Pole vaulter supports her club Thames Valley Harriers although top tier victory in opening match of 2024 goes to Harrow

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE, round 1, Thames Valley Athletics Centre, Eton, Buckinghamshire, June 1

The revised league format with just one nationwide division began with the top eight Premiership clubs from last year forming a new elite league and with Thames Valley Harriers hoping to retain their stranglehold on the top flight for a fourth year, Martin Duff reports.

After a close battle, it was local rivals Harrow who eventually ran out winners by 50 points.

The hosts, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow were third and got off to the best possible start as Tyri Donovan broke the 50-second barrier in the 400m hurdles with a personal best and league record of 49.23 before clubmate Jacob Paul added the B string.

Donovan beat the 25-year-old league record of Chris Rawlinson, who ran 49.40 for Belgrave Harriers in the old British Athletics League in 1999.

Then Jodie Smith won the long jump for Windsor with 6.22m and Charlotte Payne, the all-time British No.3, then added the hammer after a close contest with Birchfields Jessica Mayho, with 67.98m.

Another early win came Windsors way as Jake Norris, the 2018 world under-20 champion, made it a Windsor double, in the hammer with a 74.15m throw.

Normal service was however resumed in the womens 400m hurdles as Jess Tappin won for Thames Valley in 57.31.

Another early starting event saw Andrew Peck, whose Glasgow club had travelled the furthest to compete, win in the discus with 50.72m but the womens discus saw a long drawn-out competition before Jade Lally won for Thames Valley with 60.51m.

The very next race, the mens 800m then saw Basil Rock also score for the Valley before junior Adela Svihalkova made it an 800m double by setting a personal best 2:08.20.

The early team scores with just the first few track events taken into account saw TVH on 117 points but just six ahead of Harrow who were picking up minor placings in most events and then went ahead 167 to 152 after 10 events thanks to doubles in the mens steeplechase and womens sprint hurdles.

Harrows Terry Fawden won the 3000m steeplechase in 9:11.20 and Marli Jessop, the England champion, the hurdles in a hand timed 13.4, where England under-20 winner Mia McIntosh won the B race in 13.67.

TVH got back in winning league ways in the womens 5000m with a 16:51.08 clocking from Katie Olding, by just heading a personal best run from Harrows Edel Monaghans 16:52.58. However, both were headed by a guesting Dani Chattenton, the 2020 Inter-Counties fourth placer, who was given 16:17.86.

After 16 events, Harrow were now 21 points clear and this came after a long-drawn-out pole vault that saw their Owen Heard, the 2022 Commonwealth Games fifth placer, clear at 5.30m but Thames Valley kept things honest thanks to Pippa Rogans 1.70 high jump win.

Birchfield posted a win as English National under-20 cross-country champion Aron Gebremariam just squeezed a mens 1500m victory over Windsors Daniel Brookling in 3:49.90.

Thames Valley continued to challenge Harrow and, in a very tight mens 400m, their Chris McAlister just got the nod over Sales Tom Hunter and Harrows Michael Fagbenie with a 46.75 personal best. Harrow then fought back to take the womens event thanks to Poppy Maliks 52.96.

Sale had been having a quiet time but their Lucy Armitage improved her personal best to 4:23.74 when just getting the 1500m nod over TVHs Charlotte Buckley, but Harrows two runners were only just behind.

Harrow then went 36 points clear after 19 events with a second and a first in the mens 200m behind Glasgows junior Dean Patterson 21.05 against a wind and also scored well in the womens event behind Woodfords Gwen Daleys legal 21.12.

Woodfords long serving veteran Tosin Oke then won the mens triple jump with 15.40m.

In an attempt to close the gap on Harrow, Thames Valley brought out world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery who duly won a keen competition with a league record of 4.50m, before England junior javelin silver medallist Charlie Evans won the mens javelin with 69.55m.

Caudery, who was using a short approach, beat the previous league record of 4.30m, which was jointly held by Sally Peake and Jade Ive.

Late on, the Valleys women shot put banker Amelia Campbell duly won her event with a 17.40m heave, from Windsors Sophie McKinnas 17.17m, but the gap to Harrow remained.

Earlier, Woodford had seen the 2023 UK indoor champion Mary Elcock win the womens triple jump with 12.58m.

After 22 events had been scored Harrow were now 55 points clear as Windsor just moved to third ahead of Woodford but there were still some early field events to be scored.

