Many of Blackheath & Bromley’s youngsters began their track and field seasons at the Hercules Wimbledon Open Meeting at Crystal Palace and there were some very promising results.

Louis Mascarenhas opened in fine style in the under 17s age group setting two personal bests and both were National Grade One performances. He won the discus with a throw of 42.74 and, although it is very early in the season, this is the furthest in the country so far this year. He also threw 14.45 in the shot , an improvement on his previous best by over a metre. Encouragingly Daniel Hollett also set a new best in the discus of 35.70 and he was also just four centimetres off a Grade One performance in the shot with 13.21.

On the track, for the girls Janae Galley and Holly Fletcher were closely matched in the 800 metres timing 2.23.04 and 2.23.43 respectively while Bethany Frost clocked 2.40.38. Anna Myers ran 5.18.11 and Samantha Leighton 5.25.75 for the 1500 metres.

For the boys William Fuller opened with 4.28.76 for the 1500 and promising early season efforts came from Justin Brown (100 and 200), Adenekan Lipede (200), Luke Russell (800), Thomas Desborough (1500), A trio of under 20s were in action in the mile with Amber Reed running 5.40.46, Jessica Jones 5.48.81 and Emma Rowland 5.54.35. Ellie Duffy Penny was just off a National Grade Two standard when she threw 34.75 for the discus.

Highlight in the under 15s age group was a Grade One performance by Isabella Hilditch in the long jump. She won with a leap of 5.06, nearly half a metre further than she jumped last year. Temi Awodiya was 4th with 4.38. Shannon Riskey ran 2.28.19 in the 800 metres while in the 1500s Charlotte Rhule timed 5.05.97 to Jessica Keene’s 5.15.26.

Others in action included Ryan Poyroo and Lucas Pacary (100), Sophie Grieves, Temi Awodiya and Kate Woodbridge (200), Ashley Hamilton (800); Scott Bulmer and Joanna Clowes (1500); Anna Barnett (shot and discus); Tiquilia Robinson Pascal (high jump), Best performance in the Under 13s age group came from Naomi Kingston who ran a Grade One time of 5.03.30 in the 1500 metres. Again it is early season but this is the fastest in the country by 13 seconds and improves own her best time from last year by over 20 seconds. Nicole Farmer was just off a Grade One as she ran 13.66 in the 100 metres.

For the boys Jake Potter ran a very useful 4.57.65 in the 1500 metres, which not only was a personal best, it is also the fastest in the country so far this year. (Again it is very early days). Elsewhere useful early form was shown by Adefala Lipede ( 100 and 200); Karina Harris (200 and long jump) and Catrin Murphy (200 and 800).

With a busy track and field season here, Blackheath & Bromley are keen to recruit new young members of all ages, abilities and disciplines. For further information on your particular interest please e-mail enquiries@bandbhac.org.uk Alternatively leave details on the Club answer phone service on 020 8462 3115.

For all the latest Club news visit the website at www.bandbhac.org.uk