It's "Oxford Here we Come" for the NAL Promotion Final.

How results can change overnight. When going online Saturday evening CAC were placed third and out of the promotion match next month being 30 points adrift of Hert’s Phoenix. Early Sunday and the deficit had been reduced as our 3000m runners had not been included. A later check and, whoa, there was now an advantage of 26 points. For this turn around we must give thanks to our officials for once again mustering a full team whilst Hert’s P. Fell short on this aspect.

The `final` result thus reads 1st Blackheath 639, Chelmsford 559, Hertford Phoenix 533, Belgrave 444, Havering 434 and Herne Hill 342. The league table after the three meeting shows - wait for it - 1st Chelmsford 15 (with 1677 match points, second Hertford P 15 (1659) and Blackheath 14 (1708). One can see how important our 50 points for the officials became as we were the only club to achieve this throughout the season.

To the competition and the women's throws brought maximum points in the shot putt and discus with Jessica Hopkins having performances of 13.20m and 38.99m whilst sister Maegan winning the `B` string`s with 11.95 and 35.29m. Over at the hammer Helene Ingvaldsen again took the honours as she had the previous two meetings this time with 59.06 metres. Only one other first place from the women`s events with Georgia Tombs achieving this in the 400m with 56.72s but there were two second places for Lily Parris via the 200m and 400m hurdles. Sienna Shipton (under 17) doubled up over 800 and 1500 with Sophie McCall another of our younger members running the 800 and steeplechase. In this later event veteran Wendy King stepped in to fill a gap as she also did in the 3000 metres. Another assisting in this respect was Holly Watson with unusual double of 400 hurdles and steeplechase.

With the men`s events the hammer brought maximum points via Oliver Graham (58.92m) and Yasha Bobash (47.62m). Full points also from the high jump with Seb Clatwothy clearing 2.07m and under 17 athlete Charlie Pyner over 1.87m.  On the track Will Steadman won the 800m with 1m 55.57s and this was followed by Harry Wright with a previous best of 2m 03s now clocking 1m 57.17s to win the second string. Harry was also to take the `B string 3000m with 9m 10.16s for yet another personal best. In the first-string Joseph Grange had finished second in 8m 45.63s but only 45minutes earlier had won the 1500mwith 3m 55.94s both events being pb`s.  Two wins came from the hurdles with Bradley Reed over the 110m event in 15.06s and Onyeka Okoh from the 400 in 52.76s. James Becker 'was second in both sprints with times of 10.94s and 21.75s and it was another second from the pole vault with Jack Hughes clearing 4.12m.   Last events of the day and both the women and men were to finish second in the 4 x 400 relays. Yes, some solid teamwork but still empty spaces in the results which hopefully can be filled for the promotion meeting at Oxford on 16th August when they face teams from the North, South and West regions.

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Report written by Roy Meadowcroft.