Bicester AC recently hosted the second round of the Oxfordshire Sportshall competition at Bicester and Ploughley Sports Centre. There was a mega turnout from the host club. Bicester AC winter training is clear going very well which was reflected in some outstanding team performances from the host club. Bicester AC’s under 11 and under 13 teams both won their competitions and there was a second consecutive win for Bicester’s under 15 girls. The other three Bicester teams finished in 2nd place. Bicester’s combined under 11 team and the under 15 girl’s team lead their respective competitions after two events. The under 13 combined team is in 2nd place and the under 15 boy’s team 3rd.
There was quite the turnaround in fortunes for Bicester’s under 13 boys team compared to event one. There was a much better turnout for this round and this was reflected in a dominant victory with the team’s final tally of 48 points 8 points in advance of the runner up team. This points haul included no less than 4 wins. There was a dominant win by Cyrus Ariana in the 6 lap race and his time of 1min 24secs was 5 secs faster than the runner up. He combined with Malak Haggag, who was making his first sportshall appearance as an under 13, to win the 6 lap event for Bicester in a combined time of 2mins 57.0secs. Ariana was involved in two further wins for Bicester as he showed his prowess over the shorter two lap event, combining with Jayden Beadle, to clock the individual fastest time of 24secs whilst the combined teams winning time was 49.9secs. He then combined with Oliver Jarvey for a winning combined score of 142 in the speed bounce competition. Beadle and Haggag then combined to win the shot putt with a combined distance of 12.34m. Beadle produced the best individual distance in the standing long jump of 1.99m and along with Shay Gallagher finished 4th with a combined distance of 3.50m. Jarvey and Ariana finished a good 2nd in the 8 lap paarlauf (1mins 46.0secs) and the team of Harry Spencer, Emeras Mohandas, Shay Gallagher and Oliver Jarvey finished 3rd in the obstacle relay (1min 34.7secs).
The Bicester under 11 boy’s team went one better than round 1 to win a thrilling contest by one point from Witney. The team achieved three wins on the day with Charlie Simpson producing the best individual performance in three events. Simpson combined with Alfieri Akin-Olugbade to win the three lap event with a combined time of 84.60secs with Simpson’s effort of 40.9secs the fastest time on the day. The Bicester quartet of Simpson, Franek Markiewicz, Samuel Wilson and Reece Dunwell combined to win the speed bounce competition with a total of 194 with Simpson’s score of 57 the best individual score. Simpson and Akin-Olugbade combined with Levi Fulcher and Theodore Simms to produce the fastest combined one lap time of 55secs with Simpson again the top individual clocking 13.00secs. Levi Fulcher produced the longest individual standing long jump of 2.09m and he combined with Brendan Kelly for 2nd place in the standing long jump with a combined distance of 3.76m. Other Bicester under 11 boys who featured in the scoring team included Alex Kelly, Lucius Mohandas who combined with Theodore Simms and Brendan Kelly for 4th in the obstacle relay (1min 34.7secs). Frazer Hounslow combined with Levi Fulcher for 4th in the javelin with a total throwing distance of 28.35m. In the non scoring events Ettore Akin Olugbande, who was making his sportshall debut, jumped 1.15m in standing long jump with Oliver Kelly jumping 0.96m.
Bicester AC had an incredible 10 athletes in the under 15 girl’s competition which was almost as many as the other competing clubs combined. With 4 to score in the team Bicester had a final winning margin over 2nd placed Witney of 70 points. Bicester also won every event except the shot putt. Bicester also had the top three individual placers in the all rounder competition with Aaliyah Beadle amassing a winning total of 58 points. These included an impressive win in a competitive 2 lap race (24.4secs) and the vertical jump (58cms), where she had a margin of 10cms over the runner up. Olivia Naidu-Johnson and Grace Jarvey were 2nd equal highest individual scorers on 54 points. Naidu-Johnson’s points haul included a win in the standing long jump (2.06m). Jarvey’s included a 2nd in the two lap event (55.2secs) which was won by teammate Yasmine Sheppard (54.5secs). Sheppard filled the final scoring team slot with 53 points which was the 4th equal highest points score in the all rounder competition. There was also a first ever under 15 girl’s win for Lucia Haverly who won the speed bounce with a score of 78. Not content with this Haverly then combined with Jessica Shepherd to win the paarlauf clocking 1min 55.2secs. The combination of Beadle, Naidu-Johnson, Jarvey and Sheppard were impressive winners of the 4 by 2 lap relay (1min 40.2secs). Other Bicester performances included Erin Griffiths 5th in the shot (5.94m), Grace Fulcher 7th in the standing long jump (1.81m), Erin Horseman 4th in the 4 lap event (58.7secs) and Lily Spencer who was 10th in the shot (5.05m).
The Bicester AC under 13 girls made a strong start and were leading after five events. However despite a win by the Bicester quartet of Lily Childs, Meriel Woodrow, Imogen Unger and Brianna Senior in the final event, the 4 by 1 lap relay (1min 44.8secs), Bicester AC finished in 2nd place 6 points behind the winning Oxford City AC team. Lily Childs achieved an impressive score of 81 in the speed bounce, which was the highest individual score, and combined with Brianna Senior to produce a winning score of 154. Ruby Majonga and Lily Childs took place 3rd in the six lap race with a combined time of 3mins 7secs.
Bicester ACs under 15 boy’s team finished 2nd with Erlgean Appiahkorang-Mensah equal top individual scorer in the all rounder competition with 60 points and three wins. Appiahkorang-Mensah was an easy winner in the 4 lap event (48.4secs), scored 80 in the speed bounce for another comfortable win and also took the triple jump with 7.31m. Max Finnegan was Bicester’s next team scorer with 48 points which included 4th placings in the 4 lap event (53.5secs) and speed bounce (71). Alex Jessett made his sportshall debut and his efforts included a promising 2nd best time in the 2 lap race (24.1secs). Henry Unger finished 3rd in the shot with a good putt of 8.16m as well as 3rd in the standing long jump (2.11m). The quartet of Appiahkorang-Mensah, Finnegan, Unger and Jesset took the 4 by 2 lap relay clocking 1min 35.3secs. After their win in round Bicester ACs under 11 girl’s team found the competition much tougher on this occasion but still managed equal 2nd place in the team competition. Wins were hard to come by but Hannah Parsons combined with Emelia Beadle to win the two lap event with a total time of 84.30secs. Bicester’s two relay teams combined for 2nd place in the 4 by 1 lap relay. The team of Ottilie Maclean, Lorelei Whelan, Hannah Parsons and Emelia Beadle produced the 2nd quickest time of 55.20secs and along with the team of April Perry, Cherry Bartholomew, Evie Childs and Ivy Balch finished 2nd a combined time of 119.40secs.