Second SAL a struggle, big points needed in Ipswich

Heathside came last in this Saturday’s SAL fixture. It is a disappointing result, but admittedly it was always going to be a tough match as we were up against some top clubs. On the plus side we had new faces volunteering and some quality PBs.

After a great second place to kick off the seniors’ track & field season in the Southern Athletics League (SAL) at the end of April our second match, on 18 May, pit us against some top clubs. Team manager Russell notes that at least two of them are national league level – Newham & Essex Beagles and Thames Valley Harriers, with City of Norwich either up there, too, and in any case none too shabby. Saying that, turnout at those clubs was also a bit on the meagre side, at least for the women. But still, the quality of the opposition meant that many Heathsiders were pulled up a level by the competition. Lily was pushed hard in the 800m for example, winning by 0.6s in a storming PB of 2.19.3, while Djanira nailed her 100m hurdles in 16.0s to pip her TVH opponent by 0.1s. Chris’s steeplechase and my 1500m were the only other outright wins of the day (don’t think I can count my solo steeplechase), but Ant and Russell also got maximum points by topping the B string in the 3000m and pole vault, respectively.

More photos on Heathside's Flickr photostream here by the way: http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonheathsideac/
The main lowlight was the limited turnout from the women, including no (scoring) sprinters besides Djanira over the hurdles, but June, Claire, Rachel and I got stuck in to scoop up points where we could. Russell notes that just a few extra hands on deck would have helped boost our overall league standing. Can we get a good gang together for the next match? I hope so: Saturday, 15 June, in Ipswich. I hear the sun will be shining and there’ll be free ice cream (and we'll have a bus going from Finsbury Park). Bring. It. On.

But positives are so much more fun to report, so here a smattering: PBs for Johnny and Miron, Atina and John responding to our call for volunteers and coming along to officiate (thank you very much), Tom and Ant turning out for the 3000m despite racing the Crouch End 10k the next day, Emmanuel unable to race due to injury but still coming along to throw, and Nathan bringing along many athletes in his training group and as usual being quite the points-accumulator himself.

Still on the track & field theme, there are some excellent results to report for a few of our young athletes who ventured to a Watford Open last Wednesday and came back with some swift middle distance times that will only come down as the season continues.

Watford Open, 15/05/2013
800m - race 4
2nd Lucy Carter U17 2:21.99 PB

800m - race 5
8th Lauren Gee U17 2:24.92 PB

800m - race 9
1st Tom Fancett SM 2:08.94

Shot Putt
1    Izaiah Turner         U20    7.95        

SAL Div2N, Match 2, Linford Christie Stadium, 18/05/2013

Match result:

1. Thames Valley Harriers 195
2. City of Norwich 170
3. Newham & Essex Beagles 166
4. London Heathside 108

Men's A 100m
3 Jordan Glaze     U20    11.7

Men's B 100m
2 Joseph Galea U20    11.8   

Men's A 200m
4 Joseph Denison U20    24.8

Men's B 200m
3 David Ayre SM 24.6

Men's A 400m
4 Nathan Cyrus    SM    53.8

Men's B 400m   
3 Madgio Norri    55.9

Men's A 800m       
3 Tom Fancett SM    2:06.0 (PB?)

Men's B 800m       
2 Will Whitaker    SM    2:11.2

Men's A 1500m
3 Johnny Naylor    U17 4:25.9 (PB)

Men's B 1500m                           
2 Miron Woldemichael U20 4:34.7 (PB)

Men's A 3000m   
2 Tom Aldred SM    8:55.9

Men's B 3000m   
1 Anthony Hall SM 9:47.2

Men's A 400mH   
4 Nathan Cyrus SM    63.0

Men's B 400mH   
4 Adrian Essex M60 78.8

Men's A 3000m Steeplechase       
1 Chris Norris SM    10:09.6

Men's B 3000m Steeplechase
2 Paul Lemmon M50 12:16.0

Men's A High Jump           
4 Henry Damon U17 1.60   

Men's B High Jump           
3 Jordan Glaze ? 1.50

Men's A Pole Vault   
2 Nathan Cyrus 2.80

Men's B Pole Vault   
1 Russell Weston M50 2.00

Men's A Long Jump       
3 Jacob Wilson U23 6.23   

Men's B Long Jump   
2 Dani Ayre SM 5.25

Men's A Triple Jump       
2 Nathan Cyrus 12.93

Men's B Triple Jump   
4 Adrian Essex 8.00

Men's A Shot Putt   
4 Emmanuel Nwaobodo    SM    10.62   

Men's B Shot Putt   
2 Nathan Cyrus 8.94

Men's A Discus   
4 Emmanuel Nwaobodo    27.08   

Men's B Discus   
4 Izaiah Turner U20 18.70

Men's A Hammer   
4 Adrian Essex 16.53

Men's B Hammer   
3 Izaiah Turner U20 15.15

Men's A Javelin   
3 Daniel Szajina SM 30.98

Men's B Javelin   
2 Emmanuel Nwaobodo 27.94

Men's 4x400m       
4 London Heathside    3:44.8

Women's A 400m   
3 Sue Rust SW 63.4

Women's A 800m   
1 Lily Beckford U17 2:19.3

Women's A 1500m   
1 Sue Rust 4:57.6

Women's B 1500m   
3 Rachel Weston W45 6:11.2   

Women's A 3000m   
3 Claire Thornhill SW     12:22.5

Women's A 100mH
1    Djanira Costa    U20    16.0

Women's A 400mH   
3 Sue Rust 88.4

Women's A 2000m Steeplechase   
1 Sue Rust 7:53.8

Women's A Long Jump   
4 Djanira Costa 2.85

Women's A Shot Putt       
3 June Hyams W45 7.37

Women's B Shot Putt       
4 Sue Rust 4.84   

Women's A Discus   
4 June Hyams    16.11

Women's B Discus   
3 Sue Rust 11.73

Women's A Hammer   
3 Sue Rust  13.80

Women's A Javelin       
4 June Hyams ? 12.53

B Javelin
4 Lily Beckford ?    8.14

Men        Non-scoring events                           
100m
D Plummer    12.8       
D Ayre     12.1           
I Turner    14.8       

200m
I Boers     25.2               
A Essex 28.4               

800m
Daniel Szajha 2:13.4               

Long Jump
H Damon 5.28               
J Gala 5.61               
I Boers 5.22               

Shott Putt
I Turner 7.13

Ruth Bah (U15) and Simone Lawrence (U15) also competed as non-scorers on the day, but for some reason we don’t have results for them at the moment.