Tim Hughes and BAL team about to return to Kings Park after a successful day at Yeovil (complete team not present – others returned directly home from Yeovil with own transport)
On Saturday 8th August the BAC Men’s BAL team travelled to Yeovil for their final fixture of the season. The sun blazed in the sky as BAC put on an equally blazing set of superb performances to finish the match in 3rd place resulting in a 4th place final league position. This is the highest ever position achieved by BAC at the end of a season.
Once again there were outstanding performances by BAC athletes who battled with great enthusiasm resulting in a several PBs. Of the nine Grade 1 standard performances on the day, BAC achieved four of those.
The superb performances started early in the match with Patrick Sylla and James Lelliott winning both the A and B string Long Jumps (7.27m and 7.23m respectively). The duo then met again in the Triple jump with Sylla winning the B event in 13.42m.
Alex Cox won the A string High Jump equaling his season’s best of 2.05m. Jamie Williamson was 2nd in the B event with 1.85m. The heavy throws saw Dan Brunsden partnered with Matt Ridge to gain a feast of points in the Discus, Shot and Hammer. Brunsden won the A string Discus with a throw of 42.05m before also winning the Shot in 14.56m, with Ridge just missing out on victory by 1cm in the B event with a putt of 12.47m. James Lelliott and Andrew Brown got solid 2nd places in the Javelin event with 57.72m and 54.66mm respectively.
Dan Brunsden about to earn some useful discus points
On the track another superb run by Lewis Sainval in the 800m saw him set yet another PB in 1:58.38. He later followed that up with a strong 3rd place finish in the B string 1500m. David Long was Lewis’ partner in both races and he achieved an 800m PB too with a time of 2:00.48 and a useful 3rd place in the A string 1500m.
Lewis Sainval prepares for the 800m
David Long focuses on the 800m start
Muiris Egan, 3rd in the 400m A race and Stephen Goreham 2nd in the B race scored valuable points with Kevin Hodgson and Scott Rutter doubling up in the 100m and 200m. Ben Arnold, returning to fitness following injury supported the team by standing in for the 3000m Steeplechase and 400mH events, seeking out those valuable points.
Ben Arnold and Rob McTaggart tackle a 3000m s/c barrier
In the 3000m flat race, Rob McTaggart ran a strong and brave race to finish 3rd in the A string 3000m with Dan Mulryan making his BAC debut in the B race, smashing his PB in a time of 8:58.55.
David Long and Lewis Sainval approach the bell in the 800m
BAC as usual gave sound performances in the relays with Egan, Hodgson, Rutter and Lelliott finishing 4th in the 4x100m and Hodgson, Sainval, Egan and Goreham gaining 2nd in the 4x400m.
Team Manager Tim Hughes was chuffed to bits with the performance of his team both in the final match and in the season as a whole. “The team did brilliant once again, just like they have been doing all season. Well done lads! We deserved a high placing in the final table and credit to the guys in their push to get that.”
Hughes continues “Promotion has to be the aim for next season. We narrowly missed out this year and I truly believe we can get it next season. I am committed to finding the athletes we need to boost the team in our few weak events and coming back with a stronger BAL team for 2016…. I can’t wait!”.
The team keep out of the Yeovil sun between events
And some more photos courtesy of Josh Nevin…….
(Team Captain Kevin Hodgson)
