Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club

Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow A.C. (WSEH) ladies made a strong start to their 2010 National League campaign on Saturday. They placed a close 3rd behind the big city clubs of Birchfield (Birmingham), who had home advantage and City of Manchester. It was an excellent result in the close fought Premier Division of the UK’s top Athletics League for women.
The team missed out on second place by just 7 points, a position they could have taken had they been able to field an athlete in the steeplechase and all of their original 4x400 relay team, highlighting just how close fought the Premier Division is and how important it is to field a strong team.
But the team spirit and commitment that the club is renowned for brought the well deserved result. A spirit characterised by veteran, Paula Fudge who, having not set foot on a track since a knee operation over the winter, stepped in to run the B 3000m race ensuring the team did not suffer a second gap. Should the team have needed it, Fudge, an international for many years, was truly inspirational.
Her partner in the event, Sophie Morris won the event in an impressive season’s best time on what was a hot and stifling day.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there were some fine performances by young members of the team, some of whom had not competed in this level of league before.
U20, Laura Burke ran just one hundredth of a second outside her life time best for 400m Hurdles and in the process produced the fastest time in the UK this season in her age group. Her more experienced partner, Justine Kinney, was equally impressive, winning her race, in a personal best time.
Lucy Hodgins, in her first match for the team, obtained two seasons best in the High Jump and 100m Hurdles, adding to the solid performances by the more experienced athletes, Frances Smithson and Jenny Heckford.
The 1500m saw two more of the club’s talented young seniors, Louisa Lingley & Bex Myers perform in a very tough race that was taken out fast by some of the more experienced athletes. Despite neither of them being quite on form at this stage of the season, they fought hard to gain valuable points for their team.
The Pole Vault featured students, Sophie Upton & Alice Humble, who both excelled themselves. Upton gained an impressive win in the event, narrowly missing an all time best of a massive 4.01 metres and Humble, who is in the middle of her exams, surprised herself with a well deserved seasons best.
WSEH youth was also on display in the Discus where Laura James, undaunted by her first appearance in this prestigious league, put on a very solid performance to place in the A string of the event. And in the Triple Jump, Sophie Purkis, another first timer in the middle of her exams, produced an equally solid result.
WSEH were in stunning form on the track, with sprinters Helen Pryer and recent signing, Monique Williams placing 2nd and 3rd in the 100m and taking two victories in the 200m.
Williams is New Zealand’s top sprinter and will is England for the run up to the Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Olympics. Living locally with her fiancée, WSEH was her first choice of a UK club and she has already become a loyal and committed team player.
Two of the club’s top athlete’s ran in the 400m races. Shelayna Oskan shaved time off her previous life time best and Lesley Owusu, just back from injury, produced a well received seasons best.
The 800m featured another of the club’s top 400m runners, Dawn Hunt, who stunned her 800m specialist opponents by winning the race emphatically in a personal best time. In the B stream, Christine Long took the runners up slot in an outdoor season’s best that augers well for her season as she gets more quality race opportunities.
The line up on the field was completed by some of the most experienced female athletes at the club, with Joanne John & Bola Ogun performing extremely well in the Hammer, Anita White & Frances Smithson gaining season’s best in the Javelin and Jenny Pacey & Sarah Wellstead both taking runners up slots in the Long Jump.
Both relay squads produced season’s best times, with the 4x400 team of Michelle Rodgers, Michelle Warren, Owusu & Oskan finishing mid-field and the 4x100 group of Pryer, Williams, Caroline Livingstone & U20, Georgia Lamothe taking a clear victory. It was a great way to finish off a truly successful day.