Thames Valley Harriers win National Athletics League opener
Round-up from the opening weekend of fixtures of this summer's top-flight domestic league.
PREMIERSHIP, Match 1, Derby, May 23
Harrow put an end to the domination of local rivals Thames Valley last year but it was 'as you were' at the Moorways Stadium where the temperatures climbed to 24C as the day wore on and the Valley began to take control mid afternoon and eventually won by around 100 points.
The defending champions, however, were attempting to remain competitive in Derby while also fielding a team at the European Champion Clubs Cup competition in Spain on the same weekend.
Both clubs got their campaigns off to winning starts as Paris Olympian Nick Percy took the hammer for Harrow, with 58.67m and Jessica Lee the long jump for Thames Valley with 6.12m, although Harrow’s Ruby Jerges matched that for Harrow.
On the track, first blood went to Birchfield’s Tobie Watson in the 400m hurdles but it was Harrow’s Steph Okoro who won the women’s low hurdles.
New to the Premiership, Tonbridge got their names on the leader board early thanks to Ted Higgins’ 1:51.46 800m victory but theirs was a hard task to compete in the top flight.
An early points score saw Harrow on 83 ahead of TVH on 70, but a men’s 100m win for Jody Smith with 10.38, saw Thames Valley creep ahead 128 to 125.
Harrow went back ahead 151.5 to 146 after double UK champion Charlotte Payne led a Harrow double in the women’s hammer. The 24-year-old’s 70.10m came after moving her National League club from Windsor to the league title holders.
After 19 events had been posted, Thames Valley now led by 26 points over their West London rivals, thanks in many ways to a top-rated double from UK triple jump champion Archie Yeo’s 7.78m and Regan Corrin’s 7.54m in the men’s long jump.
The Valley also scored well in the men’s 400 metres where Victor Dos Santos Soares just got the better of Tonbridge’s Henry Marshall in 46.73, as Louise Evans added the women’s event in 53.52.
The Glasgow combo had few A string wins but their Silver Nwabuzor won the women’s triple jump with a best of 12.54 metres.
Birchfield had languished in the league basement for much of the match and trailed newcomers Tonbridge and Swansea but did begin to post some wins as the meeting unfolded with joint UK champion Charlie Husbands taking the men’s high jump with a 2.21m clearance. This was from his co-holder Divine Duruaku while Greg Millar won a close men’s javelin with a 63.30 throw.
Before that, their Precious Akpe-Moses had won the women’s 200m against a stiff breeze in 24.02 but, in the race just before, the wind was favourable as junior Mayo Alabi had taken advantage of a following wind to win the men’s in 20.93.
Newly promoted Swansea and Tonbridge struggled throughout the match and failed to trouble their six rivals who look to maintain their Premiership status.
