British League Div 2 at Bedford on Sat 15th July 2017
What a day! The Gods conspired against us in this shambles of a match where the powers that be decided to host all 5 British League matches at the same venue. We very narrowly came home in a disappointing 6th place just 0.5 points behind one team and only 14 points away from 3rd place.
We had our worst spell of injuries on the day in living memory as we lost 3 A string competitors in Owen, Sean and Jonathan with injuries well before they could contribute to the cause. This left us with only 16 men fit and healthy which eventually cost us dearly.
On a rainy day to start with, and a packed stand full of competitors, we started pretty well in the 3000 m where John Gilbert led all the way only to be outkicked but he came a creditable 4th in the A race and Jordan Weaver ran a solid race as he came home in 3rd place in the B string. Sean Breathnach performed well in the Discus as he came 2nd with a throw of 43.20 m but he aggravated an injury as he chased the win which meant that he could only just stand in the Shot and had to scratch from the Hammer.
Next up was Jonathan Browne who suffered a recurrence of an old injury yet he still managed 4th place in a competitive 100 m but had to withdraw from the 200 m and the 4 x 100m. New boy Nathan Brown then ran well to secure 3rd in the B string before a solid run in the 200 m where he ran well replacing Jonathan and came home in 5th place – not bad at all in moving up a level for the first time !
In the field an unusually early Triple Jump saw another of our long distance travellers, Chuxx Onyia, perform well as he jumped 15.23 m and secured our first win of the day before moving on to the long Jump where he earned more good points with a jump of 6.59 m. He was backed up well by David Wellstead who secured maximum points for us in this event as he jumped 13.15 m. Next up for us was one of our most reliable competitors, Ben Harding, who secured 3rd place in the A race in a really tight finish and he was backed up by Owen Hind who had to withdraw after this event as he was obviously suffering from illness as he made it three withdrawals from our original team.
We were scrapping for points hard and welcome relief came from Irish star, Rory Gunning, who won the Javelin with a throw of 55.64 m with non helpful wind conditions and with the competition lacking atmosphere as it was held outside the main stadium. He went on to secure more points for us as he competed in the B string Discus and Shot for us. Team Captain Joe Appiah was scoring steady points across 4 events, filing in holes well and running a good 110 m hurdles where he came home in 5th place in a very good standard race.
We however did well in the 3000 m steeplechase as Chris Greenwood and Richard Phillips came 3rd in the A race and 2nd in the B race which earned us 22 key points. This was after Shaun Mulligan came 5th in the A 400 m hurdle sand Jean-Charles Roghi earned great points by coming 3rd in the B race. Next up was Ben Harding who ran well in a competitive 1500 m as he secured good points by coming home in 3rd place in the A string and late placement Jordan Weaver then ran well securing 4th place in the B race. After a long wait for his main event Shawn Wright ran extremely well as he judged his pace well in the A 400 m and he secured a welcome win before quickly moving on to the B 200 m where he replaced Jonathan and he secured more valuable points as he came home in 5th place despite still having lactic in his legs.
However last but by no means least Ron Taylor and Shaun Mulligan were filling in events all over the place taking the pressure of the rest of the team and they secured a total of 25 points across several events – great from two real team guys!
We just managed to fill both Relays which secured us 8 more points but we were edged out into 6th place on the day and only 4 points away from 4th place. Still we go into the last match with a chance of promotion if we win the match so the season is far from over !
After running 10.14 secs on 2nd July, David Lima improved his pb significantly in 100m at IAAF Meeting Madrid on 14th July to qualify for World Athletics Championships in London in both sprints.
Congratulations David and good luck.
Also well done Jack Green for dipping under 49secs, good luck in London.
Southern Athletics League Match 4 Horsham 8th July 2017
Another sunny day, another great win for Kent AC!
1 Kent AC 227.5
2 Swale Combined 135
3 Hastings AC 179.5
4 Thanet AC 77
The 22 fabulous men and women who represented Kent AC delivered a comprehensive victory, leaving us with a chance of promotion going into the final fixture.
Club legends Rawlston Morian and Shaun Mulligan covered 13 events and scored 37 points, and then they both did both of the relays.
Victoria Buck led by example competing in 5 events and coming 1st or 2nd in each one.
Lydia Blackmore ran the 100m, 200m, 400m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles and also did the long jump.
Sally Ash did 5 events, including wins in the triple jump, shot putt and javelin.
Isabel and Amy did 4 events each, highlights including Isabel’s win in the 1,500m steeplechase and Amy’s 5,000m win in 16.50.
Ethelbert Metzger has discovered he is a pole-vaulter as well as a 100m hurdler and long jumper (and 100m & 400m relay runner).
Tim Alexander rolled back the years to win the A string 800m and the B string high jump.
Classy steeplechasers Tom Muddiman and Ian Ellwood won the A string and B string.
Ron Taylor won the 800m and 1500m in comfortable style.
The Women’s team did a great job of filling their events, Annabelle Hadlow picking up 3 points for her 1,500m and Linda Eyre 2 points for her 100m.
