Paula Hine writes about the WAC achievements over the last Sportshall season.
As the Sportshall Athletics season draws to a close it is time to report on the highlights from both the three league meetings and the county championships. All of the matches have taken place locally at the Canford School on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Sportshall has a reputation for being loud and chaotic but FUN, and this season has proved to be no different. Over fifty young WACers have competed many wearing the red vest for the first time. It is important at this stage to recognise and thank the team managers, officials and parent helpers who have made this season possible.
Despite Athletics being predominantly an individual sport, I see Sportshall very much as a team event. As team manager I strive to cover all the events at every match with the athletes who are available to compete on the day. To this end, despite very strong competition from Bournemouth AC season, I am pleased to announce that Wimborne are indeed winners of the league in all four categories boys and girls under 11 and under 13 age groups. The strong and committed under 13 boys squad won every match and never looked like losing. The under 13 girls squad won match 1 and 3 with a slight blip in match 2 just before Christmas when many were not available to compete. Both the boys and the girls under 11 teams were second in the first match of the season but went on to win match two and three as more athletes joined the squad and practice at training started to pay off. Sportshall Athletics is such a great introduction to our sport and I have been delighted to see so many young WACers enjoying the competing experience. Well done Wimborne!
January saw the Sportshall county championships and as a club we had a few outstanding performances that need to be recognised. Starting with the under 13 boys’ team it is Woody Van Der Feltz who kicked us off with a win in both the 2 lap and 4 lap races. Alfie Fry and Jack Jones were just behind him in second place in the 2 lap and 4 laps respectively. The boys 4x2lap relay team, Lucien Booth, Jack Jones, Joe Ruscoe and Alfie Fry were also winners. In the field we had no champions but four boys gained second place honours: Woody in speed Bounce, Alfie in Long Jump, Lucien in Triple Jump and Jack in Vertical Jump.
With the under 13 girls it was in the field that we had our best results. Lola Sainsbury continued her unbeaten run with a win by over a metre in the shot putt event. She was ably supported by newcomer Mollie Gennard who finished third. Eva Welstead bounced her way to a win in the speed jumping event as well as second place in the triple jump. Hermione Callaghan and Brooke Williams finished a very credible joint third in the vertical jump event. On the track Isabelle Hawker continued her fine performances in the 4 lap event this season with a second place in the 4 lap event. Eva Welstead was unfortunate not to make the final of the 2 lap event, through no fault of her own an error with the results prevented this from happening, she was however correctly awarded third place overall from the time she ran in the heats. Our relay team also went on to win the 4x 2lap race – congratulations to the girls: Martha Dewar- Cutts, Isabelle Hawker, Lola Richardson and Eva Welstead.
I am delighted to report that in the under 11,s over /under relays where the athletes run over hurdles and under tunnels the enthusiasm for this exciting and fun event meant that Wimborne AC were able to enter two boys and two girls teams and we finished first and second in both – undoubtedly the highlight of the afternoon for me. It is in the field events that the under 11’s had their best results. In the boys’ speed bounce event Harry Ryan and Leo Welstead were first and second respectively. The balance beam proved to be a highly successful event for our club with James Fleming winning the boys event with a maximum possible score, Florence Van Der Feltz and promising young newcomer Elsie Gray also finishing first and second in the girls competition. Nicholas Leung had a fine third performance in the target throw event, Elsie Walker came fourth in the chest push and Jenny Charlwood was fourth in the soft javelin event.
We now wait to hear how many of our young athletes will go on to be selected to represent Dorset in the regional championships in Torbay in March, and we look forward to the forthcoming track and field season – Come on Wimborne!!
