WGEL youngsters win medley relays at Club Network launch
The official launch of the Lee Valley Club Network took place on a warm sunny evening on Wednesday 10th June. A cheque for £80,000 was presented by Mike Summers, CEO of England Athletics. Over the next three years this financial support will be used by network club members to help recruit new coaches, develop existing coaches and officials, for local competition, event specific days, and hopefully to increase the number of volunteers into athletes
On the night young athletes aged 8-14 from WGEL, Trent Park Harriers, Enfield and Haringey, Orion Harriers and Lee Valley Academy were present to compete in a limited ‘friendly’ inter-club competition.
Representing WGEL in the 75m races for Under 11yr old girls and boys were WASPS Lacey Fuhr, Phoebe Fuhr, Thomas Finch and Alexandar Cassidy. They all ran well. This was followed by 100m race for athletes with special needs / disabilities who are coached at Lee Valley Centre.
The highlight of the night was the two medley relay races for girls and boys aged 12-14yrs, and WGEL won both races. (And, as we all know, there is no such thing as a friendly!)
In the girls race Amelia Barrett ran a fine 400m to hand smoothly over to Maddie Sollof who sped around the next 200m for another slick change-over to Tobi Akiwumi (all that practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays paid dividends). Tobi absolutely tore up the track for the next 200m. As often happens in medley relays the very fast incoming sprinter handing over to an outgoing middle distant runner can cause problems. Tobi shot passed Alicia McArdell who just managed to grab the baton before running out of the sector. On the last leg, 400m, Alicia had a 50m head-start but was being closed down by the Enfield runner. Alicia kicked again with 40m to win the race.
The boys relay race was very exciting. On the 1st, 400m leg, Daniel Rowden took and held the lead before handing over to Max Alexander-Granger for 200m to hand over in 3rd place to Joseph Dewar. Joseph ran another fast sprint which took WGEL into 1st place when the baton changed hands to Perry Rowan for the final 400m. An Enfield runner regained the lead with 150m remaining, but Perry was most determined and stuck close and just summoned enough strength to surge over the line and win by one stride.
England Athletics report on the event
Please contact Graham Foy or Graham Pribul (Committee Members of the LV Network) if you would like any information.