| Young Athletes Report The Young Athletes were at Bebington for their match against tough opponents Sale, Macclesfield and Wirral but again there were many outstanding individual performances. For the first time the girls outscored the boys. The most eye catching were U17s Emma Bowen(1st 300m 44.2 and 2nd 800m 2.23.5) and a very mature 2nd place for Toria Swift in the 3000m in 11.17.4) also first placings for Rachel Hutchinson (Shot 8.23), Emily Carr (Javelin 26.85), Faye Atkins (Long Jump), Abby McComb (B Shot 7.43), Stephanie Hawkins (B High Jump 1.45). At Under 15 Sarah Moore ran 13.64 for a 75m Hurdles win and at Under 13 Eleanor Mitchell was also a good first at 1200m(4.04.5). But what characterised the girls was the excellent turn out and team spirit. For the Boys there was Grade 2 wins from Under 17 Harry Doran(1st 200m in 22.9), Danny Higham(400m 2nd 51.9) David Forrester(1500m 1st 4.14.1) and Grade 3`s from Nathan Hilton(100m 3rd 11.6), Chris Hesketh (Steeplechase 1st 4.43.8) and from throws expert Tony West (Discus 1st 34.11). But the real star performances were at Under 15 where there were Grade 1 efforts from Adam Thompson(2nd 200m in 23.9 plus a 100m win in 11.9) and Mike Bride(1st 1500m 4.27.2). Newcomer Mike Jones also threw a 26.51 Discus to win in his first competition! There were no outstanding results at Under 13 but in particular Joel Hutchinson, Dave McComb and Adam Dible were prominent point gatherers. There were predictable relay wins at Under 17( 4 x 100m 45.7 and 4 x 400m 3.37.6). Overall the club was joint 3rd as we go to press. At the BUSA Championships in Bedford Mark Grimshaw got as far as the semi-finals with a useful 49.2 at 400m but the most delighted was June Swift with her heat time of 2.10.9 for  Dave (Batman) Dudly 800m. She has set her heart on a club record this season and who can say she won`t do it! The photo of Dave (Batman) Dudley was taken at in the late 1990s after he had won the Blackpool 10k in 33 minutes dressed as Batman in hot weather and beating a large field over a thousand runners if my memory is correct. Dave currently holds the club 1500m record with 3:44:1 set on 24 June 1986 Report Charles Gains |
| League Reports It was a frenetic early May weekend for LPS athletes and officials. At Ellesmere Port the Seniors were in action for a Division 2W League match. There were a number of outstanding performances. For example, Wayne Ashall at last cracked the elusive 50 second barrier in winning the 400m in 49.8 and joins the club elite sub-50 group. He also ran a great final leg in the 4 x 400m relay for another winning result. Mike Zaim(100m 2nd 11.1, 200m 4th 22.5) and B support team mate Alex Stokes(100m 1st 11.2, 200m 1st 22.5) made their mark. Naturally they were part of the winning 4 x 100m relay squad. Elsewhere Andrew Bowen had a superb inaugural 3000m Steeplechase, 2nd in 9.48.6 and with Adam Clansey in B support with 10.16.1. Adam might at last have found his main track event. It’s always hard to find more superlatives for Sammy Rashid who regularly makes the journey by public transport from Sheffield and then turns in a sound performance but here he went even better in the 5000m showing great courage in taking second place in 15.46.9. Perhaps he will let us know if this is a PB? Dave Readle with three firsts (Hammer 47.97, Discus 42.01 and Shot 14.42) was a major point scorer, with Mark Line even more prolific buzzing around in support(1st Discus 37.61, 1st Shot 11.12, 1st Pole Vault 3.40). Luke Parker looked good taking the B Javelin with 43.79. Among the Women Kirsty Longley continued her battle to duck under 11 minutes for 3000m with a 11.04.6 in fourth place. Steph Swift was picking up useful points at 200m(5th 29.9 and 400m 3rd 69.1) as was Rachel Hutchinson(2nd 100m Hurdles, 5th Discus 19.50, 5th Shot 8.18). For various reasons many events were not covered and so it was no surprise the club ended up 4th behind Bolton, West Cheshire and Sutton St Helens |
| Great sub-11 run from Alex Stokes In track and field athletics the 100m is sometimes referred to as the `blue riband event’. To run under 11 seconds is to enter the area of class performance. Two Liverpool Pembroke Sefton runners have been around this figure for some time and the county championships were the perfect occasion to try once more. Although only finishing third in the Lancashire Championships at Blackpool in 11.2 Senior athlete Michael Zaim had run a tantalising 11 seconds dead in his heat. Over at the Merseyside Championships at Wavertree though Junior colleague, Alex Stokes, made the breakthrough to win in 10.9 and to delight his coach Graham Pilkington. These are still early days in the season and both these athletes will be chasing even quicker figures. The club enjoyed an avalanche of medals of all hues but in particular the nine gold gained at Liverpool and the seven at Blackpool. Merseyside`s other LPS winners at Under 15 were Edward Rimmer with an 800m time of 2.16 and Michael Bride at 1500m in an excellent 4.29.7. Javelin exponents Emma Carter(24.46) and Drew Atherton 29.43 also excelled. The 200m is not star Harry Doran`s best event but in the Under 17`s he took the 200m in 23.2 leaving Danny Higham to win the 400m in an impressive 50.5. Chris Hesketh was the 1500m(4.41.1) steeplechase champion. The only Senior win came with Paul Rudkin at 400m hurdles in 65.9. There was another flurry of medals in the Lancashire championships. There were two winners at Under 15 Chris