Aviva UK Championships and European Trials
Some of WGwEL's better senior athletes were in action at Birmingham over the weekend competing in the Aviva UK Championships, and trials for the upcoming Barcelona European Championships. Whilst the weather was warm , the athletes did at times have to contend with quite strong blustery winds. Highlights amongst the Woodford results included a silver medal over 100m for Joice Maduaka, a bronze in the same race for Elaine O'Neil who also gained 200m silver, a triple jump bronze for Zainab Ceesay and a personal best and Club long jump record for Ezekiel Ewolu.
Joice Maduaka's silver medal over 100m came on Saturday, as she just lost out on another national title by by only 0.01 secs, as she clocked 11.42 secs (-0.4), with Elaine O'Neil recording a personal best of 11.52 secs for 3rd. The following day in the 200m, Joice was unable to start over 200m after feeling a minor injury in warm up, but Elaine O'Neil progressed through to her second final, and picked up a silver medal as she placed 2nd in a season's best of 23.83 secs, despite the strong headwind of -2.5 m/s. The other medal for a Woodford athlete came in the women's triple jump where Zainab Ceesay placed 3rd with 12.74m (+1.7), an event in which Stephanie Aneto failed to register a mark. Another highlight from a Woodford perspective came in the men's long jump, when, in placing 5th, Ezekiel Ewulo added 13 cm to his personal best recording a distance of 7.70m, and improving Calvin Greenaway's club record that has stood since 1981.
Graham Hedman, a silver medalist in the 4x400m at the last European Championships, in Gothenburg, was involved in a very tight, and high standard 400m final. Graham placed 6th in 46.28 secs, having recorded a season's best of 46.17 secs in qualifying. In the 400m heats, Nick Leavey, confirmed his recent good form, clocking an outdoor personal best, which incidentally now equals his indoor best of 46.60 secs. Vincent Ogedengbe recorded a season's best of 47.48 secs. Nick was also in 200m action, and recorded 21.60 secs in his heat, whilst Tim Abeyie back in action after an injury delayed season, recorded 21.68 secs into a stiff headwind of -2.5 m/s. In the men's 110mH Dan Davis missed out on a final spot, but did win the "B" final with 14.17 secs (+0.8). He was extremely unlucky not to make the final proper as a fastest loser from his heat where he placed 3rd, but the blustery winds blew at -5.9 m/s for his heat as he was reduced to 14.70 secs. Others in men's track action included, Junior Ejehu with 10.82 secs (-0.1) in the 100m heats, Kevin Kane and Ronnie Sparke in the 1500m heats with 3m49.21 secs and 3m50.91 secs respectively, Matt Barnes-Smith in the 5,000m with 15m09..10 secs, and Hywel Care with 30m50.29 secs over 10,0000m. HCA member, Damien Moss recorded a season's best in the 800m s/f of 1m49.61 secs.
In the field, Carl Fletcher was 4th in the shot with 16.77m, as was Emeka Udechuku with 57.05m in the discus, with Tom Norman, 10th with 50.33m, and Devon Douglas 12th with 44.52m. In the javelin Stuart Harvey was 7th with 65.40m, and Sayo Ojo 11th in the triple jump with 14.37m (+0.3). The hammer, normally a strong event for Woodford, saw Mark Dry, only 9th with 62.68m, as he sought a "safe" 3rd round effort after two no throws, but just failed to make the final eight, and Andy Frost also missing out after three no throws.. HCA member Martin Lloyd was 7th in the high jump with 2.10,m.
Other women in track action, included Rachel Giwa in the heats of the 100m and 200m with times of 12.22 secs (-0.1) and 25.89 secs (-1.0), Azaria Francis with 12.44 secs (+0.6) in the 100m heats, Tara Bird with 2m08.12 secs, missing out on progressing from the 800m heat by just 0.02 secs, and Diana Kennedy 12th in the 3,000m s/ch with 11m21.06 secs. In the 400m, HCA member Vicky Barr was 4th in the final with 53.23 secs, and Jo Ryan made the "B" final where she placed 6th with 55.21 secs after a 54.68 secs heat. In the field, Ayamba Akim placed 4th in the high jump with 1.71m, Kim Murray recorded a season's best of 6.07m (+0.3) for 8th in the long jump. and Lucy Marshall 9th in the hammer with 51.84m.
Full results here.