The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Harriers off to a flying start in Southern League
Nene Valley Harriers began their Southern League season with a notable Division One victory over two of the nation’s top athletic clubs.
The challenge from Harrow AC and Thames Valley Harriers, who both operate in the Premier Division of the England League, along with Reading AC was seen off in a match result that saw Nene Valley punching above their weight.
Event wins came thick and fast at the Embankment and the girls were in top form on the track with Georgie Ivens and Amber Park pulling off a 400m A and B string double in times of 59.6 and 62.7.
Zoe Lucas in 14.6 and Emily Maltby with 17.3 matched the achievement in the 100m hurdles.
Triathlete Louise Alexander finished first in the B 3,000m on her club debut, with a 12:55.5 clocking.
Alex Hampson and Dave Brown won the A and B 800m with H amp son completing the two-lap race in 1:59.9. Brown ran a very useful 2:05.2
Archie Rainbow kept up the good work winning the B 1500 min 4:19.6 with A runner Aaron Hunt clocking 4:13.7 while taking the runners-up spot.
Steven Wilkinson got his Nene Valley career off to a good start with a time of 17:37.6 to win the B 5,000m.
Hurdler Sean Reidy was in his normal dominant form as he won the 110m hurdles in 17.60, while Grigorij Kondratovic clocked 20.50 to win the B race.
Alastair Phelan ran 64.3 as he took maximum points in the B 400m hurdles.
Nene Valley dominated the throws with Martin Tinkler and Simon Achurch pulling of a shot putt double with throws of 14.66m and 12.06m respectively. Achurch also won the B discus and hammer.
Becky Hall with 12.36m and Lydia Church with 11.45m were too strong for their opponents in the shot, as were Andrea Jenkins and Danielle Pusey in the hammer with 46.21m and 25.87m.
The jumps were also a happy hunting ground for the Nene Valley ladies.
Maltby with a distance of 5.19m and Jasmine Allen with 5.07m secured a long jump double and Millie Weller won the B high jump with 1.45m.
Victories for the male and female 4x400m relay teams capped a fine day for Nene Valley.
Match result: Nene Valley 236pts; Harrow AC 212pts; Thames Valley Harriers 193pts; Reading 146pts.
EASTERN YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE
Nene Valley travelled to Ipswich on Sunday for possibly the coldest Eastern Young Athletes League fixture ever.
Rain during the long jump competition turned to sleet, then hail, and finally snow as the youngsters were allowed to compete with jackets and hoodies over their club vests.
In what was a tough season opener Nene Valley finished fourth out of the six competing teams.
There were still a number of highlights with Francesca Fenwick winning the Under 17 high jump with a 1.86m clearance and Millie Weller the under 17 long jump with 4.57m.
Elizabeth Moorhouse won the Under 17 shot with a huge putt of 20.33 m.
Flo Brill won both Under 17 middle distance events clocking PBs of 2.18 in the 800m and 5.06 over 1500m.
Under 13 Evie Hemmings clocked a speedy 5.27 in the 1500m, and Under 15 Danielle Pusey threw the javelin 28.80m.
Match result: Havering 856pts; 2 Dacorum & Tring 711pts; 3 Ipswich 681pts; 4 Nene Valley Harriers 363pts; 5 North Suffolk 340pts; 6 West Suffolk 196pts.