Hatton(800m 2.9.7) and Jessica Brodie(Discus 22.49m). In the Under 17 Tony West had a fantastic day collecting two throwing events, the Discus in 34.89 and Hammer in 38.39. In the same age group rising 2000m steeplechaser Andrew Bowen added another title with a 6.20.6 posting. Ormskirk`s June Swift was literally too swift for the opposition claiming the 800m elsewhere and second claim member Charlotte Christian had a unusual first, second and third in, respectively, Hammer(32.05m), Discus (22.33m) and Shot(8.38m). These results naturally overshadowed numerous other quality performances by athletes at all levels. But LPS club members will be particularly delighted to see how well the throwing section is competing, a huge tribute to coach Merrik Bousfield’s whose tragic death before Christmas shocked the club. He would have been delighted with this weekend’s results. 7th May 2007 |
| Doran Man of the Match The second match of the Northern Premier Young Athletes at Wavertree pitted Liverpool Pembroke Sefton against two big city clubs in the shape of Liverpool Harriers and Leeds Athletic Club. While it was going to be an impossible task matching the sheer volume of these clubs LPS individuals often stretched them in quality. In particular Harry Doran (Under 17) so impressed the judges with his victory in the 400m with a time of 50.4 that he was made Man of the Match. It must have been a tough choice as Adam Thomson (Under 15) was equally exciting with Grade 1 wins at 100m(11.8) and 200m(24.0). Other winning U17 results that caught the eye were Chris Hesketh’s runaway 1500m Steeplechase(4.42.3) backed up by B runner Elliot Masters (4.57.9) who also managed an unusual Long Jump winning leap of 5.50m. As ever Tony West was a Discus winner with 34.27. Middle distance wins by Chris Hatton(800m in 2.13.3) and Mike Bride’s mature 1500m victory in 4.33.0 along with the Thomson sprints highlighted the Under 15 group. The women were equally diligent but with fewer individual successes. Emma Bowen and Toria Swift (Under 17) collected useful placing across the 400m to 3000m metre spectrum but top marks have to go to thrower Emily Carr first in the Javelin with 29.92m but with placing elsewhere in the Hammer and Discus. Emma Carter was equally prolific in the Under 15s with a predictable win in the Javelin(29.31) but with again useful placing in the Shot and Discus. Faye Watkins also took the Long Jump with 4.62m. No winners in the Under 13 but a growing feature of the club is the manner in which lesser talented athletes work towards a club success. On this occasion it manifested itself in the culminating relays where two wins at 4 x 400m(Under 15 and Under 17 Men) plus other useful results steered the club to third overall behind Liverpool and Leeds but ahead of Blackburn. |
| Doran supremely confident At the North of England U17 Championships at South Leeds Harry Doran ran a superbly controlled 400m Final in 49.97 to take the title. His confidence grows race by race. Later in the season he will face strong opposition from a Midlander and several Southerners. Either in the Schools or AAAE Champs they will all come head to head and a sub-49 will be necessary to get among the medals. Harry is well capable of this. Other podium placers were silver medallists Chris Hesketh(U17 1500m SC in 4.30.0), new sprint sensation Adam Thompson(U15 200m in 23.96) and a bronze duo of David Forrester(U17 1500m in 4.12.46) plus Mike Bride(U15 1500m in 4.30.97). But spare a thought for fourth placers Ed Marsters(U17 1500m SC) and Danny Higham(U17 400m in 51.49). An excellent day out for LPS. |
| Declining numbers at Junior match The second round of the NJL (Mersey Division) match was held at Robin Park on 28th May. It was characterised by lack of support. Out of six competing clubs no fewer than 11 events were uncontested and a staggering 35 had only one or two competitors. As the leagues have declined the club’s policy of celebrating individual improvement and PB’s makes more sense than point-gathering. Even so, for the record, LPS were third(294) behind Cheshire Tigers(476) who, with respect, retain their dominance because they are a composite club (the way forward for others?) and Wigan(340). Alex Stokes is now maturing into an impressive performer winner of the 100m(11.2) and 200m(22.4) but who would have thought of Wayne Ashall taking the B events in excellent times of 11.4 and 22.7? Sam Hutchinson is blossoming at last with a first in the 400m of 50.7 and with the ever dependable partner of Tom Daniels, B string winner at 53.9. One hundred per cent result to date and it didn’t stop as Andrew Bowen’s credentials in the Steeplechase are now well known and he too had an easy passage at 2000m in 6.33.3. Luke Parker was impressive likewise with a Javelin throw of 44.15 and the men, as usual, easily swamped other clubs in the relays… 4 x 100(46.0) and 4 x 400m(3.31.2). The girls had fewer winners but, as usual the throwers were good value. Becci Keegan (29.26) and Emily Carr(27.48) well clear in the A & B Javelin event and Becci teamed up with Rachel Hutchinson to repeat the story in the Shot(9.39 and 8.18 respectively). Grace Stuart rounded up the winners with a 8.18 leap in the Triple Jump. As noted elsewhere the girls are demonstrating a real fighting spirit and being rewarded appropriately. But perhaps the real story is the falling numbers. There really has to be a re-think on this. |
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