ASHFORD AC maintained their bright start to the new Southern League with some fine performances at the second meeting in Milton Keynes finishing behind the home side and Luton.
The club made a stunning clean sweep in the high jump with Matt Smiley winning the A men with 1.80m; Matt Hogben taking the B win also with 1.80m while Debbie Martin topped the A women with a personal best 1.70m and Stevie Langford winning the B honours with 1.65m.
Ashford men dominated the shot and discus with the combination of veteran Jon Ward and Lee Swinbourne unbeatable. Jon won both the A events with 12.49 in the shot and 37.01m in the discus while Lee recorded a personal best 11.61 and 35.31m in taking the B honours. The duo also got good points in the hammer with Lee notching a best ever 23.52m in the B event.
Sprinter Gary Carr gave them a tremendous double winning both the A 100m and 200m in 11.14 and 22.76 respectively with good support from Pete Davey 12.41 and Ashley Cochran 23.95.
Great points came in the 110m hurdles where Luke Williams had a personal best 19.06 in winning the B race while Davey was edged into second in the A race with 16.30.
There was a similar story in the women’s pole vault with a personal best 3m winning clearance by Emmeline Rendell in the B event while Kara Gibbs had a fine 3.20 for second in the A vault.
Overall it was a massive team effort with athletes doubling and tripling up to cover as many events as possible.
Their only other victory came in the men’s 4x100m relay but there were a succession of personal bests, three coming the 400m for Matt Hogben 57.72 behind teammate Cochran’s A 53.69 while there were bests for both women Rendell clocking 77.90 and Gibbs 79.17.
Matt Britton and Hogben both set bests in the 1500m with 4:40.97 and 4:42.60 respectively while Jane Ross had a best in the B 1500m with 8:38.06. Jane set another best in the B 3000m with 17.45.58. Lesley Hall ran both A events and the A 800m where she clocked a pb of 2:41.24.
Good points came in the men’s javelin with second places for Chris Blandford with 47.83m and Swinbourne with 42.20m.
Rachel Hanagan showed the team spirit with a personal best 18.05m in the hammer along with Jane Ross’ best of 13.84 in the B event. Vicky Carter had a personal best 8.50m in the shot supported by Hanagan who also ran the B 800m.
Good points were taken in the triple jump by Matt Morsia, Steve Lake, Stevie Langford with a personal best 4.96m and Lucy Holmes who went close to her best with 4.66m.
Valuable support was giving in the demanding schedule of events by Katie Hamilton, Andrew Robertson, Warren Uden, Matt Illes and Stuart Chisholm.
Posts Tagged ‘Lesley Hall’
High point for athletes
Great start
ASHFORD Athletic Club senior team got their first season in the newly formed Southern Athletics League to a winning start in some style.
The new league sees both the men and women’s teams competing together in a combined competition. The team notched up no less than 28 victories with a large number of personal bests achieved in great conditions.
Ashford dominated the field events with a total of 19 wins, male throwers Jon Ward, Chris Kingsland-Roberts, Lee Swinbourne and Peter Wickens showing their strength and depth scoring 31 points out of a possible 32 including a great performance from newcomer Peter in the javelin throwing 54.04m, one of the longest throws ever produced in the club’s history.
The women matched the men’s efforts in the jumps, winning 7 out of 8 events including Laura Hanagan leaping to a massive new PB in the triple jump with 11.01m.
The team also showed their versatility on the track, gaining vital points across all distances and hurdles events.
Amelia Jones dipped under five minutes for the first time to win the 1500m and Lesley Hall won the B string 3000m giving the women two crucial track victories.
After the relay finales the team led by 28 match points and currently sit top of the league. The next match takes place on 21st May in Milton Keynes where the club will look to continue their winning ways.
Team Managers Pete Le Rossignol and Lucy Holmes said, “We would like to thank all 49 athletes, club officials and supporters for their efforts in helping to start the season in the best possible way.”
Williams is top veteran
JANINE Brown has also been busy on the roads ending sixth woman home in the Ashford and District 10K with a season best 40:55 following her fine 11th in the Canterbury 10 miler with 68:56.
The A&D 10k was a fine day for the men who ended second team led home by Matt Hogben in a personal best 36:36 in 14th with Matt Briton only a couple of strides back in another best of 36:37. Kev Williams capped a superb run ending first veteran 50 home 18th in 36:48 with young Aaron Kellow also setting a personal best with his 38:55 in 38th.
In fine conditions it was a day of best times with Ronan Donahue 57th in a best of 40:34 with Matt Iles just behind in a PB of 40:49 and Ant Van Bosch clocking another best time of 41:31 for 68th.
Ian King and Lesley Hall are battling back to fitness with 43:56 and 44:19 respectively while multi talented Jenny Brown had a PB 45:08 and Christine King, also coming back from injury, clocked 61:02.
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