Mon Aug 14 2023

Final Round of the National Athletics League – Liverpool 2023

This last weekend saw the long-awaited trip to the Wavertree Stadium in Liverpool to see out the season in the National Athletics League.

With calls from some other clubs to turn the League back into two single sex competitions (the old BAL and WAL); to reduce the overall number of events or to alternate events (dramatically reducing the opportunity for Long Throws, Pole Vault, Hurdles, Steeplechase and the Longer Distance track races), the League is struggling to establish itself as the pinnacle of league competition. This all passed the Kingston team by – they were more interested in the points race to be the top NAL athletes in the Men’s and Women’s squads and to make sure they enjoyed a final round safe in the knowledge that relegation was off the cards.

With the threat of rail strikes reduced to an overtime ban, our athletes started arriving by train and car on the Friday. The timetable meant a 9:35 start for the competition. Our hotel was in the Albert Dock – a former warehouse in the World Heritage site, transformed into a Premier Inn, right next to the Beatles Story experience. A warm, sunny Liverpool seemed under a colourful siege by international majorette teams as Friday saw the Opening Ceremony of the World Baton Twirling Championships. International track suits were everywhere - filling the more popular restaurants. There was some major baton envy till they realised Bilen and Bethan were transporting their poles.

On the day of the competition the heavens opened. Gareth Cook sent messages of encouragement to the soon-to-be storm-racked athletes from the warmth of Surrey. This is a team steeped in history. Bilen Ahmet, Dan Eckersley and Alex Thomas – all athletes brought to the club whilst at university by former BAL Team Manager Humphrey Waddington - are still competing for Kingston. Chris Dack was there to carry the flag for the senior K&P throwers in this round. David Barrington had sent a lovely encouraging letter after the opening round. Two of his former colleagues were officiating at Wavertree (now at Bristol & West but formerly TVH) and sent on their regards, incredulous that the great Poly Harrier wasn’t still running the Kingston team.

Camilla kicked off the competition in the Women’s Hammer competing in all 4 throws as she did in the 1st Round. It became a theme in the depleted 6 woman strong team: every athlete doing all they could to help the team – Bethan (U17 doing her maximum allowance of 2 events) even delayed heading to the Cornish surf to stay and help the team out in the 4x100 relay. Joely Bytheway (4 events) and Ellie Arnfield (5 events) completed a perfect pair of wins in the 400 hurdles. At the top of the NAL points table those two took Gold (Joely 70.75) and Silver (Ellie 65) for the season with Rebecca Keddie (3 events and 58.75 pts for the season) in Bronze.

Not to be outdone by Camilla, Aaron Marlow and Chris Dack took on all the throws events and then extended their competition to the Menu at the restaurant in the evening. Deji Lawal (4 events), Alex Thomas (400H and the 3000), Sean Brown (1500 and 3000) and Michael Webb-Bourne (1500 and 4x400) completed the Men’s team.

There were wins for Dan Eckersley as the A string in the 2000m Steeplechase (adding to his 1st round win in the 3000 SC) and Jack Stracey in the B string 800m. There were 2nd places for Max Perez-Diaz (4 events) in the 800m, Caitlyn Harvey (5 events) and Tom White (4 events) in the 200m A string races, Angus Strachan (doing the U17 maximum of 2 events) in the 200m, Nico Clarke in the Triple Jump and Curtis Day in the Steeplechase B string races.

In the Men’s points race Bilen (5 points and an overall 70 pts) pipped Tom (68.75) to the title with Aaron (50) coming in 3rd. Overall Joely was Top Banana by 0.75 points for the season. Please excuse the smugness on the part of the writer as for once I kept the scores on the points tallies ahead of having them demanded for the Awards Evening.

Although the conditions were there to be endured there were PBs for Joely (100H and the 1500m SC) and Ellie (100H), Aaron (HT).

With a collection of tired athletes the relays were there to be done rather than enjoyed. The Men’s 4x100 were out to prove a point to Belgrave Harriers and were in a strong lead going into takeover 3. What happened then clearly confused even the Level 4 Track Judge as she changed her flag from red to and then to an eventual white. Sadly that wasn’t the only thing that changed and Belgrave went on to win the race.

With the 4x400 over the sun came out. The Albert Dock and a meal out beckoned. For the record the younger athletes found the extra stamina to go and sample the Liverpool nightlife.

Thanks to Deb Biswas, an official from Serpentine Running Club standing in as our L2 Field Judge; Peter Norvill, David Joslyn and Katrina Strachan for making up our Field Judging team. I got the Track Judge role. Our Officials points made the difference keeping Herne Hill Harriers at bay in this meeting.

This has been a much better season than last year in the running of the NAL. Promotion and Relegation rules were agreed, explained and published this season rather than being re-worked as the competition progressed. Going into the last event the side knew their place in the Championship was pretty safe in the but still dug in for the team.

Aaron, Alex, Angus (U17), Bilen, Ellie, Joely, Max, Nico (U17), Rebecca and Tom took part in all three meetings.

5th place was secured on the day giving us an overall ranking of 8th out of 16 in the Championship. Tonbridge, Cardiff, Basingstoke and Belgrave Harriers go up to the Premiership. Swansea, Chelmsford, Newham and Crawley come down to join us. We say goodbye to Bristol & West and Peterborough & Nene seeing them replaced by Yate and Marshall Milton Keynes.

Kingston were the only side in the NAL to have no Higher Competition Athletes in their squad this year. Next year we will have at least two as Bethan Norvill heads to school in Cornwall and Dan Eckersley finally joins the rest of his training squad on the Isle of Wight. Some work is needed to find some extra athletes to complement our numbers though there are some strong U17s coming through the club now.

Thanks to the Committee for supporting us in this meeting, the longest league competition roadtrip for the club, and for their support across the season.

With the event reverting to a 4 match season in 2024 we hope to be allowed to host one round at Kingsmeadow.

Richard White
Team Manager