Match: 1 TVH 649.5.5; 2 Harrow 546.5; 3 WG&EL 458; 4 Glasgow 432.5; 5 Birchfield 423.5; 6 WSEH 412; 7 Tonbridge 397; 8 Swansea 392
100 (1.50): 1 J Smith (TVH) 10.38; 2 E Franklyn (WG&EL, U20) 10.39; 3 E Adedotun (Swan) 10.54
200 (0.6): 1 M Alabi (Bir) 20.93; 2 D Offiah (Bir) 21.18; 3 A Haydock-Wilson (WSEH) 21.65
400: 1 V Dos Santos Soares (TVH) 46.73; 2 H Marshall (Ton) 46.97; 3 I Osei-Tutu (WSEH) 47.42
800: 1 T Higgins (Ton) 1:51.46; 2 J Owen (WG&EL) 1:52.84; 3 J Ockenden (Bir, U20) 1:53.35
1500: 1 J Chambers (Ton) 3:58.63; 2 A Milligan (Harr) 3:59.77; 3 L Moore (TVH, U20) 4:01:55
5000: 1 M Aadan (TVH) 14:52.50; 2 W Beeston (Ton) 14:56.70; 3 J Collier (Harr) 15:20.38; 3
110 H (0.07): 1 J Dean (WSEH) 14.34; 2 L Church (Ton) 14.57; 3 C Holder (TVH) 14.64
400 H: 1 T Watson (Bir) 52.57; 2 A O’Callaghan-Brown (Harr) 53.64; 3 D Benjamin (WSEH) 55.47
3000 SC: 1 S Costley (TVH) 9:09.7; 2 B Andrews-Callec (Harr) 9:13.84; 3 B Price-Davies (Swan) 9:40.14
HJ: 1 C Husbands (Bir) 2.21; 2 D Duruaku (Harr) 2.16; 3eq J Clarke-Khan (TVH)/S Davies (Swan) 2.09
PV: 1 J Harris (TVH) 4.71; 2eq N Mobbs (WG&EL, U18)/J Phipps (Bir)/J West (Harr) 4.51
LJ: 1 A Yeo (TVH) 7.78; 2 R Corrin (TVH) 7.54; 3 O Adepegba (Harr) 7.21
TJ: 1 T Oke (WG&EL, M45) 15.20; 2 N Odeh (Bir) 15.02; 3 D Igbokwe (Harr) 14.82
SP: 1 P Swan (Swan) 7.42; 2 L Lammie (TVH) 15.69; 3 A Williams (TVH) 15.20
DT: 1 N Percy (Harr) 58.67; 2 M Jenkins (Swan) 56.30; 3 A Peck (Glas) 50.08
HT: 1 C Murch (Bir) 72.00; 2 T Campbell (WSEH) 68.80; 3 J Berry (WG&EL) 65.13
JT: 1 G Millar (Bir) 63.30; 2 T Rutter (Harr, U20) 63.26; 3 G Johnson-Assoon (TVH, M40) 60.50
4x100: 1 TVH 40.28; 2 WG&EL 41.46; 3 Glasgow 41.58
4x400: 1 WSEH 3:16.15; 2 Tonbridge 3:16.91; 3 Birchfield 3:19:14
Women:
100 (-2.3): 1 J Eze (Harr) 11.68; 2 P Akpe-Moses (Bir) 11.68; 3 L Tallon (Ton) 12.01
200 (-1.8): 1 P Akpe-Moses (Bir) 24.02; 2 A Ellis (TVH) 14.14; 3 S Grace (WSEH) 24.33
400: 1 L Evans (TVH) 53.52; 2 A Root (Ton) 53.72; 3 S Okoro (Harr) 54.51
800: 1 C Buckley (TVH) 2:10.41; 2 L Gilbert (WG&EL) 2:11.67; 3 E McArthur (WSEH) 2:12.79
1500: 1 C Buckley (TVH) 4:32.07; 2 L Gilbert (WG&EL) 4:32.45; 3 L Sterritt (TVH) 4:34.54
5000: 1 I Franco (TVH) 17:25.18; 2 A Beeston (Ton) 17:54.24; 3 C Firth (WSEH, W40) 18:02.01
100 H (-2.1): 1 A McGee (TVH) 13.80; 2 E Maughan (Harr) 13.98; 3 D Hales (Bir) 14.02
400 H: 1 S Okoro (Harr) 58.60; 2 K Hulme (Glas) 61.65; 3 M Swingler (WG&EL) 62.19
3000 SC: 1 A Aberley-Barker (Harr) Harr) 10:54.77; 2 K Booth (TVH, W45) 11:13.43; 3 J Heller (WSEH) 11:17.80
HJ: 1 L Church (Swan) 1.76; 2eq P Rogan (TVH)/L Walliker (WG&EL) 1.73
PV: 1 T Hooper (Bir) 4.21; 2 N Munir (TVH) 4.11; 3 F Miloro (TVH) 3.91
LJ: 1 J Lee (TVH) 6.12; 2 R Jerges (Harr) 6:12; 3 G Baker (Ton) 5.82
TJ: 1 S Nwabuzor (Glas) 12.54; 2 A Gray (Harr) 12.49; 3 L Hulland (TVH) 12.54
SP: 1 C Aboagye (TVH) 13.55; 2 M Joseph (Harr) 12.71; 3 C Payne (Harr) 12.09
DT: 1 S Mace (TVH) 47.89; 2 K Law (WG&EL, W35) 47.80; 3 L Harris (Swan) 45.23
HT: 1 C Payne (Harr) 70.10; 2 T Simpson-Sullivan (WSEH) 60.28; 3 Z Price (Harr) 60.20
