Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club

Under normal circumstances the Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow (WSEH) A.C. Ladies would be disappointed to not to win a Southern League match. However, as the only team in Saturday’s fixture that also contested a National Junior League over the weekend, WSEH were at ease with their runners up slot to the host club, Guildford.
The club’s strength in depth ensured that the impact of fielding the two teams over the weekend was minimal with the Southern League team maintaining a top 3 placing in the Premier Division.
There was disappointment however, with a situation never previously experienced by the team in its long history in the league. Starting guns borrowed by the host club’s start/marksman were faulty and the club had no spares. This resulted in a whistle being used to start races, rendering the time keeping inaccurate and the identification of personal or season’s bests impossible.
With only the first couple of track events being properly timed, it is was important for the track athletes to retain their focus and this they did, to produce some great results.
The senior sprint squad featured top New Zealand sprinter, Monique Williams, who has joined the club in order to focus and acclimatise on this year’ Commonwealth Games and then the run up to the 2012 Olympics. Together with the home grown talent of Georgia Lamothe (U20), Rhiannon Burden, Shelayna Oskan & Michelle Warren, the squad attained 5 wins and a 3rd place from the 100, 200 & 400m events.
Similar results were achieved in the middle distance races brought a similar result, with Charlotte Firth & Marina Stedman victorious in both strings of the 3000m race and Nicole Swaffield (U17) and Leigh James taking a 1st and 2nd in the 1500m.
The Hurdles races brought a batch of 2nd and 3rd places and the only bone fide personal best of the day. Sarah Hing (U17), has been practising hurdles under the guidance of her coach and mum, Paula in order to build more strength in depth in the events. She was justly rewarded with her second best in as many races.
Unaffected by the starting gun fiasco, the senior field events brought a bevy of excellent bests, with two of the club’s top throwers, Bola Ogun & Joanne John leading the way with a personal and seasons best in the Shot & Hammer respectively.
Not to be outdone, younger members of team also gained notable personal bests, commencing with Demi Barrance (U17) dominating the senior High Jump and improving her best to a stunning 1.55 metres. In the Triple Jump, fellow U17s, Georgie Haynes & Miriam Mohammadi also achieved new bests.
In the girls team it the Middle Distance athletes dominated the results on the track, with Rebecca Riches & Joanne Fallon victorious in the 1500m and Emily Haberfield & Laura Knowles both taking the runners up slots in the 800m.
However, with Hannah Williams and her 75m Hurdles partner victorious in both strings of heir event, Olivia Caeser & Zoe Toudup gaining a first & second and two third places in the sprints, the overall track result for the girls.
On the field, Morgan Lake and Harriet Walters lead the way with impressive personal bests, with Lake improving her High Jump to 1.62 and Walters breaking the 5 metre barrier in her Long Jump.
The Shot event produced bests for throws specialist Nkolika Atuanya & newcomer Nicole Finney, whilst Imogen Eddings & Hannah James attained seasons best in the Javelin.
In the age old tradition, the relay races produced both drama and excitement. The drama came in the girls 4x100 race when the third leg runner let the baton slip out of her hand! But keeping her cool and remembering her training, she retrieved the baton and got it round to the anchor leg, thus ensuring that the squad picked up valuable points.
In contrast, the senior squads produced text book relay runs, with the 4x100 team running formidable legs and produced spotless baton changeovers to take victory and the 4x400 squad so dominant that they left the club squads over 50 metres in there wake!