Bournemouth AC and New Forest Juniors put in a god team performance at the most recent YDL match at Kings Park. Despite missing several of our best athletes due to fixture clashes and injury, the composite team won the match with ease.

The turnout of athletes was much higher than usual as this was a home match and exams are over for many of our young athletes. Hopefully we can match this at the final competition at Portsmouth. Please note that the club will once again be covering the cost of coach travel for athletes, so please do compete. Not only is this valuable competition experience, you’ll be helping the club out in this league, and you get a lovely day trip to Portsmouth.

Returning to our account of the most recent match where Andrew Speers continued his excellent progress to set PBs in 100m with a time of 11.6 secs and 23.8 secs in 200m (U17M). Chloe Burrows similarly improved with PBs in (U20W) 100m of 12.7 secs and 26.6 secs in 200m. Chloe also set a PB in shot.

Gemma Kennard focused solely on 100m (U17W) and was rewarded with a time on 13.1 (against a previous electronically timed PB of 13.04).

Lewis Sainval eased away to finish first in 800m (U20M). Immediately after Lewis’s win, Bridget Dence won the 800m (U20W) with an SB. Bridget looks to be timing her training well and hopefully to be in peak condition for English Schools next month.

Holly Collier, a most welcome new member at BAC won the 1500m (U20W) and soon afterwards ran extremely well in the 800m (U17W) to finish within one second of her PB.

Abigail Richardson also ran in the 800m (U20W) despite not yet turning 16.

Glenn Balfour finished 1st in 800m (U17B) and then managed to bravely finish the 1,500m steeplechase despite suffering an injury during the race. Brandon Meredith, returning to fitness, finished the 3000m (U20) in 2nd.

Turning to the field events, Angel Kerin won the triple jump (U20W) A string and Sam Cash won the B string.

Ben Dickinson won the javelin (U20M) with a throw a fraction short of his PB.

Danielle Broom won all three of her U17W events:  the shot with a putt of 11.88m, discus with 40.71m, and hammer with a throw of 50.12m. By her own high standards, recently setting a succession of PBs, this was not an outstanding day. However, a win is a win, and she is hopefully saving her best for English Schools.

Isabella Sheppard, another new member who is keen to compete, won all 3 events in B string in shot, discus and hammer.

The YDL website states that “after 69 out of 76 events” BAC/NFJ won with 471.5 points, Vale Of Aylesbury came 2nd 354 points, Guildford & Godalming 3rd with 353 points, Ealing 4th with 310 points, Chichester 5th with 273 points and Hounslow with 0.

New Forest Juniors supplied slightly more than BAC as regards the number of athletes. They also helped out officiating, bringing along Dave Black. He is an extremely modest and pleasant silver medal holder from the 10,000m and bronze medal holder from the 5,000m at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. He helped officiate, raking the sandpit and performing other field duties on Sunday, which goes to show volunteering to help your local club is appreciated at any stage of your athletics career.