British Athletics League Results & Reports 2007: Semi-Final, Copthall Stadium, Barnet

With the aim of completing 10 events in 100 minutes, the revamped cup competition was more aptly named than we realised. With many athletes preferring to miss their specialist events prior to the UK Champs & World Trials, or travelling to Solihull for the BMC races, it seemed that only 10 in 100 athletes wanted to take part.

Highlights for Belgrave were the return to 400 hurdling of Ryan Dinham after injury - he won comfortably - and a masterly 3000m win from James Kelly.

A couple of months ago Ryan was undergoing surgery to sort out his problems but although he was disappointed with his time here at Copthall, he actually looked pretty smooth over the hurdles and got in his intended stride pattern. Times will come with a few more races. He celebrated his turn to BAL athletics by lobbing out the discus for a couple more points and anchored the relay team.

James Kelly was content to let Medway's Mike Coleman take up the pace for three or four laps, sitting at the back of a bunch of four ... and then three ... as the laps ticked away. Then, moving into the lead just after half-way, James increased the pace until only Coleman was left in contention and slipping a few strides astern at that. A cloudburst over the last lap heralded the Belgrave man's final push for a clear win.

Late arrivals had those holding the team sheet fretting. Mark Humphrey arrived just in time to to line up for the 800m - and proceeded to run a season's best - while Set Osho was too late to warm up for the 400m and we thanked our lucky stars that Ian Deeth was there to step into the breach.

Cameron Johnston, with a late start to his season, looked comfortable at 4.40m in the pole vault and young guns Kwesi Menyah and Melvyn Anukam welcomed the chance to step up from Southern League competition. Jason Hussain filled in at shot minutes after completing the 200m, to ensure that we had a full team, but unfortunately we were not even near a qualifying position for the final.

Men. 100m: 6 M Anukam U17 11.74/-1.3. 200m: 3 J Hussain 22.54/-3.6. 400m: 4 I Deeth 50.06. 800m: 6 M Humphrey 2:02.84. 3000m: 1 J Kelly 8:34.11. 400mH: 1 R Dinham 53.37. TJ: 7 K Menyah 11.74. PV: 2 C Johnston 4.40. SP: 7 J Hussain 5.27. DT: 7 R Dinham 18.84. Medley Relay: (400, 200, 200, 400) 2 Belgrave 2:27.71 (S Osho, Ian Deeth, J Hussain, R Dinham).

Teams: 1 Enfield & Haringey 87; 2 Thames Valley H 68; 3 Belgrave H 59; 4 Woking AC 58; 5 Kingston & Poly H 54; 6 Medway & Maidstone AC 46; 7 Bexley 29; 8 Dartford 25.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.