Lords of the Relay – A Masters Road Relay Tale – By Richard Gray
Hello BRAT mates. Another pleasant day out at the park; with a purpose. Historically at The Masters we have won two national individual medals, but never a team medal. Given the opportunity, which colour would be preferable ? Well gold of course I hear you shout ! Personally I find it a bit too shiny and slightly tacky, where bronze has a more subtle tone. That said, let’s talk racing. M35 A Team Dan was in his usual seat at the office, and the intent was there for all to see. The first three opened a gap on the chasing pack, Dan pushing the pace, neck and neck with Birchfield, and Tipton not too far behind. Finishing only a few seconds behind Birchfield; Karl on leg two was soon back in the lead, storming ahead with a sizeable lead and delivering a big PB (I think). Johnny at first must…
Track & Field League – Call to Action
Fellow BRATs – help needed in first athletics league match of the season. On Sunday 19th May the BRAT athletics team will be involved in the first meeting of the season in Gloucester. Many thanks to those of you who have already responded however the women’s team are still short in a number of events;800/1500/3000m 100/400 hurdles races Long jump/High jump/Triple jump/Pole vault Javelin Can you help? We need to gain as many points as we can which means filling as many of these events with ideally two athletes in each. The call for hurdlers, triple jumpers and vaulters is rather ambitious – I would suggest having a go only if you’ve done it before! However, Long jump, High jump and Javelin – we can teach you to be more than competent and get us some valuable points in the next few weeks. If you are interested in running, jumping…
Masters Road Relays – Time to Enter
Good morning ageing, old, infirm, possibly deluded, but still very keen BRATS. Now is the time to embrace Spring, remember which is your right from left shoe, and demonstrate your undoubted pace. If you are still reading this and you are under 35, then you need to get out more. Yes, Masters National Road Relay Champs are here. Saturday 18 May at the usual Sutton Park spot. As you are unlikely to recall 12 months previous, here is how it works. There are teams for M35+ x6 legs; M45+ x4 legs, M55+ x3 legs, M65+ x 3 legs, M75+ x3 legs ! You can run for a younger team, and we can enter as many teams as we wish to pay for. Our priority is to populate with the quickest athletes, our team who have the best opportunity of a high finish or medal; with the exception of prioritising any…
National Road Relays – Men’s Manager Report
Well done team, and well done all the Midland teams. Good solid performances. Current course was introduced in 2015 and is slightly longer (3.16 miles Vs 2.995). I think there were pbs for Nathan, Karl, and Thanos. Dan missing his Midland pb by only seconds, and Colin 5 seconds. 36th overall and 32nd A team. 7th in Midlands excluding Bristol, 4th in West Midlands. Results at www.race-results.co.uk On a pleasant but slightly chilly day, we once again were amongst the big boys, interested in seeing how competitive we may be and defending our Midland ranking. Blimey, some of them are fast ! Dependable Dan, who just keeps getting faster, was first pressure leg as ever and did not disappoint. Although very slightly slower than at the Midland, I was happy, but don’t tell him that. Second leg was always going to be tough for Nathan following Dan. We did drop places, but it was an…
Midlands 12/ 6 Stage Relays – Time to Enter
Yes BRAT mates, Spring is on its way. No more sharp spikes to stick in you and no more mud. If the club is your priority, then so is this. Let’s build on our XC performances and get our heart rates and speed up for this great event, that is the Road Relays. All running speeds welcome, we just put you in the appropriate team. Midland Road relay championship. Sutton Park Sat afternoon 23 March. Men: 12 legs comprising 8 x 3.16 miles, and 4 x 5.38 miles. Women: 6 legs comprising 4 x 3.16 miles, and 2 x 5.38 miles. Please email an indication whether you are definite, probable or yes subject to injury by Thursday 28 February. This will allow the managers to estimate the number of teams and squad names to enter. We can enter 3 x number of team places to allow for injuries/ reserves. If…
Midlands Autumn Road Relays – Time to Enter
Men 6×5.85km, Women 4×4.35km Hello BRAT mates, still hanging onto Summer, but need your attention for September. We can enter as many teams as we want to pay for, and everyone is welcome regardless of standard. Teams are selected in anticipated order of speed, so any new runners concerned about being thrown on A team first leg can relax. The race attracts fast and slow, young and old, too thin and too fat, 800m to marathon runners. Give it a go and I bet you get a good time out of it. I have to enter number of teams and squad names by 2 September, so please let me know well before that. Squad entry is actual places x 3, so just need a possible-probable-definite. I will need from everyone: English Athletic completion number (you tick this box at BRAT club renewal), membership must be paid up to date (shows…
BRAT multi-event junior wins bronze…
Josie Williams has won a bronze medal at the Midland Championships in Nuneaton. It was in the Girls under 13 quadrathlon (100m, long jump, shot and 600m). It was a brilliant result for Josie and for fellow BRAT competitor Monique James Thomas, who finished 8th out of a field of 21. Well done girls!
