Nine Bicester AC athletes made the journey for the first round of their UK Development League Midland North East 1B match held at Worcester last Saturday. They covered the events superbly to finish a very commendable 3rd in the team competition sandwiched between the illustrious Coventry Godiva AC who were 2nd and Leicester Coritanian AC in 4th. Most of the competing Bicester AC athletes achieved personal bests.
All of the Bicester competitors in the under 13 boy’s events were at the junior end of the age group. Charlie Simpson was in scintillating form winning the A string long jump with his first ever 4 metre plus jump and EA PB level 5 mark of 4.09m. Bicester achieved a double first in this event as the B string went to Bicester’s Levi Fulcher with a new best leap of 3.74m. Simpson was also first home in the A 150m with another other EA level 5 performance of 21.60secs. Simpson also finished 2nd in the A 800m with a new best of 2mins 47.60secs. Stanley Conlon was in outstanding form in what was his first ever javelin event. Conlon produced a superb throw of 18.34m to win the A string. Conlon was also 2nd in what his first ever 75m (11.80secs) as well as finishing 2nd in the B 800m, lowering his best to 3mins 7.90secs. Levi Fulcher competed in his first ever high jump and finished 2nd with a promising 1.13m as well as placing 2nd in the B 150m (23.60secs). Teammate Brendan Kelly was also competing in his first ever high jump competition and emerged victorious in the B event with a clearance of 1.05m. Kelly also finished 3rd in the A shot with a putt of 4.57m as well as throwing 8.59m for 2nd in B javelin in what was his first attempt at the event. And Lucius Mohandes managed a trio of bests in his events with a win in the B shot (3.15m), 3rd in the A 1200 metres (5mins 12.50secs) and 2nd in the B 75m (12.70secs). The 4 by 100metre relay quartet of Simpson, Kelly, Fulcher and Conlon were also 2nd (62.40secs).
There were some great performances from Bicester AC’s under 13 girls. Olivia Maxwell and Hannah Parsons, are also towards the junior end of their age group and both have been busy during the winter in both sportshall and cross country competitions. Maxwell achieved a superb A string win in her first ever high jump clearing 1.05m. She also ran a sub 5 minute 1200 metres (4mins 52.50secs) for 3rd in the A string as well as running a personal best 12.30secs for 3rd in the B 75m. Hannah Parsons has started the summer season well and she ran superbly for 2nd in the A 800m with a sub 3 minute clocking (2mins 56.0secs). She was also 3rd in the B 150m (23.50secs) and was just short of her best in the long jump with 3rd and a 3.16m leap in the B string. Ruby Majonga achieved a trio of new bests coming up against some stiff competition in all of her events. She finished 5th in a very competitive A 150m with an impressive EA level 6 time of 22.30secs. In an equally competitive 75m, Majonga lowered her best to 11.40, also for 5th, which was an EA level 5 time. Majonga also set a new best in the long jump of 3.49m where she finished 4th in the A event.
Emeras Mohandes was Bicester’s only competitor in the under 15 events but the points he earned proved crucial in Bicester AC securing 3rd team spot. Mohandes’s three events included a massive new best in the 200m where he finished 3rd (32.90secs). He filled the same spot in the 800m (3m 19.60secs) and was 5th in the 100m (15.70secs).