Page 15 - Summer2016Gazette

Athletics Report 15
Athletics Report
YDL FINAL 2017
Our Junior Women Lead the Way Again

We arrive back in Birming- miserable! So we need to get off and Kelsi Cornish is another
ham – its previous year’s sink to a good start to lift the spirits. winner in the U17B string. It’s
hole problems now apparently Javelin hasn’t traditionally been then another U20 double, this
resolved - for this year’s Final one of our stronger events, but time in the 100, from Immanu-
following a season in which today the girls punch history on ela Aliu and Modupe Shokunbi.
our dominance in the Southern the nose and, making light of A late illness withdrawal affects
Premiership has been unprec- the weather and the sub-stan- the U17 event, but Funminiyi
edented: every match won by a dard outside throwing area, steps in at short notice and just
significant margin (an astonish- Bekah Walton, Eloise Locke misses out on another medal.
ing 150 points at Norman Park), and Daisy Dowling come away
such that we’d already qualified with two golds and a silver Getting well into stride
for the Final before the last between them. (Yes, they will Meanwhile, over in the pole
of the four matches. But the get medals: despite the YDL vault, our girls are coping better
relevant data represents only the Management decision not to than most with the conditions:
combined men’s and women’s provide any, as an ill-judged Sophie Dowson (experiencing
scores. While we can, therefore, cost-saving measure, the clubs the meteorological challenges
approach the day with a degree have come together to fund and she will, sadly, also have to face
of confidence that we’re in supply replacements themselves. in Brno) takes the U20A, with
good shape to retain our overall And thanks should be recorded Shaye Emmett completing the
National title, the gender specif- here to Dave Cordell and his U20 double, and Ellie Barrett
ic competitions to qualify for support team for ensuring all sets a pb to take silver in the
Europe are much closer than were delivered appropriately.) U17. The triple jumpers don’t let
one might otherwise expect: Next up, it’s the long jump. us down either: Annie Davies,
the men know they can’t take Although this sees a rare defeat still battling with the foot injury
anything for granted in the case for Commonwealth Youths she’s had all season, finishes
of SBH and, closer inspection Games champion, Holly 2nd in the U20A, Nicole Farm-
of the season’s results shows Mills, whose calf, after a long er wins the U20B and Karina
that, as Windsor’s U17 men summer, doesn’t take well to the Harris takes silver in the U17.
have been so weak and despite conditions, great jumping from In the U20 400, it’s the same
the vast points differences, their Jamiyla Robinson-Pascal and U20 result: Megan Walsh with
women had actually been on a Funminiyi Olajide produces a silver and Belinda Clark win-
par with us in the last couple similar medal haul as achieved ning the B. Natasha Bennett,
of matches. We have a fight on in the javelin. who has also had injury issues,
our hands. Just as well, then, just misses out on a medal in
that we have an almost full Back on track in the track the 300. The day is passing
strength team, with only one or events quickly, but we’re now well into
two last minute absences. But The first track events, the long our stride and the points are
it’s the absence of our long-term hurdles, don’t go so well, but racking up. To demonstrate
timekeeper and supporter, Kate Purser, with a pb (on a day that nothing is ever predictable,
Hanna Cordell, that affects us when they’re as rare as hen’s we come a little unstuck in the
the most. teeth), grabs a very good 2nd hammer, with a couple of below
in the U20 B string. However, par performances in the U20s,
Punching history on the nose we’re soon back on track with though Yinka Shokunbi sets a
with javelins the 1500: Katy-Ann McDonald pb, leaving her just outside the
And, it’s a miserable, grey day at is an impressive winner of the medals in the U17 event.
the Alexander Stadium, which, U20A, matched by Niamh Brid-
as we know of yore, despite its son-Hubbard in the B, Sophie Keeping up the pace
facilities, can do a very good Hoare takes bronze in the U17A Moving on, the sprint hurdles