Weekly track & field preview

The first major track & field champs of the season takes place this weekend with the British Universities & Colleges track & field champs in Manchester over the next 3 days. Sam Clifton (coach Jeremy Clifton) & Maddie Turner (coach John Miller) will be representing their universities of Birmingham & Durham respectively.

The Hampshire multi-event champs along with the quadkids champs, walks, 3000m & may day mile races will be taking place in Portsmouth on Bank Holiday Monday with the club extremely well represented.

Harry Harvey (coach James Thie) has his name on the start lists for the Bannister 70th anniversary mile races in Oxford also on Bank Holiday Monday.

Finally Jess Howells & Arabella Wilson (both coached by Andy Fisher) have their name on the start lists for the Birchfield Harriers open meeting on Wednesday a World Athletics permit event.

Last chance to enter County Champs

An impressive 76 athletes from WADAC have entered the County individual track & field champs taking place in Portsmouth on the 11th & 12th May but of course there is room for more and this is your last chance as the deadline for entry is tomorrow at 11pm.

Please use the link below to enter ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Hampshire individual track & field champs

Hampshire Track & Field Champs open for entries

Hampshire Athletics have opened entries for all the track & field champs that place in May.

All the various events can be entered using the links below through the Roster Athletics website or you can use the excellent Roster Athletics App which you can download to your smartphone.

Hampshire Track & Field individual champs 11th & 12th May

Hampshire Multi-event Champs 6th May

Hampshire Quad kids champs 6th May

Hampshire Walks champs 6th May

Hampshire May Day 3000m 6th May

Hampshire May Day Mile 6th May

Kathryn makes Semi-finals

Our instagram site asked the question is Kathryn Miles the fastest membership secretary in Europe ahead of her appearance at the European Masters indoor champs in Torun, Poland yesterday and Kathryn (coach Dave Sherry) answered that question by making the semi-finals of the 60m in the V50 age group.

Runing in heat 4, yesterday morning, Kathryn was 3rd in a time of 8.77 secs but qualified as one of the non automatic qualifiers for the semi-finals later in the day. Kathryn ran quicker in her semi-final finshing 6th in a time of 8.75 secs to bow out of the championships at the semi-final stage. With her goal being to reach the semi-finals, Kathryn can feel proud of her performance and will return to her voluntary role of membership secretary and the very busy job of processing all the membership renewals.

Nick is 7th in Poland

Nick Fleeman (coach Derek Smith) made his European Masters indoor champs debut at the age of 66 yesterday Afternoon by competing in the 3000m walk in Torun, Poland.

Nick came 7th in the V65 age group in what would have been a wonderful experience proving it is never too late to take up track & field.

Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) is in action this morning in heat 4 of the V50 womens 60m heats and you can watch the Torun livestream of Kathryn in action through the link below.

European Masters indoor champs

Weekend track & field preview

Whilst the domestic indoor championship season finished last week, this isn’t true of International indoor competition as the European Masters indoor champs begins today in Torun in Poland.

WADAC has two athletes taking part in the shape of Nick Fleeman (coach Derek Smith) in the walks and Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) in the 60m.

Good luck to both.

Jess comes 4th at Carshalton

The Surrey indoor champs took place at the weekend in Carshalton and Jess Howells (coach Andy Fisher) competed in the shot putt coming 4th on Sunday with a putt of 10.25m

Seni shines on WADAC debut

The last of the domestic indoor National champs took place this weekend at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and once more WADAC were on the podium.

It was the National age group (U15/U17) indoor Combined event champs with WADC fielding 3 competitors including Seni Purnell (coach Andy Fisher) in the U15G age group who has recently joined the club from Bournemouth AC. Also taking part were Seni’s training partners Gracie Osman (coach Andy Fisher) in the U17W age group and Lily Flute (coach Andy Fisher) also in the U15G age group.

Saturday saw the U17W battle it out in the indoor pentathlon and Gracie Osman finished in 4th place an agonising 12 points from the bronze medal. Gracie recorded pbs in the sprint hurdles and the shot putt, putting over 10m for the first time and was consistant across all her events finishing with a personal best points score of 3380 points to go 2nd on the club’s all time age group indoor lists behind training partner Arabella Wilson.

Yesterday it was the turn of the U15G age group and Lily Flute had a good day finishing in 7th place with a personal best ponts score of 2914 points which included an astonishing 800m run of 2 mins 23.84 secs smashing her own age group all time indoor club record. Lily also putted a SP pb. Seni was ultra consistent throughout the day with 5 solid performances including a pb of over 10m in the shot putt and equalling her pb of 1.53m in the high jump. Her points score of 3258 breaks the club’s all time indoor age group record and was good enough for a silver medal on the day and another WADAC vest on a National championship podium.

