Vets League Results from Portsmouth
Veterans Athletics- Track & Field League
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nThe second Southern Counties Vets League match, Hampshire Division took place at the Mountbatten Centre Portsmouth and Winchester & District Athletic Club (WADAC) Masters athletes took part.
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nThe WADAC ladies team were again winners and lead the League table after two victories. There was a stunning debut by Niki Le Bas running in her first ever club competition she sprinted to victory in the W35 200m B in a very rapid 27.7 which was faster than all the ladies in the A race and which subject to ratification is a W40 club record for 200m. Niki also ran a leg of the successful 4x400 relay team. In the 200m A race Kathryn Miles ran a solid race for 3rd in 29.8 .Multi talented Alison Fenwick sprinted the W50 200m in 32.6 to win that event. Club stalwart Sue True bravely front ran the W35 800m to win in 2.35.9, with Karen Rushton completing the double with first place in the B race in 2.47.6. Karen Hazlitt gained valuable points with 2nd in the 800m W50 race in 2.52 and Moira West more use to sprinting ran a dogged 800m in 3.30 for 3rd in the W60 category.
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nVicki Gill completely dominated the 3000m race winning by a good margin in a time of 10.45, Karen Hazlitt showed her tremendous strength moving through the field to win the W50 section in 11.57.2 after just running the 800m. Jo Jefferies ran well for 2ND W35 in a time of 11.59.2.
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nThe 4x400 team with Niki Le Bas on the glory leg also possibly ran a Vets club record of 4.40.9 with Kathryn Miles, Sue True and Alison Fenwick completing the winning line up.
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nIn the Field Heather Mballa won the W35 Discus with a superb throw of 28.43m and also put the shot 8.48m to finish 3rd. Sue Hume contributed 4th place in the W50 Discus with 15.09m and also 3rd in the W60 Shot with a distance of 5.14m. The Long Jump provided another example of Alison Fenwick’s versatility with a leap of 3.85 to take 2nd in the W50 event. Kathryn Miles jumped 3.70 for 4th in the W35 Long Jump.
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nIn the first match Winchester mens team were 4th which was one of their best performances, at the second match they went one better and managed 3rd team position which leaves them 3rd in the League overall. The mens team has recently been boosted by the addition of two talented athletes Colin French and Mike Chambers who were both successful athletes in their younger days, ironically with Southampton.
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nColin French ran a very good M35 200m A race in a very competitive field and was 3rd in a quick time of 25.6, this allowed Steve Pethen to run the B race in which he was a creditable 3rd in 27.5. WADAC gaining more points in the sprint than they normally did. Henry Hopkins was 6TH in the M50 200m 29.1 and Keith Stone 5th M60 in 33.6.
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nMike Chambers ran a strong tactical M35 800m race after the Basingstoke athlete took off like a rocket, Mike used his experience to finish 2nd in an excellent time of 2.13.2 with the Basingstoke athlete 10 seconds clear of the field. Nick Ambler ran very well to finish in 2.17.1 giving WADAC maximum points in M35 B 800m. Peat Allan had one of best ever runs with a strong bit of front running which resulted in a PB of 2.19.8 A and 2nd place in the M50 800m.
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nAnother new name to the Vets league was Tim Smales but he dominated the very large 3000m field and won in a time of 9.25.4 holding off two Southampton athletes. Pete Sansome backed Tim up well finishing 5th overall and 2nd M35 B. Down the field in 14th Marius Kwint 10.42.8 ran steadily to gain useful points in the M50 section. Martyn West also ran well in 11.40.7 for 4th in the M60 3000m.
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nColin French and Tim Swales ran excellent legs of the 4x400 relay in which WADAC finished 2nd in 3.56.5 in a race won by a very experienced Southampton team. Steve Pethen and Nick Ambler ably assisted with strong relay legs. With the option of also Mike Chambers for future relays things are looking really good in the relay area of WADAC.
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nIn the field unfortunately no one from WADAC could be persuaded to do the Pole Vault (!) but they still gained good points in the Triple Jump with Henry Hopkins leaping to victory in M50 with 9.79m and Tom Vamos 5th in the M35 with 8.52m. The lack of a recognised Discus Thrower lost WADAC some ground in that event but Dave Vosser 6th M35 17.51m, Steve Torrance 7TH M50 17.25m and Martyn West M60 18.98m threw gamely to gain WADAC points. In the Javelin Charles Scouller threw 26.18m for a solid 4th position in the M50 section .Elias Mtshweni admirably stood in at the last moment and threw 18.36 for 7th in the M35 Javelin.
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nThere are two matches left at Basingstoke and Aldershot and things are looking good for WADAC ladies to again win their League and for WADAC mens team to have their best finish position for many years.
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nSteve Torrance