UK Youth Development League Lower Age Group (under 13/15) at Tonbridge
Sunday 8th May 2022 – report by Nigel Brooks
Thanks to all who participated today at the first South Premier League YDL meeting for a couple of years. There were some great individual results today but more importantly this was a great team effort with everyone contributing to a splendid 3rd place finish behind Reading and Blackheath & Bromley. The results are as follows, although still to be verified;
1st Reading – 559
2nd Blackheath & Bromley – 548
3rd Tonbridge – 515
4th Havering – 468.5
5th Crawley – 435.5
6th Bracknell – 277
The U15 squad managed to put an athlete into every available event bar one. This obviously helps the overall team position but again thanks to all for stepping up especially with the juggling of some athletes into different events throughout the day.
The biggest highlight of the day was probably the win for Elicia Lacey in the 75m hurdles in a time of 11.60 and equalling the club record that has stood since 2006. Other highlights from the day are A string wins for Toby Bawtree in the 800m with a time of 2.07.86, Sam Newton – high jump 1.61m, Elsa Pawson – Pole Vault 2.40m and a win for the 4×100 U15 girls of Elicia Lacey, Evie Dixon, Amelie Clark and Eva Harper, just outside the club record and the fastest run by a quartet from the club for 9 years. There were B string wins for Rhys Dobbs – Pole Vault 2.00m, Harry Owen – High Jump 1.35m, Eva Harper – 100m 13.2 and Olivia Pilbeam – Hammer 14.85m.
I’ve also worked out that over the day that there were a total of 20 PB’s by the girls and 19 by the boys. This is obviously a combination of certain individuals doing events for the first time but there was a high number of improvements for individuals. Probably the standout PB was by Neve Raymond who took nearly 20 seconds off her previous 1500m time with a run of 5:10.90.
Please note the next Youth Development League Meeting is on Saturday 21st May at Bracknell. I will send a draft team sheet out over the next day or so. The club will be running a coach to Bracknell for a minimal fee and I will send pick-up points and times with the team sheet.
Again, thanks to all for participating today and well done.
Nigel Brooks
U15 Team Manager