Read all about the weekends performances on the England Athletics website through the link below.

EA age group CE champs reports

Weekly track & field preview

The last domestic National champs of the indoor season heads the action this weekend as Gracie Osman, Lily Flute & Seni Purnell on her WADAC debut (all coached by Andy Fisher) make their way up to Sheffield to compete in the National age group (U15/U17) Combined Events champs. Both Gracie & Seni featured in the EA preview of the event which can be seen through the link below.

EA Age group CE champs

WADAC athletes are on the start lists at both the BFTTA Open Meeting in Lee Valley tomorrow and the Surrey County indoor champs at Carshalton over the weekend. Also on the start lists are Sam Clifton (coach Jeremy Clifton) at the Biringham Uni Winter throws event today and Lexie Trott (coach Tom Farress), Elodie Trott & Tom Price (coach Elias Mtshweni) at the Brunel open meeting on Wednesday.

Good luck to everyone.

Kathryn in record breaking form

Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) demonstrated that she is in fine form just now by her performances at the inter-area indoors Masters challenge match at Lee Valley on Sunday.

Kathryn began by equalling her own club age group indoor 60m record with the same time she recorded last week at the British Masters indoor champs of 8.63 secs in coming 3rd.

Kathryn them improved on that by coming 2nd in the 200m in a new club age group indoor record of 29.84 secs faster than Kathryn ran indoors last season and over half a second quicker than she ran at the same meeting last year.

Coach Dave Sherry has collected a group of vets that are currently loving their sprint training and he also deserves great credit as it is clearly translating into performance as the picture on the news blog page shows.

Results from BUCS

The British University & Colleges indoor champs is the biggest indoor track & field event in terms of competitors in the domestic calender and it took part in Sheffield over the last 3 days.

It isn’t easy to spot WADAC athletes as they all compete for their respective universities but I think there were 3 WADAC athletes taking part this year.

Two of these came in the mens 3000m where Harry Harvey competing for the University of Winchester (coach James Thie) came 7th in his heat in a time of 9 mins 15.07 secs to go 2nd on the clubs all time U20 mens age group indoor lists. Calum Upton competing for Aston University (coach David Vosser) was 10th in his heat in a time of 9 mins 21.71 secs.

Charlotte Longden (coach Andy Fisher) competing for the University of Leeds was 3rd in her 60m heat in a time of 8.15 secs and also competed in the 4 x 200m relay.

Weekend track & field preview

Another busy weekend indoors as the indoor season reaches the business end.

One of the largest track & field events in the country takes place today, tomorrow & on Sunday in Sheffield as the BUCS National indoor champs takes place. A number of the clubs athletes will be representing their universities in indoor action.

The English inter-area Masters championships takes place in Lee Valley on Sunday with Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) selection for VAC in both the 60m & 200m.

The Basingstoke Winter throws series takes place tomorrow with oddly no hammer or discus as the Basingstoke coach is currently condemned but Abi Belward (coach Andy Fisher) will be competing in shot putt.

Good luck to everyone in action.

Kathryn takes bronze at British indoors Masters champs

Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) took 3rd place and with it the bronze medal in the 60m sprint at the W50 age group in the British Masters indoor champs at Lee Valley yesterday. In doing so Kathryn also broke her own age group indoor club record running a time of 8.63 secs quicker than the time she ran at the same champs in Sheffield last year.

In the same race Sue Van Vuuren (self coached) finished in 5th place in a seasons best time of 9.00 secs.

Sue is 4th at British Indoor Masters

Yesterday was the 200m sprints day at the British Indoors Masters champs at Lee Valley.

Sue Van Vuuren (self coached) took part in the W50 version of the race and came 4th with a time of 31.18 secs.

Sue will be back in action today alongside Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) in the 60m sprints.

Weekend track & Field preview

I was delighted to see in the week that the BBC have signed an agreement to show 3 domestic track & field meetings ahead of the Olympics this year. Whilst this is nowhere near enough track & field on terestial TV it does at least mean that those competing at the weekends British indoor champs get the coverage that they deserve.

A record number of 3 WADAC athletes received invitations to the British indoor champs but neither Annie, Alex or Bella is in the shape just now to take their places on the start line. There will however be some tasty domestic matchups for us all to enjoy from Birmingham this weekend.

In terms of WADAC participation, the highlight of the weekend is the British Masters indoor champs at Lee Valley and I can see at least 3 WADAC participants on the start lists in the shape of Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) who would have been encouraged by her season opener last weekend, Sue Van Vuuren (self coached) & Tim Sorrell (coach Mark Upton).

