Full marks for effort, special mention for Israel
Fighting spirit and low turnout were the themes of our senior teams' track & field competitions this weekend, with the former unfortunately not enough to compensate for the latter, although both teams came last only by narrow margins - the narrowest possible in the case of the SML team.
The Southern Athletics League (SAL) and Southern Men's League (SML) fixtures clashed this weekend, with the Crouch End 10k also perhaps depriving the teams of the odd road runner who would have supported the club's track & field efforts. The league fixtures clash again next time, unfortunately, but hopefully the absence of a club-focussed road race will ensure we get a better turnout. That's a plea, by the way! The combined men and women's team will compete in the third SAL fixture at Parliament Hill on 9 June, while the SML team will be away in Braintree again I believe. Please put the dates in your diary and come out to support your club - it's fun!
That, at least, should hopefully be obvious from Adrian's report below on the SML team's outing on Saturday, with a report on the SAL gang's efforts to follow soon.
Over to Adrian:
Heathside men's team turned out in force for Saturday 19th May's match in Braintree. Not too much force, there were three of us. We were heavily outnumbered by all the opposition teams all of which had at least four members. So it was once again an absolutely splendid afternoon, with determined participation from all three of us to cover a wide number of events. Not quite wide enough to avoid coming last by half a point. Our main failing was in the admin and officiating departments, where not only was our paperwork late and in the wrong format, but the javelin, our field event, started late and held up the discus by some time. If any of the officials and helpers present on the day ever read this (all were helpful and I remember the names of Mel, Cath and Chris) we thank you again.
On the track and on the field Adrian started and finished several events. Eddie started and finished some events and was competitive in the high hurdles, the high jump and the steeplechase.
But outstanding on the day was Israel who stepped well outside his comfort zone of the hurdles - both of which races he won with some ease, and took part in three complex events he had never before attempted.
With a lot of help from our opponents (tuition, advice, encouragement and the loan of a pole) he gained sufficient skill to clear the starting height at the pole vault and did it with fewer attempts than an opponent. Following strict instructions in the javelin, he curbed his expansive natural instincts to record a valid first throw of just over the length of the javelin in order to make sure of 1 point. For his second throw he really went for it and achieved in excess of 30 metres for 3rd place in the 'A' string!
The triple jump is another complex co-ordination Israel had not attempted before. Acutely detecting that all the officials were ladies he combined the three essential elements of grace, charm and a big smile, to achieve not only a practice attempt in the middle of the competition, but also a measurement for a four phase competition effort which purists might have argued was technically flawed. Some opponents did raise token objections, but soon subsided in the face of what were clearly greater forces than mere rules.
The weather was pleasant throughout and sunny in bursts. Participating were Israel Nworgu, Eddie Bayne and Adrian Essex. If only a couple of us had jogged round the 400m!
Southern Men's League fixture #2, 19/05/2012, Braintree
Harlow 175
Individual results