Notts Mini League match 4
The fourth and final Mini League saw Newark AC’s young athletes finish fifth overall out of seven teams though the under 15 girls finished an excellent third in their category. Despite the holidays eighteen competitors turned out for the club, four of them on their debut. Once again it was a day when personal bests tumbled despite a strong wind with no less than twenty seven being set. Unusually there were no event winners in the teams’ ranks but many fine performances were seen.
Most of the debutants were for the under 11 girls. Asia Moody, Holly Fender and Keating Walters all competed for the first time and showed great promise in their events with the highest placing being Keating’s third in the Chest Push throwing event (5.78m). Sian Hendley along with sisters Molly and Charlotte Ripley are not much more experienced but all managed good performances with Molly’s second place in the 600m (2.16.4 mins) a highlight. Chloe Rowberry competed in the relay alongside Charlotte, Molly and Asia to secure another second place.
For the under 11 boys, in contrast to the girls, James Lepley was the sole competitor but he pushed determinedly to fifth places in both the 80m (13.8 secs) and the 150m (26.7 secs). Under 13s were Charlotte Peach, securing an impressive third in the 800m in 2.56.5 mins along with a new best of 9.75m in the javelin for fourth place - and Edward Booth who set personal bests in all three of his events, one of which garnered a second place in the Javelin (21.18m).
The Club was strongly represented in both the boys and girls under 15s. New boy Matthew Lawrence sped to 14.0 secs for the 100m, the same time as Peter Carrington who also improved on his already impressive personal best in the long jump to 4.85m, gaining second place. John Jessop tried his hand at the 400m and impressed everyone with an excellent 64.4 secs. Linton Taylor was equally competitive in finishing third in the 800m with 2.23.0 mins, the third time this year he has bought his best time down.
For the under 15 girls Amy Scott grabbed two third places (14.1 secs for the 100m and 7.59m for the shot and Emma Jessop galloped to second in the 800m and a fast time of 2.36.6 mins. Both Eloise McQuaid (28.8 secs) and Lauren Rowberry (29.5 secs) improved their lifetime bests for the 200m in the guest races before those two with Amy and Emma powered to second place in the 4x100m relay.
While fifth place may be disappointing to some, the team has made clear progress this season and the future looks bright.