Mum EMMA getting back to her best

Following the cancellation of the festival of athletics at Quibell Park a small group of Scunthorpe athletes picked two open meetings at Doncaster and Mansfield to find competition.

First a group made the short trip across to Doncaster for an open meeting on bank holiday Monday. One of those who was glad she did was Emma GILBERT who threw a seasons best in the senior women hammer. Emma has returned to the sport this year having taken time out after giving birth to her first child. It is often said that female athletes return stronger after child birth and this is proving to be the case with Emma who has steadily improved throughout the season in the hammer and has also set a new best in the shot putt despite only starting training properly in April this year. As a parent Emma has to not only fit her training in around work but also child care arrangements. She will now be hoping a full winters training will see her get back above 40m and push her club record higher.

Another athlete who ventured to Doncaster in search of setting new fast times was Bethan HAMMOND. Bethan who although happy to gain two gold medals had the frustration of having to run both the hurdles and the 800m by herself as she was the only entrant in both races, due to this and windy conditions Bethan was content on using both as training runs and taking home the medals.

The youngest members of Scunthorpe and district to make the trip were Mitchell BAILES and Adam HARRISON. Adam had a good day making the final of the 80m and then setting a new best in the Long Jump to take 3^rd place. Whilst Mitchell was just behind him in the Long jump and shot before gaining 6^th place in the 1500m just short of his best time.

The final participant was Jacob HAMMOND who had hoped to have another run out at the penthalon at the festival but took the chance to concentrate on his field events. He started the day taking a bronze medal in the high jump equalling his best before finishing 5th and 4th in the Long jump and Javelin.

The other alternative for the Scunthorpe Athletes was the open meeting at Mansfield where Anthony GILLATT showed like Emma how the Scunthorpe hammer squad is improving. When he improved his club record yet again in the u15 boys hammer. After two no throws in the first two rounds Anthony was facing disappointment after the long trip when he pulled out his longest throw and new record of 35.72m. Also competing were the GREGORY siblings. Jack kept up his 100% record in the u11 Long jump with yet another win, he then added to this with 1^st place in both the 80m and 150m the latter he won by over 3 seconds! Alicia also showed she will be a force in the under 11 in the coming years when the 8 year old finished 2^nd in the 80m despite giving 2 years away to her older rivals, finishing 4^th in the Long Jump and 5^th in the 150m. Also competing was Steve BORRILL who is starting a long road back from injury when he ran his first 800m of the year. Steve ran a good race to finish in 5^th place but has a long way to go to get back to his best of several years ago..

All of the athletes will be looking forward to the club championships at the beginning of October and will hope to be able to set new bests over the next month on the run up to the track and field season ending.   

Doncaster Open