Page 19 - Summer2014Gazette

Athletics Report 17

her favoured spear all the way had already raced no fewer than of a problem except, once
from Guernsey, it wasn’t held 5,900m during the afternoon again, for the poles. If you’ve
to be compliant and she had to – and they were just pipped for never carried pv poles through
use one of the pool implements. 5th on the line, with the Czech an airport (through passport
Undaunted, a solid series, just quartet winning impressively. control, all the way to the
below her best for the season, There ensued a good ten original, and then the revised,
saw her finish 6th. minutes of uncertainty during boarding gate and then on a
which basic arithmetic skills bus out to the ‘plane – were
Bring on the relay teams were stress-tested as attempts they going to be put in the
to keep 3rd place were made to reconcile and aisle?), get it on your bucket
With just the relays left to project forward from the list, as it’s quite an experience!
be contested, things were interim points scores that had Definitely better than
becoming, as they say, been published. Resigned to searching for a lost passport, as
‘interesting’! While it would having finished 4th, it was thus happened on our last trip!
have taken a major disaster a great feeling to discover we’d
on their part for us to have actually hung on to finish in The verdict
overhauled the Turks, and the medals by ½ a point! Cue This was a truly impressive
it was unlikely we’d catch much celebration, presentations result from a very young team:
the Danes – where did they and photo-taking. only two of the girls will be too
come from (apart from Much of the early evening old to take part next year and
Denmark!)? – we were lying seemed to be spent in the we had a number of girls who
3rd, a handful of points ahead stadium car park waiting for were good enough but had to
of the Czechs. Even without transport back to the hotel. be left at home as they were
the Twins (competition rules Once back, the President and too young to compete this year.
limit everyone to three events, Team Manager were sent out Twelve months is a long time
so Cheriece had to sit this one to reconnoitre possible venues in athletics, but we embark
out), we knew we had a good for the evening’s entertainment, on next year’s road to Europe
sprint relay squad (thanks, as but they failed to find any. It from a very good place!
ever, to John Blackie) and, was thus a case of making our It only remains to thank all
with a demonstration of own within the hotel. For some, those who helped make the trip
leg speed and workmanlike this involved a reflection, with such a success: the management
changes, their baton was duly the aid of more beer but fewer team and supporters; coaches
delivered across the line by crisps, on the day’s performance (those present and those left
Viv (following sterling work and how we might do even at home); all those who helped
from Parris, Molly and Magda) better next year! For others, fund the trip and, of course,
in first place. Not giving up well that’s another story! the girls themselves (including
without a fight, AK Olymp those who didn’t travel but
Brno followed us home in The joys of travelling home made sure we qualified last
2nd, but we’d gained another Sunday 19th year!).
point. Our 4 x 400m team There was little time for
(Niamh, Leah, Cheriece and anything on Sunday morning Tim Soutar
Jess) comprised some very tired other than breakfast and
athletes – between them, they packing. The journey to
Istanbul’s other main airport
was, thankfully, much shorter,
but Ataturk International was
much busier. We nevertheless
checked in without too much