Blackheath were trailing but a personal best of 14:15.30 saw Jack Kavanagh score for his club ahead of Birchfields Omah Ahmed, whose run of recent victories came to an end. However, Harrow scored heavily through third placed Jon Collier and Annadales M40 John Craig, whose 14:48.80 won the B string.

One of the last events to be added to the score tally was the mens high jump, where the Valleys Joel Clarke-Khan, the 2023 top ranker, was over 2.15m to help their cause but there were no points gained when minor placings were taken into account.

The mens sprint relay went to Harrow with Thames Valley last, before they rounded off their match win with a solid 4x400m victory in the mens 4x400m relay with their rivals second but the position was reversed in the womens event.

On a more sobering note, there were just two takers for the womens 3000m steeplechase.

Match: 1 Harrow 645; 2 Thames Valley 605; 3 WSEH 463.5; 4 Glasgow 436.5; 5 WG&EL 425; 6 Birchfield 388; 7 Sale 371.5; 8 Blackheath & Bromley 345

Men

100 (-4.5): 1 K Gowan-Wade (B&B) 10.80

200 (-1.4): 1 D Patterson (Glas, U20) 21.05; 2; 2 J Williams (Harr) 21.35; 3 Gowan-Wade 21.59

400: 1 C McAlister (TVH) 46.75; 2 T Hunter (Sale) 46.82; 3 F Fagbenie Harr) 46.95

800: 1 B Rock (TVH) 1:53.14

1500: 1 A Gebremariam (Bir, U20) 3:49.90; 2 D Brookling (WSEH) 3:50.99; 3 N Johnston (Harr) 3:51.81

5000: 1 J Kavanagh (B&B) 14:15.30; 2 O Ahmed (Bir) 14:24.00; 3 J Collier (Harr) 14:30.15; 4 J Craig (Harr, M40) 14;48.89; 8 P Martelletti (WG&EL, M40) 14:58.52

110H (-1.0): 1 W Richie-Moulan (Bir) 13.95

400H: 1 T Donovan (WSEH) 49.23; 2 C McAlister (TVH) 50.34; 3 B Stickings (B&B) 50.61

3000SC: 1 T Fawden (Harr) 9:11.20

HJ: 1 J Clarke-Khan (TVH) 2.15; 2 K Oguocha (B&B) 2.10; 3 L Owona (WSEH) 2.05

LJ (no wind shown): 1 S Ebonine (Sale) 7.43; 2 J Elliott (Harr) 7.15; 3 B Fisher (WSEH) 7.06

TJ: 1 T Oke (WG&EL, M40) 15.40; 2 C Cribb (Harr) 14.86

PV: 1 O Heard (Harr) 5.30; 2 J Phipps (Bir) 5.00; 3 T Whalley (Sale) 5.00

SP: 1 A Lockhart (Harr) 15.90; 2 Z Davies (Harr B) 15.18; 3 C Charlton (WG&EL) 15.16

DT: 1 A Peck (Glas) 50.72; 2 J Hedger (Bir) 49;95; 3 M Plowman (WG&EL) 49.83

HT: 1 J Norris (WSEH) 74.15; 2 C Murch (Bir) 69.40; 3 T Paget (TVH) 65.94

JT: 1 C Evans (TVH) 69.75; 2 C Martin (Harr) 65.38; 3 G Millar (Bir) 63.21

4100: 1 Harrow 41.43; 2 WG&EL 41.58; 3 Glasgow 41.84

4400: 1 Harrow 3:16.56; 2 TVH 3:19.06; 3Sale 3:19.40

Women

100 (-0.3w): 1 S Wright-Taipow (Harr) 11/89

200 (-0.8): 1 G Datey (WG&EL) 24.12; 2 Wright-Taipow 24.22; 3 D Kuypers (B&B) 24.26

400: 1 P Malik (Harr) 52.96; 2 A Hillyard (Bir) 53.55; 3 R Harrison (TVH) 53.90

800: 1 A Svihalkova (TVH) 2:08.20

1500: 1 L Armitage (Sale) 4:23.74; 2 C Buckley (TVH) 4:24.01; 3 S Monk I(Harr) 4;28.26

5000: 1 D Chattenton (MK Dist, gst) 16:17.86; 2 K Olding (TVH) 16:51.08; 3 E Monaghan (Harr) 16:52.58

