in a field of 190 athletes from 18 clubs. It was great to see so many juniors out for the season opener!
The Met League team competition is based on system of “4 to Score”. Each club’s first 4 athletes make up an “A” team. The next 4 “B” team. Scoring is based on a reverse points system e.g. If 50 athletes race, the winner scores 50 points. The club with the highest scoring “A team” wins the fixture. The club with the highest scoring “A-team” added up over 5 fixtures wins the league! Clubs also compete in the Howard Williams Trophy (HWT). This is awarded to the club with the highest number of points accumulated across all junior races (U11-U17) over 5 fixtures. There is also a Seniors HWT.
Course Report
U11’s ran the traditional small loop of 1500m in Claybury Park. The U13 ran this loop twice (3km). The course is mostly grassed with some gravel paths. Underfoot conditions were very dry.
Race Results
Results: U11_U13 Met League results Race 1 Claybury
U13 Boys Race Report
WGEL had 10 athletes in a total field of 48. 15 clubs competed. Rudy Parker-Bayes (2nd) was first home for WGEL in 11mins 02s. Rudy’s racing opportunities are limited due to football, but he showed his class to finish second behind race winner James Branch (Herts Phoenix). Daniel Arnold (5th) was next home with a fine run to finish just outside the top 3 in 11mins 40s. WGEL’s Stephen Ng (14th) was next back running 11mins 59s. He will be viewing a top 10 place in races ahead. WGEL A-team was closed by debutant Rahul Solanki (12mins 13s). Rahul capped off a fine first appearance with a place in the scoring A-team.
Callum Clydesdale (17th) was one second behind Rahul and opened WGEL B-team. Callum prefers track but is a great competitor over the country. Charlie Howes (26th) was next home, with team mates Tayo Adetona (27th) and Toby Taylor (33rd) packing well to close WGEL B-team. Charlie and Toby recently forced their way into WGEL National Road Relays team and are running well. Tayo is lower age group and shows real potential learning quickly alongside his team mates. Okkie Lee (35th) is also lower age group and showed his potential with a good run alongside WGEL debutant Lucas Freedman (37th).
WGEL A-team finished joint 1st (159 points) on the day with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers and ahead of 3rd placed Trent Park RC (107). WGEL B-team was 6th (93 points). An excellent performance!
U13 Girls Race report
WGEL had 10 athletes in a total field of 52. 15 clubs competed. Autumn Le Chevalier Jones (12mins 16s) led WGEL A-team home. This was a fine run and a return to confidence for a great prospect! Last year’s Met League winner Jorjia March (Barnet AC) started off in similar mood this year. Winning the race in 11mins 49. Ellian Ponkratieva (SMR) was second.
Isla Fulling (14th) was next home for WGEL in 12mins 57s. This was a good run on her Claybury debut. Next was Sophia Parker (17th). Sophia was 3rd overall in the U11 competition last year and stepped up with great confidence into the U13s finishing in 13mins 01s and just ahead of Faye Owers (26th). These two girls closed WGEL A-team and should be very proud of their performances in a competitive field.
Sofia Sneath (38th) opened WGEL B-team running 14mins 55s. Sofia is gaining in confidence and it was great to see her back in action in Met league! WGEL debutant Freya Barboeri (39th) finished just behind Sofia and is also really gaining in confidence. She helped close WGEL B-team with Isla Barron (43rd) and Tyleah Edwards (44th). These girls ran superbly and with team mates Emily Stockill (48th) and Hannah Richards (51st) they completed the scoring for WGEL U13 Girls.
WGEL A-team finished 2nd (152 points) on the day behind a strong Trent Park RC (170 points). WGEL B-team was 14th (48 points). Well done to all these girls!
U11 Boys Race report
WGEL had 12 athletes in a total field of 44 with 12 clubs competing. Oskar Prince (6th) continued his fine early season form leading WGEL A-team home in 5mins 47s. Oskar gives it everything. The grimace on his face told a tale of a 1000 words crossing the line! Eric Frith (8th) was next back. Eric is another fine young athlete who gives it his all. He was 3 seconds behind Oskar. Henry Richards (13th) ran superbly behind these two. He finished in 6mins flat. He shows real potential. Woody Qureshi (30th) recently made his WGEL debut in Chingford League and ran a great 6mins 30s to close WGEL scoring A-team.
Blake Edwards (31st) was right behind Woody opening WGEL B-team. Blake, new to endurance running shows potential as an all-round athlete (dad was Decathlete!). Loki Parker-Bayes (32nd) and Jack Arnold (41st) were next home for WGEL. These were great runs. They both take after their older brothers who raced in U13 team. Closing WGEL B-team was Daniel Hayden. He ran 6mins 59s and is rapidly improving!
Daniel’s training partners Jack Tonge (41st), Henry Mcnally (42nd), Mark Kiss (43rd) and Kyelan Brian (44th) packed superbly behind this group. All were making their CC debuts at Claybury and should be pleased with their performances. It’s a talented team that will improve together in years ahead.
WGEL A-team was 3rd (123 points) behind Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets (125 points) and leaders Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (156 points). WGEL B-team was 8th (42 points).
U11 Girls
WGEL had 12 athletes in a total field of 44. 12 clubs competed. Eva Prince (5th) was in sparkling form leading WGEL A-team home in 6mins 20s. A few niggles last season (heel) meant Eva missed some races but this year she is a podium contender. WGEL’s Gracie Fayinka (14th) was next in 6mins 41s. Gracie juggles lots of sports but loves racing. She looked good leading a group of 5 athletes into the finish. In that group were Grace Cherry (18th) who calmed her nerves on the start line to ran a superb 6mins 51s. Debutant Olivia Jonker (21st) was next back closing WGEL A-team. Olivia ran 6mins 54s. A great debut!
Rosie Barron (22nd) opened WGEL B-team. Rosie is another athlete stepping up from WASPS. She finished in 6mins 58s ahead of Lydia Sneath (24th). Lydia is another talented athlete that juggles many sports and is a great competitor. Bridey Kelly (27th) followed these two home in 7mins 26s. Bridey is training well and looking to move up in next races. Completing WGEL B-team was Simi Adetona (35th) who led a terrific young group of WGEL athletes in Maia Lalani (36th), Aoife Pearce (37th), Amelia Rodrigues (40th) and Alice Mackenzie (41st). These girls all graduated from WASPS and will push on together from here!
WGEL A-team 1st (110 points) on the day, ahead of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (104 points) and Ealing, Southall and Middlesex (90 points). WGEL B-team was 7th (60 points). This was a terrific performance!
Next Met League: Wormwood Scrubs (Saturday 12th November)