NAL Championship Promotion Match – Oxford Horspath – 16 August
Written by Alex Seftel
Tonbridge AC and Swansea Harriers were promoted to the National Athletics League (NAL) Premiership after a tense battle at Oxford Horspath.
Eight clubs went into the Promotion Match knowing that there was an opportunity to climb into the top division for the 2026 season, with Tonbridge and Swansea having won their respective South and West regional groups for a second year in a row.
There were only 27.5 points between the two after more than six hours of competition, exemplified by the women’s high jump in which Tonbridge’s Ella Thomas and Swansea’s Matilda Quick were tied at a best height of 1.63.
They edged out Crawley AC’s Julia Machin on countback, but that still meant that the W55 athlete beat her own world masters record. Machin – who twice represented England at the Commonwealth Games – had previously jumped 1.62 in London last month, following up her previous record of 1.60, set at the NAL Championship South match in Poole in May.
Tonbridge had to wait to stamp their authority on proceedings as Swansea came roaring out of the proverbial blocks.
Double victory came the Welsh team’s way in the women’s 400m hurdles, with times of 61.40 for Sophie Lisk and 64.91 for Evie Aitchison across the A and B races. In the field, Michael Jenkins’ best discus throw of 56.72 was better than the Premiership score of Nick Percy, while Patrick Swan’s shot put best of 17.07 was more than two metres further than his opponents.
But then, as expected, Tonbridge excelled in some of the longer track races, with Ted Higgins and Toby Bawtree taking maximum points in the 800m, before Jack Higgins – who represented Great Britain at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in March – won the 1500m.
Sale Harriers missed out as they looked to return to the Premiership at the first time of asking following their relegation last year. They started strongly, with Melissa Booth winning the long jump in the morning with a best of 5.82, before later leading a one-two in the triple jump ahead of Daisy Keigher.
Sam Ebonine’s 7.07 repeated the first of those feats in the afternoon, while on the track, Nic Walsh raced clear to win the 100m in 10.43. But the Manchester club just weren’t as consistent in some of their weaker events in order to mount the perfect promotion push.
Ahead of them in third, were a valiant Chelmsford side, who were delighted to see European under-23 relay champion Kissiwaa Mensah win the 100m and 200m, moments before Oliver Graham topped the hammer standings with 57.86.
Edward Laws impressed for Herts Phoenix by winning the 400m hurdles in 51.48, beating world under-20 semi-finalist Onyeka Okoh of Chelmsford, while Eloise Meakins (40.50) was the only athlete over 40m in the javelin, before Lauren Rule crossed the line first in the 400m in 55.21.
Lewis Guest secured 12 points for Yeovil Olympiads in the triple jump with 14.36m, with Benjamin Jones’ 62.31 doing the same in the javelin.
City of York’s Angus McMillan followed up his triumph on home soil in the first match of the season by winning the 3000m.
