2023-24 Met League race 1: U11 & U13

Young athletes flying at Claybury!

WGEL young athletes got their Met league season off to a flyer at Claybury on Sat Oct 14^th 2023.

WGEL had 50 athletes competing (up from 42 last year) in the U11-U13 races. Windsor Slough Eaton & Hounslow (WSEH) entered junior teams for first time alongside stalwarts such as Shaftsbury Barnet Harriers, London Heathside, Trent Park, Victoria Park & Thames Harriers and Ealing, Southall and Middlesex. This swelled the fields with 202 athletes competing from 19 clubs in this junior age range.

Met League Competition

Met league has three competitions. All scoring is based on a reverse points system e.g. If 50 athletes finish the winner scores 50 points, second place scores 49 points and so on. The individual competition adds up athletes' total scores based on the best 4 results from their 5 races that make up the league season. The highest point scoring athlete wins the competition.

The team based competition is based on a system of “4 to Score”. The club’s first 4 athletes to finish constitutes their“A” team. The next 4 athletes their“B” team. The club with the highest scoring “A team” wins the fixture. The club with the highest scoring “A-team” across all 5 fixtures wins the league trophy. Clubs also compete in the Howard Williams Trophy (HWT), awarded to the club with highest number of points across all their teams across the entire junior age group (U11-U17).

Claybury - Course Report

U11’s ran a loop of 1500m in Claybury Park. The U13 ran theloop twice (3km). The course was dry underfoot with some long grass sections and gravel paths.

Race Results

Results: U11_U13 Met League results Race 1 Claybury 

U11 Girls

WGEL had 15 athletes in a total field of 40. 13 teams competed. Kathryn Hailey (VPTH) won the race in 6mins 2s in a tight finish with Sienna Darcy (SHB) and Grace Rooney (SHB) just 5 seconds behind.

Just off the leaders were a talented group of WGEL athletes led by Grace Cherry (7^th). Grace was first home in 6mins 21s and growing in confidence! It’s great to see her and her team mates as they learn how to really race! Rosie Barron (9^th) with trademark smile was next across the line with Gracie Fayinka (10^th) and Lottie Oates (11^th) hot on her heels. These girls packed brilliantly to close WGEL A-team in 6mins 23s.

The great performances kept rolling. Phoebe Quorn (17^th) opened WGEL B-team in 6mins 30s. Phoebe is another gaining confidence race after race. It was a welcome return to the green and white for Lydia Sneath (19^th) who ran brilliantly with Sophia Stephenson (24^th) and Kehanique Lowe (25^th) working together to close the B-team in tremendous fashion in 6mins 46s.

Right behind this group were Isla Hall (26^th), Rosie Anderson (27^th), Jessica Dawkes (28^th), Daisy Whelan (29^th), Chloe Ward (31^st), Sarah Ramdane (33^rd) and Romi Jonker (36^th). These girls were all making their Met League debuts and completed the scoring for WGEL C-team with some superb packing! 

Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (127 points) won the fixture. WGEL A-team (123 points) finished 2nd ahead of London Heathside (108 points). WGEL B-team (79 points) were  4th and WGEL C-team (54 points) 7th. This was a brilliant performance from a squad that is shaping up for an exciting future!

U11 Boys Race report

WGEL had 14 athletes in a total field of 42 with 13 teams competing. The race was won by Joshua Maiden (Herts P) in 5mins 16s ahead of Dennys Pascal (SBH) in 5mins 20s and Matteo Cinesi (VPTH) in 5mins 34s.

Jack Tonge (9^th) opened his met league season with a top 10 finish running 6mins 2s. Jack is really improving. He led WGEL A-team home closely followed by Jax Connor (17^th). Jax had a fantastic summer and is now transitioning this into his cross country. Jax ran 6mins 18s and did well to make his way from the back to finish in top 20. Lukas Sender (18^th) made a fine debut finishing just behind Jax in 6mins 20s. Team mate Jesse Geller (20^th) continued a fine family tradition of Met League runners following his older brothers Jimmy and Joe to complete WGEL A-team with a good debut run of 6mins 27s.

