Bicester AC finished a very competitive 4th out of the 8 competing teams in their recently held first round Heart of England division 3 match held at Daventry. There were strong performances by the under 17/20 girls and under 11 girls who were 2nd in their respective team competitions. The match saw three further new club records and 37 new individual new bests. A string wins were however harder to come by with Bicester’s four A wins all coming in the under 17/20 girl’s competition.
There was a strong performance from Bicester AC’s under 17/20 girls team and they finished strong runner ups in their team competition. Naiomi Ejiogu was in scintillating form as she achieved a double sprint win setting two new club records in the process. Ejiogu smashed the previously held under 20 women’s 200m club record with a win and an EA PB level 5 time of 26.8secs which was also a new personal best. She also won the 100m equalling her best with an EA PB level 5 time of 12.7secs, which was also a new under 20 women’s club record mark. There was a double first for Bicester AC in the shot putt. Yasmine Sheppard won the A event with 7.58m and Georgia Bower the B string with a new best putt of 7.49m. Georgia Bower also set a season’s best with a winning an EA PB level 6 leap of 4.96m in the long jump and also a set a season’s best in winning the B 100m (13.2secs). Yasmine Sheppard achieved new bests and 2nd places in the discus and 300m with 13.77m and 47.4secs respectively. And there were season bests for Grace Jarvey who won the B 200m (29.0secs) and Olivia Naidu Johnson in the high jump (1.20m). And the Bicester quartet of Naidu-Johnson, Sheppard. Jarvey and Bower not only won the 4 by 100 metre relay but lowered the club record that they had set earlier in the season with a winning time of 53.90secs.
Bicester AC under 11 girl’s team may have found A string wins hard to come by but their consistently good performances over the 4 events took them to a fine runner up spot in the team competition. Dotty Conlon ran a big new best of 12.2secs in finishing 3rd in the B string 75m (12.2secs) as well as finishing 3rd in the A 600m with a new best of 2mins 16.0secs and 4th in the A long jump (2.98m). Lorelei Whelan was a good 2nd in the A howler and also won the B long jump with a new best of 2.88m. Isla – Grace Cruickshank won the B howler (11.87m) and ran a new best of 2mins 17.7secs in the non scoring 600m. There was also a new best of 2mins 17.8secs in the 600m for Ivy Balch who finished 4th in the B string.
Bicester AC under 13 boy’s team also showed up well in the team competition finishing 3rd. Bicester had strong representation in the 100m with Oliver Jarvey finishing 2nd in the A string in a season’s best and EA level 5 time of 14.2 secs and Charlie Simpson winning the B string in his first ever contested 100m (14.4 secs). Jarvey also finished 2nd in the long jump with an E level 5 leap of 4.03m with Simpson finishing 3rd in the A 200m (31.0secs). Bicester’s throwers performed well with Levi Fulcher throwing 11.65m in his first ever discus for 2nd in the A string with Frazer Hounslow in his first ever under 13 competition throwing 9.72m for 2nd in the B string. Brendan Kelly was 3rd in the A shot (4.51m) with Hounslow winning the B string (4.31m). And the quartet of Jarvey, Fulcher, Simpson and Hounslow finished 2nd in the 4 by 100m relay (62.2secs).
Bicester’s under 15 girls found the competition hard in their team event but covered the events well setting 7 new bests. Bicester’s highest individual A string placing was Grace Fulcher with 3rd in the shot (5.82m). Erin Griffiths set a new best in the 300m finishing 4th in the A string (50.5secs) with Maya Korn winning the B event in a new best of 53.0secs). Griffiths also set a new best of 15.3secs with 4th in the A 100m and teammate Fulcher set a new best of 15.2secs in the B event where she was 5th. Megan Surman also set a new best in the A string 800m (2mins 50.3secs) where she finished 4th with Maya Korn 3rd in the B string (2mins 54.4secs). The relay quartet of Surman, Korn, Fulcher and Griffiths finished 2nd in the 4 by 100m relay with 61.9secs.
Six of the Seven performances from the under 15 boy’s team were new bests. Harry Cruickshank achieved a notable landmark in breaking the 5 minute barrier for the first time with 4th place in the 1500 metres (4mins 58.8secs). Theo Cogan enjoyed his best ever long jump competition with 3rd in the A event in a new best of 4.25m and Finlay Harrell’s new best of 3.79m was good enough for 2nd in the B event. Cogan also ran a new best of 29.2 secs for 5th in the A 200m with Finlay Harrell 2nd in the B event clocking under 29secs for the first time (29.8secs).
Bicester’s under 11 boy’s team found first places elusive. Reece Dunwell was Bicester highest placer in the A strings with 3rd in the long jump in a new best of 2.93m with Theodore Simms 2nd in the B string (2.87m). Simms ran a new best of 12.3secs for 4th in the A 75m with Dunwell 3rd in the B event, also in a new best of 12.4secs. There was a new best of 12.5secs for Franek Markiewicz in the non scoring 75m. Charlie Dixon threw over 20m again in the howler for 5th (20.21m) and ran a new best in the non scoring 600m (2mins 19.2secs).
Hannah Parsons was Bicester’s sole competitor in the under 13 girl’s competition. She achieved a new best in the 800m in finishing 3rd (2mins 53.4secs) and was also 3rd in her first ever 200m (32.5secs).