ASHFORD AC’s Senior Ladies travelled to Bromley last Saturday to contest the final match of the Southern Womens Track & Field League Senior only Division 1, reports Derek Laws.
Following promotion in 2009 the target for the season was to consolidate, aiming to finish mid table.
The season had got off to a flying start with the team after the penultimate match laying 4th just five points behind Portsmouth in 3rd. A good result at Bromley could have seen the team climb to take the 3rd spot.
Unfortunately this was not to be. After one of the most exciting tussles of the season between three of the four clubs (Portsmouth being one of them) the team lost out to 3rd on the day just 6 match points separating the three clubs.
This resulted in Ashford dropping to 5th in the League table. However a remarkable achievement, well above mid table, the original pre seasons aim.
Without the team being able to field a single dedicated thrower coupled with a couple of holiday commitments it was always going to be a battle. A full team would have without doubt triumphed.
Distance runners Helen Wheeler and Lesley Hall, who also doubles as the team’s masseur, once again provided excitement in the 3000m both pulling in and overcoming main rivals Portsmouth. Helen was 2nd A string in 11.02.7 with Lesley winning B string.
Amanda Jukes returning after a lay off ran a solid 1500m for 3rd in 5.32.9 with Kate Funnell, also returning after recently being hospitalised for an operation gained 2nd B string.
Earlier she had joined Amelia Jones in the 800m where Amelia clocked 2:33.3 for A string 3rd and Kate with another B string 2nd.
Rachel Hanagan was in winning form once again with three top spots in 400m in 59.8secs, 100m Hurdles B and another impressive Triple Jump win in 11.05m. Her sister Laura had joined her winning B string with an excellent 10.11m.
The sprints were contested by Kim Smith and Caitlin Dock, gaining more valuable points against strong competition. Caitlin had earlier entered her first ever SWL pole vault competition and was rewarded with first placed B string in a personal best performance of 2.40m and looking forward to a bright future in this event.
Emmeline Rendell was 3rd A string with 2.60m before winning the B string 400m Hurdles which she had to break away from the pole vault for. Laura Hanagan gained 2nd in the A string running a very mature race.
The sprint hurdles saw the return of Caroline Hately notching up a fine 2nd A string in 16.3secs. She then claimed a personal best in the javelin B string with 21.10m whilst newcomer Olivia Price showed she has a future in the event throwing the spear out to 28.79m.
Jumpers Deborah Martin and Katie Hamilton teamed up for both the Long and High Jumps. Unfortunately both events took part at the same time so they had to run back and forth between the events. They were handsomely rewarded however both claiming firsts in high jump and a 3rd and 2nd in the long jump.
Deborah has had an excellent first full season and aims to try even more events next year.
Posts Tagged ‘SWL’
Depleted squad just edged out
Promotion for women
ASHFORD AC senior women celebrated their most successful season in years at the weekend emerging unbeaten in all five Southern Woman’s League Division 2 matches.
Their tied first place with division leaders Epsom & Ewell at Kingston secured promotion into Division 1 for 2010.
There were just 10 match points separating the top three promoted clubs after the five fixtures, the other being Crawley.
The seniors have been in decline over recent years but this rejuvenated young team have tasted success and want more. The goal is now re-entry to the National League at the end of 2010, a target the girls are more than capable of.
Fielding the team’s strongest throws squad of the season in Sarah Snare, Hannah Hogben, Amber Regardsoe and Lucy Holmes, was exactly what was required as the opposition was the most formidable seen this year.
The Hanagan sisters Rachel and Laura are contesting the County multi events championships later this month and used the match to practise for different events for which they are known. They then teamed up for their favourite event, the triple jump and turned a magnificent brace of second places even though Laura had earlier suffered a back strain.
The sprint duo of Eleanor Campbell and Hannah Hogben (junior) continued to shine in the 100m and 200m securing three wins and a second between them in A and B strings.
Sam Beckett, holidaying abroad just 36 hours previously, ran a storming 400m B hurdles before teaming up with Kim Smith for more success in the 400m. Kim won the B string with an impressive run.
Janine Brown interrupted her marathon training to help the club’s promotion battle. Her input played a valuable part as she won the 3000m before taking on the 1500m with Isobel Dickinson who had previously run a fine 800m for more match points.
Kara Gibbs enjoyed an exciting three way tustle in the pole vault against Woking and Worthing athletes before finally clinching top honours equalling her personal best with a vault of 3m.
The climax to the day came in the relays where Ashford clinched two tremendous victories to tie top place with the league leaders.
The 4×100m team stormed straight into the lead and built on their advantage with every changeover culminating in a convincing win in 52.4 seconds.
The pressure was then on the 4×400m squad and they did not disappoint bringing home the victory that recalled the great success of the Ashford women in years gone by.
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