National Junior Athletics League; Portsmouth April 26^th

This match was open to athletes in the Under 20 and Under 17age group. The number of competitors available were low due to a clash of fixtures with the Alder Valley Boy’s League match taking place on the same day. The bright performances matched the weather Joe Flitcoft opened the day with a 30m plus Hammer throw to gain second place in the competition. Then quickly went to the 400m H for 6th place in 66.6sec. Kirsty Piper followed Joe in the Hammer making 3rd place in the Women’s event with a throw of 23.31m just short of her seasons best.

Tom McKellar completed a busy week especially as he ran in Southampton on Wednesday evening with a 2.0.03sec for the A with Andover’s Chris Adams gaining 2^nd in the B with 2.03.00sec.

The only individual winner from the Basingstoke/Andover (a combined team) was young Adam Harwood from Andover who stormed his way to win the 200m in 22.9. Adam also raced his way to a second place in the 4x400 relay at the end of the day with a 49.3 relay leg.

Jon Wallace sprinted to a pb in the 100m with 11.6sec for 3^rd later he equalled his 200m pb with a time of 23.9sec. Alice Gaskin ran a good technical race in the women’s 100m

Debutante Tom Sycklemoore was a good 3^rd in the 400m A with 52.1sec and Liam McGarrigle took 2^nd in the b race with 52.9sec. Tom Watson in his first outing over 3000m came 3^rd in10.32sec in the A race.

Sophie Dundovic ran 2.35.9sec for 4th place in the 8oom. Newcomer Nikki Ferris a second claim member and thus unable to score in the competition ran a creditable 400m and Putt the Shot. Jake Rose shows great promise in the High Hurdles with a 5^th place in a highly competitive race with a time of 17.9 in his first outing in this technical event.. Jon Bradford had a tussle in the 1500m with Tom Bennett from Andover to take 4^th place Tom just had the edge with a pb for him4.20.4 .Jon’s time 4.21.9.

Stephen Reid and Chris Adams also had a similar tussle for 6^th and 7th places with Chris Adams just nipping in front with 4.27.4 and Stephen clocking 4.29.1

The combined team fielded a 4x 100m relay team who safely returned the baton home and of course the customary 4x400m completed the track programme with a very exciting race Basingstoke narrowly edged out of first place by Team Southampton.

Thanks to the officials Mr Flitcroft, Gill Piper who helped in the Hammer judging, Martin Jones and John Tobin who tracked judged, without that help we could not compete in the match.