ASHFORD’S women shone in the sunshine at Eltham in the opening National Junior League meeting with Rachel Hanagan leading the way with a double success.
The talented all rounder proved too strong in the A 200m with 25.5 supported by Sam Beckett, third in the B race and added the long jump with 5,13m backed by Lucy Holmes second in the B event with 4.68m.
Lucy went close to her own double having won the A javelin with 22.82m with Isabel Dickinson third in the B event with a personal best 14.02m. and Lucy had a best ever 8.42m in taking third in the B hammer.
A club clean sweep came in the high jump where the two 17-year-olds Debbie Martin and Caroline Hatley rose to the challenge with leaps of 1.65 and 1.50m respectively.
Caroline, a rising multi-eventer, was also second in the B 100m where Beckett clocked a personal best 12.7 to finish second in the A race, and Caroline also was third in the 400m hurdles with a personal best 1:21.6 and second in the B shot with 7.36m.
Another club double success came in the triple jump where Rachel’s older sister Laura Hanagan won the A event with 10.39m with Joanna Norman taking the B honours with a personal best 9.33m. Laura was also second in the 100m hurdles; fifth in the discus with a best ever 20.50m and sixth in the hammer with another best of 9.14 while Rachel was fifth in the shot with a best ever 8.41m.
Joanna was also fourth in the B 400m with Amelia Jones taking fourth in the A race with a personal best 64.1 and Amelia was third in the 1500m with 5:06.1.
The only men’s success came in the B shot where Quazim Omotosho won with 8.89m after a third for Blake Robinson in the A event with a personal best 9.80m. Quazim also was third in the discus with a best ever 34.26m.
George Huxley had a good day with two second places in the hurdles after a personal best 17.1 in the 110m breaking a long standing club record in his first attempt at this distance and 62.9 in the 400H while Will Dickinson was second in the A triple jump and a personal best fourth in the B long jump.
Chris Meakin had a busy day with the 100m, 200m and long jump while Andrew Robertson also tripled up with the B 100m, a personal best 60.3 in the 400m and third in the 3000m in a best ever 14:41.8.
Declan O’Driscoll had a fine personal best 4:45.4 for third in the 1500m with Neil Daughters taking second in the B event with another best of 4:46.1. Declan also ran the B 400m while Neil had another best of 7.52m in taking on the hammer.
Aaron Kellow and Callum Burgess both picked up important points in the 800m with Aaron also running the 3000 and Callum the javelin.
Ashford were a superb second behind Dartford Harriers in the eight team contest with 404 points. Dartford led with 447 with Medway and Maidstone third on 379, Cambridge Harriers 350, Invicta/Paddock Wood 232.5, Bexley201.5, Tonbridge 166 and Croydon Harriers 57.

Tags: Amelia Jones, NJAL, personal best, Rachel Hanagan