The start of the new season for the Northern Senior League team saw the team take on a monumental task of battling in the Premier Division for survival after last season’s promotion. An easy task by no means but one the team would take on.

The battle grounds of the day was the Eco Power Stadium as the sun shone out once again, preparing us for another day of athletics action.

Starting off the action, Glenn Aspindle rose to the occasion with a second place in the Pole Vault with a second best vault of the season, it was then followed by a Season’s Best throw (SB) and a victory in the Javelin. Also in the Pole Vault, Kieran O’Brien vaulted to a third place finish in the B, it was a third place finish on first competition attempt at the 3km Steeplechase and finished with a fourth place in the 400m Hurdles.

In the throws it was 3 Season Best throws for Jake Darby as he managed to claim a fourth place in the Hammer before continuing to compete in both the Discus and Shot as well. Connor Bell earnt a victory in the B string Hammer throwing a SB distance, as well as going on to throw an SB in the Shot Putt as well.

Ethan Williams kept himself busy with a second place finish in the B Triple Jump with an SB jump, it was then his second best High Jump of the year and then finished with a first competition attempt at the Discus with the full weight. Seb Bartocha threw his way to a third place finish in the B Javelin with his third best throw of the season, it was then a Season’s Best jump in the Triple Jump, before taking on the 3km Steeplechase for the first time.

In the longer distances, Kevin Ogden once again returned to the team, not from retirement this time, to run his third fastest 5k time of the year. Ian Wilson also returned and earnt himself a pair of Season Best times in the 1,500m and also the 800m. Ethan Wilson continued his efforts for the team from last season as he ran a SB in the 400m and also earnt himself an impressive 200m Personal Best (PB) time.

The men’s team was strengthened with Under 17 athletes, where Robert Harness was competing in the team for the second year and ran his second best times of the year in the 400m and 800m, following a successful Yorkshire Championship campaign where he set new PB's.

William McIntosh joined the team for the first time running his second fastest times of the year in both the 100m and 200m sprints. Jack Worsnup joined the team for the first time as well and impressed as he gained new Personal Bests in both the 1,500m as well as leaping for one in the Long Jump.

Also leaping to a new PB distance in the Long Jump was Harry Rogerson, as his first time joining the team also lead to another new PB as he also earnt one in the 100m sprint. Arjun Pahal equalled his PB in the High Jump on his introduction to the team which earnt a third place finish in the B, it was then a second place finish in the 400m Hurdles B race and set himself a new PB in the Non-Scoring 100m race.

Though it was a smaller Women’s team from last season, the team gave a good show as Molly Waring raced to a victory in the 100m Hurdles, a second place followed in a SB time in the 400m Hurdles, with another SB time in the 200m finishing second in the B as well as taking on the Javelin and Long Jump too.

Isabel White had an impressive sprint in the 200m to finish second, a strong race in the 100m followed as well as finishing her day with a throw of the Shot Putt gaining an SB distance.

In the field Olivia Myers hopped, skipped and jumped to a second place finish in the Triple Jump, it was then two SB’s achieved in the Hammer and the Shot Putt as well as taking on the Long Jump. Poppy Nuttman joined the team for the first time and took on the Hammer for the first time with the full weight setting a strong PB, before a tough race saw her also earn a SB time in the 800m.

Three relay teams were fielded by the Spen, the men’s 4x100m team of Rogerson, Bartocha, O’Brien and Williams successfully navigated the baton round the track. The Women’s 4x100m team, surprisingly compiling of Myers, Nuttman, White and Waring also successfully navigated the baton around.

We also managed to field a 4x400m men’s team consisting of Harness, Worsnup, Aspindle and McIntosh ,battled for a fourth place finish.

Next fixture sees the team travel to Lincoln on the 22nd of June.

Thanks as always go to our club officials for helping with the fixture.