Will turns on the class in Eton test

11:21am Wednesday 16th July 2008

Belgrave Harriers, who just avoided relegation last season, gave an improved showing in their second British Athletics League Premiership match at Eton, finishing fourth and lifting themselves to fourth spot in the overall table.

International all-rounder Will Sharman produced the best Belgrave individual effort of the match, taking the 110m hurdles in 13.77 seconds, and later linked up with Wade Bennett-Jackson, Idowu Akindele and Luis Evling-Jones to anchor the sprint relay team to a 41.26 victory. Evling-Jones was also runner-up in the hurdles B race.

Belgrave's only other A string success came from Neil Speaight, who narrowly took the 800m in 1:52.25. Jonathan Blackledge was runner-up in the B race in 1:55.16.

Mark Allen added six metres to his previous best in winning the hammer B with 59.54m and also won the shot B (15.45m).

Veteran Mike Jones was fourth in the A string hammer with 61.80m and Scot Thompson was fourth in both the discus A (54.12m) and shot A (15.92m).

Dave Wellstead was another winner, taking the triple jump B (13.96m). Gary Wilson leapt 14.20m for fourth in the A competition.

Sean Reidy was fourth in the 400m hurdles (54.68) and Jean-Charles Roghi second in the B race in a faster 54.19.

Stephen Sharp was third in the 1,500m in 3:55.39 and Cameron Johnston fourth in the pole vault (4.40m).

The Belgrave quartet of Phil Burkart, Ryan Thomas, Speaight and Set Osho were fourth in the 4x400m relay in 3:20.28.

Match result: 1 Newham and Essex Beagles 34; 2 City of Manchester 310; 3 Woodford Green with Essex Ladies 308; 4 Belgrave Harriers 289; 5 Enfield and Haringey 275; 6 Birchfield Harriers 248; 7 Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers 221; 8 Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow 185.

Standings after two matches: 1 Newham and Essex Beagles 16; 2 Woodford Green with Essex Ladies 13; 3 City of Manchester 13; 4 Belgrave Harriers 8; 5 Birchfield Harriers 8; 6 Enfield & Haringey 6; 7 Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers 6; 8 Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow 2.

l Herne Hill Harriers also gave an improved showing in their second National Two match at Kingsmeadow Stadium, finishing fourth.

However, they found winners hard to come by and their only successes were through Paul Oluyemi in the long jump (7.08m), Idris Ojuriye in the 200m B (21.86 seconds) and Mark Hanily in the hammer B (53.93m).

Ojuriye was also third in the 100m A (11.01) with Robert Graham second in the B in a faster 10.98 and Lawrence Mensah third in the 200m A (21.92).

The sprint relay team of Jeffrey Oorah, Oluyemi, Mensah and Graham was third in 43.84.

Simon Wurr was third in the steeplechase (9:29.7) and James Parker third in the 400m hurdles (56.69).

Match result: 1 Basingstoke and Mid Hants 338; 2 Notts 308.5; 3 Blackheath and Bromley 288.5; 4 Herne Hill 286; 5 Swansea 265.5; 6 Southend 242; 7 Cardiff 240; 8 Derby 220.5.

Standings after two matches: 1 Notts 15; 2 Basingstoke and Mid Hants 13; 3 Blackheath and Bromley 12; 4 Swansea 11; 5 Herne Hill 7; 6 Cardiff 6; 7 Derby 4; 8 Southend 4.