Founded in 1869

Southern A L 2019

Last updated 22 April 2019

 

The Southern Athletics League Div 1 (M&F - Senior, U20 & U17)
Results for 2019

 

	All you need to know is at the SAL website
	17 August 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Battersea Park
	13 July 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Norman Park
	15 June 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Harrow
	19 May 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Chelmsford
	13 April 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Medway Park 14-04-19

 

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13 April 2019 - Southern Athletics League - Medway Park

 

As we go to press following the first SAL of the year at a cold and windy Medway Park, we are still not 100% sure what the result of the match was. Based on the two versions of results we have had from M&M we were first but they are counting them up again so who knows. This, however, is merely one element of the day . . .

 

The first match of the season always feel like a challenge, particularly with an Easter as late as it is this year. Several groups of athletes who would normally be competing were away warm weather training (a wise move bearing in mind the iceburgs seen floating in the water jump at the track) and we were hit with a spate of late withdrawals suggesting we would struggle to get anything form the match.

A desperate text to a man who will now for ever be know to me as Tim “is there anything else I can do” Ayres and an early morning email from Shaunagh saying “I’m free now if you need me” changed the mood from one of fear to hopeful anticipation.

We turned up at the track to find that neither Crawley nor Southampton had travelled in great numbers. This, coupled with a mind set of athletes saying “what else can we do“ resulted in a strong start to the match with many outstanding performances.

All of the athletes who were competed were outstanding but three of you really stood out:

• Shaunagh – thank you so much for coming and being part of the team. The positive impact you had on some of the younger athletes was immense!

• Holly (P) – you are the ultimate team player and an immense asset to the team. Your preparedness to offer to do more for the team typifies the phrase “team player”

• Last but not least is “Seven Events Tim” who put his marathon training to one side for the day to come along and compete in 7 events. A great contribution to the team so thank you.

The whole team strained every sinew over the course of the day which was completed with a clean sweep in the relays with our second string men’s 4 x 400 team finishing closely behind the first team and ahead of all of the other clubs present.

This did not surpass the efforts of our women’s team comprising Dina, Shannon, Holly and Krystal who were lining up for the final women’s event of the afternoon in front of what was probably the largest crowd ever for a SAL event. The gun went and Dina flew out of the blocks to run a stunning first leg handing over to Shannon. By this stage we were more than 100m ahead of our nearest competitors with Holly and Krystal bring the baton home. As Krystal can off the final bend it was clear that the club record would fall but by how much? Krystal worked hard down the final straight to finish in an outstanding time of 3:40.54 which was another league and club record which we were later informed was 11th on the UK all-time list. Well done team

I will update once the final results are published but, once again, well done all – see you at the next match on May 19 at Chelmsford

 

Nick Swatton

 

Photos from Jay Galley