Athletics Team manager hails competitors’ spirit at Premiership opener
TRISTAN Jamieson has saluted the Bristol & West AC athletes who made the long trip to Manchester for the opening fixture of the National Athletics League Premiership.
This is the highest level of club track and field competition in the UK, so Jamieson, the club’s development advisor, could not have taken on a more challenging role but the athletes responded and served up some tremendous performances.
“I’m incredibly impressed by the commitment of those who competed on Saturday,” said Jamieson. “The team cohesion was awesome and we all had a lot of fun. Every single athlete who put on a Bristol & West vest added to the positive atmosphere. We all had a go at events outside of our comfort zone and had great fun doing it.”
The windy conditions did not help the sprinters but could not prevent Ed Wilson clocking a personal best of 10.89secs, while Isaac Marsh, in only his third 100m, improved his PB from 11.60secs, to 11.30secs and finally 11.19 in Manchester.
The entire 400m team impressed with Alex Daley runner-up in the 400m hurdles in 51.40secs, just 0.02s outside his PB, while on the flat Mark Cottam secured a new PB of 47.78 and Oliver Biddle won race B.
Charlie Husbands bettered his PB three times in the high jump finishing second with 2.08m - a 9cm improvement on his previous best.
Sophie Hamilton threw a massive 43.44m for second in the javelin, and Catherine Beatty opened her season strongly throwing 54.46m in the hammer for third.
Katrina Entwistle was second in the 3000m (10:15.83) and Will Parkin fourth on his debut at 5000m (15:06.07). It was also good to see Charlotte Taylor-Green racing on the track for the first time since 2018, in both the 800m and 1500m.
“I learned a lot from today, being my first time as a team manager and not just an athlete,” added Jamieson. “I’m confident that, through the experience I gained over the weekend, our team’s organisation will only improve and I hope this translates to better results.”
» At the other end of the age spectrum, Bristol & West AC also had a strong presence in the opening Youth Development League U15/13 match at Yate.
In the field, Owen Garrett had a great day winning both the under 15 boys shot with a PB of 11.46m
and the javelin with the last throw of the competition (39.77m).
In his first high jump ever, Ben Massey-Jones won the under-13s event with 1.31m and newcomer Flora Thomson won the under-15s javelin (28.59m) and was second in the shot (8.24m).
Sprinters Ricky Powell and Jacob Massey had a great day. Powell won the under-15 boys 100m and 200m B, clocking PBs of 11.71secs and 23.74secs respectively, while Massey won the 100m B (12.38secs) and the 200m A (24.95secs), again both PBs.
Sprinter hurdler Tommy MattisKing looked good in winning the under-15s 80m event in a PB of 13.26secs.
Holly Sanigar improved her PB again to win the U15s 800m (2:18.45), and there were promising
debuts for Holly Massey-Jones and Gabi Ritter-Sharrett in the 1500m.
» Coach Paul Filer believes junior Josh Schrijver is in for a successful summer after a super performance at the recent Brewer Games in Cheltenham when he threw a PB of 45.56m to win the junior discus.
“Josh is going to hit a really big one in the right conditions,” said Filer.
» Bristol & West runners were heavily represented in the Avon and Somerset team at the British Senior Inter-Counties Mountain Race, Llanberis Ridge, North Wales.
The trio of Felix McGrath (12th), Owain Jones (25th) and cross country star Jack Millar (28th) helped the county finish fifth overall. Top local woman was B&W’s Chelsea Creak in 26th, with clubmate Frances Arnott 28th.