Paddock Wood AC athletes travelled to the David Weir Leisure Centre, Carshalton on Saturday for the first of this season’s Southern Athletics League matches. With it being Easter weekend the club had difficulty in getting athletes out, so in the end PWAC had 3 male and 3 female athletes. In the women’s events, U17 Samantha Hockey, in her first year in this age group, ran the 100m. Unfortunately as she came out of the blocks she slipped, grazing her knee, but got up and finished 2nd in a slow time (16.24s). Despite her sore leg, she ran a PB in the 200m (29.06s). Sam also did the Long Jump winning the B string with anther PB in 3.94m. U17 Jasmine Etheridge came 3rd in the A long Jump with a PB of 4.22m, in the 100m another PB (13.95s). In the B Javelin, she was 2nd 20.01m, another PB with the 600g Javelin. Elizabeth Duffin was 2nd in the Javelin 22.12m. She was 3rd in the Hammer 20.05m and 4th in both the Shot and Discus.
In the Men’s match, U17 Harry Mills, in his first track season for the club, ran an excellent 100m (12.59s) and in the 200m (26.20s). Harry also covered the B Long Jump coming 2nd with 4.75m. U17 Finn Hollyer jumped 4.86m in the Long Jump, a PB and did the Triple Jump 9.80m. M60 Alan Newman came 4th in the A race 5000m in a time of (19m 46.41s).
On Easter Monday, several Paddock Wood AC athletes took part in the Norman Fowler Open meeting organised by Tonbridge AC. Two U11 boys took part, Joe Stone ran the 600m finishing 4th (2m 05.87s) and broke a club record in the Long Jump with 4.22m. This makes him 2nd in the UK in his age group. He also won his heat of the 75m (11.51s). Nico Walters had his first ever run on the track taking part in the 600m (2m 16.98s) and won his heat of the 75m (12.79s). In the U13 boys, Alex Stone won his Javelin with 19.70m, jumped 3.85m in the Long Jump and ran the 150m (23.42s). Liam Simms did (23.75s) for the 150m. Liam O’Neil ran his first race on the track doing the 1500m (5m 44.25s). He threw 15.04m in the Javelin. Jess Rayner, not 11 until August, ran as an U13 in the 1500m (6m.42.94s). Lucy Tallon ran the 150m coming 3rd (21.61s) all the others in the heat were U15. She jumped 3.62m in the Long Jump. U15 Kimberley Garcia came 2nd in her heat of the 150m (20.98s), jumped a PB in her Long Jump 4.39m. U15 Maia Hyland threw the 500g Javelin for the first time 20.23m. Spencer Elphick threw 29.21m, a PB, in his Javelin, and ran (5m 13.15s) for his 1500m.
U17 Harry Mills jumped a PB in the High Jump 1.55m, won his 150m sprint (19.04s) and ran (42.79s) for his 300m. Jasmine Etheridge won her heat of the 150m (21.06s), jumped 4.13m in the Long Jump and threw 19.72m in the Javelin. Angela Martin W50 and husband Malcolm competed in the 3000m walk. Angela clocked (19m 25.47s) which ranks her number 3 in the UK for her age group. M60 Malcolm did (16m 35.37s) taking him to the top of the UK rankings.
