Juniors Race Report - Middlesex Young Athletes League Finsbury Park

On Saturday fourteen young Serpies took part in Match 2 of the Middlesex Young Athletes League at Finsbury Park track.

Picture from Juniors Race Report - Middlesex Young Athletes League Finsbury Park

London Heathside were our hosts for the day. Serpentine were non-scoring in all events as we are a guest member for this inaugural season.

The first event was a mental agility test where parents and athletes teamed up to find race numbers from a set of numbers 1-350 scattered across two tables in random order, with the added complication of the required pairs being separated. Serpentine’s team time was 22 minutes and 14 seconds which sets a beatable target for Match 3. This was followed by a search for safety pins. Peter Clarke had brought two boxes but this wasn’t enough and Chris Haughton-Brown showed great initiative by finding a dry cleaner nearby and coming back with a stash that will keep Heathside supplied well into next season.

As we had nobody competing in the hurdles our first competitors took to the track for the 800m. The Abamecha brothers acquitted themselves well and Abdalla (U13) showed great pace judgement and tactical cunning by flying through the last 300m, coming from near the back to mop up several fading competitors and to finish in 3:09. The effort took its toll and his smile deserted his face for the first time since arrival. Not wanting to be upstaged Baqer (U15) then took to the track and ran a very consistent pace resulting in well-deserved PB of 2:28.

By now the events were nearly an hour behind schedule due to the sheer numbers of competitors. Several impressive 100m performances followed by Abby (U13,14.8 seconds), Josie (U13,16.5), Abdalla (16.9), Shiloh (U15,13.5 and 3rd fastest on the day), Kristina (U15, 14.2), Bineta (U15,14.3), Alex (U15,12.5) and Henrique (U17,12.9). Abby and Alex’s performances were notable for Abby brilliantly winning her heat from lane 8 and being 5th fastest overall, and Alex for drawing plaudits from all spectators for an elegant and well-timed dip for the line, just missing out on first but recording the same time as the heat winner (and =3rd overall). Maybe next time he can take his track suit off for better aerodynamics!

Amy (U13) and Saskia (U15) showed great stamina in the gruelling 1500m, each comfortably finishing mid-pack and posting really good times of 6:08 and 6:24. A tough race was made harder by a strong headwind on the back straight.

We had quite a few in the 200m with the customary fantastic performances from Awa (26.2, 1st overall), Jada (27.6, 2nd overall), Shiloh (29.4), Bineta (30.4) and Saskia (34.5).

Henrique (4.59 metres, 1st non-scorer, 3rd U17 overall) and Baqer (4.21 metres, 1st U15 non-scorer) both enjoyed a successful long jump.

The 100m relays began shortly before 6pm and after some of the team had understandably departed, so we entered two slightly makeshift U17 teams with our boys and girls of mixed ages taking part in a direct head-to-head. Awa was particularly keen to stay for the relays; did she smell fear from the boys’ camp? Abdalla, back smiling again, bravely helped out his older teammates but it was the girls who prevailed by two seconds, prompting celebrations from the female ranks. In fact they were the second-quickest U17 team on the day, behind only Shaftesbury boys. The girls’ performance was also notable for a great contribution from Saskia, a middle-distance runner, who left the team in a competitive position after the first leg.

Sadly the slip in the schedule led to Barnaby Russell having to leave for a party before he had a chance to race. We really hope this won’t happen again in Match 3 at Parliament Hill (June 18th).

For the older runners (U17s) we hope that this whets their competitive appetites and prompts them to join the Seniors in upcoming events. Most of our Seniors will be unable to match these performances.

Many thanks to Heathside for hosting, Matt Thomas for co-ordinating the sprinters, Malcolm and Emile for officiating, Ian and Sally Hodge and all the parents for their help and support, and to Grace Sim for the logistical groundwork. Photo attached of those who remained until the bitter end and before team manager Peter Clarke headed for the pub, a shattered wreck. Apologies if anyone has been left out.

Peter Clarke
juniors@serpentine.org.uk

Submitted: 24 May 2017

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