Safe! – T&F League Match 4 Report
The BRAT track & field team saved themselves from the threat of relegation on Saturday at Stoke by finishing in fifth place on the day, whilst Stoke could only manage second, which was not enough for them to save themselves. In reality, we were always going to be fairly safe given that Halesowen had finished bottom in all three of the previous meetings and have struggled to get athletes out to compete but given that we only had eight women available again then there was still the feint possibility that we could still trip up. Our winners on the day were Jonny Briggs (Discus A), Jack Vickery (Hammer B) and Hannes Petzer (Javelin A) and making her debut for the team, Sophie Dalley – welcome to the team Sophie. In the end we finished third in the division but that only tells part of the story. At the halfway stage…
Close run thing… T&F League Match 3 Report
Despite having only 8 women available for the third league match of the season, the BRAT team managed to overcome a relegation threatened City of Stoke team by just five points and therefore all but assure ourselves of remaining in division two next season. Naomi, Eva, Amelia, Molly, Eloise, Amanda, Judith and Rosie (on debut) managed to grab vital points on a sun-drenched, World Cup fuelled Saturday in Abingdon. Providing excellent support were the men’s team who managed eight wins on the day, including winning 6 of the 8 throwing events and coming second in both the remaining throws. Winners on the day were Jonny Briggs (Hammer A and Discus A), Igor Huszak (Javelin A), Dan Robinson and Martin Matthews taking A and B wins in the 5000m and a hat-trick of wins on debut for Hannes Petzer (Javelin A, Hammer B, Discus B) – welcome to the club Hannes!…
Zac Humphries breaks the club record for the sixth time this year.
Competing in the Cheltenham Harriers open meeting on July 5th, Zac broke the U13 Boys 75m Hurdles club record for the sixth time this year, in a time of 12.5secs. This now ranks him 9th in the UK this year.
Josh Hale storms to another club record
Following his success at the West Midlands schools championships the previous weekend, Josh represented the area in the annual intercounties schools competition at Alexander stadium on Saturday, June 16thand again won the U17 400m in a new club record time of 50.11s, beating other athletes with faster times this year. This win and performance should ensure his selection for the English Schools championships next month.
Brilliant BRAT performances at recent Championships
New member Mike Bowler smashed the senior decathlon record at the Senior/U23 England Athletics combines events championships, incorporating the BUCS championships, at a Bedford on May 26/27th, scoring a very impressive 7263pts and taking the BUCS title , whilst finishing with the silver medal in the EA Championship. Also breaking the previous club record was the previous holder Alex Clegg , who scored 5766pts, finishing 11th in both the BUCS and EA U23 championship. Success continued at the Midland senior championships at Nuneaton on June 10th, where Prince Ahey won the 110m Hurdles title in 16.00s, whilst Jonathan Briggs won the shot with a put of 12.76m Not to be outdone our juniors recorded some fine performances representing South Birmingham Schools at the West Midlands Schools championships at Alexander Stadium on June 9th. Pride of place went to another new member , Josh Hale, who won the Inter Boys(U17) 400m in…