JT: 1 S Hamilton (Harr) 48.61; 2 J Larson (Bir) 46.34; 3 H Court (TVH) 45.11
4x100: 1 Birchfield 46.48; 2 Glasgow 47.21; 3 Harrow 47.38
4x400: 1 WG&EL 3:49.89; 2 TVH 3:52.74; 3 WSEH 3:52.87
CHAMPIONSHIP EAST, Chelmsford, Essex, May 23
Hosts Chelmsford narrowly missed out on elevation to the Premiership last year and here, as temperatures reached 29 deg C by late afternoon.
Here they posted an early lead in the team stakes narrowly ahead of Shaftesbury and Havering with 133 points but only five clubs took up participation in the league but the initial standard of performances was well below National class.
The battle of the two Essex clubs Then saw Chelmsford just lead 214 to 208 after a men’s hammer win for Oliver Graham with a 61.26 throw but the two clubs were then tied on 232 points after 17 events.
Field events took place outside the main arena as there is refurbishment taking place inside the track oval.
After 21 events had been scored, Shaftesbury Barnet had posted come good wins from 16-year-old Ramsey Gill’s 4.36m pole vault victory and 17-year-old Tami George’s 11.67 100m win.
And were now within six points of Chelmsford’s one point lead over Havering, but the north London club then took the lead after 26 events with 365, just a point ahead of Chelmsford.
They had 17-year-old Posie Shaw win the women’s 1500m in 4:36.12 and Tami George add the women’s 200m in 23.77 before Tom Butler won the men’s 5000m in a dawdle.
Shaftesbury then continued to pile up the points thanks to Kenan Stephens 7.14m men’s long jump win but Chelmsford did not give up the fight and saw Charlotte Graham take the women’s discus with 39.43 and 18-year-old James Becker the 200m in 21.58.
Niamh Emerson added the women’s javelin for Shaftesbury and Harley Henry, 18, added the men’s triple jump with 15.06m.
At the final count, it was Shaftesbury Barnet who took three of the four relays and then the match victory from hosts Chelmsford as early challengers Havering slipped as the afternoon wore on and the temperatures climbed.
The black and white striped vests had taken 15 A string wins to confirm their domination.
Match: 1 Shaftesbury Barnet 587; 2 Chelmsford 561; 3 Havering 520; 4 Herts Phoenix 453; 5 Belgrave 425
CHAMPIONSHIP NORTH, Liverpool, Merseyside, May 23
The Sheffield club got off to the best possible start with A string wins in five of the first eight events to declare and led City of York 129 to 118 at this point.
Alice Barnsdale took the women’s hammer with 58.08m, Robert Shipley the men’s 800m, in 1:52.86 and Saskia Huxham the women’s in 2:12.04. Then a strong wind blew Callum Winchester0Wright to a 100m win in 10.47 but York kept the eventual match winners honest.
After 13 events it was York narrowly ahead but the Sheffield outfit trailed despite a series of good performances, but the South Yorkshire outfit then had several more A string wins to take them into the match lead 338 to 315 over northern rivals York.
They were helped by junior Serenity Joint’s 43.03m discus and Chelsea Walker’s 13.91 sprint hurdles wins, immediately before Hakan Dalbal’s 47.05 men’s 400m personal best win.
