Promotion bid on track

Ashford AC took a fine second place in the latest Sweatshop Southern League meeting at Dartford behind the hosts to maintain their challenge for promotion in Division 2 South.

The men notched three double successes with George Huxley and Lewis Smith winning the 100m with 11.3 and 11.8 respectively.

The club have a great record in the pole vault and continued that with Alex Wharf winning the A event and Luke Williams the B honours, both with 3.70m clearances.

In the triple jump, Steve Lake recorded 12.03m to win the A event with Matt Smiley taking the B points with 11.79m.

Smiley also took second in the A high jump with 1.85m with Chris White winning the B event with 1.65m. Smiley and Lake also took thirds in the long jump.

Veteran Jon Ward had a good day with a win in the hammer with Paul Oakes second in the B hammer and a second in the A shot with Oakes third in the B with a personal best 8.16m. Oakes was also fourth in the discus with a busy Kyle Denning third in the B discus with a personal best 24.71m.

Denning also had a second with a PB in the A 2000m steeplechase and second in the B 400m hurdles.

Ashford did well in the hurdles with Pete Davey winning the A 400m, Luke Williams the B 110m hurdles and Davey second in the A 110m.

Gerard O’Sullivan and Pete Le Rossignol both had personal bests in the 5,000m as did Lewis Smith and Matt Hogben in the 400m. Valuable points also came from Warren Uden and Andy Robertson in the middle distance events.

Ashford’s men also had a fine second in the 4x100m relay while the women won their 4x100m relay.

Rachel Hanagan took an athlete of the match award, winning the A triple jump and also the B hammer as well as second in the B shot and fourths in the A javelin and discus.

Katie Hamilton gave great support in the field with seconds in the A high jump and long jump and B triple jump and third in the B 400m hurdles with a personal best 1min 27.3secs. Amanda Jukes won the A 800m plus third in the 3000m and there were B wins for Hannah Owen in the 100m and Ciara Ewart in the 200m with Bethany Kimber scoring well in the A sprints and taking second with a pb of 3.83m in the B long jump.

Lana-Emily Foyle was second in the A pole vault and B 100m hurdles and had a personal best 1min 05.6secs with second in the A 400m.

Young Charlotte Wroe also had a PB for second in the B 400m with 1min 22.3secs and was also second in the B pole vault. Becky Weller won the A 1500m steeplechase and Hannah Owen also had a personal best 29.11m for third in the B hammer and a third in the A shot.