Top effort from WSEH

Published 12 Aug 2009 13:00 0 Comments

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Athletics

AS ONE of the top eight teams in the UK, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow put in a spirited display at Barnett Copthall to finish sixth in the prestigious Jo Smith National Cup final.

Having won the competition for the previous two years, WSEH would have been one of the favourites but they went into it with a depleted side as many of the top men were rested because of a crucial British Athletics League match just two weeks away but it was still a commited performance from all who were there.

Helen Pryer, back after a micro tear in a leg muscle, placed an excellent second in the 100m sprint in 11.76 seconds and went one better in the 200m, with victory in a time of 23.56.

However, the men's sprints brought further team worries, as Andy Matthews stepped in to cover the 100m for a late arriving Max Galliers and pulled up injured just three strides from the line. This ruled Matthews out of the 200m he was originally selected for, but with Galliers having left the match, there was no replacement to be made.

In the 400m races, Dawn Hunt was second in a very good time of 53.67, whilst Steve Johnson took third place in a very strong field of one-lappers, in 47.80.

Another highlight on the track for the ladies came from Martha Reynolds who dominated the 2,000m steeplechase for a customary win. She now takes a break from heavy training and racing for a few weeks, before a couple more vital races to catch the eye of the selectors for the World School Games.

For the men it was a great run in the 110m hurdles by Lawrence Clarke who took a great second place in another high quality race.

Rounding off the track, in the ladies 3,000m, Jane Sheard and Charlotte Firth placed an excellent second in the team race, whilst in the men's, Owain Jones and Nathan White placed fifth. Vicky Fouhy took a strong third in the 1,500m and Michelle Rodgers and Christine Long placed sixth in the 400m hurdles and 800m, respectively.

On the field, full marks have to go to plucky young athlete, David Shiel, who contested the hammer, discus and shot against some of the UK's top senior throwers. He placed eighth in all three and brought valuable team points to the table. Dan Pembroke threw to form, placing a good fifth in the javelin.

For the ladies, Bola Ogun threw her third personal best in two weeks to take second, an on-form Rosie Semenytsh also took second in the javelin, Jenny Pacey placed fifth in the shot and, perhaps a little overawed by the competition, Jo Botwright was sixth in the discus.

The men had just two of their top jumpers, Mark Holloway and Julian Golley competing, but they achieved good results for their team, placing fourth in the long jump and fifth in the triple, respectively.

In the ladies jumps, Pacey took a fine win in the long jump, whilst Frances Smithson placed fourth in the high jump and Shakira Whight fifth in the triple.

Following the pattern of mixed fortunes that had prevailed, the men had no relay teams and the ladies 4x400 had to pull out on the second leg when Christine Long suffered severe muscle cramps. But the ladies 4x100 team, featuring two of the club's top sprinters, Pryer and Chinedu Monye, finished the day on a high with third in an excellent time of 48.96.

This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 14 Aug 09

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