Jack Goodwin became the first Bedford and County athlete to return to action on 31st March. Competing in the Comeback 5000m at Battersea Park, Jack clocked an excellent 14:13.96 to finish seventh in a very high quality field in what has his first track race for three years.
Gracie Wall stormed to a new U15 Pentathlon club record at Yeovil on 4th October, despite atrocious conditions of persistent heavy rain, strong winds and temperatures which were as low as nine degrees and never rose much above eleven degrees.
There were good performances over 1500m from three Bedford and County athletes at the Harrow Race Night on Thursday 24th September. Alex Alston (U17) won race eleven in a new PB of 3:59.17. In the same race Jamie Webster (U20) finished second in a season’s best of 4:03.38, and Harry Brodie (U20) came seventh in a PB of 4:06.95. At the same meeting, Paul Mizon set an 800m PB of 1:59.52 whilst finishing 3rd in race 11. At the Nuneaton British Milers Club meeting on 18th September, Ed Blythman (U20) set a 1500m PB of 4:05.22 whilst winning the F race. On the same day, but a little further up the age scale, Charlie Palmer (M40) had an excellent run in the New Forest Arnold Clark Half Marathon, finishing second in 1:20.02.
A small contingent of Bedford and County athletes made the trip to Loughborough to compete in the Charnwood A.C. open on 16th September. Nathan Cox came second in the fastest 200m race of the night, clocking 22.76. Nathan also ran 11.50 over 100m. Under 17 Daniel Harding-Forbes won his 100m race in 11.85, and clocked 23.81 whilst coming second in his 200m. Fellow under 17, Jasmine Wilkins, won her 100m race in 12.85, and also ran 26.58 over 200m. All the sprint races were run into a stiff headwind. Jamie Webster won a somewhat bizarre 800m that included a close shave with an official and a trolley (fortunately no one was seriously injured!) in 2:00.18.
Several Bedford and County athletes were in action at the Milton Keynes Jumps and Throws Meeting on 13th September. The highlight of the day came in the Javelin, where Sadie Werrett not only won the Javelin competition, but also set a new Under 15 Girls club record of 39.09, which exceeds Olivia Da Costa's 37.86, set in 2009. Sadie also won the women's Shot Put with a throw of 9.14. Well done to Sadie, who moves into 5th place in this year's U15 Girls UK rankings for the Javelin. At the same meeting, Graeme Packman threw 30.44 in the Discus, and Richard Martin threw 53.33 in the hammer.
Congratulations to Dan Jarvis, who won the bronze medal in the 3000m Steeplechase at the British Championships at Sportscity, Manchester last Saturday, 5th September.
At the BFTA on 12th September, Under 17 Etienne Maughan ran a fast 200m, finishing second in her race in 24.71 – this moves Etienne into this year’s UK top ten for her age group. Her fellow Under 17, Serena Van Beek came third in her 200m race in 28.23.
Athletes from Bedford and County AC made up for a late start to the season with some wonderful times over 800m in the London Inter-Club Challenge at Lee Valley athletics centre on Sunday 6th September. The standout performance of the day was from Under 17 Alex Alston, who chopped nearly three seconds off of his PB in finishing second in the C race in 1:57.19. Alex was on the money throughout the race, and had enough left to produce a fierce finishing kick that propelled him through the field in the last 100m to within a quarter of a second of the winner.
Congratulations to Eitenne Maughan, who has broken Bedford and County's Under 17 Women's 100m record. Competing in her first outdoor competition of 2020, in Dagenham on 23rd August, Etienne was electronically timed at 12.00 (she ran a hand-timed 12.00 in 2019). Etienne's new mark breaks the former record of 12.2 set by Charlotte Underwood in 2013.
The MK 5k PB Special road race lived up to its name on Friday 21st August, as five competitors from Bedford and County Athletics Club achieved personal bests over the fast 5000 metre course.
James Minter on his way to a PB at Milton Keynes (photo by Matt Bray)
Congratulations to Belinda Sergent, who has broken Bedford and County's long-standing Women's Triple Jump record. Competing in Bournemouth on 9th August, Belinda jumped 11.74m (as well as a longer, windy, 11.80m leap). This exceeded the previous club record of 11.54m, set by Andrea Hall back in 1998. Belinda has been aiming for the record for some time. Her new PB represents a considerable improvement on her previous best - which was 11.38m, and moves her into this year's national top thirty.
There were some excellent results for Bedford and County athletes in the Bedfordshire AAA Virtual 10 K race that was held between 13th and 19th July.
Rebecca Murray won the ladies race in 37:41 and was fourth fastest overall, whilst Sue Bosher was second in the ladies race and the faster F35 in 39:52. Penelope Francis was the fastest Under 20 Woman in 55:47. Emma Coombes completed the course in 52:41, Maddie Brodie ran 54:50, and Claire Perusko (47:08) was the fastest F50.
