National Athletics League, London South, Wormwood Scrubs 3/7/21 by Pat Calnan
Thames Valley Harriers took full advantage of a home fixture to dominate the match at Wormwood Scrubs. They won half of the A string events, even more B strings, and won both strings in 16 of the 34 individual events.
The highlight was the performance of Amelia Strickler in the shot as she threw over 18 metres for the first time. Her put of 18.11 added 14 centimetres to her previous best set indoors in 2020. “I can FINALLY say I’m an 18m shot putter,” she said on Twitter.
Her distance is the 6th furthest on the all-time list. Sophie McKinna (5th) and Divine Oladipo (10th) also compete in this division of the League. Sadly Amelia will not be heading to the Olympics despite a World Athletics rankings invite.
One who will be heading for Tokyo is Zoey Clark who is selected for the 4x400m. As with the first fixture, she won the 200 by nearly a second in 24.08 and had earlier sharpened up with a win in B 100.
Tade Ojora is another who performed well ahead of a major championship. The Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow athlete, who won the British Championships, put the finishing touches to his preparations for the European Under-23 Championships in Tallinn in Estonia with a comfortable victory in the 110m Hurdles. His time of 13.82 into a -2.3 headwind saw him over a second and a half clear of the field. It is the fastest in the League this season.
Also topping her event is sister Temi who will be in Tallinn next week for the European Under-20 Championships to compete in the triple jump. She leapt further than ever before with a wind assisted 13.65. Ranked second in the country this year, she is also third on the under-20 all time list, needing a further 14 centimetres to go top.
Molly Caudery (TVH) won silver at the European Under-23 Championships and she was a class apart in the pole vault winning the women’s event with a clearance of 4.20. Her performance also shone a torch on the standard of the mens event as she would have won that as well.
This contest was won with 3.90 by Blackheath & Bromley’s 15 year old Ben Platt who may be the first under-17 male to win an event in the top division of the National League. Someone, somewhere will know. “It’s actually pretty cool if I am the only U17 to win an event in the top division of the NAL, it’s good to be part of the club,” he added that he “didn’t even break a sweat.”
His younger brother Charlie heads the national under-13 rankings with 2.80 which would have won the B string by 30 centimetres. With elder sister Holly and dad Roger both vaulters, it’s a good job mum Alice is a keen supporter or she might find mealtimes a bit of a yawn.
If Caudery can add another 11 centimetres to her best at a NAL fixture she will join team mate Nicole Kendall as a League Record holder. After her record-breaking exploits in the first fixture, Kendall again won the 400m hurdles in convincing fashion with 56.92 and Jess Tappin’s 58.37 victory in the B race would also have won the A string. Tappin followed with victory in the 400.
There was only one double-A string winner on the day. This honour went to Southampton AC’s Alex Teuten, who finished over half a minute clear of the field in the 3000m steeplechase in 9.21.39 and then took the 5000 in 14.33.45. It was a good day in the middle distance for the South Coast club as Sam Costly won the 1500 after placing third in 800; and Lily Hawkins took the 800m before winning the B 400.
Daniel Offiah continues his impressive progress in the sprints, winning the 100 in 10.74 and they also enjoying victories in the field with wins for Mary Elcock in the long jump and heptathlete Amaya Scott-Rule in the javelin.
The men’s spear winner was again TVH’s Gavin Johnson Assoon, whose distance at the first match remains the furthest in the League this season. He was one of a number of participants who won their events for the second match in a row.
In addition to the aforementioned Zoey Clark (200), Nicole Kendall (400H) and Amelia Strickler (SP), the Valley also had Rachel Miller (100), Jack Paget (Hammer), Pippa Rogan (high jump), and Pippa Wingate (hammer) scoring maximum A string points for the season.
Likewise, WSEH had Jacob Paul and Ben Fisher scoring A string victories again. Paul won the 400 Hurdles by over a second and a half in 51.24, and remains quickest in the League this season, with Tyri Donovan again first in the B string in 52.51. Fisher improved to 7.31 to win the long jump again.
There were other good wins for WSEH with Amy Holder throwing 51.37 in the discus, veteran Kerry O’Flaherty timing 6.40.51 in the 2000 steeplechase, and Blake Moore snatching victory by four hundredths in the 800 ahead of match one winner Sam Reardon (B&B), the closest of any track race on the day.
There were slim pickings for B&B in terms of wins. Aside from the vault, Kelechi Aguocha (high jump), Dele Aladese (discus) and the womens 4×100 gained victories but overall they had a quiet day and had women’s team manager Niamh Bridson Hubbard out of proceedings after contact from NHS Test and Trace.
The afternoon belonged to TVH and with new blood in 200 winner Muhammad Kounta and shot victor Fraser Wright; plus regulars under-20 Charlotte Buckley (winner of the 1500 as well as the B 800) – Luke Lennon Ford (400), Sam Trigg-Petrovic (Triple jump), Angelita Broadbelt-Blake (100H) and Kosana Weir 3000 – they are looking like being the favourites to win the League.
So, it was a match with real quality in some events. A few were weaker than would be hoped, but given the disruption of the last year and half, and ongoing Covid issues, it is just good to see the fixtures taking place. From the smattering of under-17s at the start of their careers, to veteran International marathon runners Tracy Barlow (TVH) and Scott Overall (B&B), it was one enjoyed by all.
Full results are available here.
Photo Credit: Zoey Clark by Nigel Bramley / Eclecticism
