Page 7 - Summer2016Gazette
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Athletics Report  5
        You can’t keep a good team down

        Senior Ladies bounce straight back into the Premiership



                                Bristol                 from Niamh and a B string
          On paper, few would disagree   5th June 2016  win for HCA Caroline Ford
          that we have one of the best   Our bid for promotion back   on her return from injury.
          senior women’s track & field   to the Premiership needs to   The 400s and sprint hurdles
          teams in the country. (Which   start with the first match, but a   secure valuable points. (No
                                                        barrier phobia here, thank
          is hardly surprising when one   host of athletes are unavailable.   goodness, and thanks to
          considers, by any measure,   On arrival at the Kip Keino   Juniors, Issie Hilditch and, B
          we’ve been by far and away   Stadium, on what is already   string winner, Annie Davies).
          the best Junior women’s team   a bright sunny day, a dark   We’re still being written off
                                metaphorical cloud appears:
          in the country for more than a   we’re informed that one of our   in the team standings, but an
          decade.) Yet we were relegated   senior international athletes is   exemplary 3000m from Jackie
          from the Premiership last   ineligible. No valid explanation   Montgomery (fresh from her
                                                        win in the B PV) in support
          year. How could that be?   is provided – as there is none:   of Clare Elms, and a double
          The answer is remarkably   she has been properly registered   win in the TJ from Chioma
          simple: we don’t compete on   - but it is agreed she can   and Annie, see us eating into
                                compete, on the understanding
          paper and, like fine wine, we   that she may be subsequently   the points deficit. A double
          don’t travel well. The goals   disqualified. Knowing the rules   winning double in discus and
          this season were, therefore,   better than the League officials,   shot, from Divine and Team
          to regularly turn out teams   we decide to take the risk and   Captain Shaunagh, underlines
                                                        our throwing strength and
          representing our real strength   she duly wins her event. Several   gives us further hope, as do
          and thus ensure a return to the   days after the match, the   our 200m pairing of Maya and
          top division.         League purport to disqualify   Rachel (another B win). Not to
                                her. It takes several weeks, and   be outdone, our 1500m ladies
                                the intervention of England
                                Athletics, to have her reinstated.   also perform well, despite the
                                                        heat, with Kelly Grant passing
                                All’s well that ends well?  her Woodford opponent
                                We appear to have a mental   after an epic battle down the
                                barrier with barriers and have   home straight. (Little do we
                                been unable to field a single   know how important that will
                                400m hurdler or steeplechaser.   be!) Not to be outdone, our
                                Thus we give all the other   sprint relay team then eases
                                teams a head start by having no-  to a comfortable win before
                                one in the first track event. In   our momentum comes to a
                                addition, although our throws   shuddering halt as we have to
                                squad is the strongest in living   watch a steeplechase devoid of
                                memory, one of our hammer   any Club competitor.
                                throwers is missing, presumed
                                lost - as a number of the team   Despite a good 3rd in the
                                have had problems locating   Javelin from HCA Ellie
                                the stadium. Subsequently, it   Jamieson, on debut, the match
                                is discovered that she had sent   draws to a close with us feeling
                                a message informing of injury.   ‘if only’. There are problems
                                Not the best of starts.  with the software and no results
                                                        are available by the time we
                                The 800s see us beginning the   have to leave for our train. We
                                fight back, with a season’s best   receive them on our way home
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