With 29 events scored, York, on 393, were 28 points to the good of Sheffield and Notts but although Sheffield continued to pile up more than 15 A string wins, thanks to Chelsea Walker’s 13.91 spring hurdles win among others, they were being held by York who were scoring well in B string and minor placings.
It was a sorry state of affairs in the women’s 2000m steeplechase where only two started from a possible dozen and one of them was disqualified.
Match (without officials’ points): 1 City of Sheffield 506; 2 City of York 501; 3 Notts 429; 3 Sale 408; 5 Liverpool 398; 6 Trafford 360
CHAMPIONSHIP SOUTH, Crawley, West Sussex, May 23
The match belonged to Blackheath & Bromley and hosts Crawley, who were also unlucky to miss out on promotion in 2025 and here were trailing Blackheath after 11 events 176 to 211 with the Heathens having won six of the A strings.
Among them was 18-year-old Daisy Snell’s 6.25m women’s long jump, Bailey Stickings 52.10 men’s 400m hurdles and 17-year-old Joe Scanes 1:52.22 men’s 800m wins
They then continued to pile up the points and, after 25 events now led Crawley 390 to 354 and eight wins to three in the A string stakes. They had been helped by Charlotte Henrich’s 11.60 women’s 100m victory before the 19-year-old returned to complete the double with a 23.55 200m win.
Blackheath continued to pile on the points and, after 30 events had amassed 461 and a 39-point lead over hosts Crawley and this included a discus double from Zara Obamakinwas’s 56.84 and Dillon Claydon’s 54.77m as well as Lauren Farley’s 51.15m women’s javelin throw.
Crawley were keeping in touch and had Scarlet Margarolli win the women’s triple jump with 11.91m, which followed Freya Brenand’s women’s hammer win with 52.77 in the first event of the match. Ali Moghul on the Men’s javelin with 58.85 and Crawley scored well in B strings and minor placings but the match victory narrowly went to Blackheath.
Herne Hill were a distant third and had a good early win from Sophie Tooley in the women’s 800m in 2:08.33 and Portsmouth fourth. The Hampshire outfit had Vojtech Berger win the men’s 200m in 21.15.
Match (without officials’ points): 1 Blackheath & Bromley 575; 2 Crawley 552; 3 Herne Hill 429; 4 Portsmouth 356; 5 Basingstoke & Mid Hants 307; 6 Kingston & Poly 232
CHAMPIONSHIP WEST, Yate, Somerset, May 23
In a match of few outstanding performances, it was Swindon Harriers who had six A string wins by mid afternoon with their best being by Matt Woodward in 3:53.98 in the men’s 1500m and they led after 23 events had been scored by nearly 80 points over Cardiff and Yeovil, with a 337 tally. However, the results had been slow in coming through.
Yeovil too had posted six A string wins, with their best performer being by Lotte Garrett in the women’s triple jump with 12.17m.
As the events unfolded it was Swindon Harriers who came out of the pack and after 29 events had been processed were now clearly on course for a match win on 406 points 86 clear of the battle for second between Cardiff and Yate.
Cardiff were challenging after Alex Azu’s 10.66 and 21.42 men’s sprint double and the former top flight club, although being a distant second in the match were comfortably ahead of third placed Yeovil. They also had Richard Dangerfield win the men’s javelin with a final round 57.26m.
Yate were fourth and had 18-year-old Arisa Burgess over 3.56m in the women’s pole vault for their best victory.
In a sad state of affairs there was just one out of a possible 12 women’s 2000m steeplechasers on show and just six men, whilst the women’s 5000 metres had just four takers out of a possible 12. Is this what the National League has come to?
Match (without officials’ points): 1 Swindon 532; 2 Cardiff 413.5; 3 Yeovil 363; 4 Yate 362; 5 Bournemouth 311; 6 Winchester & District 176.5
