Women's Southern League 2003: Match 2, Norman Park

1 Blackheath & Bromley 196; 2 Belgrave 172; 3 Havering 161; 4 Bedford 156; 5 Team Solent 136.

A more balanced team

A more balanced team at Norman Park coupled with some great performances resulted in second place behind the host club Blackheath & Bromley. The points total of 172 was 31 up on the first match at Exeter. Jennifer Culley made a welcome return to the team with second in both 100m and 200m and she ran the fastest leg in the 4 x 400m relay where the team won by the length of the home straight. In the "senior" 4 x 100m the team of all teenagers ran exceptionally well with a 52.9 clocking. Maria Sharp had a double first in the 800m (2:19.4) and 3,000m (10:11.5), an event where W40 Jacinta Moore made a surprise reappearance having been a regular and reliable competitor in this league some years ago. Louise Collier, consistently good at 400m is now seeing her 800m times coming down as well. Diane Holden who has missed some training over the winter due to illness still managed to hurtle the hammer to beyond 48 metres for second place. Shelley Newman, although slightly below her best won the discus competition. Maureen Knight and Hannah Stares once again gathered an impressive points tally including a double win in the javelin. Hannah’s highlight was the 400mH won in 60.2 and, judging by her 400 relay leg, putting 10 obstacles in her path only slows her up by a couple of seconds !

Maureen and Nicole Smallwood had to wait until the end of the afternoon after the heavy rain had started for their high jump. There were five left in at 1.50 metres and all the competitors really wanted to do was to shelter under the pole vault cover, or better still go home. However they persevered and were rewarded with first in both A and B competitions. Triple jump is becoming a strong event for us and Julie Johnson proved to be a welcome addition to the team winning the A competition in 10.50 with consistent U20 Michelle Nestor matching her by winning the B. In the pole vault former Southern League record holder Lucy Webber, who won at Exeter with 3.40 metres, was up against Liz Hughes of Blackheath who holds the current record of 4.16 metres. A disappointed Lucy sadly no-heighted, a nightmare that many pole vaulters face, leaving an improving Jenny Searle to take fourth in the A competition.

In the under 15 Girls competition the highlights were perhaps Shana Kemp’s 13.2 in the 75mH with third, and the team’s fourth place in the 4 x 100m with a very creditable time of 56.2 seconds.

Our competitor in the under 17 hurdles, Emma Hunter, proved that it pays never to give up. She fell at the first hurdle in the longer event but picking herself up was determined to continue to collect her points for last place. There were only three in the race and amazingly one of the other girls then also fell - but didn't get up to continue. So Emma's efforts won her a surprise second place.

Senior Women.

100m: 2 J.Culley 12.7; 4 F.Gregory U17 13.9; n/s S.Murray-Burton U20 14.2. 200m: 2 J.Culley 25.6; 4 F.Gregory U17 28.6. 400m: 3 C.Wilson U20 59.7; 3 L.Collier U17 61.6. 800m: 1 M.Sharp 2:19.4; 1 L.Collier U17 2:21.9. 1500m: 5 J.Paterson 6:13.3; 5 J.Smiter 6:56.8. 3000m: 1 M.Sharp 10:11.5; 3 J.Moore W40 13:32.8. 100mH: 1 H.Stares 14.5; 1 M.Knight 16.4. 400mH: 1 H.Stares 60.2; 3 J.Smiter 90.7. 4x100m: 4 Belgrave 52.9 (F.Gregory U17, C.Wilson U20, S.Murray-Burton U20, M.Nestor U20). 4x400m: 1 Belgrave 3:55.8 (L.Collier 61.7, J.Culley 56.8, C.Wilson U20 58.9, H.Stares 58.4). HJ: 1 M.Knight 1.60; 1 N.Smallwood 1.55. LJ: 2 M.Knight 5.20; 4 E.Hunter U17 4.32. TJ: 1 J.Johnson 10.50; 1 M.Nestor U20 10.41. PV: 4 J.Searle 2.40; - L.Webber no ht; SP: 1 M.Knight 12.04; 1 S.Newman 11.73; DT: 1 S.Newman 52.36; 3 D.Holden 29.94. JT: 1 M.Knight 30.76; 1 H.Stares 29.33. HT: 2 D.Holden 48.11; 2 S.Newman 27.40.

Under 17 Women.

80mH: 4 E.Hunter 17.1; 300mH: 2 E.Hunter 70.9

Under 15 Girls.

100m: 4 H.Gates 14.5; 4 N.Ellis 16.4; n/s I.Gates U13 16.0. 200m: 3 H.Gates 29.4; 2 S.Kemp 28.8. 800m: no competitor. 1500m: K.Burns 5:50.0. 75mH: 3 S.Kemp 13.2. 4x100m: 4 Belgrave 56.2 (L.Pearce, N.Ellis, H.Gates, S.Kemp). HJ: 5 N.Ellis 1.15; 4 K.Burns 1.10. LJ: 5 L.Pearce 3.71; 3 I.Gates U13 3.16. SP: 4 K.Burns 5.85; 3 J.Brindle 5.80. DT: 4 H.Gates 12.41; 5 J.Brindle 12.05. JT: 4 S.Kemp 11.78; 4 L.Pearce 10.47.

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