A number of WADAC youngsters are also in action for Hampshire Athletics at the Regional sportshall finals in Burgess Hill on Sunday.

Philip breaks V50 60m record.

Our Masters athletes had a warm up for the British Indoors Masters this weekend by taking part in the Easters Masters & Vetarans AC champs in Lee Valley on Sunday.

Disappointingly the Southern Counties vets don’t seem to have an indoor champs this year and our Masters athletes have taken the opportunity to join the VAC instead.

Kathryn Miles (coach Dave Sherry) had her fastest season opener by running a rapid 8.69 secs in the 60m and followed this by sneaking under 30 secs for the 200m by running 29.99 secs. Sue Van Vuuren (self coached) had made the most of the Cape Town sunshine by competing in a 100m race in South Africa the weekend before last and followed this by running 9.03 secs for 60m indoors in North London. Sue then ran the 200m in 30.87 secs.

Philip Kricks (coach Dave Sherry) shows that age is no barrrier to improvement as he ran 8.90secs for a pb over 60m breaking Dave Roberts V50 indoor club Masters record. Philip has improved by .8 of a second over the course of the last year, a huge margin over 60m. He followed this with a run of 30.10 in the 200m.

Mia retains National indoor HJ title

These are unpresedented times for the club. The National indoor age group champs are the blue riband event for young athletes in the indoor season and for the 3rd time in a row the club comes away with a National indoor title, for the last two years by the same woman Mia Judd (Coach Tony Bateman). Mia won the U17W title last year and this year, yesterday took the U20W title after matching her outdoor pb of 1.74m and adding a new indoor club record to her long list of achievments. In echoes of one of the most famous memories in our sport from the mens HJ in Tokyo in 2021, Mia & local woman Callie Coates shared the same perfect record of first time clearances all the way up to 1.74m before failing each attempt at 1.77m and therefore sharing the gold medal.

This wasn’t the only medal of the day as Gracie Osman (coach Andy Fisher) also broke the indoor club record with a clutch jump leap of 5.61m in the final round to snatch the bronze medal in the U17W long jump. This was Gracie’s 2nd clutch jump of the day after fouls in the 1st & 2nd round risked her leaving the competition early. Gracie was also 7th in the U17W high jump the day before.

There were some fine performances from the other 9 young women taking part in the National indoor champs (an achievment in itself with the tough qualifying standards) with injury preventing others that had qualified taking their places in the field. Elsie Brindle (coach Mark Upton) came 4th in the U17W 300m final but can console herself with a new pb and improving her standing as 2nd in the clubs age group indoor all time 300m lists and moving up to around 25th in the World U18 short track lists. Chloe Poore (coach Andy Fisher) ran her 4th consecutive pb in making the semi-finals of the U17W 300m and in doing so went to 3rd on the clubs all time age group 300m lists. Chloe was 3rd in her 200m heat the next day.

Rebekah Smith (coach Dave McManus) made the semi-finals of the U17W 60m Hurdles whre she came 6th in her semi with Jess Howells (coach Andy Fisher) not progressing through her heat after clouting H4 when going well. Jess did however make the top 8 of the same long jump competition where Gracie won bronze. Lexie Trott (coach Tom Farres) was 8th in the U17W pole vault the same position that Amy Wall (coach Andy Fisher) took in the U20W long jump. Esme Buchanan & Poppy Crook (both coached by Andy Fisher) were 8th & 9th respectively in the U15G high jump.

The lows go alongside the highs in track & field and Lily Flute (coach Andy Fisher) fell when leading her 300m semi-final. Lily bravely came back the next day and was 3rd in her 60M hurdles heat.

This will mark the end of the indoor season for many but not all of the atheltes taking part and they can now look forward to spring and the outdoor season looming.

Weekly track & field preview

One of the standout weekends of the indoor season takes place tomorrow & Sunday with the highlight being the National age group (U15/U17/U20) indoor champs in Sheffield.

WADAC have no fewer than 11 young athletes taking part who have met the tough qualifying standards to take their place in the event. The all female WADAC line up shows just what strength WADAC have amongst the women.

Headlining is Mia Judd (coach Tony Bateman) who won the U17 womens high jump title last year and this year moves up to compete in the U20 age group. Amy Wall (coach Andy Fisher) is the other U20 taking part this time in the long jump.

