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Bad luck on the day offset
a stronger team and some excellent performances to nip our
press for promotion in the bud. Firstly, blustery winds resulted in no points for
our pole-vaulters and then a slight injury after the long jump to
Louis Moore meant that youngster Richard Porter was called into the
fray at late notice for the 100m. Unfortunately Richard pulled a
hamstring at the start - again no points - and those 2 events were the
difference between a 3rd and 6th team position at the end of the day.
Having said that, the other teams also pulled out all the stops to
keep on their own promotion pushes. This league is very tight! Who
would have expected Kent, winners at Cardiff, to finish 7th this time
out, or for Edinburgh to make such a massive effort to get away from
the relegation zone and push us back another place!
The excellent performances came via 6 wins - David Brackstone kept up
his unbeaten record in the league this season to win both the A 100m
and the A 200m. The 100m resulted in the remarkable time of 10.66 -
this time the wind helped, not hindered, but this is still outstanding
speed for a 400m hurdler. The 200m saw David increase his domination
to win by more than half a second - a street ahead at this level.
Decathletes Roger Skedd and Robin Smith won the 110m hurdles A and B
to further indicate their recent improvement. Roger also picked up 3rd
and a personal best in the A discus. Dave Mountford continued his
recent improvement in form with a first win in the league this season
in the A Triple Jump. Our other winner was junior Gregg Nixon in the
discus B - an excellent performance in really blustery conditions.
Other 2nd places came the from fast improving Tom Gayle in the A 800m,
Sam Bishop in the B long jump and a resurgent Steve Bazell in the B
steeplechase. Sam also got 3rd in the A high jump. Louis Moore's
excellent 7.15m for 3rd in the A long jump was surrounded by a number
of even longer marginal no-jumps, again indicating the problems with
the wind, but re-emphasising Louis's massive potential in this event
if he can stay injury free. Robin Smith contributed heavily to the
points total with 3rd in the B Javelin.
Everyone else tried as hard as possible but it just wasn't our day. We
need to make sure that we win the last fixture at home on the 31st
July to show who is really the best team in this division. On the way
home Rob Rhodes calculated a rather unlikely possible result in the
last fixture which could get promotion - let's hope that luck is on
our side next time.
John Danahay
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