Herne Hill Harriers Veterans earn another Southern Area final place by winning Match 4 and the mid-London Divisional title.

Wednesday 13/07/2016 Mid-London Division Match 4 SVT&F, Perivale Stadium.

Well, we almost had a harder a challenge with the results than the match itself! First pass we were one point ahead, and with all checking corrections we could have been at risk of losing this. (I couldn’t believe it was so close.) Thanks to ‘due diligence’ (I made an initial major correction in our favour and secondly yet another! Goes to show if you don’t understand the spreadsheet, and even if you do, give it a reality check! ) So I credit myself a few points despite not having participated…. Now to the real match:
The HHH Mens Veterans team consolidated their first place in their division in Match 4 and made sure to reach the Southern area finals. Both Serpentine and Hillingdon turned up with strong, numerate, competitive teams which gave an added edge to the proceedings at Perivale Park, Greenford. Fortunately the forecast wet weather had passed over a day earlier leaving competition to take place in dry but blustery conditions.
The opening field events of High Jump and Javelin yielded the R&B hoops three firsts places (Paul Marriott jumping, Didier Sorel and Garth Francis throwing well for victory) from five. Two solid thirds from Dave Adam and Des Austin (both in alien territory) opened up a four point team score lead over both Hillingdon and Serpentine for the primary phase of competition.
The 800m track and Long Jump followed, Hillingdon equalled and bettered our scoring to show the Harriers were not going to be able to showboat this match to victory. Mike Mann won the M60 race, Mohammed Ismael, Simon Thompson and the recovering Andy Simms all came up with solid second in their races. Paul Marriott, 1st, Allan Long, 2nd, and Dave Adam doing the jumps to be a mere point behind in the discipline. Quality, but marginally losing our advantage.
Score consolidation only came from the later events: 200m, 3000m and Hammer which turned the match score to look safer for an HHH victory. The 200m had Didier Sorel place first again, a very close 2nd from Paul Marriott (who took ‘Man of the Match’ with an additional two firsts from three events and a relay leg). Giuseppe Minetti, back from injury and not race fit, faced stiff opposition and was consequently outsprinted in both 200m and last leg of the relay. Giuseppe was upbeat enough to be happy with his times on such little training and expects better athletic prowess in the second half of his season.
A magnificent mass 3000m saw Simon Coombes lead and push all the way to draw away from Serpentine’s faster man Ragab until his sprint sting was of no consequence, for Simon to set a season’s best 9-00.4 in windy conditions, well worth a few seconds faster. Great tactical racing from Simon. Just as pleased was Francis Marsh covering our M50 slot (whilst on holiday visiting relatives and friends of his South London home). Francis, racing in a tight pacy group, made a break for home at the beginning of the last lap but was finally outkicked by younger men. Nevertheless, a fine M50 first and a 9-28.7 timing merited Francis’s visitation and we look forward to more of them, back representing his spiritual home. Robin Jones put in all the work to suffer being outsprinted too, but the heart, effort and desire was there for a fine 3rd place and honour to represent the club. Ever consistent Mike Mann placed 2nd for his second event. Mo Ismael ran a superb non-scoring, taking his tally to at least seven races in the previous week! Dave Adam went from the jumps to the 7 ½ laps and he appreciates he now needs to work on speed endurance and his essential jumping skills for us! (Not too easy to achieve when out in Afghanistan.) Action on the field had Stuart Thurgood and Des Austin earn maximum points and a 1st each, despite not being content with their distances thrown, but the job for the moment was successfully achieved. Yes, real athletes can always see room for improvement and be self critical but it’s all good training for the final. At Ashford, we will need all the athletes, the preparation and the willpower to take on a full T&F fixture to retain our title. Let’s prepare and enjoy the challenge. Have a good summer.
Thanks to all who have competed, adjudicated and supported, we are now one big match away from our goal. More of the same would be much appreciated!
Up the Hill, Waldy.
1. Herne Hill Harriers 143, 2. Hillingdon 129, 3. Serpentine 119, 4. TVH 63, 4. Metros 53, 5. Highgate 32, British Airways 14.