The U17 age group is headed by Elsie Brindle (coach Mark Upton) who will be taking part in the 300m and will be briming with confidence as the current UK no 1 in this event. The rapidly improving Chloe Poore (coach Andy Fisher) also takes part in the 300m as well as the 200m. Gracie Osman (coach Andy Fisher) won a medal in long jump as an U15 last year but this year will be competing in a new age group in both long jump & high jump. Jess Howells (coach Andy Fisher) will also be competing in the long jump as well as the sprint hurdles. Rebekah Smith (coach Dave McManus) will also be lining up in the sprint hurdles after going under 9 secs earlier this year. Lexie Trott (coach Elias Mtshweni) completes the U17 line up by competing in the pole vault.

3 U15’s are taking part headed by Lily Flute (coach Andy Fisher) who will be looking to improve on her 6th place finish in the 300m last year. Training partners Esme Buchanan & Poppy Crook (both coached by Andy Fisher) take their place in tomorrow’s first event the high jump.

The event can be watched live on England Athletics YouTube feed and we wish everyone in black & gold the best of luck.

Elsewhere this weekend the EMAC-VAC masters indoor champs takes place at Lee Valley and I can see 3 WADAC names on the start lists these being Sue Van Vuuren (self coached), Kathryn Miles (coach Elias Mtshweni) and Philip Krinks (coach Dave Sherry).

The Lee Valle Middle Distance Open takes place on Wednesday with Elodie Gill (coach James Mann) on the start lists.

WADAC women bring home 6 medals from Area indoor champs

Another regional champs, another big medal haul as WADAC returned from the South of England and Welsh U20 indoor champs with 6 medals, two of them gold.

At the Welsh indoor U20 champs in Cardiff, Abi Belward (Coach Andy Fisher) was responsible for 3 of these collecting the full set of medals yesterday in a great display of multi-eventing. After finishing 8th in Saturday’s sprint hurdles final, Abi returned yesterday to collect gold in the shot putt, silver in the high jump & bronze in the long jump.

At the South of England U20 indoor champs in Lee Valley, the clubs athletes came away with 3 medals. Arabella Wilson (coach Andy Fisher) took gold in the shot putt, Mia Judd (coach Tony Bateman) took silver in the high jump and Amy Wall (coach Andy Fisher) won bronze in the long jump.

Also in Lee Valley in the U20 age group, Henry Shadbolt (coach Mark Upton) ran a big pb of 7.68 secs to be 6th in his 60m heat. Rohan Gray (coach Mark Upton) made it through his heat to the 60m Semi-finals where he finished 5th but can console himself with a new pb of 7.15 secs from his heat. Tabitha Williamson (coach Andy Fisher) was 5th in her 60m heat and training partner Carys Jefries (coach Andy Fisher) had a busy weekend finishing 3rd in her 60m heat nd 5th in her 200m heat as well as coming 6th in the long jump.

In Boston yesterday, Annie Mann (coach James Mann) unfortunately didn’t finish in the junior girls International mile but there will be better days ahead for Annie.

Elsie moves to UK No 1

The results have finally updated from last weekend and make great reading for the club.

At the London age group indoor games Elsie Brindle (coach Mark Upton) beat some big names to win her 300m race in a big indoor pb time of 40.71 secs which puts her as no 1 in the UK U17W rankings and moves up to 2nd place on the clubs all time age group indoor lists. Chloe Poore (coach Andy Fisher) also won her race and ran a big indoor pb of 41.35 moving Chloe into the UK top 10. Chloe followed that up by winning her 200m race in a time of 25.96 secs which breaks the clubs indoor age group record. Training partner Isobel Jordan (coach Andy Fisher) also ran an indoor pb of 27.52 in the 200m after earlier running in the 60m.

Hayden Rogers (coach Dave Sherry) had a Sunday to remember as first he ran a pb of 7.64 in the 60m to go 3rd in the clubs all time age group lists. He followed that with an indoor pb time of 24.85 secs in the 200m which broke the clubs age group indoor club record. Hayden then ran 40.05 secs to go 2nd on the clubs all time age group lists. On the same day, Frankie Bertacchini (coach Andy Fisher) improved her 60mH hurdles pb to 10.75 secs and in doing so improved her time as 3rd on the clubs all time age group lists. She followed this with a pb of 29.87 secs to break the clubs indoor age group 200m record and also competed in long jump. Hallie Eldridge (coach Andy Fisher) competed well in the hurdles and 800m before breaking her own indoor age group club record with a putt of 8.18m in the shot putt. Anais Andrews (coach Andy Fisher) ran a pb in the sprint hurdles and also putted a pb of 9.82m with the indoor shot to go 3rd on the clubs all time indoor lists.

Elsewhere in Cardiff on the Saturday, Hary Harvey (coach James Thie) broke Tom Jacobs indoor club record that had lasted all of 6 days bu running 4.08.70 to come 9th in the 1500m at the Welsh Senior indoor champs.