100H (hand timed, -0.9): 1 M Jessop (Harr) 13.4; 3 J Davidson (WG*EL) 14.00

400H: 1 J Tappin (TVH) 57.31; 2 S Bliss (B&B) 59.56

3,000SC: 1 V Weir (Bir) 11:02.10

HJ: 1 P Rogan (TVH) 1.70; 2 B Coulson (Bir) 1.65; 3 B Bovell (Harr) 1.65

LJ (no wind shown): 1 J Smith (WSEH) 6.22; 2 C Nwafor (TV H) 6.17; 3 M Elcock (WG&EL) 5.90

TJ (no wind shown): 1 M Elcock (WG&EL) 12.58; 2 A Omitowoju ((Harr) 12.48; 3 S Herbert (B&B) 12.23

PV: 1 M Caudery (TVH) 4.50; 2 E McCartney (WG&EL) 4.30; 3 S Ashurst (Sale) 4.20

SP: 1 A Campbell (TVH) 17.40; 2 S McKinna (WSEH) 17.17; 3 A Nichol (Bir) 16.52

DT: 1 J Lally (TVH) 60.51; 2 K Law (Sale) 53.30; 3 P Dowson (WSEH) 52.87

HT: 1 C Payne (WSEH) 67.98; 2 J Mayho (Bir) 65.17; 3 A Merritt (Harr) 54.08

JT: 1 S De Kremer (TVH) 45.91; 2 D Russell (Glas) 44.28; 3 E Watters (TVH) 44.16

4100: 1 Glasgow 46.56; 2 TVH 46.90; 3 Harrow 47.25

4400: 1 TVH 3:43.21; 2 Harrow 3;45.37; 3 WG&EL 3:47.80

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP EAST, Chelmsford, June 1

Shaftesbury Barnet won overall and led the match from the start, to lay down their marker to jump back up to the Premiership after one season out as the two Essex clubs, hosts Havering and Chelmsford vied for second.

The North London outfit took an early lead over their two main rivals after nine events, as Hayley McLean led a club double in the womens 400m hurdles with 59.92.

Shaftesbury clubmate Henry Dover soon followed, with a win in the mens 800m with 1:51.80, before Krishaun Aiken added the mens 100m in 10.35 thanks to a 3.5m/sec following wind.

Chelmsford had also got on to the rostrum early on, thanks to an even windier 4.5m/sec personal best 100m in 11.39 for junior Kissiwaa Mensah.

As had Newham & Essex Beagles, thanks to Katie Heads 62.30m hammer victory and Thomas Heads 64.32m in the mens event. Emma Nwofor then won the womens 100m hurdles in a wind-assisted 13.75 and Sandrea Panassidi the mens 400m in 48.37 but they languished down in fifth spot after 18 events.

At this time, just 14 points separated Shaftesbury from Havering, as Chelmsford were another 14 points further back.

Herts Phoenix were now also winning thanks to Annabel Gummows 9:54.65 in the 3000m, but it all remained close as, after 24 events, Chelmsford took the lead from Shaftesbury thanks to Seb Clatworthys high jump win.

But Phoenix Lyon responded for Shaftesbury with a 21.05 personal best in the 200m. There was no wind speed reported but it was likely to have been a wind-assisted performance as Aikin won the B string with a 3.8m/sec wind at his back in 21.20.

Chelmsford kept up the pressure as Mensah added the womens 200m in 23.56 thanks to a 3.6m/sec tailwind.

After 31 events, Shaftesbury increased their lead to 45 points to go well clear of Chelmsford and Havering who continued to be closely matched.

Alexandra Balthazar-Hall won the womens discus for Shaftesbury with a sixth round 46.92m, before long time servant Greg Thompson made it a double by taking the mens with 55.96m.

Their Jade Ive waited until all of her rivals were out of the pole vault before entering at 4.00m and then clearing first time at 4.15m and second time at 4.25m.

Shaftesbury then had Tom Butler take the 3000m flat with 8:23.17 but then just lost out to Newham in the mens sprint relay before keeping Chelmsford at bay in the womens event.

Newham continued in the lower half of the table but they finished the field event programme with a series of victories.

Freya Jones won the womens javelin with 49.89m and junior Abbie Dowdye the womens triple jump with a windy 11.22m, before Aaron Ashmead-Shoye the mens, with a windy 14.69m. These came after veteran Greg Beard, the former English Schools and Commonwealth Youth champion, as well as many-time British champion, won the mens shot put with a 15.69m second round effort.

