Strong performances in home SAL
The final SAL match of the year at Woodford saw the hosts earning the 3 points needed to ensure safety in division 2. Winners Dartford ensured promotion with a convincing win, with Havering coming through for second. Victoria Park Tower Hamlets finished just ahead of WGEL, but as they are paired teams at every match this season did they did not score against each other this time, both earning 3 league points out of 5. There was a significant gap back to Ryston Runners in fifth, with Stevenage and North Herts + HAWCs combined team ending in sixth.
Photos (by Alex Wardle)
Favourable conditions for sprinters produced a quality turn-out and impressive performances. Equal male performance of the match came from Merveilles Massembo for his 10.56w in the B 100m, which would have been a large PB but for the 3.9m/s wind. Matthew Adum-Yeboah just missed out to the same time, with 10.62w (+3.3) for 2nd in the A race. Matthew just missed out in the A 200m too despite 21.81w (+2.5), but fastest of the day was Moyin Odeniran winning the B in a major 21.67PB (+1.3). Gwendoline Datey missed out on the 100m win on the dip in 11.95 (+2.0) but came back with a dominant performance in the 200m in 23.93w (+2.4) for female performance of the day. Shona Vincent took the 100 B in a 12.15SB (+1.9), with Lakhesia Adams Poku comfortably winning the B 200 in 25.46w. Among numerous all-conditions bests in the non-scoring sprints were 10.97w (+4.7) by U17 Matthew Gittens and 12.87w (+3.1) by Tiya Canning Lawrence as one of 6 with best ever times in one guest race ahead of U17s Tejiri Akpoveta (13.11), Maia Fisher, Amana Oguntuga, Lilly Spong and Chelsy Ayrio. 200m best performances were led by U17M Ethan Franklin 22.17w (+2.3) just edging out the busiest man of the day Merveilles Massembo ahead of Lucas Emeagi and Matthew Gittens, while U17W Amana Oguntuga (27.88w +2.3) and Tejiri Akpoveta (27.96w) also broke new ground.
Mens throws remained very good points scorers, with double wins in the shot, Hugh Williams and Noah Wooding (9.67 in his first senior weight comp), hammer with Noah (40.44 senior weight PB) and Fergus Harford (albeit behind non-scorer Kai Wright with 30.53) and discus with Christopher Linque (40.44) and Hugh Williams. In the mens javelin U17 Milan Andrews competed for the first time with a senior weight (32.28) and was just pipped by occasional thrower Reuben Fabian (33.29PB). The womens javelin saw a double win, with Kirsty Bateman Foley’s easy victory backed up U17 Maia Fisher’s first ever attempt with the 600g weight (21.59). Maia had only narrowly missed out on winning the A shot in her first 4kg competition (8.67). Precious Hamilton dominated the discus, with her first throw of 42.57 settling the event.
Holiday absences were more challenging on the field than the track due to a smaller pool of athletes to call on. In addition to their main events Merveilles Massembo and Hugh Williams covered the jumps as they vied for top scorer of the day. Merveilles was 2nd with his single triple jump (12.21) before the relays having been able to have a single long jump attempt coming from his 100m. Hugh picked up points in all 3 jumps. U17M Aidan O’Driscoll continued his progress in the pole vault with 2.35. Kharina Partridge narrowly missed out on the triple jump win despite jumping 11.28. U17 Yenime Tindiey lost out even more narrowly in the B with 10.43 (technically she could have won by 1cm but some athletes were allowed too many jumps), having already long jumped and competed in her first high jump. Her performances allowed B string 2nd places for Angela Sebastiao in the long jump (4.22) and Lilly Spong in the high jump.
The wind direction was detrimental for 400m times, with Paul Scanlan second and Jasmine Mitchell third behind other high quality athletes. U17W Isabelle Kyson was dominant winner of the B 400 in her first attempt at the distance (61.68). U17 Joseph Arnold stepped in for third in the mens B 400 having taken the same place in the A 400 hurdles in his first attempt at the senior height. Most of the WGEL middle distance runners were frustrated with their performances in far from ideal conditions, with the highlight 2nd for Alife Ward in his first proper 1500m, in 4:09.38. The steeplechasers at least got to cool down once a lap, with good second place points for Aoibheann Pearce and Matilda Frith in the women’s 1500m event. Nathan Wright was pleased with 16:10.31 in his debut 5000m having worked with his A string Angus Holford until Angus pulled away on the final lap.
While not quite having a full enough team sheet to challenge for the overall win, the depth of the track squad was highlighted by a clean sweep in the relays. The women’s 4x100 team of Shona Vincent, Tiya Canning Lawrence, Lakhesia Adams Poku and Benie Massembo ran away from the field with 47.80, which is a new SAL division 2 record. The tightest relay was the men’s 4x100m where the quartet of Ethan Franklin, Matthew Gittens, Nathan Yao and Merveilles Massembo just prevailed against a quality VPTH team in 43.50. The mixed 4x400m relays didn’t quite have the drama of Budapest where WGEL’s Yemi Mary John came through the carnage for the world silver medal, but the A race did involve a storming final leg. The quartet of Nathan Yao, Isabelle Kyson, Kharina Partridge and Lucas Emeagi took the lead with a strong second leg showing from U17W Isabelle (61.7). The order changed notably on leg 3 with Havering pulling away thanks to their individual women’s winner despite a good split for Kharina (60.6). U17 Lucas belied his age as he ran a patient race to bring back what seemed to an insurmountable lead to come through and then pull away to win in 3:45.40. The B team had all already had a busy day but the quartet of Reuben Fabian (55.9), Amana Oguntuga (65.8), Lakeshia Adams Poku (61.1) and Merveilles Massembo (52.7) led from leg 2. Merveilles was able to cruise home in his sixth event of the day to mark the end of league competition for this season.
Overall the result leaves WGEL at the lower end of the division 2 North East table but safe from relegation. Across the season 80 athletes represented the club in this league, across a 50 year age range. Half of these also competed for the NAL team during the season, many for the first time, highlighting the importance of having multiple league opportunities.