Page 12 - Summer2014Gazette

10
Back on the Road to Europe
Our Junior Women on the YDL Trail
Another new season, but
no significant changes to
the League format, apart
from switching the first two
matches to Saturdays. We
start the season as National
Champions once again, so
we have two goals: retain
our title and perform well in
Istanbul. But first we have
to make sure we make the
National Finals. September
seems a long way away, but
the journey starts here…
Stevenage 18th April
It’s an early start: mid-April
and a distance to travel, but at and Naomi Kingston doing
least the weather’s kind (and
much better than it will turn
out at our July home match!).
We’re missing a number of
girls who haven’t yet started
their competitive season and
others who haven’t been able
to cope with the change to a
Saturday match. But we also
have some new recruits and,
with everyone helping out –
especially the middle distance
girls – and the team manager
bringing his juggling skills
out of hibernation, all the
events are covered, apart from on debut, in the A shot) and,
the vault. Though missing
the Twins, we nonetheless
achieve a clean sweep in
the 100s with Charmont
Webster-Tape, on her debut
for the Club, moving up an
age group to win the U20
A and Viv Olatunji, to be
plagued by injury for most of
the season, the U20 B, while
Parris Johnson and Magda
Cienciala take care of the U17 including our new javelin
events. Even more pleasing,
we repeat the clean sweep in
the 1500, with Genni Allen,
Sonia Woolhouse, Jess Keene
the honours, and in the triple As the boys struggle to field
jump, courtesy of Kerri
Davidson, Annie Davies
and Toyin Orelaja. Although
we can’t quite mirror this
in any other events, we do
produce the double of A and
B string wins in the U20
3000m (Yasmin Austridge
and Chloe Haffenden), 400H
(Leah Everson and Annie)
and long jump (Holly Mills –
another debutant moving up
an age group and recording
a phenomenal 6.17m for a
new League Record – and
Toyin) and in the U17 200
(Parris and Olivia Richer),
80H (Isabella Hilditch and
Holly) and 1500s/c (Naomi
and Yasmin). And the role of
honour continues with further
U20 individual wins for
Viv (B 200), Annie (100H),
Carys Marsden (B discus)
and Divine Oladipo (another
in the U17, Shannon Riskey
(B 800), Jo Clowes (B 3000),
Isabella (A 300H) and Anna
Barnett (discus). The day is
rounded off with wins in two
of the relays: U20 4 x 100
( Jamiyla, Charmont, Isabella
and Viv) and U17 4 x 300
(Megan Beaman-Browne,
Holly, Annie and Isabella).
But everyone contributes,
thrower from Guernsey, Zoe
Fitch, who comes 3rd, and we
push Windsor in the overall
match, finishing only 5 points
behind them in 2nd place.
athletes in a number of events,
it’s probably safe to say we win
the women’s match.
Lee Valley 16th May
Exam revision and the
Loughborough International
have depleted the team. The
holes in the Swiss cheese
that passes for a team sheet
in mid-week have almost all
been filled by the time we
reach Lee Valley: this time
we’re only a U20 steeplechaser