Victory for Hillingdon veterans on home ground 9th June 2014

Hillingdon’s veteran men and women athletes won their home match, the second of the season in the Mid London Division of the Southern Veterans Athletic League, the men winning with 111 points, ahead of their rivals Herne Hill.  Hillingdon women  were second overall with 82 points just 5 points behind Serpentine, but with a thumping victory in the 4 x 100 m relay.

It was heartening to see 12 Hillingdon wins, and nine second places, in Uxbridge stadium that fine summer evening, proving once again that veteran athletes are no less competitive than lower age group levels.

Alan Butler (V50) won at 200m  in 26.5 secs and Jason Steel (V35) won his 200m  (B) in 26.4 secs and 800m (B) in 2:17. The other three mens’ wins were in the field events: Steve Partridge at long jump,  Dave Martin in the triple jump, Keith Seldon at shot putt.

Such was the competition, our youngest male veteran Martin Bateman just lost first place in the V35 A string  800m (2.08.9) to Angelo John of Ealing (2.08.7) and in the 3000m  with 9.33.6 to  Serpentine’s Cedric Berthelon (9.32.5).

This league also attracts high rankers such as Graham Harrison running for Serpentine underlining his prowess as the UK’s best 400m runner in the V40 age group. He stormed the 200m in 23.9 seconds, ahead of Steve Partridge running for Hillingdon, who could not touch him even with excellent sprinting in 25.3 seconds.

In the 4 X100m  men’s relay, the Hillingdon team looked like winners  and generated much excitement from the stadium with Martin, Alan and Jason maintaining the lead,   until – Graham Harrison broke through to win in the fourth leg overtaking Steve Partridge.

Hillingdon women were helped greatly by the welcome arrival of  newcomers to the veteran age groups:  Claire Thompsett, Sharon Dooley and Louise Kelly albeit the latter two running for Hillingdon as second claim club. Claire won her 200m race by several metres and pulled away to win the fourth leg of the 4 x 100 relay; Sharon won the 200m B string with a personal best of 30.0 seconds and Louise triumphed in the shot putt.

Female sprinting strength didn’t stop at the 35-50 age group: Hendricka White returned for the second year to run for Hillingdon V60’s 200m race in a personal best of 33.1 seconds which would be good enough for many in the younger age groups. The other two wins came from the field events: Kim Weir (V35) again showing her strength at hammer, and Lesley Conway (V55) in the triple jump.

The remaining two vets matches in the season are in Battersea on 23 June 2014 and then to Perivale on 14 July 2014. Aggregate points from each match qualify the top team from each Division for the Southern Veteran League final in September.

Results:  Mens, Womens still awaiting clarification