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NAL Match One

The 2026 National Athletics League got underway at Derby on Saturday. Disappointingly and at the time of posting, already 48 hours after the meeting finished, final results are still outstanding, but it seems likely but t.b.c that Woodford finished 3rd behind TVH and Harrow, followed by Glasgow, Birchfield, WSEH, Swansea and Tonbridge. Birmingham based Birchfield Harriers hosted at Derby as their home Stadium wasn’t available. The weather was in the mid 20’s C, the warmest athletics day so far this season, but swirling winds did affect performances at times. With numerous fixture clashes over the bank holiday weekend both at home and overseas most teams were far from full strength. Woodford’s athletes all performed solidly and we were particularly grateful to  a few (especially in the women’s m/d) who travelled to ensure we didn’t miss out on valuable points. Many of our athletes were making NAL debuts, and the standout performances from a Woodford perspective was probably U/20 Ethan Franklin’s 10.39 p.b. over 100m and 45 years old Tosin Oke TJ win where he set a M45 World best. 

Ethan’s 10.39 (+1.5) placed him 2nd by just .01 behind world indoor 60m representative Jody Smith. Ben Snaith placed 3rd in the B with 10.98 (-1.2) and later 6th over 200m with 21.84 (+0.6) with debutant and U/18 Tobi Ogundeko 3rd in the B with 21.62 (-0.7). Over 400m it was pleasing to see Jacob Campbell back in action for the first time in 3 years. Although not yet in his 47.16 pb shape, he was competitive for 350m before fading to place 8th with 49.26 secs. Another debutant, U/20 Dylan McCulloch was 6th in the B with 49.39. 

In the women’s sprints and over 100m Maddie Wapples also on debut was 8th with 12.49 (-2.3) into a stiff headwind with B covered by hurdler Yasmin Uwakwe, 7th in  12.22 (+1.2). Maddie later was 7th in the 200m with 24.93 secs (-1.8) and Yasmin was in 100mH action placing 5th with 14.17 secs (-2.1). The B 200m saw U/18 Azzurra Cioni place 5th on her debut with 24.89 (+0.9). Another U/18 on debut, Ishana Malcolm ensured 7th place points with a 20.42 (-1.6) p.b. Over 400m U/18 Noa Chodokufa was 6th with 56.78 secs and in the B Kyra White was 4th with 56.96 secs. 

The men’s 110mH were into stiff headwinds, Ruben Hedman placing 4th with 14.77 secs (-0.7) and Will Parry also 4th in the B with 16.03 (-2.7). Will had earlier placed 4th over 400mH with 56.39 with Joe Arnold also 4th in the B with 58.79. The women’s 400mH saw Molly Swingler placed a good 3rd with 62.10, but the B was one of three gaps on the women’s side (the others being in the s/ch). 

The middle-distance races saw Woodford score well. In both the men’s 800m there were 2nd places, Joe Owen with 1m52.84 and Alfie Ward close to his p.b. with 1m55.76. Louise Gilbert was also 2nd in her 800m with 2m11.67 and later over 1500m also 2nd with 4m32.45. Rachel Lam was one of those athletes who ensured we had no m/d gaps and she placed 7th in the B with 5m49.88 having earlier finished 6th in the B 800m with 2m47.40. The men’s 1500m results are currently missing but Videsh Weerakkody and had solid runs.  Over 5000m Jaymee Domoney stepped up in distance and placed 5th with 15m40.38, with Angus Holford 4th in the B with 16m06.10. Dawn Holford and Katey Olert were the others to cover and ensure points in the women’s 5000m with Dawn 7th A with 22m38.89 and Katey 6th B with 23m13.86. We had no women’s steeplechasers but in the mens’ there were decent points as Luke Gribbin placed 4th in the A with 9m54.20 and U/20 Aiden O’Driscoll was 2nd in the B with a p.b. of 10m02.62

In the field there were decent points in the jump events. Sammy Lok was 3rd in the LJ with 7.19m with Thalosang Tshireletso 2nd in the B with 6.97m. Sammy was later 3rd in the B HJ with 1.91m as Toby Cherry placed 5th in the A with 2.05m. In the TJ, Thalosang, as in the LJ took just one effort as he managed a troublesome foot injury but his 14.57m was enough for 2nd in the B. It was in the A where former Commonwealth champion and London Olympic finalist Tosin Oke set his world M45 best as his 15.20  improved the prior best of 15.13m and was enough for the A string win. In the PV U/18 debutant Nathan Mobbs cleared 4.51m which placed 3rd on countback. In the B Will Snashall cleared 4.11m for equal first. 

In the women’s LJ Amelia Watling was 5th with 5.56m and in the B , Kharina Partridge was also 5th with 5.04m. In the TJ Shanara Hibbert placed 5th with 12.21m as debutant and U/20 Abbie Dowdye placed 2nd B with 11.83m. In the women’s HJ Lucy Walliker cleared 1.73 which placed 3rd , and U/18 Shalom Prince was 6th B with 1.36m. The PV saw Hollie Jupp place 3rd with 3.81m and U/18 Amber Higgs-Smith was 5th in the B with 2.51m. 

The men’s throwers had to work around losing SP and DT man Gareth Winter to a calf injury during the week. The HT scored well though with debutant, first year senior, Jabez Berry placing 3rd with 65.15m and Ammar ElAbsy recording a p.b. of 56.86m for 3rd in the B. Ammar also covered the DT where hi 37.93m was 8th and Aaron Edwards was 7th in the B with 31.49m. Aaron also covered the SP where his 11.03m was 8th with Tom Head 6th in the B with 10.45m. Missing our top javelin throwers U/18 Nathan Mobbs stepped in after his PV and his pb of 48.03m was 8th, with Henry Bennett placing 5th in the B with 47.26m. The women’s HT saw Katie Head place 4th with 59.17m with Lucy Marshall 3rd in the  B with 50.99m. In the discus and in tricky wind conditions another making their Woodford debut, Kirsty Law was 2nd with 47.80m with Dani Bloom recording 41.77m for 2nd B. In the JT Kirsty Bateman Foley was 5th with 37.57m as Peanut Meekings was also 5th the B with 36.78m. In the SP Dani placed 6th with10.89m and Peanut was 7th in the B with 8.35m. 

The relays closed the meeting and decent points were recorded. The men’s 4x100m team (Dante Pollard, Marcel Winter, Merveilles Massembo and Ben Snaith) moved trough to 2nd place on the final leg recording 41.46 whilst the women (Rebecca Matheson, Shalom Prince, Lakhesia Adams-Poku and Maddie Wapples just lost 3rd by 0.01 as they placed 4th in 47.39. The men’s 4x400m (Dylan MCulloch, Joe Owen, Thomas Niewczasinski-Kirkland and Jacob Campbell) were 5th with 3m21.27, but the women (Kyra White, Molly Swingler, Rebecca Matheson and Noa Chodokufa) scored a fine win with 3m49.89 secs. 

If this provisional  team result stands it will be regarded by the team managers as a good start to the 2026 NAL season. The second fixture is at Woodford on July 11th.