NAL & SAL Progress Stutters Due to Poor Turnout.

There is a children's ditty, The wheels of the bus go round and round, round and round all.... For our seniors unfortunately the last two league matches it`s changed to a 1965 song by the New Minstrels - Three Wheels on my wagon.

In the National League there were hopes of a second place in the table and edge out Havering for a place in the final at Bedford. These hopes were dashed as we slipped to fourth place behind Shaftesbury 622, Havering 500 and Herts. Phoenix 487 with our 455. Never the less some fine performances were put in. Paul Grange again over the 800 metres ran 1m 57.79s for second place with Joe Abbott taking first in the `B` race on 2m 01.45s. Moving up to the 1500m Ben Felton came up with a pub of 4m 03.18s - this after winning the 3000m in a season`s best of 8m 49.30s. Maximum points were gained in the 110m hurdles via Rhys Collings and Luke Keteleers - Rhys a pb of 16.74s.    Sam Wright in both long and high jump with support from Temil Johnson-Alo and Charlie Pyner ensured that good points were gained here whilst Kevin Wilson contested all four throwing events.

On the ladies side Etty Sisson making her debut finished third in the 400 - paving the way for Georgia Tombs to take the second string in 59.90s. Georgia also contested the 100 and 200 metres. Ruby Vinton and Hannah Bolton each placed second in their 800m races Hannah later coming up with a pb of 5m 33.88s in the steeplechase. It was the throws bringing the best rewards however with Jess Hopkins winning the shot  putt and second in the discus, sister Maegan placed second in the shot and Charlotte Graham second in the discus.

Just a week later and it was into a Southern League fixture in which clearly Windsor would be stern opposition. As it turned out with 289 points they were pushed by the hosts Medway with 279 with Norwich on 258, Woking 232, Chelmsford 185 and Basingstoke 133. After the earlier season results CAC still occupy fifth place in the table.

From the men's sprints James Becker continued with excellent form setting a pb of 22.19s for the 200 metres. An early event, the 800 metres, brought full points from Luke Oliver (1m 57.54s) and Jacob Alexander ((2m 01.63s). Jacob was to go on and record pb`s in the 400m hurdles and steeplechase taking the `B`string honours after Joseph Grange won the event in 10m 09.0s for his own pb. It was full points also in the 1500m with Paul Grange and Ben Felton leading the way home, Ben also won over the longer distance of 5000 metres. Rhys Collings improved on his best set the previous week with 16.14s over the 110 metre hurdles. Kevin Wilson and Yasha Bobash picked up full points from the shot putt and valuable points in the other throwing events.     

On the women's side Lottie Wilkin placed third in the 800 metres with Daisy Stollery (2m 17.37s) having her best time when winning the `B` result. Lucy Nuttall third in the 1500m put in her best time whilst in the triple jump Grace Tremelling also achieve this. Charlotte Graham first in the discus and second in hammer also contested the shot and javelin. With these performances one most wonder how come so far away in the team result. Well unfortunately there were many events that we failed to put out competitors.  From our early season turn outs we have missed what must be considered our star performers and as we rely on many under 17`s with schools events and now escalated by the holiday period we find that we do not have the back up of numbers as the likes of Windsor who flooded the events with non-scorers.

As they say `things can only get better'.

NAL gallery here

SAL gallery here

Report written by Roy Meadowcroft

A Class act at English Schools.

What must be the most waited meeting for any young athlete has to be qualification for the English Schools Championships, this season staged in Birmingham and we certainly had a fair share competing here  -  seventeen in numbers.

THE FIVE STAR AWARD can only go to Joshua Babalola (pictured) who took the under 15 boys hammer event apart winning with a very impressive 57.85 metres, some seven metres beyond his nearest rival. Incredibly this was only his 8th meeting, only two last season and that second one was to be second place in these schools championships.  Oh -  by the way his best and on reported stands at 58.31m set a week earlier at Stoke on Trent in the English Schools T&F Cup Final.

