M&M ladies find winning formula
Athletics
A strong Medway & Maidstone ladies team bounced back with a winning performance at Lewes in the Youth Development League on Sunday.
They were looking to make amends from a disappointing third place at the last meeting, in Brighton, and they did just that – finishing first.
The heat didn’t stop the girls’ teams from putting in a total of 24 personal-best performances.
Gypsy Nash set the pace by winning the under-13 shot and coming second in the javelin. She was supported by Annabel Young, setting a new personal best in the shot and Lily Crossley doing the same in the javelin.
There were more PBs for Abigail Royden (fourth in the A string) and Emma Ryan (first in the B string) in the long jump. The under-15 team also shone, with Katie Rothery setting personal bests in both the sprint hurdles and javelin.
Maya Marriner set a huge PB in the sprint hurdles, then went on to win the B string 200m with yet another PB.
Abigail Walters knocked a second off her best 300m time and then finished second in A string high jump, ably assisted by Gbemi Kasumu, who was competing for the first time and went on to win the B string high jump.
Despite several absences, the under-13 boys had a superb day in Lewes.
Ben Lineker (13.5 & 27.3sec) and Kieran Isaac (13.5 & 27.6) continued their domination of the 100m and 200m sprints, each securing win doubles for the third time this season.
The pair followed with wins in the long jump A (Lineker, PB 4.87m), shot put A (Isaac, 9.80) and 4x100m alongside Ollie Rodwell and Jack Morris (56.9).
There were A and B string second places in the 800m for Callum Featherstone (2min34.9sec) and Hayden Gear (2.38.2, PB), A and B string second places in the 1,500m for Cameron Featherstone (PB 5.02.5) and Jacob Graham on his competitive debut (5.22.3).
For the under-15 boys, David Adeleye amassed a haul of points in the 100m (second), 200m (first), shot (second) and 4x100m relay (second).
Dan McGlynn (4.34) and Ethan Gear (4.45) both took second in the 1,500m. Michael Uzozie was his usual reliable self, picking up points winning the B string 800m, fourth in the long jump and helping both relay squads to second places.