Birchfield fall short at final hurdle
BIRCHFIELD Harriers brought the curtain down on their track and field campaign by finishing second at the British Athletics League 10 Cup final in Bedford.
Woodford Green with Essex Ladies were winners on 74 points, with Birchfield bagging 61 points ahead of third-placed Gateshead on 56.
It could easily have been a different story for Birchfield, but they lost talented Ed Dunford at the last minute when he was pulled out to compete at a decathlete event in Stoke-on-Trent.
Birchfield team boss David Lawrence said: “We were desperately short in the throwing events. In fact, there were two events where we didn’t have anyone in at all!’’
Jordan McGrath made light of a breezy Bedford track to win the 400 metres in 47.74secs.
There was further success for John Ndyasuga in the 3,000 metres where he defied the slow conditions to clock a winning 8mins 40.10secs.
Birchfield also raced to victory in the medley relay thanks to the combined efforts of Anto Walters, Fitzroy Faulkner, Robert Davis and McGrath.
Michael McKiernon just missed out on winning the triple jump when finishing second behind Woodford Green’s Tosin Oke, while Robert Davis was an encouraging third in the 200 metres.
The final positions were Woodford Green with Essex Ladies 74, Birchfield Harriers 61, Gateshead 56, Shaftesbury Barnet 52, Trafford 51, Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow 49, Blackheath and Bromley 43, Team Southampton 30.
Birchfield now turn their attentions to the road relay season, with the Midland Six Stage taking place at Sutton Park in two weeks’ time.
