Reading Ac’s U13 & U15 boys & girls produced a perfect opening fixture in the YDL Lower Age Group match as they took a comfortable 27 point winning margin in their Premier Division fixture. 3 club records were set in the process from Esther Adikpe, Blaine Lewis-Shallow & the U15 girls 4×300 relay team, whilst the U15 boys 4×100 quartet equalled the club record of 47.1
In what was a very keenly fought fixture, Reading were never really outside the top 3 and as the afternoon progressed they began to move away from Blackheath and the host club Southampton.
Having finished runners up in last years National Final, the club will be hoping to qualify for the final once more and possibly go one step better.
Report by Lee Richardson
Reading’s female U13 & U15 squad were out in force and at near full strength for this match as they produced an out-standing set of results to help contribute to a solid opening team victory. The U15 girls were particularly impressive and they will prove a tough age group to better in the league this season. In the sprints Issey Gilkes was in superb form, she produced a blistering performance when winning the 200m in 25.7, she later was involved in a close, high quality 100m race in which only 0.1 seconds separated the top 4, as Issey was given 3rd with 12.6. Millie Williams ran a superb 200m & clocked a best of 27.2 when finishing 3rdB, whilst Amelia Walcott looked very useful when placing 3rdB in the 100m in 13.4. Esther Adikpe got her name among the record books as she was a class apart in the 300m race, as she won with a new club record time of 42.1. Megan Shaw held her form well and completed a club double when winning the b-string in 44.2.
In the distance events, Ella Saunders shaved 2 seconds off her pb when clocking 2.23.7 for 4th, with Chloe Zmuda 5thB. The 1500m saw Nancie Bowley finish like a train to clock a very good new pb of 4.54.9 for 2nd position, as Kirsty Walker replicated that position in the b-string with 4.57.8.
Esther was back in action in the 70mh and clocked a pb of 12.0 for 2nd, whilst Kia Slade looked very impressive in winning the b-string in 12.4.
The throwing squad were in good form. Leah Runnacles topped the pile in the hammer with 35.57m, Caitlin Stacey made it a club double when winning the b-string with 19.46. Caitlin joined Ellysha Franklyn in the shot as both girls took 4th, Caitlin then contested her 3rd event in the discus alongside Eleanor Hoyle. Eleanor produced a superb effort with a huge personal best of 28.09m for 2nd, with Caitlin placing 2ndB. Charlotte West clinched 3rd in the javelin a-string with Chloe Zmuda winning the b-string.
The jumps provided a good run of results, Ellysha Franklyn showed good form when taking 3rd with 4.73m with Millie Williams 3rdB, the vertical jumps proved perfect as Reading gained maximum points in both. The Pole Vault saw Molly Bates win the competition with 2.50m as Emily Glanville sailed over 2.40m to win the b-string. Molly returned to contest the high jump and she claimed win number 2 with a superb 1.54m clearance, whilst in the b-string, Charlotte Vyvyan produced a superb personal best by some 12cm when winning her string with a 1.48m clearance.
The U13 girls gave a good account of themselves with many making having their first taste of competition at this level. Angela Lowe equalled her best of 10.4 when taking 3rdA in the 75m, Sophie Hutchings looked equally impressive when clocking 10.9 for 2ndB. Emily Whybrow clocked 21.6 in a close 150m race for 5th, as Jasmine Nightingale clocked 21.4 for 2ndB, Jasmine returned 40 minutes later for the 800m race and ran a gun to tape effort to clock 2.27.9 for victory – just 2 seconds off the club record that’s stood since 1984- in the b-string Hermione Walker placed 5th in 2.48.5. Charlotte Yeadon clocked 4.22.8 in her 1200m race with Isobel Barnett clocking 4.31.6.
Angela Lowe clocked a new best of 12.1 for 2nd in the 70mh race as Ellie Cleveland took 5thB. Angela then claimed another pb as she won the shot putt with a 8.95m effort, whilst debutant Florence Joslyn showed her worth to the team when winning the b-string with 6.89m. Isabelle Church again threw well in the javelin as she claimed 2nd with 22.30m, she also leapt well in the long jump with a 3.92m effort, whilst Emily Whybrow took 2ndB with 3.83m. In the high jump Ellise Belgrave was very impressive in taking 2nd with a new best of 1.42m with Ellie Cleveland taking 4thB.
Finally the relay teams all fared very well, the U13 girls quartet of Angela, Sophie, Jasmine & Emily raced round in 56.8 for 3rd in the 4×100, the U15 sprint relay team of Issey, Amelia, Megan & Millie clocked a very useful 50.7 when taking 2nd, whilst the U15 girls 4×300 relay team set a new club record as Esther Adikpe, Chloe Zmuda, Ella Saunders & Kirsty Walker raced round in 3.02.0.
Report by Paul Herrington
Reading’s youngsters travelled to sunny Southampton on Saturday for their first YDL fixture of the season. With last year’s trip to Birmingham still fresh in the mind and a return visit the aim again this year they got off to a perfect start with a fantastic victory by 27 points from Blackheath. Last year’s national winners Enfield were well beaten into 5th place on the day. The team spirit and support was a joy to see and credit to everyone for their efforts and achievements on the day.
The U13 team was weakened due to injury and unavailability but every one who competed stepped up and scored vital points throughout to day which contributed to the overall victory.
Daniel Animashaun and Jamie Bonella-Duke ran the 100m while Jamie doubled up in the 200m alongside Ben Rollings who had about 10 minutes notice he was running when Gino Castagne had to pull out injured. Ben then claimed 4th place in 800m while in the 1500m Zak Colvin came 3rd A with Joseph Mott a good 2nd B. Daniel claimed 2nd A in the 75m hurdles with debutant Kaelan Walton finishing 4th B in his first ever race for the club. Daniel, Zak, Gino and Jamie teamed up to finish off with the 4×100m relay.
Toby Irving and Gino scored well in the javelin as did Gino and Joseph Hubbard in the shot. Toby and Jamie both claimed 4th place in the long jump while Daniel won the A string high jump with Kaelan 4th B.
The U15 team was near full strength on paper and so it proved in practice with a great set of results and big points scoring throughout the day.
An under the weather Richard King was 4th A in the 100m with Alex Followell winning B, Richard was then 3rd A in the 200m, with Tyrese King runner up in the B string. The 300m saw Blaine Lewis-Shallow smash the club record with a 2nd place finish in A string in 37.5s with Peter Lane winning the B string. The middle distance boys were in imperious form with 2 perfect races. The 800m saw Chey Kemp win A string and Sam Rodda first in the B string, a result matched in the 1500m with Matthew Rawlings decimating the field to win A string by over 10 seconds and Nick Wiltshire smashing his pb to win B string. Richard, Alex, Blaine and Tyrese romped to victory in the 4×100m relay equalling the club record while Peter, Matthew, Chey and Sam ran a fantastic 4×300m relay, claiming victory by 6 seconds.
In the field Chritish Gurung and Peter Holt scored well in the discus and teamed up again in the hammer. Peter was 3rd in javelin with Matthew Rawlings throwing for the first time for 3 years filling in at B string. Blaine jumped to a new pb of 5.74m to win A string long jump with Alex runner up in B string while in high jump Tyrese and Marcus Tait both jumped well to keep the scores moving. Alec Scaife and Joe Mason both competed in their first pole vault competition and vaulted well and the experience will serve them well in the months ahead.
With the next match at home at the end of the month they look to continue where they left off and take control of the table and consolidate their position and take a big step towards Birmingham. Massive congratulations to all who took part and thanks for your efforts.
