HUNTINGDONSHIRE Athletics Club opened its Southern League summer campaign at the weekend with a solid second place behind hosts Colchester & Tendring.
At the event, 100 metres sprinter 18-year-old Ryan Palmer was in action on an outside track for the first time this year and won his race in a time of 11.20 before anchoring the club’s win in the 4x100m relay with team-mates Tom Johnson, Fred Williams and Jonathan Edwards.
“With a strong head wind the time wasn’t too shabby,” said palmer. “But I should have taken my own blocks.”
Hakeem Duckworth-Porter won the 100m B race and, having run a personal best of 50.75 seconds over 400m just three days earlier, Johnson’s win in 49.80sec in Colchester raised a few eyebrows. Also, Luke Scott beat his personal best by almost eight seconds to win the 800m.
In all, it was a good day for Hunts AC, with 18 wins and three club records broken.
Club debutante Maggie Mulholland set two veterans records, in the 1500m and 3000m, while Siobahn Skinner, competing in eight events, picked up some valuable points. The third club record came from Sandra Pedley who won the pole vault.
Edwards, as usual, won his shot putt, javelin and hammer events, the hammer by an astonishing 20 metres. The 20-year-old is creeping slowly up the national rankings for the three throwing disciplines and is now in the top 15.
There were also wins for throwers Bob Ellingham and Neil Bulham and Laurel Phelan was first with a 1.40m clearance in the long jump. Sixteen-year-old Eloise Webb sprinted to victory in her 1500m race and, in the 5000m, Lee Brooks won his B race with a time of 17.23.05 which was 3min 40sec quicker than any of his rivals. Wayne Dubose did just enough for a B string pole vault win.
The next Southern League meeting is on home soil on Saturday, May 18.
Team results: 1 Colchester & Tendring 249, 2 Hunts AC 208.5, 3 Oxford 195, 4 Braintree 170.5.
Men: 100m A Ryan Palmer 11.2 (1), B Hakeem Duckworth-Porter 11.9 (1), non-scorers Fred Williams 12.4, Ben Thackray 13.5; 200m A Hakeem Duckworth-Porter 24.5 (2), B Fred Williams 25.1 (3); 400m A Tom Johnson 49.8 (1), B Luke Scott 54.5 (3), non-scorer Luke Amos 54.8; 800m A Luke Scott 2:01.0 (1), B Luke Amos 2:31.3 (4); 1500m A Alex Smith 4:36.3 (2), B John Uff 4:54.6 (2), non-scorers Lee Brooks 4:57.1, AJ Ellwood 5:22.5; 5000m A John Uff 16:54.8 (2), B Lee Brooks 17:23.5 (1), non-scorers Ian Day 18:03.6, AJ Ellwood 19:53.1; 110m Hurdles A Richard Phelan 22.8 (3); 400m Hurdles A Richard Phelan 78.7 (3); 4x100m Tom Johnson, Fred Williams, Jonathan Edwards, Ryan Palmer 46.0 (1); 4x400m Alex Smith 61.0, Luke Amos 60.9, Jared Amos 55.7, Tom Johnson 53.3 - 3:50.9 (2); Long Jump A Alex Knox-Hooke 5.15 (3), B Richard Phelan 4.63 (3), non-scorer Alex Young 4.20; High Jump A Hakeem Duckworth-Porter 1.50 (2=), B Ben Thackray 1.20 (3); Triple Jump A Jared Amos 11.67 (1), B Richard Phelan 9.86 (3); Pole Vault A Richard Phelan 2.40 (2), B Wayne DuBose 2.20 (1); Shot Putt A Jonathan Edwards 14.30 (1), B Bob Ellingham 8.29 (1), non-scorer Alex Young 5.91; Discus A Jonathan Edwards 45.06 (1), B Bob Ellingham 28.25 (1), non-scorer Alex Young 14.72; Javelin A Jonathan Edwards 33.49 (2), B Ryan Palmer 24.14 (2), non-scorer Alex Young 13.96; Hammer A Jonathan Edwards 57.15 (1), B Neil Bulman 42.78 (1), non-scorer Bob Ellingham 33.94.
Women: 200m A Siobhan Skinner 31.2 (3), B Sandra Pedley 36.9 (3); 400m Siobhan Skinner 69.0 (3); 800m A Eloise Webb 2:37.9 (2), B Siobhan Skinner 2:39.6 (1); 1500m A Eloise Webb 5:52.2 (1), B Maggie Mulholland 5:59.4 (1) Club Vets Record; 3000m A Maggie Mulholland 12:14.0 (2) Club Vets Record; 4x100m Maggie Mulholland, Laurel Phelan, Sandra Pedley, Siobhan Skinner 61.6 (4); 4x400m Laurel Phelan 68.7, Maggie Mulholland 77.3, Sandra Pedley 84.0, Siobhan Skinner 70.7 - 5:00.7 (3); Long Jump A Eloise Webb 2.67 (4); High Jump A Laurel Phelan 1.40 (1), B Sandra Pedley 1.10 (3); Pole Vault A Sandra Pedley (Equal Vets Record) 1.85; Shot Putt A Rebecca Pedley 5.16 (4), B Siobhan Skinner 3.61 (4); Discus A Rebecca Pedley 13.10 (3), B Siobhan Skinner 12.76 (3); Javelin A Rebecca Pedley 13.44 (4), B Siobhan Skinner 8.54 (3); Hammer A Maggie Mulholland 14.16 (4), B Rebecca Pedley 12.62 (4).
Team Results: 1 Colchester & Tendring 249, 2 Hunts AC 208.5, 3 Oxford 195, 4 Braintree 170.5.
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