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
200m M35A

1 Andy Wood M35 Hillingdon 24.6
2 Giuseppe Minetti M45 Herne Hill Harriers 24.6
3 Jeremy Freer M40 Serpentine 27.1
4 Greg Bennett M40 TVH 28.00
5 Peter Rees M35 Metros 30.3

M35B

1 Didier Sorel M35 Herne Hill Harriers 26.8
2 Matt Taylor M40 Hillingdon 27.00
3 Paul Woodgate M40 TVH 33.3
4 David Robinson M35 Serpentine 37.3

M50

1 Neil Middleton M50 Highgate 27.1
2 Paul Marriott M50 Herne Hill Harriers 27.5
3 Richard Jenkins M55 Hillingdon 29.9
4 Steve Hillier M60 BA 36.2
5 Brian Pickles M55 Serpentine 40.00

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
200m M60

1 David Hinds M65 Serpentine 29.4

2 Allan Long M70 Herne Hill Harriers 30.3
3 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 31.1
4 Roy White M60 Hillingdon 32.1
5 Eddie Giles M65 BA 33.5
6 Nick Michael M60 TVH 34.6

800m M35A

1 Ragab Ragab M35 Serpentine 02:04.7
2 Mohammed Ismael M40 HHH 02:12.6
3 Andy Wood M35 Hillingdon 02:15.8
4 Damian Lane M45 Highgate 02:22.7
5 Pete Rees M35 Metros 02:28.1

M35B

1 Matt Taylor M35 Hillingdon 02:14.0
2 Simon Thompson M35 HHH 02:12.1
3 Luke Parker M35 Serpentine 02:20.4
4 Emmanuel Lunigau M35 Highgate 02:30.0
5 Paul Woodgate M40 TVH 03:33.5
6 Mark Mulvenna M50 Metros 03:09.1

M50

1 Richard Jenkin M55 Hillingdon 02:31.2
2 Andy Simms M50 HHH 02:34.0
3 Charles Pridgeon M50 Serpentine 02:37.4
4 Richard Hooley M50 TVH 02:31.1
5 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 03:06.1

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
800m

M60

1 Mike Mann M65 HHH 02:45.6
2 Andy Torrance M60 Hillingdon 02:51.0
3 David Hinds M65 Serpentine 02:56.4
4 Steve Paull M60 Metros 03:03.3

3000m M35A

1 Simon Coombes M40 Herne Hill Harriers 9.00.4
2 Ragab Ragab M35 Serpentine 9.14.6
3 Duncan Berbridge M40 Highgate 9.26.0
4 Martin Batemen M35 Hillingdon 9.33.2
5 Christian Nielson M40 TVH 10.38.2
6 Peter Rees M35 Metros 11.27.6

M35B

1 James Johnson M35 Highgate 9.28.7
2 Andy Wood M35 Hillingdon 9.37.0
3 Robin Jones M40 Herne Hill Harriers 9.38.3
4 Nicola Negra M35 Serpentine 9.48.5
5 Steve Norris M45 TVH 10.58.2

M50

1 Francis Marsh M50 Herne Hill Harriers 9.28.7
2 Kemuel Solomon M55 Serpentine 10.53.6
3 John Husbands M50 TVH 12.14.6
4 John Dobbs M50 Hillingdon 12.18.2

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
3000m M60

1 David Pitt M60 Serpentine 11.14.8
2 Mike Mann M65 Herne Hill Harriers 12.02.8
3 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 12.12.0
4 John Mayall M60 Hillingdon 14.52.5

Relay : Club Performance
4 x 100m

1 Hillingdon 50.0
2 Herne Hill Harriers 50.1
3 Highgate 54
4 Serpentine 55.6
5 TVH 63.3

High M35

1 David Robinson M35 Serpentine 1.53
2 Vaughan Ramsy M35 Hillingdon 1.50
3 David Adam M45 Herne Hill Harriers 1.44
4 Peter Rees M35 Metros 1.15
M50

1 Paul Marriott M50 Herne Hill Harriers 1.30
2 Trevor Wade M60 TVH 1.25
3 Keith Seldon M55 Hillingdon 1.2
4 Tony McGahan M60 Serpentine 1.15
5 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 1.1

