Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club

WSE & Hounslow Ladies lift the 2008 Southern Women’s League Trophy!

A triumphant team of ladies from Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow (WSEH) A.C. returned from the last Southern Women’s League match in Cornwall, as the 2008 League Champions.
The remoteness of the venue and the timing of the fixture, near the end of the school holidays made it a make or break match where winning the League Trophy was concerned. But a hearty response to team manager Irene Speller’s call for athletes to make a weekend of it, resulted in a solid team heading off to the West Country on Friday afternoon.
The decision by most of the team to stay over on Saturday night after the match proved to be the right thing to do, as the team had much to celebrate!
They just missed making it a clean sweep of victories this season, coming second in the match by just a few points to the host club, Newquay & Par. However, they clinched the League Trophy in style, by extending their lead over local rivals, Reading at the top of the league table.
WSEH finished the Southern League season on 19 league points to Reading’s 16 and on an accumulated match tally of 840.5 to Reading’s 807.5
The team was blessed by having several of the clubs top senior throwers in the team and the squad, which included, Bola Ogun, Jo Botwright, Abigail Jones and Laura McGawn, did not disappoint, as they won most of the throwing events.
Under 15, Ellie Norris cut short her holiday to lead an equally successful group of girls in their throwing events and rewards abounded as she gained bests in Shot & Javelin and Sarah Hing, Lola Ogunsanye & Alyssa Spitzer gained bests in the Shot, Discus & Javelin, respectively. It was a great day for Ogunsanye, who also sliced half a second off her best time for 100m!
Others in the girls section were pleased they had decided to use this match as a post holiday sharpener prior to next weekend’s National Young Athletes League Final. Cressida Millar, Laura Suggitt, Georgia Taylor and Claire & Sarah Hing all felt they benefited from this match.
On a searing hot day, the middle distance athletes had a tough task, but gave of their best. In the senior section, Lou Sams & Jane Sheard were commended for doubling up in 2 events each, whilst Pippa Callingham bravely took on her first 1500m of the season. Youngsters, Jo-Ling Chew, Alyssa Spitzer & Rosie Adams joined Suggitt to contest their races to good effect.
The highlight of the hurdles races came when U17, Faye Williams ran her first competitive 100m Hurdles race in a time of just 15.3, a time which augers well for her move into the U20 age group next season!
The rest of the Hurdles squad was made up of the committed group of Caroline Heaney, Steph Brown, Shanice Brown, Rose Reynold & Sarah Phelps, all of whom delivered on results.
With the youth of Jade Tallent and the experience of Dorothy McLennan producing the goods in the Pole Vault and Caroline Livingstone & Michelle Warren doing the same in sprint events, the senior team rounded off their day with two great relay races, when 2nd place in the 4x100 was followed with a clear victory in the 4x400.
To round off the exploits of the girl’s team, Sophie Tudge equalled her bests in both High Jump & 70m Hurdles and Olivia Lawson successfully pulled off the difficult task of competing in two events that overlapped in the time table. Their achievements, like those of the team, were just rewards for their immense commitment & team spirit.