British Athletics League Division
4
–
Round
1
– Mayesbrook
Park,
Barking 17th
May 2003
The
season opened for Havering Mayesbrook’s British League team with a home match
at wet and windy Mayesbrook Park.
The
team finished in 4th place in a tightly fought opening match, where
the top six places kept changing throughout the day. Only 30 points separated the
top four teams at end of the first match in what promises to be an exiting
season.
The
first match at Mayesbrook for nearly two years welcomed the return of Matt Russell
to club colours. Back on home ground he ran a superb 10.9 to come in 3rd
in a closely fought 100m. Later in the day in the 200m he stormed through to
snatch victory in the 200m before going on to run an impressive first leg in
victorious sprint relay team.
Sprint
partner Scott Spencer also produced a storming finish in the “B” 200m
gaining a last gasp victory to add to an earlier second place in the “A”
400m. The middle distance runners gained valuable points, Gavin Maley coming 4th
in the “A” string 800m before claiming 3rd in the shorter 400m
“B” race.
Chris Coates made his debut with a 5th in 800m and
7th in the 1500m, Ryan Prout made an impressive debut in the
5000m in atrocious conditions with a 6th place in 15:54.6. Stalwarts
Rob Dickenson finished 4th in his 5000m in 16:20.3 and Graham
Pritchard answered a late call to grab 4th in the “B” 1500.
Hammer
thrower Kevin Deacon continues to impress as he moves through to the Senior
ranks, although still a junior he grabbed 3rd place in Hammer with a
throw of 46.28 metres, throwing partner Danny Gamester, still returning from a
serious knee injury won the “B” string with 42.66.
Decathletes
Leo Barker and his “retired” coach Mark Bishop accumulated over 90 points
between them, each doing 6 events. Leo’s 2nd place in the Long Jump
was followed by top 4 places in the Shot, Discus and Javelin, before anchoring
the 4 x 100 relay team to victory and being part of the 4 x 400m team. Mark also
opened with a 2nd place “A” string finish by clearing 3.80 in the
pole vault, he grabbed another 2nd in the “B” shot
as well as gaining points in 110m Hurdles, Discus, High Jump and a leg of
the 4 x 400.
Match result
| Pos. | Team |
Points |
| 1 | Bolton | 320 |
| 2 | Rugby & Northants | 316 |
| 3 | Medway & Maidstone | 305 |
| 4 | Havering Mayesbrook | 290 |
| 5 | Kingston & Poly | 265 |
| 6 | Swindon | 260 |
| 7 | City of Norwich | 233 |
| 8 | Luton Utd | 210 |
| A STRINGS | Pos. | Time/Dist | B STRINGS | Pos. | Time/Dist | |||
| 100 | Matt Russell | 3 | 10.9w | 100 | Rene Wauro | 8 | 11.7w | |
| 200 | Matt Russell | 1 | 22.3 | 200 | Scott Spencer | 1 | 23.3w | |
| 400 | Scott Spencer | 2 | 50.9 | 400 | Gavin Maley | 3 | 51.9 | |
| 800 | Gavin Maley | 4 | 2:01.8 | 800 | Chris Coates | 5 | 2:03.9 | |
| 1500 | Chris Coates | 7 | 4:21.8 | 1500 | Graham Pritchard | 4 | 4:29.1 | |
| 5000 | Ryan Prout | 6 | 15:54.6 | 5000 | Rob Dickenson | 4 | 16:20.3 | |
| 3000 s/c | Jason Lendon | 5 | 10:01.2 | 3000 s/c | Rob Warner | 4 | 10:16.5 | |
| 110H | Mark Bishop | 8 | 17.6w | 110H | ---- | |||
| 400H | Rob Warner | 8 | 71.1 | 400H | ----- | |||
| L.J. | Leo Barker | 2 | 6.73 | L.J. | Ricky Brown | 5 | 5.71 | |
| H.J. | Mark Connelly | 8 | 1.75 | H.J. | Mark Bishop | 6 | 1.60 | |
| T.J. | Ricky Brown | 4 | 12.61 | T.J. | ----- | |||
| P.V. | Mark Bishop | 2 | 3.80 | P.V. | Kevin Tufton | 2 | 3.40 | |
| S.P. | Leo Barker | 4 | 12.54 | S.P. | Mark Bishop | 2 | 11.24 | |
| D.T. | Leo Barker | 3 | 37.59 | D.T. | Mark Bishop | 3 | 36.26 | |
| J.T. | Leo Barker | 4 | 44.77 | J.T | Sam Harrison | 2 | 43.37 | |
| H.T. | Kevin Deacon | 3 | 46.28 | H.T. | Danny Gamester | 1 | 42.66 | |
| 4x100 | Matt Russell, Scott Spencer, Rene Wauro, Leo Barker | 1 | 43.6 | |||||
| 4x400 | Leo Barker (52.2), Mark Bishop (56.0), Scott Spencer (52.5), Gavin Maley (51.5) | 5 | 3:32.2 | |||||
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Full results here and on BAL Website
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Additional photos courtesy of Ted Sepple whose copyright they remain. Taken on behalf of Romford Recorder
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