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
Long Jump

M35

1 Vaughan Ramsy M35 Hillingdon 5.43

2 David Robinson M35 Serpentine 4.86
3 Greg Bennett M40 TVH 4.69
4 David Adam M45 Herne Hill Harriers 4.07
5 Peter Rees M45 Metros 3.56

M50

1 Paul Marriott M50 Herne Hill Harriers 4.7
2 Dave Martin M55 Hillingdon 3.57
3 Ashok Jamdagmi M70 Serpentine 2.6

M60

1 Trevor Wade M60 TVH 4.02
2 Allan Long M70 Herne Hill Harriers 3.7
3 Roy White M60 Hillingdon 3.7
4 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 3.33
5 Tony McGahan M60 Serpentine 3.22

Hammer M35

1 Stuart Thurgood M40 Herne Hill Harriers 47.36
2 Steve Thompson M50 Hillingdon 20.11
3 Frank Womelsdorf M35 Serpentine 17.34
4 Greg Bennett M40 TVH 14.26

Competitor Age cat. Club Performance
Hammer M50

1 Des Austin M50 Herne Hill Harriers 34.67
2 Keith Seldon M55 Hillingdon 25.42
3 Danny McIntosh M55 Serpentine 24.27
4 Steve Hillier M60 BA 22.1
5 John Husbands M50 TVH 12.17

Javelin M35
1 Didier Sorel M35 Herne Hill Harriers 35.78
2 Greg Bennett M40 TVH 34.42
3 Frank Womelsdorf M35 Serpentine 33.07
4 Peter Rees M35 Metros 20.88
5 John Dobbs M50 Hillingdon 15.9

M50

1 Keith Seldon M55 Hillingdon 32.59
2 Danny McIntosh M55 Serpentine 23.57
3 Des Austin M50 Herne Hill Harriers 23.35
4 Mark Mulvenna M50 Metros 15.96

M60

1 Garth Francis M60 Herne Hill Harriers 31.43
2 Roy White M60 Hillingdon 28.87
3 Tony McGahan M60 Serpentine 26.27
4 Mike Ransome M60 Metros 18.56
5 Eddie Giles M65 BA 16.96

Non-scorers
Event Competitor Age category Club Performance
200 Mohammed Ismail M35 Herne Hill Harriers 27.1
200 Dan Spinks M40 Hillingdon 30.8
200 Jason Steel M40 Hillingdon 26.9
200 Luke Parker M35 Serpentine 28.1
200 Alex Malzer M45 Serpentine 30.3
200 Dave Martin M55 Hillingdon 31.1
200 Dave Smith M50 Hillingdon 33.2
800 Robin Jones M40 Herne Hill Harriers 2.24.3
800 Peter Clarke M45 Serpentine 2.27.0
800 Alex Malzer M45 Serpentine 2.30.7
800 William McAvock M45 Serpentine 2.32.3
800 Philip York M50 ESM 2.35.5
800 Stuart Arundel M45 Hillingdon 2.47.8
3000 Mohammed Ismail M35 Serpentine 9.24.8
3000 Simon Thompson M35 Herne Hill Harriers 9.55.1
3000 Damien Lane M45 Highgate 10.20.8
3000 Alastair M35 11.43.9
3000 David Adam M45 Herne Hill Harriers 11.44.5
3000 Charles Pridgeon M50 Serpentine 11.59.4
3000 Dan Spinks M40 Hillingdon 13.10.1
High jump Dave Martin M55 Hillingdon 1.1
Long jump David Smith M50 Hillingdon 3.05
Long jump Frank Womelsdorf M35 Serpentine 4.23
Long jump Dan Spinks M40 Hillingdon 3.53
Hammer Alex Malzer M45 Serpentine 18.46
Hammer Luke Parker M35 Serpentine 12.54
Hammer Tony McGahan M60 Serpentine 19.69
Javelin Dan Spinks M40 Hillingdon 18.28
Javelin Jason Steel M40 Hillingdon 18.1
Javelin Steve Thompson M50 Hillingdon 10.77