Close calls for MMKAC at Eastern Masters’ Athletics Final

A depleted women’s team competed hard for their points while the men were a whisker away from the silver medals in a closely fought contest on a sweltering day at the Eastern Masters’ Athletics Final held in Bedford.

Abby Roskilly and Paul Canning were the female and male track athletes of the match.

MKAC’s Paul Canning was the male Track athlete of the match with three individual wins and ran a leg in the winning relay team. Individually he won the Men’s  50-59 age group 100m(12.3), 200m(24.8) and the triple jump(10m42).

Abby Roskilly was the female Track athlete of the match with two outstanding victories in the W35-49 age group, the 400m in 60.6, 4 seconds ahead of the runners-up whilst in the 800m clocked in 2.14.2, some 23 seconds ahead!

Other male winners were  a double from Daniel Halapcluc in the M35-49 age group 200m(23.0) and 400m(53.0). For this age group Mark Roberson won the Hammer throwing 44.6m. Barry Nash, for the older age group, won the Shot with 11.87m.

Towards the match end  there were wins for both Relay teams, The winning younger age group team comprised Mark Dowson, John Watkinson, George Gavriel and Daniel Halapcluc timed at 2min. 43.3.

The elder team of Andrew Macdonald, Conrad Salthouse, Darren O’Leary and Paul Canning won with 2min56.5.

Overall Male winners were Bedford(274pts) followed by Southend(220) with MMKAC third, very close to the silver medals, scoring 218.

Apart from Abby, the women had a winner in the discus by Emma Beales throwing 37.01m and also second in the shot (8.51m), plus a pole vault win by Bryony Gibbens with a height of 2.20m. 

Diane Farmer placed third in the exacting 2000m walk timed at 13.58.2 whilst team manager Steph Johnson took second in the “B” race wit 17.05.1