County Champs - Then & Now

Who is that guy? Motspur Park in the old days Who won me or Paul Lavender? (can't recall!)

Last weekend the Surrey County Champs took place. I've been attending these as either athlete or coach for over er, 40 years, with a a few years hiatus. Good Lord I'm old!

Have they changed well? Yes. When I was junior the event was held at Motspur Park, not too far from the current venue of Kingsmeadow. Cinder track with synthetic run ups - it was one of the venues used in the filming of Chariots of Fire. I recall chasing later Olympian Donovan Reid (now coaching too and for much longer than me) around the bend at Motspur Park on a Thurs evening in the Surrey 200m way back when. He ran 21.8 and I hit 22.2, if I recall. Dry cinder tracks were fast, but not soggy, muddy ones... Thursday nights, you may pick up on... the entries used to be so large that heats were organised on the Thursday before the weekend and some finals too. The junior long jump for example was a Thursday nighter.

This later fact shows that there were more entries - well at least in my experience from those days. Fast forward to last weekend and the junior and senior long jumps were combined (as were many other field events in terms of age groups). The men's comp was only just a comp really with so few entries. It makes it a bit of a non event in many ways. Rounds pass so quickly and it's difficult to get into them. Why the fewer entries in the older age groups and the generally lower standards in the events that I focus on? That's a subject for another post.

​My group won quite a few medals and took gold in most of the long jumps, which I won't list, but the dearth of entries in some of the events meant they were a little devalued and I was therefore looking to distances (and times where relevant) achieved as indicators of performance rather than medal tables! I'll be honest I was a little disappointed with our performances - too many no jumps, of which those by Pippa, Eric and Paul were particularly good, but they don't count. Still at least it shows there's more to come...

On leaving the Surreys on the Saturday I got a text from Jonathan Ilori to say that he'd pulled a hamstring competing in Germany, so it was a further disappointment. A few days later it turns t the injury might not be too bad and there may be a chance of him doing the Olympic trials at the back end of May (with bit of luck we could have 2-3 others competing, invites having been sent to them and myself from GB athletics). 

The county champs are still a valuable competition - I know the athletes look forward to them and the younger ones in particular want to really do well in them. For many they will mark the journey into serious competition and hopefully a long career in what is still a great sport. Perhaps some of those I coach will have a lifelong association with the sport like me and will enjoy (most of the time, like me) their Surrey and much wider track and field relationship. 

My Surrey bug bears

1. The long jump pits along the back straight, although much improved, lacked atmosphere. I'd like all senior comps to be along the home straight so some interest can be drummed up.

2. What was that music being played during one of the races on Saturday? I'd have covered my ears and ran off the track! (If the trend for playing music is to be continued then perhaps it could be a bit more cheery... Music at events it'll never happen oh er it has... Maybe during lulls in proceedings it could work. The Rocky theme during the decathlon 1500m at Sutton arena a few years back though ... Inspired!)

3. Some of the officials are er too official.

4. Why was the pit not prepared down the back straight earlier? It was subject to a monsoon of water just before its first use.

5. Lack of score boards for the field events... Some are difficult to follow if the distances are (or are not) called out... But all power to the officials with the loud voices! 

Weekend round-up (not Surreys)
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My Sat night was most enlivened by the news from the US that Oliver jumped a new Pb of 7.78m... His 7.70 former Pb came as a 17-year-old, and was a bit of an albatross for him... (Although it really should not have been). Still his talent and ability has come through and whatever happens this season he's done it! He's no 5 in the UK at present and could be in-line for Team Sheps athlete of the year award... Unless of course someone else wants to prove otherwise.