Burton supply victory over big clubs in vets league
BURTON Athletics Club’s veteran men pulled off a fine win over Midland powerhouses Cannock & Staffs and Birchfield in the Veterans’ League, on a day when the club’s women also came fourth.
The day did not start well, with versatile Jonathan Dumelow ill and a few others unavailable, while Paul Edwards started things off with fourth in the M60 200m,im proving his club record to 29.8 seconds.
Judy Kelsall, in a joint male and female 70 years 200m race, came second overall and first woman. Tom Farr was the second man in the same race.
The M50 200m saw Paul Mellor third and Sharon Wright fifth. Tomasz Koloziej was fourth in the M40 race.
Clair Zawada’s fourth in in the W40 200m was in a club record 32.5.
Burton then picked up their first win of the day as Jack Poxon led from the gun in the M35 200m in 26.4.
The first field events saw Ben Howard second in the javelin with 36.04m. In the W35 shot, Laura Allen was third with 5.39m. Jill Lamb was second in the W60 javelin.
Graham Lamb leapt 5.30m in the M60 triple jump for third before covering for Dumelow in the M35 800m, coming fourth, as was Laura Allen in the W35 race.
Duncan Stewart posted a in a close M40 800m in 2.16.5.
Judy Kelsall was third in the W50 2k walk in 14.27.5, a W70 club record. Nicola Long was also third in the W35 event for a W45 record of 19.50.0. Tom Farr was fourth in the M50 race.
In the W35 3000m, Jamie Fletcher was edged into second in 9.39.0, while Paul Mellor, in the M40 race, was fifth and Lamb fourth at M60.
Sharon Wright took fourth in the W50 long jump with 2.65m and Nicola Long third in the W40 discus with 12.47m.
Tomasz Kolodoziej was back in action for second in the M40 high jump with 1.30m. Brian Bowley was fourt in the M50 javelin with 20.55m and won the M70 shot with 7.44m.
Ben Howard added another win in the M35 shot, his 9.31m capping a good match for him.
Alec Taylor added fifth in the M50 long jump with 3.36m and third in the discus with 22.42m as Burton continued to cover events and pile up points.
The male and female races were combined in the last event of the day, the 400m rela
Kolodziej took the first leg, putting Burton in third, then Stewart’s storming leg saw the team neck and neck with Cannock.
It stayed that way through Poxon’s leg, handing over to Fletcher, who just ran out of steam in the last 100m after his 3000m effort.
It was still a good second place for Burton in 4.03.6.
The women’s team of Laura Allen, Rebecca Wong, Helen Stewart and Clair Zawada ran well for second.
The next match, on June 8, will see Burton hosting at Shobnall.
NICOLA Long and Laura Allen recently took part in the British Masters throws pentathlon, Allen coming third at W35, throwing the hammer 20.88m, the shot 5.29m, the discus 19.63m, the javelin 9,47m and the weight 4.81 for 1177 points.
Long was third at W45 with a 24.28m hammer, 6.34m shot, 12,13m discus, 10.59m javelin and 7.02m weight for 1668 points, a personal best and club record.
IN recent county championships held around the Midlands, Burton athletes picked up 12 titles, won nine silver medals and six bronze medals. The roll of honour was: DERBYSHIRE: Ben Howard hammer gold, javelin silver; Zara Acton discus gold, shot silver; Laura Allen discus silver; Steve Hollis javelin bronze; Izzy Fellows discus gold, shot bronze; Reese Robinson javelin silver; Ben Acton shot silver, discus silver; Isaac Wood shot gold, discus gold; Lewis Botterill shot bronze; Fran Sharpe javelin gold; Izzy fellows javelin gold; Laura Allen hammer gold; Maddie Hughes hammer gold; Rachel Burke hammer silver; Holly Wilson javelin bronze; Ava Howard javelin bronze; Poppy Howard javelin silver. WARWICKSHIRE: Maddie Hughes discus gold, hammer silver. STAFFORDSHIRE: George Kugelmann discus gold, javelin gold. MIDDLESEX: Nicole long hammer bronze.