Felix Brown (25^th) also following his older brother (Oliver) footsteps was just behind this lead pack. He opened WGEL B-team. Debutants Luke Foley (26^th), Patrick Langan (27^th) and Kyelan Brian (31^st) then all packed superbly to complete the team. WGEL were not done there with Edward Owens-Hill (32^nd), Finley Witchell (33^rd), Harry McNally (36^th), Kai Patel (37^th) and Pranav Esari (39^th) flowing through the finish together to complete WGEL C-team.

Shaftesbury Barnet (147 points) won the fixture. Ahead of Victoria Park (127 points) in 2nd and WGEL A-team (104 points) in 3rd. WGEL B-team (60 points) finished 6th and WGEL C-team (34 points) were 9th.

Many of these boys were making their debuts and it’s a talented squad who enjoy training and racing together and they will all get better and better.

U13 Boys Race Report

WGEL had 9 athletes in a total field of 62 with 21 teams competing. This was a fiercely competitive fixture. League newcomers Windsor, Slough, Eaton & Hounslow (WESH) had three boys in the top 7 finishers. Aidan Wolpert (VP&TH) won in 10mins 54s ahead of previous U11 medalist Jack Hayward (ESM) and Ted Bainbridge (WSEH).

Tayo Adetona (17^th) was WGEL first home in 12mins 21s. Tayo has worked hard on his endurance in training and was delighted to lead WGEL A team. Eric Frith (19^th) was next in 12mins 22s. Eric is showing excellent progress in training and worked hard for his top 20 finish. Giorgio Francescotti (24^th) followed in 12mins 41s. Giorgio is a keen footballer which limits his ability to train but he is always a welcome sight on the team sheet. Oskar Prince (28^th) closed WGEL A-team in 12mins 57s. This was a gutsy run from Oskar!

Emmanuel Olabanji (29^th) opened WGEL B-team on his Met debut running 12mins 51s. Zac Freedman (39^th) also made his debut and was next home in 13mins 22s. The next 3 boys packed well with Daniel Hayden (58^th) and Austin Smith (60^th) making a fine debut, closing WGEL B-team with team mate Cristian Scozzari (62^nd) opening WGEL C-team.

WSEH (221 points) won the fixture. Ealing Southall and Middlesex (218 points) were 2nd. London Heathside (174 points) 3rd. WGEL A-team (164 points) was 5th. WGEL B-team (66 points) was 13tha nd WGEL C-team 21st. Many of this squad are stepping up in age group and several ran this fixture off limited training due to new school schedules. Once settled they will kick on and top 3 is not out of sight!

U13 Girls Race report

WGEL had 13 athletes in a total field of 58 with 20 teams competing. St Mary’s Richmond (SMR) dominated this fixture. Experienced Met leaguer Ellian Ponkratieva (SMR) won the race in 11mins 47s with team mates Maya Lepine (SMR) and Evelyn Archer (SMR) second and third to take a clean sweep.

Sophia Parker (17^th), second in the U11 competition last year, led WGEL A-team home in 12mins 52s. Sophia was only 60s behind the top 3 such is close nature of these races. In fact WGEL's next three athletes all step up in age group for this season. Eva Prince (18^th) ran well following on the heels of Sophia in 12mins 53s. Marissa Higgs-Smith (28^th) who broke the club's U13G pole vault record this summer, was back running and third home for WGEL in 13mins 40s. Debutant Chloe Summers put her pre-race nerves behind her to run wonderfully well and close WGEL A-team in 14mins 16s.

Isla Barron (38^th) opened WGEL B-team and is gaining confidence race on race. There was a flock of green and white vests coming through the finish behind her with Mayowa Alake-Nyantakyi (45^th), Simi Adetona (48^th) and Aoife Pearce (49^th) packing superbly to close WGEL B-team. Emily Stockill (50^th) was then right behind this pack with Phoebe Whelan (52^nd), Niapa Patel (53^rd) and Alice Mackenzie (58^th) completing WGEL C-team.

St Mary’s Richmond (194 points) won the fixture ahead of Shaftsbury Barnet (165 points) and Harrow AC (156 points). WGEL A-team finished 5^th(142 points). WGEL B-team was 13^th (56 points) and WGEL C-team was 16^th (23 points). It was a fantastic achievement to complete 3 teams. This shows the depth in squad which will be needed over a long winter season!

Next Met League: Wormwood Scrubs (Saturday 11^th November 2023)