Of course there were other outstanding performances that saw places on the rostrum gained, Alastair Brown in the Senior Boys age group placed second in the shot put with 14.99m, whilst also in the shot third places came to Jeremy Anderson, under 15 boys, with 14.43m and to Monica Malagala, under 15 girls with 12.45metres. The top five in the under 17 girls shot all came up with pb`s Matilda Hewitt only just outside her best with13.45m placed sixth.

Sticking to the field events, often forgotten with the track usually drawing more attention, there was another very good performance coming from Amelie Scott to take second place in the under 17`s triple jump with a personal best of 11.59m. In the under 20`s pole vault Jack Hughes placed 4th with 4.20m, whilst Sam Wright clearing a very good clearance of 7.17m, in the long jump placing 5th.

And so to the track and let’s start with the personal best from Ezra Harrold of 2m 10.77s for her second place in the 800m- this after a 2m 11.38s and second spot in her heat. These at under 15 level. Moving to the under 17`s and Jacob Hurrell with 3m 57.34s for the 1500m also took second - after placing first in his heat with 3mb59.85s. There was third place for Will Steadman in both heat and final of the under 20`s  800 metres with clockings of 1m 53.17s and 1m 55.63s. Another of our athletes coming up with a pb Sophie Catchpole, clocked 44.46s for the 300m hurdles -after a time of in her heat 44.63s. Ruby Vinton made the final of the under 20`s 1500m and clocked 4m 36.55s, over the hurdles Josephine Walsh and Chelsea Clarke contested the 75m event with times of 11.71s and 11.70s respectively whilst Ed Hughes, 58.49s, and Daniel Brown 58.56s, were  in the 400 hurdles for the under 17 boys.

Of interest - if you do not succeed at first, try again, Daley Thompson tackled the 200 metres in these championships 50 years ago - placing 4th. The next year he won that event.  Of course it`s well documented that 1984 - yes 40 years ago - he  took the Olympic title - a goodly number of SCHOOLS CHAMPIONS have gone on to be Olympians.

Report written by Roy Meadowcroft

A Very low Turnout but a Gutsy Display From our Vets.

The EMAC ( Eastern Masters AC ) league comprises of separate men & women teams ( V35+, V50+ & V60+) with 4 matches run in the evenings over the summer. After the 4 matches are completed, the first two clubs in each of the 3 divisions, automatically make the final & the best two 3rd places also make the one day final.

Friday night 5th July saw CAC vets team compete in the pouring rain for the 2nd of four EMAC league matches, but an enthusiastic competition nevertheless, even though the pole vault was cancelled due to admin problems.

Men's team: disappointing last position leaves us now 4th & much to do if we are to get back up to 2nd place to make the final. With only 10 men competing, the low turn-out left gaps that was only filled by older athletes dropping down to younger age group like Peter Tullett, to enable David Butler & Stuart Bazley to gain more points in their age groups. Roger Skedd as usual was the biggest points winner with 5 events done, Dave Bauer won both his throws events, I played my part in the throws. We welcomed Carl Paxman & Geoff Keily to the team & they filled in some of the gaps. Gerry Daniel injured himself in the long jump, but bravely ran in the relay to help the team be able to run both relays. Amr Ziko about to get married in his native Egypt, he will miss the last two matches, (he didn’t think his future wife would appreciate to get married close to Thurrock for our matches), so will pose sprint & relay problems for those matches. 

Ladies team: Only 4 athletes, the normally strong CAC ladies team is no where to be seen this year! Caroline Horden did her best to win as many events as possible with a total of 30 points, Clare St John Coleman 22 points, new member Jemma Spellacy won the shot, 2nd in javelin for 15 points & Nicola Hewitt in three events 20 points. What would have been the result with say 10 ladies present?

​Filling all events is key to success, so numbers competing, especially V60+ is crucial  (rules allow elder athletes to perform in younger age group, but not visa versa ). 

Finally, a HUGE thanks to the officials who came, Geoff Reed, David Hewitt, David Barnett & Malcolm Potter. Without them we have no matches.

If you want to join the CAC masters team in the EMAC league either 1st claim or 2nd claim from another club, 

contact: Geoff TYLER  on tylergeoff@aol.com

Report written by Geoff TYLER​ CAC team manager for men & ladies.