Vets League Meeting at Birchfield, 8^th June2005

I shall start with the alternative headlines:

Women Smash Relay Record or Women Continue Winning Streak.

The relays are usually the highlight of any meeting and it was certainly the case with this one. In the 4 X 100 Wendy got the lead, Judy increased it, Julie made it enormous and Ann finished almost before the second team had taken the baton for the last leg. The time was 55.6, which was 3.2 seconds faster than the previous club record and only 0.4 outside the league record set by an exceptionally good Sutton team in 1996.

This sealed a team victory of two points in the match. We had competitors in every event except the W45 walk. Karen ran in the 3000m minutes after a personal best in the walk. Pam and Hilary were also running seven and a half laps for the first time. Such team spirit and enthusiasm deserves success. Wendy, Judy and Ann took maximum points in the 200m, as did Julie and Hilary in the long jump. Ann was second in the B 800m, and Carol achieved the same in the W45 javelin. Karen was third in the walk and the B 3000m, a placing matched by Hilary in her 800m and 3000m .In the other events vital points were won by Carol in the discus and shot, Karen in the shot, Wendy in the 800m, and Pam in the 3000m. Very well done to you all.

We are two points clear at the top of the league (subject to final scrutiny). The next meeting at Worcester will be a damage limitation exercise for the women’s team because neither Carol nor Hilary is available. Please let me have any ideas you may have to fill the W50 400m, 1500m and shot and the W45 long jump.

The result of the men’s match was equally pleasing. We finished third in the first meeting with two of the quartet of sprinters who have spearheaded the team for the last four years. This time we started without Danny, Darrell, Jag or Warren yet finished joint second (subject to final scrutiny). How did we do it? We didn’t win a single event, but picked up good points in most. Wendell led with second in the 200 and 800 and 3^rd in the long jump, John Potts was second in the M60 800m and these two joined Allan Meddings and Rob Quinn to finish a surprise second in the 4 X 100m relay despite an average age approaching sixty.

The latter two finished fourth in the M60 long jump and 200m A respectively. John Surman competed for the first time and was third in the discus and fourth in the shot. John Fenton was third in the 2km walk and Keith was fourth in the M50 3000m. Mike Morley ran well in his first ever track race in a promising time. Brian ran faster than last year in his 3000 and Robin picked up points in the B 800m and M50 javelin. The points were well spread amongst the clubs and 91 points was enough for joint second. Congratulations on a very good team effort.

The third meeting is at Worcester on Thursday 14^th July. I hope that the entire squad is injury free by then so that I have a headache deciding whom I should leave out, not how I can fill the team sheet.

Robin Davies         

16^th June 2005