Kehinde Dauda did 4 events, winning the both 110m and 400m hurdles.
Tracey Griffiths won the A string discus and B string shot.
Dominic Chevidan ran a good 100m relay leg and entertained the crowd with some inspirational hand gestures.
And as usual, the relays provided great entertainment and showed the brilliant Kent AC team spirit. We again filled two 4*400m men’s squads, the A string who won in 3.44.1 and a non-scoring team who surely ran sub 4 minutes and beat some scoring teams.
Thanks to everyone who competed.
Thanks to everyone who officiated, took photos, organised and supported, you helped make it a great atmosphere. I’ll put some photos on Facebook.
Onward now, to the last match of the season which is on Sunday August 20th at Dartford versus Cambridge Harriers, East Grinstead AC and Sutton & District AC.
The 4th Assembly League race of the season took place on the banks of the Thames at North Greenwich and Kent AC were more dominate than ever in the men’s race filling the first three places and six of the top ten. Owen Hind made a rare appearance in the league to win comfortably from John Gilbert and Jordan Weavers – a result many might have predicted pre-race. Conditions were warm and humid and with an early shower in the race and a head wind as the runners made the first turn and headed east there was something for even the most season of weather watching runners.
Joe Hartley and Adrian Lowther ran the whole race stride for stride and similarly Pete Lighting and Rob Laing followed them round but remained unable to close the gap. Indeed throughout the race Kent AC packed well and the internal club battles no doubt inspired the passing of many athletes from other clubs. Amy Clements was totally dominant in the ladies race, winning by over a minute as she finished the 2.95 in 16:32. The success didn’t stop there though, Isaac Maxwell’s recent good run of form saw him finish first U20 in 41st place overall.
ASSEMBLY LEAGUE, Greenwich July 6th
Posn Name Club/Scoring pos Category Time Category points posn
1 Owen Hind Kent SM 14:50 M/1
2 John Gilbert Kent SM 14:54 M/2
3 Jordan Weaver Kent SM 15:03 M/3
4 Jim Allchin Stock E SM 15:17 M/4
5 Joe Hartley Kent SM 15:30 M/5
6 Adrian Lowther Kent SM 15:31 M/6
7 Dan Kennedy Raven SM 15:38 M/7
8 Carl Assmundsen VPHTH SM 15:44 M/8
9 Peter Lighting Kent/ SM 15:46 M/9
10 Simon Wurr Stock E M40 15:47 M/10, M40/1
11 Dylan Wymer Dulw SM 15:47
12 Rob Laing Kent M40 15:49 M40/2
13 Danny Kendall Camb H SM 15:51
14 Andy Bond Dulw M40 15:57 M40/3
15 Carl Selya-Hammer VPHTH SM 16:02
16 Steve Hobbs VPHTH M40 16:03 M40/4
17 Sean Fitzpatrick Stock E SM 16:04
18 Rowan Crichton Kent SM 16:11
19 Paul Gaimster VPHTH M40 16:12 M40/5
20 Ben Reynolds Stock E M50 16:14 M50/1
21 Andy Summers VPHTH SM 16:15
22 Phil Sanders Kent M40 (Now M45) 16:16 M40/6
23 Rob Osborne Lloyds M40 16:16 M40/7
24 James McDonald Camb H SM 16:17
25 Alan Barnes Stock E SM 16:18
26 Neil Phillips Kent SM 16:20
27 Ron Taylor Kent SM 16:20
28 Steve Davies Dulw M45 16:21 M45/1
29 Nigel Ling Dartf M40 16:22 M40/8
30 Steve Hodges Camb H SM 16:22
31 Che Compton Kent M40 16:25 M40/9
32 Calum Fraser Kent SM 16:25
33 Simon Craddock Serp SM 16:27
34 Gary Towers Eton M SM 16:30
1W/35 Amy Clements Kent SW 16:32 W/1
36/35M James Hutchinson Eton M SM 16:36
37/36M Mark Lally Beck SM 16:42
38/37M Stephen Whitehead Stock E M45 16:43 M45/2
39/38M Tony Tuohy Dulw M50 16:44 M50/2
40/39M Ed Harper Dulw SM 16:51
41/40M Isaac Maxwell Kent U20M (U17) 16:55 U20/1
42/41M Dave Finch VPHTH M40 16:57 M40/10
43/42M David Jones VPHTH SM 17:02
