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Faultless Newman inspires Newbury to Southern Athletics League win




Newbury Athletic Club had a short trip up the A34 for their latest match in Division 2 West of the Southern Athletics League on Saturday.

With beautiful weather, a hassle free commute and a near full strength team, Newbury AC stormed to a fantastic victory with an impressive 207 points, ahead of the host club Oxford City AC (176), county rivals Reading AC (134) and Guildford & Godalming AC (103).

With three victories from four matches so far this year it leaves Newbury in a really strong league position heading into the final round.

Newbury AC athletes
Newbury AC athletes

Saturday’s match was a day in which the younger members of the team starred.

Making just her second senior appearance for the club, and still only 14 years old, Lily Newman looked completely at home in the 100m hurdles, executing her 3-step technique well to take a dominating overall victory.

Not content with this alone, Newman followed it up with a 9.31m triple jump to take the B string win and ran the first leg of the victorious Newbury AC ladies' 4x100m relay team, making it a perfect score for her three events over the day.

Only a few months older than Newman, and after some impressive performances in the junior league this season, Jacob Woods made his much-anticipated senior club debut.

Woods ran a hard fought 800m, finishing 3rd in the A race, and then, less than an hour later, produced one of the highlights of the day in the 400m.

Sitting in the middle of the pack at the halfway point, he ran a blistering final 200m to move up to second, almost catching his far more experienced teammate Sam Plumb.

The duo thus combined to secure maximum points in the event.

There was a welcome return for some of the biggest Newbury AC points scorers over previous seasons with Helen Broadbridge, Jamie Kuehnel and Trinity O’Connor all making their first appearances in the blue vest this year. Broadbridge threw a mighty 47.17m in the hammer to win by over 13m from her nearest rival and picked up maximum points in the shot put.

Kuehnel also excelled in the hammer, a clear winner in the men's event thanks to a throw of 52.57m, his best result in 5 years.

O'Connor picked up maximum points in all her events following A string wins over tough opposition in both the pole vault and high jump and B string wins in the shot put and 100m hurdles.

The hot weather made the long distance events even harder than usual.

The Newbury steeplechasers made good use of the water jump to cool down each lap, with Mike Robbins and Steve Elsmere taking a double win in the men’s event while Emma Downie survived a fall at the barrier to take second A in the ladies equivalent, closely followed by her sister Rebecca who won the B string for a strong steeplechase points haul.

Under 17 athlete Waheeda Wasterfall was another impressive young debutant, jumping 10.26m to win the A string triple jump as well as taking the B string victory in long jump.

Utility man Dan Tuttle picked up maximum points in the A string pole vault and both the 110m hurdles and long jump B strings while ladies captain Jenny O’Connor had successes in the B string 400m and pole vault.

Phoebe Ryder-Benson ran a superb 61.14s to comfortably win the 400m overall while there were further B string wins for club chairman and coach Bob Broadbridge in the hammer and Robert Richardson in the javelin.

Newbury’s final match of the season takes place in Carshalton, South London on Saturday, September 10.



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