News: September 2022

Christopher Westcott finished his last set of races as a V40 with some strong results. In the excellent Garden City Runners 5k series, he clocked 16:53 in race 1 (10th position), 17:12 in race 2 (12th) and 16:50 in race 3 (9th). Runners needed to complete all 3 races to be eligible for a series prize (best 2 times) and Christopher won the V40-49 category.

In the Stevenage 10k, Christopher managed a 6th place finish in 36:00 and was 2nd V40-49 in the Herts County Championships.

Finally at the ever popular Standalone 10k, Christopher improved slightly from the week before, running 35:50 for 15th overall and 3rd V40-49

The English Schools Combined Events Championships at Bedford over the weekend saw two SNHAC Athletes in action. Lewis Price was competing in the Junior Boys Pentathlon on Saturday and Bobby Pitman in the Intermediate Boys Octathlon over the two days.

Lewis registered personal best performances in his first three events 12.66 80H, 1m62 HJ, 9m40 SP and followed this with 5m55 in the long jump and 2.31.02 in the 800m, for a total point score of 2369 and 11th place out of the 36 starters.

Bobby’s weekend started off with a disappointing long jump (5m19), this was followed by a fantastic discus PB of 40m98 and a javelin PB on 34m80. The last event of the day was the 400m run in gusty winds and Bobby was disappointed with a time of 55.95. A great start to Day 2 came in the 100m hurdles with a 15.06 PB. Disaster followed in the high jump with a 1m38 clearance, this was followed by a great SP PB of 10m39. A 5.22.98 1500m ended the weekend, leading to a point score of 3963 and 24th place out of 36 starters.

For those who knew him we now have the details of Don Powell's funeral.Margaret and her family invite friends and associates to the funeral and reception for Don.

The cremation service will take place on 11th October, 12 noon at North Hertfordshire Memorial Park, Holwell SG5 3RT (www.northhertsmemorial.co.uk)

Please let Jan or Margaret know by private message/text/phone etc if you will be attending, this will help to give them a better idea of numbers.

The Club’s younger athletes were in action on both days of the weekend. Two U17 and one U15 athlete represented Hertfordshire on Saturday in Oxford at the SEAA Inter County Match. U15 Tom Redfern clocked 40.36 in his 300m race while U17s Abigail Manson and Will Galliford competed in the 1500m races running 4.57.63 and 4.26.74 respectively. Bobby Pitman and Adam Bungay supported the senior team in Bedford on Saturday (see SAL results and report).

Fifty-Five U13, U15 and U17 travelled to Chelmsford on Sunday for the Top Eight EYAL Final. This is the first time since 2019 that SNHAC youngsters have been able to compete against the top/larger Clubs in the region. This proved a tough challenge and in spite of recording 37 personal bests between them, the Club finished 8th. The match was won by Havering with Chelmsford second and Shaftesbury Barnet third. There were wins from U17 Abigail Manson in the 800m – 2.20.37 (PB) and Lucy Baverstock PV – 2m40. Abigail was also second in the B 300m (PB) and ran the 1500m. Annabel Howells was second in the B 200m with a PB of 26.72. U15 Abigail Tonge was 3rd in the PV – 1m70. U13 Rachel was third in the HJ – 1m35 (PB). U15 Horacio De-Vyott won the B LJ – 5m06 (PB), Horatio was also second in the B 300m – 40.00 (PB). Lewis Price ran a PB for fourth in the 80H -12.9 and was third in the LJ. The best performance from the U17 boys came from Bobby Pitman who came second in the Discus – 36m45. Will Galliford completed a busy weekend by running the 800m (PB), 1500m and jumping a 1m60 PB in the high jump.

Bobby and Lewis are in action in the English Schools Combined Events Final at Bedford on the 17th/18th September and some of the Clubs youngsters are finishing the season at Peterborough contesting the Eastern Region and Hertfordshire Pentathlon Championships on the 25thSeptember.

The last match of the season saw the team travel to Bedford. Hovering just above the relegation zone, the team needed a strong performance to ensure League Two competition next year. The lead changed hands several times during the day with Bedford and Basildon along with Stevenage all in the running until the last few events. Showing remarkable endurance Shannon Rapacchi led the way competing in both the PV and LJ at the same time running back and forth between rounds. Shannon’s win in the PV – 3m40 with a B string win in the LJ set the tone, Martina Barber coming third in the A LJ. Everyone stepped up, volunteered to fill gaps, and kept piling up the points. Shannon competed in a further 5 events winning the A TJ in a PB of 10m01, the B HJ, and running the 100m hurdles and both relays. Aimie Taylor won the B - PV 3m10, coming second in the HJ, third in the B TJ and running both relays. Kerry Murch and Libby Taylor continued their successful year with Kerry winning A Javelin and B Hammer and Libby winning A hammer and B shot. On the track Jessica Astill won the 800m 2.16.8, finishing second in the 1500m and running both relays. Chris Feely and Rebecca Pickard won the A and B 2k steeplechase, while Andrea Westcott won the B 1500m. Vets Sandra Reed, Andrea Westcott and Chris Feely covered all the sprints gaining valuable point for the team. SNHAC were fourth in the 4x100m and second in the 4x400m where thrower Libby Taylor stepped in to run a leg of the relay so the Club could field a team.

In the men’s events Ed Laws and Jake Sutton won the 110m Hurdles, finishing 2A and 1B in the 400H. Dylan Baines had a busy afternoon competing in all four jumps, winning the the TJ in a new PB of 12m59, jumping season’s bests in both the PV – 3m40 and HJ – 1m75 and over 6m in the LJ for second in each. Jacob Kinchin Smith competed in 5 events winning the B LJ with 6m02, running 100m -11.2, 200m – 22.8 and both relays. Rhys Samuels travelled from Cardiff to run the B string sprints and the sprint relay, being rewarded in the 200m with a season’s best of 24.7. Bobby Pitman was second in the 400m 54.4. Chris Wannerton and Tyler Wannerton contested the 800 and 1500m with Tyler backing up Barry Mainstone and Paul Pickard in the throws. Also competing were u17s Adam Bungay TJ, Seth Akinyanju 4x100 relay and non scoring 100/200, along with U20 Damisi Oloniyo competing at a league match for the first time and being rewarded with PBs in the SP and HT.

The match ended SNHAC first, followed by Basildon, Bedford, and Bexley.

The Club celebrated a long season with BBQ in Shefford for the senior team, coaches and officials, without whom none of the events could happen.