Newark finish at bottom of pile

Newark AC completed their fixtures in the North of England League at Doncaster and finished last on the day and also bottom of the league, resulting in their relegation along with Chesterfield and Barnsley.

Newark’s athletes put up a fight and there were many good performances, but unfortunately the strength of the opposition proved too great.

In the women’s section Amy Fendley contested six A events, winning the long jump (5.20m) and finishing fourth in each of the shot (8.12) the 100m hurdles (16.6secs) the discus (18.84m) and javelin (24.81) and she also attempted the high jump for the first time in three years, finishing seventh (1.35).

Brave Ann Kitchen managed to complete three events before injury put paid to her day, finishing second in the 800m A (2 mins 31.2secs) and fifth in the 400m A (66.9secs) with a sixth place filling in as a B competitor in the hammer (7.11m).

Veteran Trish Hill was seventh in the A hammer (12.15m) and third in the B discus (16.78m) fifth in the shot (6.64) and sixth in the javelin (16.88).

Samantha Springett came fourth in the B event long jump (4.02m) and seventh in the 100m A (14.0secs) while Emily Smith finished seventh in the 200m A event (31.1secs) and was sixth in the 100m B (14.2) and sixth in the 400m (78.7).

Julie Cooper was fifth in both the 1500m A (6mins 21.5secs) and the 3,000m (12-41.3) and Rebecca Taylor came second in the B event 3,000m (12-43.4).

Finally the women also managed to put out a 4x400m relay team and came home in sixth (5-02.1).

In the men’s competition Tom Beaumont contested four A events and achieved first place in the triple jump with 12.81m, second in the long jump (6.34) fifth in the javelin (38.17) and sixth in the high jump (1.65) and also also finished sixth in the B event shot (9.08).

His brother Michael is nursing an injury at present but still managed to win his only event, the B string 100m (11.0secs).

Nicky Brompton came sixth in both his A races, the 800m (2 mins 11.6secs) and the 400m (56.0secs) while Daniel Smith finished fifth in the A 100m (11.4) and sixth in the A 200m (24.0).

Simon Langley again went multi-eventing, taking fifth in the A hammer (30.73m) and sixth in the A discus (31.19) and also did a string of B events, finishing second in the javelin (37.75m) fourth in the triple jump (10.98) and long jump (5.67) and had a fifth place in the high jump (1.60) to complete a busy day.

Neil Bass tackled both the 110m hurdles (20.9s) and 400m hurdles (73.6) taking sixth place in each A event.

Joe Smith came fourth in the

400m B (55.8secs) and fifth in the 800m (2mins 07.1secs) while Michael Smith was third in the B event 200m (24.4secs).

Paul Smith came sixth in the A shot (9.83m), and in the B string events took fifth in the discus (23.61) and sixth in the hammer (22.73) while Pete Beaumont, the father of Tom and Michael and vice-chairman of the club, restricted himself to one event, finishing fourth in the B string 1500m (4m59.3).

Tim Bagguley was fifth in the A 3,000m steeplechase (13mins 01.5secs) and seventh in the 1500m (4-59.1).

Doug Kelley took fourth in the A 5,000m (16-54.4) and Grahame Kelley was fifth in the B race 5,000m (20-36.0) while the men contested both relay races, finishing second in the 4x100m (45.6secs) and seventh in the 4x400m (3mins 59.0 secs).

Although this has been a hard year for the club in Division Two, resulting in relegation — mainly down to a shortage of athletes — it has to be said that all those who competed gave it 100%.

Newark are in the unfortunate position of not being able to fill enough events, as the lack of facilities means that the club cannot train athletes for several of the events contested, and overall the club has done well to reach this level, enabling members to compete against much bigger clubs.

CAPTION: Hurdler Neil Bass was in fine form for Newark Athletic Club at their North of England League meeting at Doncaster.