44/43M Lloyd Collier Dulw M40 17:08
45/44M Peter Holmes Serp SM 17:12
46/45M Sam Duggan VPHTH SM 17:22
47/46M Paul Boddey Eton M SM 17:23
48/47M Matt Moroney Kent SM 17:26
49/48M Russell Beard Lloyds M40 17:30
50/49M Duncan Steen VPHTH SM 17:31
51/50M Dave Cato Eton M SM 17:33
52/51M David Kelly Lon U M45 17:35 M45/3
53/52M Kevin Chadwick Petts W SM 17:36
54/53M Simeon Bennett VPHTH M40 17:38
2W/55 Helena Eastham Lloyds SW 17:39 SW/2
56/54M Luke Abrams Kent U20 (U15) 17:44 U20/2
57/55M Len Reilly Kent M55 17:50 M55/1
58/56M Marcus Karia Kent SM 17:52
59/57M Stephen Pond Petts W M45 17:56 M45/4
60/58M Dave Wilkinson Lloyds SM 17:58
61/59M Ian Ellwood Kent SM 18:01
62/60M Richard Elliott Kent SM 18:02
63/61M Gavin Lau VPHTH SM 18:04
64/62M Luke Armitage Kent M50 18:04 M50/3
65/63M Joe Walker VPHTH SM 18:06
66/64M Ollie Robinson Lloyds SM 18:07
67/65M Tony Lashmar VPHTH M40 18:08
3W/68 Sophie Donges VPHTH SW 18:08
69/66M Ben Green VPHTH SM 18:09
70/67M James Pilch Eton M SM 18:13
71/68M Jamie Giles Serp SM 18:14
72/69M John Crawley Lloyds SM 18:18
4W/73 Mandy Dohren VPHTH W35 18:20 W/4, W35/1
74/70M Sam Villis VPHTH SM 18:22
75/71M Arif Merali Kent M45 18:22
76/72M Mike Jones VPHTH SM 18:25
77/73M Tom Wilson Dulw SM 18:26
5W/78 Katie Rowland Kent SW 18:26 W/5
79/74M Ed Osborne Beck M40 18:27
80/75M Robin McCoy Lloyds M50 18:28 M50/4
81/76M Simon Cottle Eton M SM 18:29
82/77M Enrique Casarrubios VPHTH M40 18:31
83/78M Matthew Pond Petts W U20M 18:33 U20/3
84/79M James Howlett Eton M SM 18:36
85/80M Lucas Zando Kent U20M (U15) 18:36 U20/4
86/81M Jude Weekly Kent U20M (U15) 18:37 U20/5
87/82M Paul Kingston Stock E M45 18:37 M45/5
88/83M Michael Smith Petts W SM 18:38
89/84M Justin Warren Ravens SM 18:40
6W/90 Rachel Thomas VPHTH SW 18:43
91/85M Matthew Walker VPHTH SM 18:47
7W/92 Alex Gounelas Eton M W35 18:48 W/7, W35/2
93/86M George Fernandez Eton M U20M 18:53 U20/6
94/87M Peter St Amour Camb H M40 18:55
95/88M David Cowie Stock E M45 18:55 M45/6
96/89M Guy Reder Kent SM 18:56
97/90M Nigel Cairns Llloyds M45 18:58 M45/7
98/91M Gary Sullivan Dulw M55 18:58 M55/2
99/92M Adrian Dracup Kent SM 19:00
8W/100 Amy Leach Ravens U20W 19:01 W/8, U20W/1
101/93M Owain Crispin Eton M SM 19:02
102/94M Greg Galezia Dulw M40 19:02
103/95M Paul Crompton Kent M45 19:04 M45/8
104/96M Luke Parker Serp SM 19:06
105/97M David Salmons Lloyds M45 19:06 M45/9
106/98M Elliot Stephenson VPHTH SM 19:09
107/99M Tim Springett Petts W M50 19:10 M50/5
108/100M Sam Harvey Ravens SM 19:11
109/101M Steve Smythe Dulw M55 19:17 M55/3
9W/110 Isabel Bradley Kent SW 19:19 W/9
10W/111 Selma Benattia Dulw W35 19:22 W/10, W35/3
112/102M Rob Somerville Eton M M45 19:24 M45/10
11W/113 Naomi Dews Eton M SW 19:28
114/103M Joseph Newcombe Beck SM 19:29
115/104M Hugh Balfour Dulw M60 19:29 M60/1
116/105M Graham Maynard Camb H M50 19:30 M50/6
117/106M Andrew McLauchlan Stock E M40 19:31
12W/118 Karen Ellison Stock E SW 19:35
119/107M Mark Cross Camb H M55 19:39 M55/4
120/108M Tony Wain Serp M50 19:40 M50/7
13W/121 Lucy Elms Dulw U20W 19:41 U20W/2
122/109M Dave Daugirda Eton M M50 19:42 M50/8
14W/123 Kelly Clark VPHTH W35 19:42 W35/4
124/110M Mike Fullilove Dulw M50 19:45 M50/8
125/111M Tom Poynton Serp M40 19:48
15W/126 Sara Flanaghan Eton M W40 19:50 W40/1
16W/127 Donna Mews Beck W45 19:52 W45/1
128/112M Bernie Hutchinson Kent M60 19:52 M60/2
129/113M Lee Butler VPHTH SM 19:53
130/114M Pete Fisher Petts W M45 19:53
131/115M Jim Dowsett Dulw M40 19:54
132/116M Theo Gaymes Kent SM 19:55
133/117M Oscar Zurdo Kent U20M (U13M) 19:55 U20M/7