Midland League: match 2 report

Midland Athletic League Division 1 – 2019 Match 2 Report for Combined Bristol & West/Yate & District team – Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, 16th of June

Best turnout ever despite highest ever drop–out rate keeps us top of the League.

Despite losing about a quarter of the planned team over the preceding week and on the day, we pulled on our reserves and shuffled like we had never shuffled before to end up with only one spot of the 76 unfilled, beating our previous best of two gaps which was remarkable enough.  That turnout is an impressive achievement at any time and shows the good health of the whole team.

A high turnout of this type would normally have delivered a comfortable placing but all the other teams turned out in force and at one point we were in last or sixth place depending how you want to dress it up.  We pulled through in the end getting a good third place that keeps us top of the league on points difference after two matches with two to go.

Notts and Birchfield are the competition for the title this year with Cannock & Stafford struggling after two last places and newcomers Abingdon AC in a fight with Tamworth AC to avoid relegation.

A lot of the athletes were competing over both days of the weekend and then also multi-eventing for us and as well as some great performances (10 PB’s and a whole heap of SB’s) it was team spirit that gave us the extra push to get third on the day.

Our officials again turned out to get the field and track events running smoothly and maximising match points that they never fail to do.

The next match is at Tamworth on the 7th of July and is the first weekend when the three lead teams will also have BAL/UKWAL commitments.

Results are now on power of 10 at:https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=284632

PB’s and SB’s are listed below and apologies if I missed anyone:

Women’s PB’s: Libby Parker (SP & JT)

Women’s SB’s: Mel Cooke (100m & 200m), Olivia Wilding (200m & LJ), Ella Falk (400m), Emily Whittaker (800m), Hattie Dent (100mH & 400mH), Jess Mead (400mH), Lucy Durham (HJ), Maria Townsend (SP), Libby Parker (DT)

Men’s PB’s: Ben Wells (100m), Lewis Wall (400m & HJ), Abdi Hasan (1500m), DajonWright (110mH), Daniel Gregory (110mH), Liam Hillier (400mH & PV)

Men’s SB’s: Pete Bains (800m & 3000m), James Casling (1500m), Matt Lewis (3000m S/C), Simon Hammann (TJ), Reece Straker (SP), Sam Boulton (DT), Jonny Shine (LJ, PV & TJ)

Steve Grant, Pete Mountain and Matt Muggeridge