Our first ever Southern Athletics league 16th April 2016
Paddock Wood AC athletes travelled to Hastings for the first match of the Southern Athletics league. It is the first time the club have been in this league, but with the Southern Women’s League folding the club needed new competition. Unfortunately, with the Brighton Marathon the next day and the London Marathon the following Sunday, none of the club’s distance runners were competing. So the club only had 5 men and 3 women taking part. All 3 ladies were coming back from injury so limited themselves to their events. Sharon Hawkins, who had only started training again just 3 weeks before ran the 400m (87.1s) the 800m (3m.07.1s) the 1500m (6m.16.7s) and the 3000m (12m 46.6s), all valuable points for the small team. Team Managers Elizabeth Duffin and Kate Maryon covered all the throws. Elizabeth’s first event was the Hammer where she came 2nd with 24.67m amidst a hailstorm and rain. She did the Shot Put 6.05m 3rd, the Discus 14.15m 3rd and the Javelin 22.49m 3rd A string. Kate did the B string events coming 3rd in the Shot 5.25m. 4th in the Discus 14.63m and 2nd in the Javelin 16.15m.
In the Men’s team Stuart Cawse, in his first run on the track for Paddock Wood, did well to come 4th in the 400m (62.8s) and 4th in the 800m (2m 31s). Another newcomer was David Welham M55 who competed in the Long and Triple Jumps, which he had not done for 3 years. He jumped 4.05m in the Long Jump and 8.54m in the Triple Jump. Mark Woods M50, also just covered the throws due to a nagging injury. In the Shot, he came 4th with a PB of 8.93m; he was 5th in the Discus 18.26m, 4th in the Hammer 19.88m and 5th in the Javelin 25.92m. Men’s team Manager Alan Newman ran the 5000m (19m 37.7s) finishing 5th. U/17 Aaron Rowland ran in the 1500m an event he has not done since he was an U/15 and came 5th (5m 08.7s). With more athletes competing next time, the club should get a better overall score and final position.
