News: September 2024

Christopher Westcott took part in the popular Hatfield 5k series of races organised by Garden City Runners and RacesOnline in August and September. These took place on 3 consecutive Wednesday nights, with the first race incorporating the Herts Senior Champs, the second the Herts Veterans Champs and the third race crucial for overall series prizes. In the second race, Christopher won the V50 male category with a gun time of 17:07 and after the third race, he also took home the overall V50 male 1st prize with a combined time of 34:19 (best 2 from 3 gun times).

In between the second and third races, Christopher also travelled to Battersea Park to compete in a half-marathon. He finished that in 1:18:56 (chip time), which placed him second in the V50 male category. This was nice and flat, which helped with a decent time but not ideal preparation for the upcoming Stevenage marathon.

Last weekend Paul Murray travelled north to compete in a very damp Great North Run.

SNHAC/HAWCS dreams of retaining the EYAL final won at Stevenage in 2023 disappeared in a flurry of mishaps. Athletes and teams delayed (M25 closed), heavy rain, soggy athletes, injury in warm up, gaps filled, a great team spirits, an ample supply of sweets and a timetable running late were all part of the story of the EYAL Plate final at Thurrock on Sunday.

The first bit of good news – our coach driver had picked up on the M25 closure, so our coach left Hitchin early, Stevenage on time and got all the athletes, team managers and officials to Thurrock in plenty of time for the first event. Those travelling by car were not so lucky! Stories of long delays on M25, A13 and alternative routes meant many athletes, missed their first events, others filled in and those arriving late filled gaps later in the day.

The match lead changed hands numerous times during the day and right up until the last relays no one knew who had won. When the final calculations had been made, soggy field cards read and official’s points added Thurrock won the match with 585.5 points from SNHAAC/HAWCS with 558.5, HPX were third followed by Basildon, Cambridge and Coleridge and Bedford. Stevenage won the U17 girls and U15 boy’s sections, were second in three other age groups and fifth in one.

Team managers praised all the athletes who stepped up, filled in, supported their team in every event and fought for every point.

Girl’s wins came from U13 Jasmine Styles A DT 19m53 and Jessica Radcliffe B HJ 1m20. In the U15 competition there were A and B wins in the 1500m, Sarena So 5.06.00 and Neve Sayers 5.46.00 and 75H Ellie Picton 12.17 and Edythe Oughton 12.91. Emily Rapley won the U17 A 200m 26.81 and LJ 4m82, Esme Searle the 1500m 5.06.00 an Enid Whitten the HT 35m20. B wins were recorded by Fran Hart 800m 2.39.00, Hazel Spitzer 1500m 5.10.00, Florence Fausset TJ 9m58 and Khadija Eyitayo SP 7m33. In the U13 Boys competition there were A wins for Stanley Wilkinson the 100m 13.36 and Luke Frostick 75H 15.12, B wins were recorded by Cameron Chivers in the LJ 4m2 and Elijah Ragoobar in the SP7m28. There were A and B wins in the U15 Boys 300m from Alastair Gall Gray 39.59 and Alfie Kenlin 40.68 and in HJ from Thomas Chivers 1m 60 and Monty Norwood 1m55, LJ from Noah Clark 5m62 and Thomas 5m46 and Thomas also won the B 100m 12.43. Lucas Robinson won the PV 2m80. U17 Edward Turner won the PV 1m90 and HT 38m 07 while there were B wins for Murray Heal in the 100H 22.81 and Horatio De Voytt in the TJ 11m38.

Team Managers Melissa Doran and Libby Taylor were full of praise for the 82 Club members who were in action, the athletes who got us to the final but couldn’t be at Thurrock and the 20 Officials and volunteers from the Club who ensured the team got full Officials points for the team.

Saturday saw the annual Stevenage and North Herts Athletic Club/Hertford and Ware Combined A.C Club Championships at Ridlins Stadium, Stevenage. Over 100 athletes from the two clubs, each competed in three events of their choice to decide the Champions in each age group.

The afternoon ‘kicked off’ with a presentation by Stevenage’s Mayor Jim Brown to SNHAC’s Norma Harris, who retires as Club Secretary in November. Norma has been involved at Stevenage for over 30 years and Saturday was her last event as meeting manager.

Once action on the track got underway there were many PBs, some very close finishes and great jumping and throwing.

Although not competing in the Club Champs, senior athlete Elior Harris cleared 1m90 in the high jump, which takes him to 5th on the National Veteran Ranking tables for 2024.

The U11 titles were won by Hetty Billany-Connell (212pts) and Kieran Kealey (199pts) respectively. U13 girls saw a win for Sadie May Bannister, while Stanley Wilkinson won the boy’s title. Rosie Mcleod won the U15 girls title and Alastair Gall Gray was victorious in the U15 boy’s event. Emily Rapley and Hugo McFarlane Cushing won the U17 competitions, with Aimie Taylor and Uzo Dike winning the U20 age groups. Overall Club Champions for 2024 were Libby Taylor (HT, SP and DT -226pts) and Nile Odejimi Riley (100m, LJ and TJ -271pts). Nile’s 10.99 for his 100m was a PB.

Full results are on the website.

Sunday sees the Clubs U13, U15 and U17 athletes competing at the Eastern Young Athletes League Plate final at Thurrock.