MMKAC ease into Eastern Masters League final

Both the male and female teams from MMKAC comfortably qualified for the Eastern Masters League Final at Bedford.

The ladies defended the trophy they won last year but by just a single point from the Stevenage based Fairlands Valley Spartans. It was literally down to the wire, as they say. With the two relays remaining MMKAC were 3-points in arrears. They won the F35 age group relay with Fairlands 4th and making the scores equal. The final relay race for the F50 ladies saw MMKAC finish second but well ahead of their rivals who placed third and leaving MMKAC victory by the single point, 226 to 225.

Team manager Lesley Byrne had a team of eleven athletes with four in the F35 age group, five in the F50’s and two for the F60’s. Corinne Nurse won three events for the youngest age group, leading from the front clocking 76.1 in the 400m hurdles and 2.38.8 in the 800m plus clearing 1.30m for a high jump victory. Chrispina Odunewu won the 100m(15.0) and shot(8.43m) whilst Emma Beales easily won the discus throwing 42.63m. Stephanie Johnson triple jumped 8.67m and ran the 200m in 31.8 for third places.

Jan Hardcastle worked tirelessly for the F50’s competing in six events including second positions in the triple jump(7.95m), high jump(1.20m) and 800m(3.21.9). Their final victory came from Jeanette Lawrence winning the F50 hammer with a best throw of 21.99m. Diane Baldwin contested the 400m, 3000m and 2km walk with Di Farmer competing in both endurances races, 1500m and 3000m. Lesley Byrne took second places in the shot(8.79m) and discus(18.05m) plus competing in the long jump and pole vault.

Stephanie JohnsonStephanie Johnson
Stephanie Johnson

Ursula Ghaleb and Fi Han Bromilow both competed in four events scoring very valuable points in the F60 events. Ursula placed second in the 2km walk, 800m and long jump with Fi- Han contesting both the 100m and 200m as well as the javelin and discus.

Men’s team manager Jeremy Vick had just nine other athletes besides himself to contest the wide range of events. Handicapped by a number of injuries and holidays they battled away to fill most of the events but the loss of a number high-profile athletes was never going to be overcome. The team finished 7th on the day, their poorest position since the inception of the League Final 20 years ago. Jason Carvalho and Phil Catcheside were drafted into the team at their final league match last month and made enthusiastic League Final debuts for the M35 alongside Jeremy. Jason, in fact, produced the only victory for the youngest age group, in, only his second attempt at race walking came through to win the 2km race with a time of 12.26.2. He then contested the 100m, long and triple jumps. Phil did a diverse range of events ranging from the hammer, 3000m and high jump. Mark Featherstone was the most successful in the M50’s – seconds in the shot(11.47m) and discus(35.93m) plus third in the javelin(37.35m)

Individually the M60’s scored good points but only had a smaller number of events to contest. Ivars Licietis won both 100m and 200m from the six he contested, John Skelton easily won the 3000m(10.26.8) whilst second places from Alasdair Gibson(800m) and Bunt Scott(hammer and javelin).

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