Relegation for PANVAC, but youngsters show promise for the future

​Despite their Southern Athletics League season ending in relegation from the top flight, Peterborough & Nene Valley AC were able to take plenty of positives from their 2023 campaign which was wrapped up at Tooting Bec.
By Barry Warne
Published 24th Aug 2023, 14:00 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2023, 07:25 BST
Jack Wheatley.Jack Wheatley.
Jack Wheatley.

​The club finished fifth out of six teams in South London, but as has been the case all season there were a number of promising performances from emerging youngsters.

This augurs well for their first season in a regional division when less travelling will be involved.

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Angus Bowling won the pole vault competition as he has done so often this season.

Bowling's clearance of 4.60m was a new personal best (PB), and cemented his status as one of the most promising young vaulters in the country.

Former Loughborough student Jessica Dixon-Walker also concluded a fine individual league season winning the 100m hurdles with a time of 15.71.

Louise Hirst was runner up in the B event. Hirst's big performance of the day was in the long jump where a distance of 4.87m saw her take another second spot.

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Under 17 Jack Wheatley, one of the best of the brilliant crop of young talent to have made their mark this season, finished fourth in the 100m with a time of 11.35 and fourth in the 200m with a 23.12 clocking.

James Marsh ran a new 400m best of 51.63 while Josh Smith won the B 1,500m with a new fastest time of 4:16.85.

Under 20 sprinter Morgan Swann ran 100 and 200m PBs of 11.86 and 23.83 respectively.

Alastair Phelan took third spot in the 400m hurdles as did Dylan Phillips in the high jump and B triple jump.

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Skipper Dave Bush was his usual busy self, taking part in all four throwing events.

His most lucrative points return came in the javelin where he placed second with a throw of 43.86m.

Prolific winner Andrea Jenkins won the ladies hammer with a throw of 46.22m with Kay Gibson taking second spot in the B competition.

Jenkins was also runner up in the discus.

Experienced sprinter Claire Smith took fourth spot in the 400m with ladies captain Nichola Gibson finishing third in the B race.

CORBY OPEN

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PANVAC's Max Aslin ran a season's best 12.03 in the 100m at the Corby Open Meeting.

Sister Holly clocked 12.72 over the same distance.

Veteran Jim Gillespie was first over 60 in both the discus and shot.

BOSTON MEETING

A third member of the Aslin family collected two PBs at the Tommy Clay Development Meeting at Boston.

Under 13 Sophie won the long jump with a distance of 3.61m and the hammer with a 12.26m throw.

Though not quite a PB, Aslin also took 70m hurdles honours in a decent time of 14.6.

Related topics:Louise HirstPeterboroughSouth London