Top of the League!

Wells City Harriers are celebrating from going top of two of the track and field athletics Leagues that they compete in. This past weekend club members, competing as part of the composite Yeovil and Wells team, competed for the first time in the national British League and won their opening match against tough opposition. This is the first time that a team from Somerset has competed at such a level. This follows on from them going to the top of the regional South West League Division One.

Saturday saw the athletes travel by Easyjet from Bristol airport to Edinburgh for the opening fixture of the British League Division 4 match. Pole vault poles and some other equipment were taken up the day before by one of the team managers on the long drive north. The effort of all was not too be wasted however as a fantastic team performance saw them finish in first place from the 6 competing teams with a total of 263 points well clear of the runners up, Exeter, with 212 points and the host team, Edinburgh with 210.

From amongst the Harriers that made the journey pick of the performances was that by Eliot Haimes in the 5000m with a 15.35 clocking for the 5000m and Alex Wiltshire’s run in the 3000m steeplechase – the first time he has run over this distance at steeplechase – recording 10.32 for a 3^rd place finish.

In the regional South West Division One held the previous weekend Harrier representatives were a little thin on the ground as many of the junior Harriers were either away, or competing at the Wells Road races, whilst some of the adults were tied up with the organising of the same. Well done, however, to all that made the journey and helped bolster our joint Yeovil & Wells team’s effort to retain the SW League Div 1 title won last year.

In the u13 boys Danny Kennedy answered the call and ran 2.50 for the 800m B string to gain 3^rd place and valuable points, whilst team mate Dan Reason also made his debut in the 100m with 16.5 before going on to run 2.48 for the 800m. For the u13 girls Katy Chinnock made her debut with a shot out of 4.85m for good points and also ran 35.8 over the 200m. In the u15 boys Jordan Boobyer was 4^th for the javelin B string with his throw of 24.48m. For the u’15 girls Roo Black had a good competition, winning the A string discus with 25.95m and was also victor in the B string long jump with her 4.37m leap. In the same age group Kayley Kennedy had a solid 1500m run with her 2^nd place in the B string race in a time of 5.23. Alex Wiltshire was also a victor with his 2.09 in the u20 men’s 800m race. Pete Darton ran a useful 17.57 for the 5000m for the men.

Overall the team accumulated 991.5 points across all the age groups ahead of their nearest rivals Cornwall AC who finished 2^nd on 945.5 points out of the 8 teams in Div 1. After two matches we now stand top of the League with 15 points in total, just ahead of Taunton AC with 2 more matches to go.

Juniors are reminded that the Monday sessions at Millfield school track are now running from 5.50pm to the later time of 7.15pm every week, and that bookings are now being taken for the junior athletic camp at Millfield on August 4^th and 5^th . Please contact Paul Chadwick on 01749 812420 for more details.