Page 19 - Summer2016Gazette

Athletics Report 19
2017 Youth Development League…
Under 17s

With a super motivated and Despite our league success, the
The 2017 season saw the cul- talented squad, competition for National Final in Birmingham
mination of a resurgence of the places was becoming an issue would be a sterner challenge.
junior men’s squad which had yet we used the Shaftesbury had a habit of pull-
begun the previous season. Two full depth and breadth of the ing athletes out of nowhere and
years before at the National squad. Ominously though indeed the previous September
Final in September 2015, the SBH, were also looking very they had managed to induce
B&B lads, only managed to strong. Our North London several junior internationals
field 23 athletes against 68 nemesis had evidently been to switch clubs to them just
places on the team sheet and into the “transfer market” days before the final. On the
came last of the 8 teams present. during the winter as at the big day no less than five of our
The following winter the rebuild first fixture at Norwich our potential A-string winning
began. The goals were simple: lads found themselves lining athletes were out due to injury.
Nevertheless the remaining
Win the YDL Southern Pre- up against athletes from as
mier League, get to and win the far apart as Scotland and the lads were really fired up.
The day went brilliantly with
National Final and emulate our Channel islands, sporting the athlete after athlete giving their
girls by being the highest scoring famous black and white stripes. absolute best. The day was
boys squad to go on and repre- summed up by the perfor-
sent GB in Europe. Shaftesbury Nevertheless the season mance of young Ben Gardiner
Barnet Harriers were a massive and squad captained by Will who, like several other athletes,
obstacle in our path. Pope started well with a win had travelled with the squad as
in Norwich where James
Whiteaker broke the club and a non-competing reserve. But
The 2016 YDL league fixtures league Javelin record. As in on the morning of the event
had witnessed a huge step 2016, together with the girls we when a first choice athlete had
forward by the B&B lads – a subsequently went on to win to withdraw, Ben was asked to
talented squad of U17s came all four of our league fixtures. cover the steeplechase. Whilst
through. The team captained We also broke the league points not everyone’s favourite event,
by Shamar Thomas-Campbell record in our home fixture at Ben was absolutely delighted
made it all the way to the final to be asked to tackle one of the
- helping the club to lift the Norman Park and encourag- most gruelling races of the day.
national title for the first time ingly the B&B combined squad Not only that but he responded
in many years. But despite the were no longer overly reliant by running a 30 second PB
overall final win, in the men’s on our talented girls, the boys to take a memorable B string
competition we were taught a were becoming just as success- win and add important points
harsh lesson by Shaftesbury as ful outscoring the best teams which might have otherwise
to what it would take to get to teams in Southern England. gone begging.
Europe. Throughout the season there The end came, the scores
However another fantastic crop were too many outstanding were being read out in reverse
of U17s came through from the performances to mention. But order, we knew it would be
lower age group ranks whilst one that particularly stands out close… in third place with 418
many of the previous season’s was at the Olympic Stadium points Team Edinburgh. In
squad were maturing into fine in July when the 4x1 squad of second place with 450 points…
junior athletes. On top of this Camron, Matt Knight, Femi Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers…
we were picking up lots of Sofolarin and Rhys Francis set The rest, as they say, is history.
talented new members such as one of the fastest U20 times in Look out Europe, here come
English Schools’ 100m winner the country and the fastest time the boys of Blackheath &
Camron Lyttle - confirming by an U20 B&B squad since Bromley!
the adage that success breeds 2012 when Adam Gemili was
success. on anchor. Rod Harrington