EASTERN MASTERS: Quality quartet shine for Nene Valley Harriers

Philippa Taylor (left) was in fine form at the Eastern Track & Field League meeting.

Despite only fielding a team of four athletes, the golden oldies performed heroically taking second place in the seven-team competition.

All four members of the team have previously won national honours and it showed as the quality quartet won all bar one of their events.

On the track Philippa Taylor and Yvonne Scarrott sped to comfortable 3,000m victories in their age groups and Claire Smith made it a sprint double winning the Over 35 100 and 400m races with times of 13.5 and 67.7.

Predictably Andrea Jenkins comfortably won both the hammer and shot.

Nene Valley’s flying foursome also tied for first place in the 4 x 100m relay, despite their team containing just one sprinter.

Peterborough AC Ladies finished fourth with Judith Jagger their only winner in the over 50s shot.

The tables were turned in the mens’ contest with Peterborough AC winning and Nene Valley finishing fourth. It was, however, a close fought battle between the top four with Corby AC and Huntingdon AC finishing second and third.

Peterborough faired well on the track with John Pike winning the over 35 3,000m and Paul Larkin’s first in the over 50 race.

Pete Brantom took maximum points in the 1,000m walk and David Whitehead was first in the Over 60s 100m with a 13.7 clocking.

Nene Valley enjoyed most of their success away from the track and the versatile Adam Fidgett won the over 35 pole Vault and long jump. Simon Achurch threw 39.99 in the over 35 hammer and 11.14 in the shot for his two first places.

Nene Valley’s only success on the track came in the over 50s 100m which Ricky Huskisson won comfortably with a 12.6 clocking.