Track & Field Round-Up

Over the weekend, WGEL athletes were in action in the Scottish Championships at Scotstoun, where in the hammer Mark Dry just got the better of Andy Frost, and HCA man Ryan McKinlay picked up the steeplechase title. At the SAL meeting at Woodford there were several useful performances, including from Tom Norman in the discus, and a personal best from Harry Clarke in the hammer but it was Joseph Dewar's significant personal best over 100m that caught the eye.

17 year-old Joseph Dewar, the World Schools long jump Champion, racing in the guest 100m in the SAL on Saturday, lowered his personal best in winning  to 10.64 secs (+1.1). Having sustained an early season hamstring injury it was pleasing to see Joseph back running fast over 100m. That mark moves him to 7th on this season's UK U/20 lists and 2nd of those in the IAAF Youth (U/18) age group.

There were several other useful performances at this meeting. Tom Norman with 52.60m and Chris Linque with 45.82m took a discus double, with Hollie Redman winning the women's with 42.39m. There was also a double in the hammer, as junior Harry Clarkle setting a personal best with the senior implement of 55.22m, just got the better of older brother Peter with 54.73m. Devon Douglas and Chris Linque also gained maximum points in the shot with 12.71m and 11.688m Also throwing well was Lee Lovelock-Jemmott, 2nd in the javelin with a seson's best of 44.20m, whilst in the women's there ws a pleasing return to action from junior, Rhiann Van-Horne who won with 34.63m. In the jumps, Gareth Dybal was 2nd in the high jump with a season's best of 1.85m, and Ayamba Akim won the women's with 1.73m. George Hamilton took the long jump with 6.10m and U/17 Oluwakorede Atanda was 2nd in the "B" with 5.15m. Peter Kirabo won the triple jump off a short approach with 13.64m and Christman Ihouma the "B" with 12.32m

On the track, Omolulu Abioden with 11.00 secs (+1.0) and 21.84 secs (+0.3), together with Katie Skelding 12.44 secs (+0-.6) and 25.01 secs (+0.8) both had double sprint wins. In the "B" races, Luke Speller was 3rd in the 100m with 12.17 secs (+1.0), and George Hamilton won the 200m with 23.12 secs (+0.3), and in the women's "B" 100m Tion Charles recorded 14.43 secs for 3rd, with Pamela Milla in the guesst race recording a season's best of 13.21 secs (0.0), Pamela was also 3rd in the hammer with a personal best of 26.22m.

In the middle distance events, Tom Beedell won the 800 with a season's best of 2m00.02 secs, as Sam Benge was 2nd in the "B" with 2m07.62 secs. Bernadine Pritchett was 2nd in the women's race with 2m30.32 secs, and Maxine Davis was 3rd in the "B" with 2m54.50 secs. Bernadine was 2nd again over 1500m with 5m09.66 secs, a season's best,as Maxine won the "B" with 5m54.42 secs. Andrew Firth recorded a pb to place 2nd in the 1500m as Sam wa also in action again, 2nd also, in the "B" with 4m28.74 secs. Rachel Lund was 3rd over 3000m with 11m13.68 secs, and Maxine was again in action, 2nd in the "B" with 12m36.07 secs. Tom Beedell also raced in the "B" 5000m which he wonwith 16m21.78 secs, with Darren Southcott 2nd in the "A" with 15m52.89 secs, and Tom later ran as a guest in the 2km s/ch where he recorded 6m39.66 secs, as Tomaz Plibersek won the "A" with 6m18.18 secs, with Harold Wyber taking the "B" with 6m42.15 secs. Alan James gained useful points, 3rd in the 400mH with 69.54 secs, 3rd in the 110mH with 21.33 secs, and 4th in the 400m with 58.16m as distance man Kevin Murphy was also 4th in the "B" with 60.34 secs. The meeting finished off with relays and teh nmen's 4x100 were 3rd with 46.86 secs, and the 4x400m brought home by Omolulu Abiodun with a 48.7 secs leg won with 3m34.38 secs

At the Scottish Championships Mark Dry won the hammer with 70.96m, just ahead of Andy Frost with 70.73m. Francis Smith ran his fastest, albeit windy 110mH marks of the season, placing 3rd with 14.83 secs w (+4.9), and then racing again in the "B" final where he was 2nd with 15.15 secs w (+3.9). In the 3000m s/ch, HCA man Ryan McKlinlay was only .05 secs outside of his best ever as he took his first Scottish title with 9m06.21 secs.