Blimey that was close. Paula Williams, 2nd right, powering her way to the finish line in the 100m final at the World Masters Athletic championships in Gothenburg.
Okay, after the hors d’oeuvres of the Olympics (weren’t they amazing ?) it is time for the main course, the World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, where Paula Williams and Brian Gravelsons swapped their yellow and black vests for a Great Britain one. Well done both.
We also have a wonderful report from Paul Bearman on the The Midland Counties AA U15 and U17 Championships where some of the Stratford ACs youngsters who took part came home with a varied selection of medals and some with Personal Bests despite the variable conditions.
Sarah Odell has been doing what Sarah Odell does, competing in a quirky 10k race and sending in a much appreciated report. This time it was the Bugatti 10k.
Good luck to our Midlands T&F team who are competing at Yate near Bristol this weekend and to members who are competing in Friday’s Summer 6.
Also good luck to Emma Bexson who will be in Sweden competing in IRONMAN Kalmar and finally to Paula Williams as she continues her exploits in Gothenburg.
Paula, 4th left, on her way to a 2nd place finish in the 100m semi-final to qualify for the final
Paula’s semi-final result
World Masters Athletic Championships
Gothenburg
Report – David Jones
With over 7,000 participants from 100 countries these championships truly are a global celebration of Masters Athletics and sportmanship.
Club members Paula Williams and Brian Gravelsons were competing at these championships. Brian was making his GB debut and commented after his 100m race that it was just a lovely race, not his best time (14.70) but certainly his favourite race.
Paula was competing despite incurring an achilles injury in March at the European Masters Championships and being told that she may not be able to run again until January but we all know that she is made of sterner stuff.
She sailed through her heat in the 100m, finishing in 1st place and was placed 2nd in her semi-final to qualify for the final. On the start line of her heat she said that she was really nervous but on the start line of her semi she could clearly be seen bopping (!!) along to Don’t You Want Me Baby by Human League.
In a very tightly run and quick final she finished in 7th place, a mere 0.27 of a second off a medal position.
Paula now has the shot put on Thursday evening, the 4x100m relay, if selected, on Saturday and 80m hurdles next Wednesday, with the final on Thursday should she qualify.
The best of luck Paula
Paula was joined in Gothenburg by fellow club member Brian Gravelsons, making his GB debut. He commented after his 100m race that it was just a lovely race, not his best time (14.70) but certainly his favourite race
The Midland Counties AA U15 and U17 Championships Special
Many thanks to Carolyne Johnston and Becks Ledgard for many of the photos
The star of the weekend was undoubtedly Under 15 Olisa Odiamma McKenzie who continues to improve every time he competes and produces the goods, sometimes even surprising himself.
In extremely blustery conditions his High Jump was disappointing by his standards only jumping 1.65m but it was good enough to earn him the gold medal and with that out of the way he was able to concentrate on the sprints.
The 200m is becoming a speciality event for Olisa and in his heat he ran a new PB of 24.15s and then in the final he smashed his PB again running 23.79s to capture the silver medal.
In the 100m he qualified for the final with a new PB of 12.03s and then in the final he won the bronze medal equalling his PB from the heat.
Olisa on the way to a gold medal in the high jump
Ruby Edwards who finished 4th in the Triple Jump with 10.26m but then earned herself a bronze medal in the Long Jump with a new PB jump of 4.96m.closing in on the 5m mark.
Miles of smiles from Ruby
Olisa with U17 Keenan Stratford who had a successful weekend, firstly making the final in the 200m in a time of 23.34s a new PB and then with a change of tactics for the final by running hard from the blocks on the bend and then blasting the home straight and trying to maintain form though to the tape he smashed his PB running 23.04s and winning the silver medal.
In the 100m he qualified for the final running 11.70s and just missed out of the medals finishing 4th in 11.64s.
Above and below: U15 Joel Ledgard who continues to show his all round ability jumping a new PB of 10.63m in the Triple Jump to earn a silver medal and running 4:48.86 in his 1500m to earn a bronze. He was particularly happy with his triple jump.
Not to be outdone by his older brother, who took this photo, Toby Ledgard enjoyed his quadrathlon with PBs in all areas. In this long jump the judges took a very long time looking at their tech to finally decide they were going to give it the white flag… unfortunately, by that point the pit had been raked and there was nothing there to measure!!! It certainly looks like a white flag jump to me.
