UKWL match Three

The final UKWL fixture of the season at Kingston on Saturday saw Woodford's women finish 6th on the day and 5th overall in the League, to ensure they remain in the first division next season. With many of the first choice athletes unavailable., primarily due to injuries, and others caught up in teh London road closures on Sunday, team manager Keith Newton had to juggle the team to best affect to ensure sufficient points were gained. All athletes rallied around admirably, with most competing in additional events. Hollie Redman, Lucy Marshall, and Moe Sasegbon all had victory's and along with Nusrat Ceesay, and each took part in three individual events, Elaine O'Neil also won and she and many other athletes doubled, and some did relays in addition.

Hollie Redman's victory came in her specialist event the discus which she won with 45.04m, just outside her best ever. Hollie also placed 7th in the javelin with 28.16m and 6th in the "B" hammer with 32.85m. Lucy's victory came in the hammer with 51.89m and she was also 4th in the shot with 11.57m and 3rd in the "B" discus with 27.06m. Moe placed 6th in the "B" javelin with 26.94m, 4th in the "B" shot with 10.04m and her victory came in the "B" 100m with 14.94 secs (-1.4). In the "A" 100mH, Nusrat Ceesay was 3rd with 14.97m (-2.1), 3rd in the "B" triple jump with 11.02m and 8th in the long jump with 5.06m. In other field events, Ayamba Akim placed a good 2nd in the high jump with 1.70m, Azaria Francis was 4th in the triple jump with 11.39m and pole vaulter Louise Shortland covered the "B" long jump where her eighth placed points with 4.55m were still very valuable as were her points in the "B" 100m. In the other sprints, Katie Skelding was 4th in the 100m with 12.40m (w?) and later 3rd in the "B" 200m with 25.20m (w?). In the "A" 200m, Elaine O'Neil was a good winner over 200m with 24.43m (w-0.5), only just outside her season's best, and was later 3rd in her first 400m of the season in the "B" race with 57.99secs. In the "A" 400m, Jo Ryan placed 6th with 59.69 secs.

Injuries had hit several of the expected middle distance squad, but others stepped in and performed well. Sara Bird doubled over 15590m and 3000m, placing 7th in the former with 4m53.64 secs, and 3rd in the latter with 10m20.78 secs. Bernadine Pritchett doubled at 800m where she was 6th with 2m30.57 secs, and 1500m, where in the "B" she was 5th with 5m15.71 secs. Rachel Lund made a very useful debut at 2km steeplechase where she placed 4th with 8m26.00 secs, and was also 2nd in the "B" 300m with 11m05.00 secs. the 4x100m squad (Katie Skelding, Nusrat Ceesay, Jo Ryan and Elaine O'neil) recorded a season's best of 48.71secs, and the 4x400m squad of Sara Bird, Jo Ryan, Moe Saseggbon and Katie Skelding were 7th in 4m03.03 secs

In a difficult season which saw the team injury hit, the aim of an immediate return to the Premier Division could not be realised but team manager Keith Newton will be hopeful of getting fuller strength teams out next year to make that return.