JUBILEE CUP PLATE FINAL, BEDFORD 20 AUGUST 2000

With league promotion assured, and poised to take the Division 2 Championship title, Havering Mayesbrook’s senior ladies appearance in the Jubilee Plate Final at Bedford last Sunday, was the season’s icing on the cake.  Against strong opposition from Barrow & Furness, Bedford, Epsom & Ewell, Herne Hill Harriers, Newham & Essex Beagles, Thames Valley Harriers and Woking, the team produced a string of excellent performances to finish in fourth position.

The field events started with the pole vault and soon caused the supporters to celebrate, for on her last attempt at 2.10m, Sue Deboos cleared the bar to set a new club record, finishing in third position.  Close by Sarah Deacon was beginning the hammer, the first of her three events.  Seventeen year old Sarah, now coached by Great Britain international Paul Head, has tremendous potential in this event, but had to settle for a very creditable fifth place with a throw of 34.59m.

Kate Brewington started her busy day with the long jump, and immediately took an early first round lead.  As the competition progressed, Kate gradually slipped down to sixth after a succession of big jumps from her competitors, but in her typical battling fashion, produced her best ever jump of 5.70m in the final round to finish in fourth place.  At the other end of the track, Sarah Deacon was propelling the discus out to 29.31m, and her second fifth place of the day.

The track programme commenced with Ruth O’Sullivan (6^th – 400m hurdles), and was quickly followed by the team’s first win of the day by Dorita Harmse in the 800m.  Running from the front, Dorita increased her lead with 300m left which she maintained into the home straight, but then under intense pressure in the final twenty metres crossed the line first to record 2.09.69, her fastest time of the season.  Sprinter Ruth McMenemy, sixth in the recent Scottish National Championships, continued her excellent form in the 100m, with fourth place.

Multi-eventer Kate Brewington continued her personal programme with the high jump, quickly followed by the javelin and 100m hurdles.  Experiencing some slipping on the high jump run up, this was not to be a performance that would satisfy her high standards, and was disappointed to finish equal seventh with a jump of 1.55m.  Having set a new PB in the early rounds of the javelin, she then left that competition to record a new club record time of 14.86 seconds, and a second place in the 100m hurdles.  High on this success, Kate returned immediately to the javelin and produced a lifetime best throw of 30.60m, finishing in fifth place.

The field events were brought to a close with a seasons best jump of 10.86m for Sue Bunting (6^th – triple jump), and Sarah Deacon (8^th – shot).  Back on the track, Nikki Barnett (3^rd – 3000m) who had only returned from Spain in the early hours of the morning, Laurie Cossey (5^th – 400m) and Ruth McMenemy (3^rd – 200m), maintained the teams overall position in the group chasing match leaders Epsom and Ewell.

Joanne Sullivan provided the second win of the day in the 1500m.  Two metres down at the bell, Joanne stayed in striking distance of the leading athlete as the pace increased down the back straight, taking the lead in the final 50m to record 4.40.20, only a second outside her best ever.  For the close, Hannah Gamester and Terri Johnson teamed up with Brewington and McMenemy for a fifth place in the 4x100m relay, and Lesley Felton joined Cossey, Sullivan and Harmse in a thrilling 4x400m, taking third place in a blanket finish.

After a long and successful season, the ladies can now look forward to the final league fixture at Milton Keynes on Saturday 2^nd September, when they aim to confirm their Championship title against Oxford, Southampton, Havant and Milton Keynes. See team photo below

Match results

RESULTS

	A STRINGS	Pos.	Time/Dist
100	Ruth McMenemy	4th	12.49 secs
200	Ruth McMenemy	3rd	25.15 secs
400	Laurie Cossey	5th	60.15 secs
800	Dorita Harmse	1st	2m 09.69 secs
1500	Joanne Sullivan	1st	4m 40.20 secs
3000	Nikki Barnett	3rd	10m 53.29 secs
100H	Kate Brewington	2nd	14.86 secs (PB)
400H	Ruth O'Sullivan	6th	73.76 secs
L.J.	Kate Brewington	4th	5.70 m (PB)
H.J.	Kate Brewington	7th=	1.55m
T.J.	Sue Bunting	6th	10.86m
P.V.	Sue Deboos	3rd	2.10m PB (#=Club record)
S.P.	Sarah Deacon	8th	7.72m
D.T.	Sarah Deacon	5th	29.31m
J.T.	Kate Brewington	5th	30.60 m (PB)
H.T.	Sarah Deacon	5th	34.59m
4x100	Kate Brewington
	Terri Johnson
	Hannah Gamester
	Ruth McMenemy	5th	50.95 secs
4x400m	Laurie Cossey ( 61.2 )
	Lesley Felton ( 62.1)
	Jo Sullivan (59.4 )
	Dorita Harmse (56.5 )	3rd	3 mins 59.22 secs

Back row (L to R):  Teri Johnson, Sue Bunting, Dorita Harmse, Ruth McMenemy, Hannah Gamester, Laurie Cossey, Ruth O'Sullivan, Nikki Barnett; Front: Kate Brewington, Jo Sullivan, Lesley Felton (Not in picture: Sarah Deacon & Sue Deboos)