The Midland Counties AA U15 and U17 Championships
Report – Paul Bearman
These Championships held at the Pingles Stadium in Nuneaton is a top-class competition just below national level and covers a huge geographical area including Nottinghamshire in the north, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire in the east Avon in the south and Shropshire in the west and 5 other counties in between.
On a very blustery day one with occasional showers and very hot humid conditions on day two, some of the Stratford ACs youngsters who took part came home with a varied selection of medals and some with Personal Bests despite the variable conditions.
The star of the weekend was undoubtedly Under 15 Olisa Odiamma McKenzie who continues to improve every time he competes and produces the goods, sometimes even surprising himself.
In extremely blustery conditions his High Jump was disappointing by his standards only jumping 1.65m but it was good enough to earn him the gold medal and with that out of the way he was able to concentrate on the sprints.
The 200m is becoming a speciality event for Olisa and in his heat he ran a new PB of 24.15s and then in the final he smashed his PB again running 23.79s to capture the silver medal.
In the 100m he qualified for the final with a new PB of 12.03s and then in the final he won the bronze medal equalling his PB from the heat.
U15 Joel Ledgard continues to show his all round ability and he jumped a new PB of 10.63m in the Triple Jump to earn a silver medal and he ran 4:48.86 in his 1500m to earn a bronze.
In the U15 girls Eve Cunningham enjoyed her weekend finishing with 2 PBs in the 200m (29.94s) and the Javelin (15.21m).
Niamh Williams and Scarlett Dawson both doubled up in the short sprints with Niamh qualifying for the 100m final with a new PB of 13.04 and finished 6th in the final with 13.17s. In the 200m heats she finished 4th and just missed qualifying for the final but ran another PB 26.98s dipping under the 27s barrier for the first time.
Scarlett has been consistent over 100 and 200m this season and she missed out on qualifying for the finals after running a 13.53s in her 100m and 27.50s in her 200m.
Under 17 Keenan Stratford had a successful weekend firstly making the final in the 200m in a time of 23.34s a new PB and then with a change of tactics for the final by running hard from the blocks on the bend and then blasting the home straight and trying to maintain form though to the tape he smashed his PB running 23.04s and winning the silver medal.
In the 100m he qualified for the final running 11.70s and just missed out of the medals finishing 4th in 11.64s.
Ruby Edwards literally had an up and down experience over the weekend finishing 4th in the Triple Jump with 10.26m but then earned herself a bronze medal in the Long Jump with a new PB jump of 4.96m.
Tom Stanton is one of the most hard working athletes who has churned out good consistent performances all season and in a busy weekend he ran 12.62s and 24.55s in the 100m and 200m respectively and jumped 5.42 in the Long Jump marginally just outside his PB.
The middle distance chaps were out in force in the U17 1500m. A nip and tuck race between brother Zak and Sam Lambert resulted in both running PBs with the latter just getting the edge in the home straight running 4.13.8 and 4.13.56 respectively.
They were followed home by Will Mayes in 4.21.8 and Josh Davies in 4.56.78 who had run the 800m the previous day in 2.11.8. In that 800m Josh Harrison ran the unfamiliar event for him and destroyed his PB by 11 seconds running 2.11.8.
In their first competition at this level, under 13s Toby Ledgard, Connor Stratford, Jasmine Mothershaw, Lucia Ogilvie-Putt, Lyla Turner and Martha Edwards, all acquitted themselves well especially in the fluctuating conditions.
As it’s family newsletter, Sarah Odell said she wouldn’t like to print what could be going through her mind in this photo but she said does have both feet of the ground like a proper runner.
Er, you are a proper runner Sarah
Bugatti 10k
Report – Sarah Odell
On a warm Wednesday evening Almost Athletes hold the Bugatti 10k which starts and finishes at the Prescott Hill circuit home of the Bugatti owners club.
During a brief warm up it became apparent than this was not going to be a flat race.
The race is a single loop which starts on a descent then straight into an equally sharp incline all before the first kilometre.
The next six kilometres are undulating then around seven kilometres you start climbing back towards the finish, finally at nine kilometres one final climb to the finish into the circuit.
It was a well organised event, well supported by locals, and definitely not your usual flat 10k.
It’s not often I can claim being first Stratford runner! (Doesn’t matter that I was the only one. As they say you have to be in it to win it!!).
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