Thames Valley Harriers win National League Premiership match in Woodford

Amelia Campbell among the winners as TVH beat Harrow at the second round fixture

NATIONAL ATHLETICS LEAGUE PREMIERSHIP, round 2, Woodford Green, London, July 7 

Reigning champions Thames Valley Harriers were aiming to regain the initiative in this second round match after being headed by nearby rivals Harrow in the opener, but Woodford Green with Essex Ladies were hoping to spoil the party in their home fixture.

However, as the afternoon unfolded it became clear that reigning Thames Valley would eventually hold sway.

After six events had been scored, mainly on the track, they were led by Blackheath & Bromley and Birchfield, for whom Jake Minshull won the 400m hurdles in a personal best 50.47 to lead an event double. Birchfield Harriers also saw Yanique Haye-Smith add the women’s race but they were soon to drift right away.

Blackheath’s points came from Angus Harrington, who took the 800m in 1:51.14 and, with the blustery wind pushing Luke Dorrell to a windy 100m PB of 10.24, the Heathens scored a double.

It was stronger for the women’s 100m, where Blackheath piled up more points from Jennifer Eduwu’s win in 11.61, a time matched by team-mate Darcy Kuipers’ legal personal best in the B race.

Blackheath still led after 10 events, albeit narrowly from Thames Valley, as first round winners Harrow trailed but they soon posted their first win as Terry Fawden set a personal best 5:56.63 in winning the men’s 2000m steeplechase. At this stage, just three points separated the remaining five clubs.

Hosts Woodford Green with Essex Ladies won the first field event, the women’s long jump thanks to Mary Elcock’s personal best equalling 6.04m but then had to wait a long time before Youcef Zatat added the men’s shot put with 18.25m.

The men’s 110m hurdles saw Birchfield post another track win through Will Richie-Moulin’s 13.99.

Windsor’s Charlotte Payne threw a season’s best 68.97m in the women’s hammer to head Thames Valley’s Kayleigh Presswell’s 62.59m and Glasgow had a win too, as Beth Harrison took the women’s 800m in 2:08.15.

After 12 events Thames Valley were now ahead in the match as Blackheath and Harrow trailed and they had to thank their Kosana Weir who just got the nod on Woodford’s Bea Wood with a 9:27.25 3000m victory.

Harrow were fighting back though as Marli Jessop ran a legal 13.45 in the women’s 100m hurdles, so that as the afternoon wore on, the top two clubs began to separate themselves…