Shaftesbury rounded off the match by adding the final track event, the mens 4x400m relay, to emphasise their domination.

It was hosts Chelmsford who narrowly took second, despite not fielding a single athlete in the womens 2000m steeplechase. However, they rounded off their field events in style as senior Jess Hopkins and junior Maegan Hopkins dominated the womens shot put and their Kristian Brown was out to 66.98m in the mens Javelin.

Herne Hill finished sixth and last after failing to score any points in ten of the 39 events and, like fellow basement team Newham, lost out on points awarded for a full complement of officials.

Match: 1 Shaftesbury Barnet 600; 2 Chelmsford 536; 3 Havering 525; 4 Herts Phoenix 501; 5 Newham & Essex Beagles 407; 6 Herne Hill 356

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP NORTH, Nottingham, June 1

The Harvey Hadden Stadium saw hosts Notts AC vying with City of Sheffield and Trafford for the victory but with points for officials still to be awarded victory seemingly went to Sheffield.

After nine events Notts trailed Sheffield, who had a run of early wins and took the womens hammer through a Jasmine Waters PB of 58.98m, after Ben Schofield led a double in the mens 400m hurdles in 53.35 and Chelsea Walker the womens in 58.47.

Their wins continued as Robert Shipley added the mens 800m in 1:52.49 and Callum Winchester-Wright the 100m in a legal 10.73 and team-mate David Chapman the B race in a wind-assisted 10.57.

Bedford were trailing in the early stages but did have Etienne Maughan win the 100m in a legal personal best of 11.90 but Notts did post an early win as Milan Campion took the 3000m steeplechase in 9:30.20, but here there were just seven takers from a possible 12.

Trafford also posted an early win through David Naylors sprint hurdles PB in 14.80 but there was no wind reading available and, again turn out was poor with just six takers.

The Manchester club then took the lead in the match after 13 events as Notts now trailed by 20 points, after Halle Ferguson won the high jump with 1.70m before Alexa Parker added the 3000m in a 9:59.00 personal best.

There were thrills and spills in the womens sprint hurdles as Notts Amelia Briggs-Goode and Eniola Ajagbe both fell letting in Traffords Venus Morgan in the A race, but B sting winner Chelsea Walker was quicker with a legal 13.99 for Sheffield.

After 19 events Trafford now led by 25 points from Sheffield, after Freya Dooner won the discus, but Sheffield had Lee Thompson, the 2024 indoor champion, a fraction outside his best in leading a club double in the 400m with 46.34.

Liverpool had enjoyed a quiet start to the meeting but then saw Emma Alderson win the womens 400m in 55.74.

After 26 events, Trafford were just 11 points up on Sheffield and Notts after their junior Ava Clough won the womens 1500m.

Notts had Holly Kone, just back from college in America, out to a legal 12.14m in the womens triple jump as Sheffield had Chucks Ossammor win the discus with 55.46m and David Chapman the 200m with a legal 21.16 and Thompson the B in 21.31.

With just five events left to score, Sheffield had gone back ahead by 24 points and were still winning events as James Taylor won the shot with 14.90m and as David Chapman and Ella Blakey won their respective 200m races.

Behind, Trafford battled Notts after Daniel Akinradewos triple jump win with a legal 14.54m for them, to counter a second win, albeit tight, for Notts Campion in the 3000m flat.

Liverpool won the mens and womens sprint relay but, behind, Sheffield headed Notts and Trafford in both.

There were only two takers in the womens 2000m steeplechase and they were both Sheffield athletes so maybe they deserved their overall victory and the womens 4x400m relay was also theirs.

Match: 1 Sheffield 588; 2 Trafford 551; 3 Notts 546; 4 Liverpool 440; 5 Bedford & C 319; 6 Milton Keynes 239

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SOUTH, Portsmouth, June 1

The Mountbatten Athletics Centre saw Tonbridge dominate from the start before winning the final track event, the mens 4x400m and a match victory by over 100 points, even without points for a complement of officials yet to be awarded.

They took an early 32-point lead over hosts City of Portsmouth after 13 events, thanks to a couple of field event wins, albeit with modest performances. One of those events saw under-17 guest Alice Howe, the English Schools champion and 2023 top ranked throw 57.13 with the 4km hammer, a near 10-metre improvement on her previous best.

