Juniors set new club records and PBs at EYAL meeting
Three of BAC’s junior athletes set new club records and a fourth equalled one when competing for the composite Bedfordshire Lions team at the Eastern Young Athletes League (EYAL) meeting in Braintree, Essex, on Sunday May 5. Many others set new PBs.
Sidney Hammond set the ball rolling by breaking the club record for the U-15 Boys 800m, a record previously held by Henry Knox, when he finished a very close second in the A race over that distance in a time of 2.12.9.
Minutes afterwards, Henry established a new club record for the U-17 Men’s 800m, knocking a massive 5.4 seconds off his previous PB to finish second in the A race for that event in 2.07.8. Later in the day, he also knocked 1.3 seconds off his previous PB for the 200m to finish third in the U-17 Men’s A race in 24.5.
There was also a big new club record in the field, with Oran Blake throwing the hammer 30.17m in the U-17 Men’s event, nearly 4.7m further than the previous record of 25.48 metres he threw during the Bedfordshire AAA Open meeting at Sandy in early April. Oran also threw a PB of 25.56 in the U-17 Men’s discus.
Back on the track, Sureyya Akay matched the club record for the Girls U-15 100m, 12.9 seconds, which has stood since 2001.
Other highlights included two BAC athletes winning A events:
· Ross Bone in the U-13 Boys javelin with a throw of 26.81m.
· Fenya Treece in the U-15 Girls long jump with a leap of 4.67m.
Two other athletes won B events:
· Joanna Hardy in the U-13 Girls 800m.
· Lauren Bone in the U-15 Girls javelin.
Many BAC athletes achieved new PBs in Braintree and two of them achieved three − Esa Blake in the U-15 Girls discus (16.55m), hammer (16.25m) and javelin (16.38m); and Ayla Akay in the U-13 Girls 100m (15.5), 200m (32.00) and 800m (3.04.2).
Two other BAC athletes also competed in three events − Bradley Cant in the U-15 Boys category who made his debut in the hammer with a throw of 18.4m as well as competing in the javelin and discus, and Oran Blake who competed in the same three events in the U-17 Men category.
Other PBs were achieved by Joanna Hardy, U-13 Girls 200m (32.4) and 800m (2.53.8); Ross Bone, U-13 Boys 800m (2.49.9) and javelin (26.81m); Austin Milner, U-13 Boys 1500m (5.09.06 ); Theo Milner, U-13 Boys 1500m (5.34.3); Isabella Pykerman, U15 Girls 100m (13.7) and long jump (4.35m); Isla Anderson, U-15 Girls 100m (15.3) and 200m (32.5); Fenya Treece, U-15 Girls 200m (28.2); Lauren Bone, U-15 Girls shot put (5.76m) and javelin (15.09m); Oliver Weddell, U-15 Boys 1500m (4.53.2); and George Hardy, U-17 Men 200m (24.6).
Special mention should also go to particular two groups of BAC athletes who competed at Braintree. First, the four who made up the U-15 Girls 4 x 100m relay team (Bedfordshire Lions’ only relay team on the day) – Fenya Treece, Isla Anderson, Maia Masson (making her debut for Bedfordshire Lions) and Isabella Pykerman. Second, the four who turned out for Bedfordshire Lions the day before their respective Bedfordshire AAA County Championship 1500m races in Stevenage – Lauren Bone, Oliver Weddell, Austin Milner and Theo Milner.
Summing up the day, Bedfordshire Lions team managers Michael and Kat Lewis commented: “Thank you to all athletes and their parents/guardians for making the long trip to Braintree to compete in the second match of the EYAL. It was fantastic to see PBs improved and more club records broken.
“A very special thanks to Louise Cant who volunteered to manage the team on the day and to all BAC officials for their support in making it possible for BAC to be part of these events. The next match is on 02/06/2024 in Sandy. We hope to see as many of you there as possible.”
EYAL Thurrock meeting update – another club record: There was a BAC club record broken at last month’s EYAL meeting in Thurrock which was not included in the event reports. Lauren Bone set a new record for the U-15 Girls 1500m with a time of 5.24.7. Sorry, Lauren - it was flagged up as a PB but the fact it was also a new club record initially slipped through the net.
BAC members of the Bedfordshire Lions team:
U-13 Girls: Ayla Akay, Joanna Hardy
U-13 Boys: Ross Bone, Austin Milner, Theo Milner
U-15 Girls: Sureyya Akay, Isabella Pykerman, Lauren Bone, Fenya Treece, Esa Blake, Isla Anderson, Maia Masson
U-15 Boys: Sidney Hammond, Oliver Weddell, Bradley Cant.
U-17 Men: George Hardy, Henry Knox, Oran Blake.
Bedfordshire Lions team manager on the day: Louise Cant
Bedfordshire Lions team managers
Michael & Kat Lewis
Photos: Louise Cant & Melissa Knox
Individual Results: Power of 10:
https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=595302&pagenum=1
Team Results: http://eyal.org.uk/results/