Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club

WSEH Under 20 Junior Mens and Womens team qualified for the paper match to attempt to reach the National Final for the fourth time in a row

What an amazing day of athletics with athletes working well as a team to ensure that they finished third in the match and fourth in the League to ensure another season will end hopefully with a place in the coveted National Finals

The status and importance of the League was enhanced when several athletes who had competed at the World Junior Championships turned out for their respective Clubs, including Windsors own, Nigel Levine, himself a silver medallist in the Great Britain 4 x 400m Relay in Poland.

Highlights included the double 1st for Nathan White and Lewis Sloan in the 3000 metres. This was Team Captain, Nathan's 2nd 3000 metres of the weekend having competed at the Crystal Palace in the invitation event in the Grand Prix and Lewis Sloan's Junior League debut at 3000 metres and both won convincingly.

Jamie East, achieved PBs in the 400 metres hurdles, the discus and equalled his PB in the high jump. He also answered the call to run the 'B' 100 metres at the very last minute. What a star! This performance should easily have qualified Jamie to compete in the Athletics Weekly Grand Prix held in conjunction with the Final.

A big thank you to Rhys Glastonbury who thought he had come to run the 800 metres and having achieved a PB in that, found he had to run the 1500 metres as well, winning the 'B' race convincingly. Elliot Woolmer came 3rd in the '1500 metres A' race with a PB.

Nathan Ditton and Cameron Smart both obliterated their PBs in the 2000 metres steeplechase, each knocking over 15 seconds off their best times.

Other winners were Blake Crowe in the 'B' Javelin with a PB and Michael Puplampu in the 'A' triple jump.

The relays showed the dedication of 3 athletes, Tom Evans, Nigel Levine and Ainsley Campbell who ran in both the 4x100 metres and the 4x400 metres.

Moritz Holbrock who thought he had come to the UK for work experience but who has become important to WSEH also achieved PBs in the shot and pole vault. A big thank you to Mark White for doing the hammer for us .

Having come 4th in the league overall, which is a great achievement when taking into account how reliant we have been on our U17 athletes.

Mens Team Manager commented :Thank you everyone for your support over the 4 matches. This has been a baptism of fire for me as a team manager but I have enjoyed it so much I will continue next year even though a certain Alex Tovey,(my son) who was notably absent today, will no longer be a Junior.

The last match of the National Junior League season saw the female team break two club records, 6 Personal Bests and 7 first places due to dedication and enthusiasm of all the team members. The team welcomed training partners Laura Burke and Lois Bond to the team along with Sarah Spears and Letisha Richardson all producing personal bests on their debuts. Leah Barrow was also a new member to the team producing a solid sprint performance. Personal bests were also achieved by Martha Reynolds, Helen Farmer and Shelayna Oskan. The highlight of the match was Shelayna Oskan breaking the club record in the 400m which saw her collect the female athlete of the match award. Seasons bests came from Becky Richards, Letisha Richardson, Chinedu Monye, Jenny Heckford and the 4x100m relay team. To round off a fantastic day the 4x400m team came 1st with a new club record which helped the team to finish third and progress into the paper match.
Mens Team Director, Bryan Goodman, was full of praise for the two Team Managers, Paula Fudge (Ladies) and Lesley Tovey (Men) when he commented that their joint dedication and commitment to the team coupled with their enthusiastic approach and support for all the athletes is worth a ten point start in any match and the response they have received from the athletes themselves proves that the Club has a bright future at this age group.
Luckily for the Club both ladies have stated that they will carry on for another season.