PANVAC veterans are Eastern Masters champions for an unprecedented 4th successive year plus local family results in the Great North Run
Peterborough & Nene Valley AC veterans made light work of a 200-mile round trip to lift the Eastern Masters Track & Field League trophy for an unprecedented 4th successive year.
Having the longest journey of all the eight teams competing at Thurrock proved not to be a handicap. The ladies won silver, but at the end of the competition the men were told they were 4th and therefore just outside the medals. This was still enough to comfortably win the combined team title. It got even better 24 hours later though when a message was received there had been an error and the men actually finished 3rd!
Judith Jagger was in top form. Not only did she win four over 60 events, but she was awarded the field athlete of the day prize for her high jump of 1.15m. Jagger had stepped down an age group to finish runner-up in the over 50 event. She won the over 60 shot, discus, triple jump and 80m hurdles.
Andrea Jenkins picked up three over 35 first places in the shot, hammer & discus. Her hammer throw of 43.57 was nearly twice the distance of anyone else in the competition.
Kelly Sutton won the over 50 100m in 15.49. She also won the 200m with a time of 31.12. Team captain Claire Smith clocked 65.53 to win the over 35 400m by nearly five seconds and there were first places for Ros Loutit in the over 60 3,000m and for Nichola Gibson in the over 35 high jump.
The men had plenty of individual success as well, not least in the 400m where Dave Brown won the over 35 race in 54.09 and Andrew Stowe clocked 59.63 to win the over 50 race. Also on the track Julian Smith finished first in the over 50 200m and Michael Major won the over 35 800m.
Simon Achurch won the over 50 javelin with a throw of 41.38m. He also finished first in the shot. There were over 70 wins for shot putter Kevin Bates and long jumper John Spriggs.
The men saved the best till last winning both the over 40 and over 50 relays by comfortable margins.
Speaking afterwards Claire Smith said “What a day. It was a great team effort. There were some fantastic individual performances as well as people volunteering to fill gaps to get us crucial points. We are still a bit weak in a few areas so if there are any budding pole vaulters, hurdlers or over 60 sprinters out there please give us a shout.”
ROUND-UP
PANVAC’s Fell family were all in action at the Great North Run on Sunday. Isaac Fell clocked 1:16:13 to finish 5th under 20. His dad Simon ran an identical time finishing as 4th over 45. Younger brother Noah clocked 1:27.07 while mum Liz ran 1.49.54.
Two more PANVAC athletes were in action with Alex Curtis clocking 1:26.20 and Maggie Skinner finishing in 1:29.58. Eye’s Owen Beale was just ahead, running a time of 1:29.22.
Yaxley's Molly Speechley was first under 17 in London’s Big Half Marathon with a time of 1.45.51.
Bushfield’s Brian Corleys was 1st V50 in 34.38 at the Norwich 10k.
PANVAC’s Alex Gibb finished 14th at the Mid Cheshire 5k with a time of 14:46. His dad Steve came home in 950th place with a 34.50 clocking. Neil Price of Yaxley finished 524th in a time of 18.24.