The Eastern Young Athletes League team, which had a few weeks before wrapped up the league title,  finished a well-beaten fourth in the League’s Top Six Final trophy on at Bedford on Sunday. 

Only the Under 17 men could salvage anything from the day as they won their age group, and apart from the U13 Boys’ third place finish all the other age groups were fourth or fifth.

The powerful Under 17 men’s squad have led the way all season and they again impressed finishing ten points clear of the rest.  Andrew Lewis – who has been the “find” of the summer, contributed the only track wins with victories in the 400m A string and 200m B race.  Powerhouse Emmanuel Quarshie added another win double with a good shot win and adding B discus.  Laurence Goodacre partnered him in both, winning the B shot and placing second in the A discus.  More A string runners-up sots were gained by Charlie Moss in the 200m, nursing a sore calf, Jack Edgar-Hill, just pipped in the 100m hurdles,  and throwers Georgie Bean (javelin) and Lewis Williams (hammer). Second places in B events went to Adam McCarthy (400m – PB), Kieran Nelson (100m Hurdles – PB), Thomas Shanney (1500) and James Lammin (triple jump)

The Under 13 boys put up a good  all round team display to place third in a close contest. Finbar Smyth starred with the only A string win in the 800m and also placing second in the B high jump. Jordan Fox (100m), Alex law (200m) and Nick Duffey provided B string wins.  A-string second places went to Luke Jarrett (100m) and Nick Shade (1500m).

The Under 15 boys had a solid day in fourth without managing any individual victories. Jake Nelson equaled his PB in finishing second in both 80m hurdles and was also second in the high jump and third in the B discus. Adam Samuel (400m) and Andrew Kerr (hammer) also gained A-string second places, as did Rhys Stevenson (100m) and Cameron Fazakerly (high jump) of the B strings.

All three girls' teams found the going tough.

The Under 15 girls had fourth wins as they placed equal fourth.  The throws produced the highlights. Sophie Baggs was the only A-string victor in the discus and was also third in the shot with anew PB. Shelley Wilson won the B discus while Deborah Knight won the B shot and threw a new PB to place second in the javelin, as did Laura Drew in the B.  Holly Thomas was the only track winner, tasting success in the B hurdles, with Nicola Peachey second in the A race; Thomas was also second in the B long jump.  Rebecca O’Neill set a new PB for second in the 1500m and Amanda Blaxland was close to her best in also finishing second in the B.

The Under 17 women had five wins but could place only fifth.  Angela James (hurdles) and Kike Oniwinde (javelin) provided the only A string victories.  Kike was also second in the A shot and Sam Hill won the B and also added a B win in the discus, with Katherine Knight smashing her PB for runner up in the A discus.  Thrower Amy Cox added another second place in the hammer.

The throwing events also produced useful points for the Under 13 girls.  Georgie Taylor (PB) & Hannah Bloy made it a win double in the discus and they also paired up in the shot as Georgie was second in the A with Hannah again adding B success. Sacha Martin equaled her high jump PB in placing second and Tomi Akingbade was also second in the high jump B.

It was a disappointing end to the young athletes team season and emphasized that weaknesses in track events, particularly the girls’ sprints, will need to be overcome if the squad is to regain their National League Premier division status next summer.