Nick Fleeman’s summary of the 2024 Hampshire Vets League Racewalking Efforts
Nick Fleeman has written this fascinating and somewhat humerous account of the club’s racing efforts in the recent Hampshire Veteran’s League. Although the club has done very well, especially in the men’s event, it would be great if more people (seniors & juniors) got involved in the sport generally. Anyone who had the chance to see the marathon mixed relay which took place in the Paris Olympics recently would surely appreciate how exciting and demanding racewalking can be. If you would like to learn more about the sport and get involved, please let me know. My email address is derek.smith@wadac.org.uk
Training sessions normally take place on Wednesday evenings at the track commencing at 6p.m.
Thank you Nick for this article.
Hampshirevetsleague 2024
Nick F’s reflections on the season that was
The opening match of the 2024 Hampshire vets league was held on Monday 29th April when the Basingstoke and Mid Hants Athletics Club welcomed athletes from across the county to the Down Grange Stadium. A sizeable field of twenty six competitors took to the track for the combined men’s and women’s 2000 metre race walking event and fabulous performances by WADAC athletes saw us storm to victory in both categories. The women’s race was won by Vicky Gill who left many much more experienced walkers trailing in her wake finishing in an excellent time of 13:38.7, a full twelve seconds ahead of her nearest rival.
In the men’s event, our newest recruit, Marcin Wojtowicz, destroyed the field coming home in an outstanding time of 10:48.7, the second fastest time ever achieved by a WADAC athlete. The club 2000 metre walk record (all categories) of 10:44.0 was set 16 years ago by Ian Leedham who has since relocated to Cornwall where he continues to compete for the Newquay Road Runners. The League record of 8:59.3 was established in 2008 at the Mountbatten Stadium, Portsmouth, by Fleet and Crookham’s Nick Silvester; this on the same night that Katy Perry kissed a girl and found she liked it and The Dark Night featuring Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker premiered in New York. In the intervening years Marcin’s time has been bettered in the League on just two occasions. When he breaks Silvester’s record, as he surely will, his efforts will certainly be rewarded with a bottle of a high quality ethanol based beverage distilled in his homeland, provided courtesy of his fellow race walkers.
Also taking part in Basingstoke were WADAC’s Head of Walks, Derek Smith, along with yours truly. We both succeeded in posting times that bettered our best efforts of last year with Derek completing the course in 13:03.8. I managed a sub thirteen minute finish with 12:53.5.
The final League meet of the season, held at the Military Stadium, Aldershot on July 8th was the second match to include race walking in the programme. On this occasion Marcin was unable to represent the club as he was busy elsewhere, tearing up the track in the Polish National Championships winning silver and bronze medals in the 5000 metre and 3000 metre walk events. The old war horses, Derek and Nick, vacated their respective pastures to pull on the black and gold vest and both proved that they can still raise a gallop when the occasion demands. Both beat the times that they had achieved earlier in the season with Derek coming home in 13:02.670 and me in 12:45.534. I don’t know about Derek but this is the first time I have ever received a finishing time correct to a thousandth of a second!
The table below provides a summary of the walking points we amassed:
Men’s Results Overall
Club
Total points
Southampton
31
WADAC
26
Overton
23
Basingstoke & Mid Hants
19
Havant
15
Aldershot Farnham & District
13
Fleet & Crookham
3
This marks a significant improvement on our 2023 performance when we achieved a total of just 18 points. This season race walking points accounted for 9% of the WADAC men’s total points score; no mean feat considering the fact that race walking is included in just two of the four matches that are held.
Women’s results overall
Club
Total points
Aldershot Farnham and District
29
Fleet & Crookham
23
Havant
22
Southampton
18
Basingstoke and Mid Hants
14
WADAC
8
Aside
Speaking of record attempts in 2008:
Iran made a valiant attempt to break the world record for creating the world’s largest sandwich. This was to be an impressive 1500 metres long. Unfortunately, the attempt failed as the crowd who had gathered to watch history made ate the sandwich before it could be measured.
Ah, they were heady days.
Nick F.
July 2024
