Harriers’ strength in depth shines through at Braintree

Athletics - East Anglia League

Nene Valley Harriers made the journey south to Braintree on Sunday for an East Anglia League fixture and put in a superb performance to win the six-team match against the odds. Team manager Gary Huskissontravelled withaweakened team as a result of the previous day’s Cambridgeshire Schools Championship, but such is the strength in depth andteamspiritattheclubthat it was a difficulty they easily overcame.

Many athletes took part in multiple events, none more successfully than Charles Hughes, who won the Under 17 discus, shot andjavelin, and Under 15 Jack Rolfe with first places in the discus, hammer and B string shot.

George Harrison was the only Under 13 boys winner in the shot, while James Marsh dashed to a 100m and 200m double for the Under 15 boys.

Other Under 15 winners included 800m runner Joe Prince in a time of 2:11.7 onhis clubdebut, LeeAddisoninthe highjumpandDanielThompson in the B javelin.

Jon Pitts was first in the 80mhurdlesandBlongjump, while Harry Smith equalled thatachievementintheB80m hurdles and triple jump.

At Under 17 level, William Hughes achieved wins in the 100m and 200m with times of 11.8 and 23.7, and Kielin Spurdens was first in the 1500m. Kai Harrison andDenzilMposu won the B shot and javelin.

Nene Valley’s senior men also had a good day, with club stalwart AdamFidgettvictori- ousintheBdiscusandjavelin. Another old hand Dave Bush won the 110m hurdles and B high jump.

Several younger members of the team acquitted themselves well with wins for Rio Chilvers over 1500m and in the B high jump. Ollie Bowling took the B 400m honours, Jevan Robertson won the B 1500m and Alistair Pitts (long jump) and Carl Titman (high jump) were also victorious.

Theladieswerenolesssuccessful, thoughtheonlyUnder 13 winner was Danielle Pusey in the B shot with 5.10m.

At Under 15 level there were victories for B string 800mrunnerPhoebeHorner, and Holly Yeeles.

The senior women really came into their own with Lydia Church - first in the 4kg shot and discus, and Ellie Mae-Stokes - first in the B triple jump and javelin - leading the way.

Alison Church and Chloe Pavey were winners in the B 400m and 1500m, as was Devon Spencer in the B triple jump. Rosie Fresen won the 80m hurdles and Bethany Denial threw furthest in the B shot. Priscilla Dadziea took the 3kg shot honours.

There was a limited Under 11 programme, butHarrierEvie Blow won the girls 80m in a speedy 12.2 seconds. A heron was defeated by a harrier as Nene Valley’s Alex Hampson started the defence of his Peterborough 5k Grand Prix title at Ferry Meadows last week withvictory over EyeCommunity Runner Ben Heron.

The 18 year old trainee electrician sparked the race into life leading from theoff, butittookhimuntil the final kilometre before he was able to shake off the persistent pursuers, including Heron, who had been snapping at his heels for much of the race.

Hampson was delightedwithhisracewinbutadmitted that things hadn’t gone fully to plan saying: “I didn’t want to lead all the way, and tried to get other runners in the group to share the front running. I realised that they were not interested, and was delighted that I was able to see themoffandwinthe race the hard way.”

ThelongstridingHarrier crossed the line in 16:03, nine seconds clear of runner-up Heron.

JamesMogridgeof Yaxley Runnerswonthebattle for third place with a 16:24 clocking.

The Peterborough AC duo of Amittai Ben-Israel and Shaun Walton chased him all the way finishing fourth and fifth.

Theladiesracewaswon comfortably by Rachel Doherty of Northamptonshire club Higham Harriersin17:03. NeneValley’s GraceMullins wasthe second lady home in 18:18, which represented a seven-second personal best for the 20 year-old.

Maggie Skinner of StamfordStridersfinished third closely followed by March AC’s Melissa Neal and Nene Valley’s Nicky Morgan.

The curtain- raising Junior 3k race was dominantedbyyoungstersfrom Nene Valley Harriers.

Benjamin Roberts won in 10:05 and was followed home by t eam- mates Ethan Ellison, Matthew Church and Matthew Dowling.

Flo Brill finished sixth overall andfirstgirl, crossing the line in 10:56.

Fellow Harriers Ella Robinson and Olivia Mead were second and third respectively.

Kielin Spurdens was also a 1500m winner.

Chloe Pavey won the 1500m.