Sunday Summary 7 June 2009

Harriers miss out on debut BAL win/success in the park

7 June 2009

British Athletics League League, Abingdon

Our Senior Men came close to making a spectacular winning debut amongst the elite of the British Athletics League at a packed Abingdon stadium on Saturday. However fate played a hand as a series of injuries and errors were to deprive them of an otherwise certain victory.

The day began in the field with veterans Tony Tipping (39.47) and Chris Melluish (34.95) both placing 5th in the hammer, whilst Kevin Kwarteng (6.17) and Prince Ezenwa (6.15) came 6th and 4th in their respective long jump contests.

This was then followed on the track by the 400 metres hurdles where the team was to suffer the first setback. Following Francois Potgieter’s excellent win in 54.49 seconds, club captain Andy Knight only got as far as the first hurdle as he incurred a groin strain in the B race. He looked a disconsolate figure as he was forced to limp from the track.

Then a ‘self inflicted’ blow was to strike in the very next event when decathlete Francois delayed his entry into the high jump until the bar had reached 1.80 but then failed to clear the height! Not only did this mean that he was eliminated, but under the rules Kevin Kwarteng became the A string meaning that the only points gained here were for a single 8th place!

But on the track, we did finally start to get back to winning ways as Joe Durrant won the 800 in 1.52.28, with Lee Coogan also coming second in the B string with 1.57.60. The team then got a further boost as Andy Kruszewski (41.11) and Tony Tipping (36.86) produced a splendid winning double in the discus. Now we were starting to ‘find our feet’ at this level.

In the course of the next few events we consolidated our match position of third as Stefan Mitchell placed third (11.15) and Arthur Tanoh fourth (11.58) over 100 metres whilst Andy Sheridan was fourth (9.51.15) and Liam Corcoran fifth (12.27.58)

in a high quality steeplechase race. Potgieter (15.03) unusually had to settle for second in the 110H, whilst Kevin Kwarteng ‘jumped’ the barriers to gain a B string sixth. Kevin then re-joined Prince for the triple jump where Ezenwa was second with 14.40 and Kwarteng fourth with12.05.

So it was left to the ebullient young Craig Lacy to again return the team to winning ways with a fine 57.88 Grade 2 throw in the javelin where Tony Tipping played the support role with a 35.01 fifth place. Tipping was then due to join Potgieter for the pole vault, but during the earlier warm up, it had been discovered that the wrong stands had been delivered leaving officials little choice but to cancel the event on safety grounds.

Yet another setback for the team then came as Joe Durrant was warming up for the 400 metres and incurred a calf strain, quite literally a minute or so before ‘the off’. Unable under the rules to replace him at that late stage, it was all Joe could do to jog around in last place. With Knight already an earlier casualty it was left to Ezenwa to secure a sixth place B with 53.31.

The 1500 metres was the next track event and here Dean Lacy was to chalk up yet another victory in 3.58.83 though Sam Murphy (4.12.33) was unable to reproduce his recent good form coming only sixth in the B string. Stefan Mitchell then also won the 200 metres in 22.89 whilst Tanoh’s 23.55 would only secure a seventh place in this league.

Less than an hour after the 1500, Lacy returned to the track in the 5000 metres and was still able to run 15.12.63 for a fine fourth place, whilst partner Mark Penny was fifth in his race in 16.45.93. Back out on the field Kruszewski (11.88) came fifth in the shot putt with Tipping winning the support event in 11.54.

Going in to the relays, the team were joint leaders with Crawley, though there was little between these two and third place Derby. But here a second costly mistake was to occur in the 4 x 100 metres.

Tanoh, Mitchell and Potgieter had put the team into a winning position as Francois came into the last change over. Without a fourth experienced sprinter, triple jumper Ezenwa had been selected to fill the void, but he set off early, with the result that the baton changed hands outside the box. Disqualification was inevitable!

By now fatigue and injury were taking their toll on the team despite the sterling efforts of Dr. Emma Daniells throughout the afternoon to keep everybody healthy.

The team then for the 4 x 400 relay had Potgieter as the only survivor from the squad that had secured the Play-Off Championship at the same venue, just eight months ago. He was joined by Lee Coogan and exhausted distance runners Lacy and Sheridan but still they managed to secure a creditable fifth place!

In the end it was a bittersweet moment when the scores were finally announced and we had finished in third place, just thirteen points behind eventual winners Crawley. There was little doubt that this did represent a huge achievement for a side that must surely be the fastest climbing team in the country over the last three years?

But what we also knew was that we could, and should, have won this contest! The next match at Bournemouth in a month’s time represents the ideal opportunity to put this right!!

Final Result: Crawley 308, Derby 295, Cambridge Harriers 290, Southampton 271, Southend 268, Medway 253, Bournemouth 245, Bedford 222.

Assembly League, Victoria Park

A beautiful evening in east London greeted eight Cambridge Harriers who were amongst a good field of 300 runners in the fourth Assembly League race of the season at Victoria Park.

Of the 8, Rob Jackaman stepped up from middle distance to finish high up the fiel completing the 3.5 mile flat course in over 19 minutes.

Kevin White followed up, taking 2 and a half minutes off his best time for this course, finishing in 20:26.

Mark Cross tops the M50 category for the series after finishing in 20:39.

Still running strongly, Mick Ellsmore was next to finish in 20:24 and was followed by Paul Cullern, who was happy with his run, in 22:23.

John Corcoran was next through the line in 25:06, followed by Les Wright in 26:52 and then Peter Ould in 27:45.

The next race is at the O2 dome, check out the details here. It would be great to see more Cambridge Harriers at this race, as representation has dwindled this year. These are good, quick races which can compliment training at just under 5km.

(L-R) Kevin White, Rob Jackaman, Mark Penny - Men's Team winners at Eltham Park 5 mile.

Kent Young Athletes League, Canterbury

The youngsters have been working hard to try and avoid relegation this season.

We'll have a report of the latest fixture from Canterbury as soon as the results are in, late on Sunday night.

Southern Men’s League, Deangate

Final results will be available shortly follwed by words from manager Adam Brett.

Harvel 5 Road

Three Cambridge Harriers took part in the Harvel Hash House Harriers annual 5 mile race.

Mark Cross was the first Harrier to finish, gaining 31st position with a good time of 31:11. His efforts gained him 11th M40 placing.

Ian Marshall was next to finish in a tim of 33:48 to be the 3rd M60 to finish.

Pat Austin completed the trio with a time of 25:13.

Eltham Park 5 mile

Several Cambridge Harriers turned out again this year for the ever friendly race that is the Eltham Park 5 mile.

Cambridge Harriers men regularly have success at this event and 2009 proved to be no different.

The first Cambrdge Harrier to finish in the winning -three-to -score team was Rob Jackaman who came 4th in just under 28 minutes 57 seconds. He was followed in 5th place by the ever strong Mark Penny just on his heels two seconds later.Completing the trio, Kevin White compled the team finishing in 14th position in 31:14, securing his second PB in the week.

The trio were more than happy to recieve there prize of two bottles of wine each.

Just two weeks after the tough Comrades Ultra Marathon, Gerrard McCann came home in 16th position in 31:48 and was followed by Alex Hall in 33:34.

Rory McCann followed in his fathers footsteps to be the next Harrier home in 36:01, followed by Steve Brown, finishing well after a few weeks off from running in 36:37.

Mariane Hine was the first Cambridge lady home in 37:23 followed by Marice Ford in 48:40

Prior to the race, New Eltham Joggers introduced a new 1 open mile race to the day where oung Cambridgeite, James Aves-White enjoyed a good run, gaining third spot in a time of 5 minutes 45 seconds.