BAL Premiership

Amidst torrential downpours and strong winds at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium on Sunday, WGwEL's men produced a solid all-round team performance in placing third, behind NEB and Birchfield, in the first BAL Premiership meeting of the season. Woodford's team, which had a number of younger athletes making their BAL debuts as well as experience elsewhere, were led off to a fine start in the meeting's first event, the hammer, as Andy Frost and Mark Dry took a double victory.

Andy who relinquished his position as Britain's number one last year as he struggled following knee surgery, reaffirmed his position last week with a 70.36m effort, and confirmed that form as he took victory in the rain with 69.10m. Andy was ably backed up by debutant Mark who took the "B" event with a fine personal best of 68.32m - the best of three p.b's Mark threw during the competition. It was the hammer, together with the other throws, that laid the foundation for Woodford's team performance.

 

Photos 

 

In the discus maximum points were only just missed as Emeka Udechuku placed second with 54.54m, and Tom Norman won the "B" with 50.08m. Emeka unfortunately suffered a slight injury which restricted him to a single token shot effort of 13.61m which was nevertheless good enough for 4th in the "B", as Carl Fletcher was also 4th in the "A" with 16.09m. In the javelin another debutant, Stuart Harvey, like many, found the waterlogged run-up troublesome and was restricted to a 59.70m effort for 5th, whilst Simon Bennett's 58.46 took the "B" competition.

On the track, amongst a number of fine performances, 17 year-old Ronnie Sparke's was perhaps the most impressive. Front running the 1500m for much of the race, Ronnie ended up a fine third and was rewarded with a personal best of 3m52.16 secs, with Ross Clarke 2nd in the "B" with 3m54.55 secs. Another 17 year old, Omar Mansour, was equally impressive as he too recorded a personal best, over 800m, as he placed a fine 2nd in the "B" race with 1m53.45 secs, whilst the experienced Andy Brown was pleased with his season's opening effort of 1m52.83 secs for 5th in the "A" race. Further good middle distance points came from the 5,000m where, in heavy rain, Martyn Cryer confirmed his pleasing progress towards regaining full fitness, as he placed 6th in 14m44.20 secs, only just in front of Hywel Care who took "B" victory with 14m46.90 secs. The steeplechase saw brave efforts and valuable points from Angus Holford, 7th in 10m34.14 secs, and winter team manager Terry McCarthy who, in the absence of willing younger athletes placed a game 6th in the"B" with 12m12.73 secs.

Francis Smith proved he is rounding into good form, placing a fine 2nd in the day's opening track event over 400mH with a season's best of 51.76secs, and was backed up with Jamie Wright, 4th in the "B" race with a personal best of 54.05 secs. Francis also placed 2nd in the "B" 110mH with 14.80 secs (-1.5) after another debutant, Dan Davis, had placed 5th in the "A" race with 14.73 secs (-1.1). In the sprints there were further debuts for juniors Junior Ejehu, who placed 4th in the "B" 100m with 10.90 secs (+0.9), and 6th in the "A" 200m with 22.31 secs (-0.5), and Sam Watts, who ran a fine 3rd from the inside lane in the "B" 200m with 21.92 secs, (+0.5). Another junior, Eugene Ayanful, ran the "A" 100m and placed 6th with 10.95 secs. Over 400m Musa Audu looked strong but lacking race sharpness in his season's debut as he placed 6th with 49.25 secs, with young Austin Joseph 7th in the "B" with 50.55 secs.

The wet conditions saw all the jumpers, like many others, struggle with the conditions, with it being particularly bad for the high jumpers and pole vaulters. In the former Dalton Grant cleared 1.90m for 5th, with Gareth Dyball 4th in the "B" with 1.80m. In the pole vault, the ever-reliable Christian North had a rare "no height" as he, and others, struggled running into the wind and rain, with stadium officials unable to turn the competition around as would normally occur. In the long jump there was a 6th and 7th from Guyson Kuruneri and Adrian Stamp with 6.82m w (+3.3) and 6.26m w (+2.4), whilst in the triple jump Sayo Ojo was 6th with 13.73m w (+2.6) and Keith Newton also 6th with 12.56m (+0.7).

The 4x100m squad (Ramone Smith, Sam Watts, Jamie Wright and Eugene Ayanful) picked up a useful if unexpected 2nd with 42.16 secs, whilst the 4x400m team of Andy Brown, Wright, Omar Mansour and Musa Audu were 7th with 3m23.40 secs.

Team Results:

NEB 370

Birchfield 289

WGwEL 282

Sheffield 263

SBH 257

E&H 249.5

Sale 247.5

Trafford 208

Full results here.