Tonbridge also scored a double in the mens steeplechase before adding the 800m through Charles Cricks 1:53.33 800m outing.

Kingston & Poly also took an early win through Rebecca Keddies 2:12.38 PB in the womens 800m before Keira Holt led a sprint-hurdles double and then, right at the end of the meeting their women took the 4x400m relay.

Crawley moved up to challenge after 16 events had been scored as Callum Holder won the 110m hurdles in a legal 14.19 to lead a club double.

After 21 events, Portsmouth had pulled back a little of the Tonbridge lead through Vojtech Bergers 6.96m long jump and England indoor junior champion Mia Judds personal best 1.75m high jump victories.

Tonbridge, though, kept the wins coming, as Kirsty-Anne Ebbage took the womens discus with 45.26m, clubmate Henry Marshall the mens 400m with 48.37 and Aisha Root the womens in 56.47. Jordan Chambers then dominated the mens 1500m with a run-away 3:50.75.

With just four events still to score, Tonbridge were now 91 points clear of Portsmouth after a PB 8:33.48 by Ted Higgins in the 3000m led a double.

Belgrave were a more than comfortable third after Emily Robbins 1500m win in a pb 4:38.52. Their Sam Ige took a modest mens sprint double but his club were just headed by Portsmouth in the 4x100m but did take the womens event.

Crawley had got back into winning ways through junior Amber Purcells 11.07m triple jump, but they lagged behind in the overall standings, despite Katie Mackisons 41.70m javelin win.

Bournemouth had a low-key match but Cameron Hale won the mens shot with 14.17m and the only two women 2000m steeplechasers were both theirs.

However, it was south coast rivals Portsmouth who were doing better and their Logan Cookson moved a few places up in the under-17 triple jump rankings with a legal 12.97m.

Tonbridge crowned their overall win with a 3:17.55 victory in the final event, the 4x400m mens relay.

Match (with officials points still to be awarded): 1 Tonbridge 577; 2 Portsmouth 476; 3 Belgrave 455; 4 Kingston & Poly 381; 5 Crawley 347; 6 Bournemouth 291 

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP West, Swansea, June 1

The Swansea Bay Sports Park saw Swansea dominate from the off, before running out winners by 146 points from Basingstoke & Mid Hants and local Welsh rivals Cardiff.

After 14 events the hosts were already 57 points clear of Yate and Basingstoke and continued to build their lead throughout the match.

Wins in the womens hammer and mens 400m hurdles, where there were just five takers, came Swanseas way. Emily Jenkinson then won the womens 800m and Charles Shuall the mens pole vault. Home advantage continued as Emily Barnet led a Swansea double in the flat 3000m

Welsh rivals Cardiff did see Lauren Evans win the womens high jump with 1.70m and Alex Azu the 100m in a legal 10.64 as his B string Sam Gordon was faster with 10.53.

Basingstoke were also having wins and Sammy Ball took the 110m hurdles in 14.74 but, after 18 events, the Swansea lead had yawned to 83 points over Basingstoke and Yate thanks to World Championship 4x400m relay gold medallist Joseph Briers 46.16 400m victory over Basingstokes Stephan OLaughnane.

The Swansea wins kept coming as Patrick Swan won the mens shot with a 17.44m fourth round throw, after overcoming Southamptons Andrew Knights first round 16.50m.

Yeovil wound up fifth in the match but had the odd A string win, as Jacob Dibble won the mens javelin, where under-20 guest Lewie Jones, the 2023 second ranked under-17, was out to 61.07m with the lighter 700g spear. Their Lottie Garratt then added the womens triple jump with 11.53m.

At the end of the match, Basingstoke took a comfortable mens 4x400m victory to move ahead of Cardiff, into a match second spot, who did not field a squad. Cardiff did score in the womens 2000m steeplechase through Lauren Cooper but there were only four takers for this Cinderella event.

Earlier, Sam Callaway had got good points for Southampton with a double win with a 47.70 discus and 13.44m shot, but they finished last on the day after failing to score in 13 of the 39 events.

Yate wound up fourth but did have junior Sophie Hornung take the womens pole vault with 3.0 metres.

But it was Swansea who laid down their marker for a tilt at the Premiership for 2025 with a comprehensive match victory.

Match: 1 Swansea 626.50; 2 Basingstoke & Mid Hants 480.50; 3 Cardiff 475; 4 Yate 426; 5 Yeovil 379; 6 Southampton 345