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- By Adam Richardson solentateam@hotmail.com, Team Manager
- Note: You can get a bigger versions of all these pictures from the Photo Gallery, click on BML 2: Derby, 08/May/04. These pictures were taken by Adam Richardson.
League: British Athletics League : Division 4
Solent A Team Match 2
Match 1 - Derby - 5th June 2004
Team: Team Solent A Team
Match: 2
Location: Derby
Date: 8th May 2004
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A jubilant minibus headed back down the M1 having managed to sneak second place in a dramatically tight finish for the top places. Only 2 points seperated 2nd from 4th with Solent's 291 points just ahead of Crawley's 290 and Norwich's 289 and only 10 points behind Herne Hill's points total of 301. This puts Solent 4th in the league with 11 points - only 2 points behind Norwich in the second promotion spot, with 2 matches remaining.
With pretty much the same team as Norwich, we somehow managed to collect just a few more points in most of the events to finish higher. Everybody did just enough to ensure that our chances of getting promoted this season are alive and well. Solent were 'on fire' on the track where points came rolling in. Darren Wall winning the 'A' string 200m (22.3s) supported by Chris Buller in the 'B' string coming home in 23.0 for 2nd place |
 Andy Waters powers one out in the shot Pete Brend marked his return to the team with a 48.9s win in the 400m 'A' string and Darryn Campbell followed that up with a 49.5s run for 2nd place in the 'B' string
Ben Richardson, fresh from his 4th place in South of England U20s, won the 110m hurdles setting a new PB (into a head wind) of 15.4s |
 Chris leaping out to 6m 28 Another points hall came in the 1500m where Simon Plummer's 2m55.3 was good enough for 'A' string 2nd and Russell Osborn's 4m02 got maximum points in the 'B' string. The placings were repeated for Andy Bargh and Gavin Hodgson in the 400m Hurdles who both ran 56.1
Again the younger athletes were very impressive and have really plugged a gap from last season. U20s Alex Wall-Clarke and John Beattie bettered their performances from Norwich running 1m57.9 for the 'B' 800m and 15m34.4 in the 'A' 5000m respectively |
 Olly Jones takes the plunge in the steeplechase Debutant Olly Jones bravely took on the challenge of the 3000m steeplechase after an ankle injury to Iain Robertson meant he had to switch to the 5000m.
In the field Chris Buller added some much needed strength in the Pole Vault, Long Jump and High Jump and Anthony Llewelyn pierced the 50m line again in the javelin with a throw of 51m53 for second place in the 'A' string. Local boy Nicklas Illffe (42m54) and Andy Waters (38m13) picked up 'A' and 'B' string third place in the discus. |
 John Beattie (88) and Iain Robertson (8) in the 5K There is still plenty of potential for improvement in the field with Gavin Hodgson (PV), Ben Richardson (LJ & TJ), Tom Berry (HJ & Javelin) and me (TJ) all having to 'fill in' doing unfavoured events. In the end making sure we filled every event (with the exception of the 3000m s/c) really paid dividends in managing to acheive 2nd.
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Mike Smith will be pleased that Thursday night's baton practice for the 4x100 paid off with clean changes from Ben Richardson, Tom Berry, Chris Buller giving Darren Wall a lead on the final leg that he was never going to relinquish.
 Simon Plummer challenges for the 1500m lead
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 4x400m : Gavin Hodgson hands over to Pete Brend in the lead A heroic last leg performance from Darryn Campbell in the 400m relay ensured 2nd place, aided by Gavin Hodgson, Pete Brend and Alex Wall-Clarke.
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 4x400m : The baton in the safe hands of DC on the last leg This was undoubtedly a great result and pushes us up the table. However, some of the other teams were definitely under strength and will be able to turn out big teams in four weeks time when the action shifts to Kingston. I'm confident though that if we can get anywhere near full strength teams out for the last two meetings then it will be very possible to win the meetings and get promoted.
Adam Richardson (& Terese Swain) |
