July 2006

Tamworth AC's Star:Track scheme have only 10 places left.

Registration forms and further details are available from Chris (Star:track scheme organiser) on 01827 287177 or 01827 260897.
Forms accompanied by a cheque for the full amount should reach the organiser by Tuesday, August 8th 2006.

Tamworth AC's junior squad finished their debut season amongst the elite of athletics clubs in a creditable fourth place.

Tamworth competed in the final National Junior League Premier Division meeting at Mansfield last weekend and manager Rob James will be pleased with the performance.

New personal bests were set by Tom Burton (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles and high jump), Laura Taylor (100m and high jump), Sophie Cash (200m), Georgia Lorraine (200m), Rachael Line (800m), Meghan Jacobs (1,500m steeplechase), Sarah Williams (high jump), Liz Checkley (pole vault), Gemma Wheelhouse (shot), Marianne Pritchard (javelin), Ben Horsley (100m), Simon King (800m) and Sam Micklewright (3,000m).

Full results on our reports page.

As usual there will be Electronic Timining,  Electronic Distance Measurement (long throws only), Medals and T shirts for winners.

Entry forms, which must be returned by Saturday 12th August, are available by clicking on the photo of the Town Stadium at the top of the front page.  

Tamworth Ac is launching its search for the next generation of athletes with a special athletic course during the summer holidays.
Tamworth will be running a week-long Star:track scheme at the Marlborough Way Stadium from Monday to Friday, August 14-18, between 10am-3pm.
During the action packed week, children aged between eight-15 will receive expert coaching on all core athletics disciplines and can even try their hand at events such as pole vaulting, hurdling, discuss and javelin in a fun and safe environment.
The cost is £35 for the week or £8 per session (minimum of two sessions) and includes all the coaching, competitions, Norwich Union t-shirt, goodie bag and more.
Olympic champions Denise Lewis and Mark Lewis-Francis, Olympic bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton and other top Great Britain stars such as Jamie Baulch and Paula Radcliffe all took part in the scheme on their roads to success, and it is hoped the increasing numbers now taking part will increase the talent pool for the future.

Tamworth AC's 2006 Star:track was visited by a UK:Athletics representative who considered it to be one of the best schemes in the UK. 
Registration forms and further details are available from Chris (Star:track scheme organiser) on 01827 287177 or 01827 260897.
Forms accompanied by a cheque for the full amount should reach the organiser by Tuesday, August 1st 2006.

Photos have been added to the 'Around and About', 'Training Nights' and 'Showing the Way' sections and new albums are avilable for the NJL, Mansfield , the Women's League, Sutton Coldfield and the Men's League, Tipton.

Photgraphers are needed for the next YAL and Heart of England Leagues. If you can take photos please contact Chris at tamworthac@aol.com as she is unable to attend these next meetings.

 A Team of Tamworth schoolchildren did the town proud by finishing second in the athletics event at the Sport Across Staffordshire Youth Sports last weekend at Rowley Park Stadium, Stafford.

The 12-strong team of boys and girls from years five and six of Tamworth Primary Schools competed together as a team in a Multi Event Challenge, based on Sportshall athletics.

Photo on the 'Around and About' section of the Photo Gallery.

Tamworth AC's men's B team maintained their place at the top of the Midland League Division Five table when they won their latest match at Telford.

Dave Williams won his pole vault competition with a personal best clearance of 2.70m, picked up another win in the 400m hurdles in another personal best of 1:07.9mins and took third place in the 2,000m steeplechase in 7:38.8mins.

David Levett won the hammer with a throw of 31.06m and finished second place in the shot with 8.91m.

Neil Rudd won the 400m hurdles in 1:07.7mins, was second in the 400m in 53.8secs and third in the 110m hurdles in 23.3secs.

John Jenkins picked up a first place in the 2,000m steeplechase in a personal best 7:49.6mins and was second in the 1,500m in 5:03.7mins.

Ben Storey won the triple jump with a leap of 11.12m, was second in the high jump with a clearance of 1.40m and third in the long jump with a leap of 5.49m.

Ben Horsley was third in the triple jump with a personal best leap of 11.35m and finished fifth in the 200m in another personal best of 24.2secs.

Charles Parker finished in second place in the long jump with a personal best leap of 4.98m, third in the 200m in 26.8secs and fifth in the 100m in 12.9secs.

Nigel Fisher was third in the 1,500m in 5:22.7mins and Nick Lane finished in the same position in the 100m in a personal best time of 12.1secs.

Mike Pierpoint picked up third places in the pole vault with a clearance of 3m and the 5,000m in 19:33.1mins.

Matt Hargreaves had a busy afternoon. He was third in the javelin with a throw of 26.21m, fourth in the 800m in 2:13.5mins, the same position in the shot with 6.99m and fifth place in the discus with a throw of 19.75m.

Chris Smith finished third in the javelin with a throw of 33.46m and fifth in the discus with a throw of 16.19m.

Steve Harris finished second in the 800m in a time of 2:16.1mins and fifth in the 400m in 1:01.1mins.

Newcomer Matt Hinks finished fourth in the hammer with a throw of 14.91m, second in the high jump with a leap of 1.40m and fourth in the 5,000m in a time of 19:26.2secs.

For competition and training contact the Men's team managers - Rob and Sarah at tamworthac@aol.com

Tamworth AC's women's team began their Midland League Division Three programme with fourth place at Sutton Coldfield.

Personal bests were recorded by Samantha Storey (75m hurdles and long jump), Faye Palmer (80m hurdles), Laura Langowski (800m) and Georgia Lorraine (300m).

Full list of results on the Reports page.If you are interested in training and competing for TAC's Women's team please contact the team manager Ken through tamworthac@aol.com

Tamworth Ac athletes picked up ten medals in the British Masters Championships held at Birmingham Alexander Stadium.
  Leading the way was Mark Williams who won the 3,000m walk title in a new championship and British record time of 12:43.3mins after clawing back four seconds on the last lap. Mark Culshaw finished fourth in place in 16:20.39mins.
  Williams made it a magnificent double 24 hours later when he won the 5km event, again in a new championship and British record of 22:06mins after another storming last lap.Culshaw had to settle for another fourth place in 28.35mins.
  Baxterley's Ann Wheeler also had a tremendous competition as she completed a 3km and 5km double.She led from start to finish on Saturday to win the 3km in 16.44mins while Beryl Chapman claimed a bronze in her age group in 24.22mins.
  Wheeler then won her category of the 5km in windy conditions, finishing second overall behind three-times Commonwealth Games medallist Lisa Kehler in 29.06mins.
  Brian Sumner gained three medals in the throwing events, with second place in the hammer with a throw of 39.58m, another silver in the weight event with a throw of 13.34m and a bronze in the shot with 10.33m.
  Phil Owen picked up a silver medal in the javelin with a throw of 37.09m and Nick Spargo took the bronze in the 400m in 52.61secs.
  Colin Green gained a couple of bronze medals with efforts of 1.35m in the high jump and 4.59m in the long jump.
  Cathy Lyon-Green took a bronze in the triple jump with a leap of 6.59m, finished fifth in the 100m in 17secs, sixth in the long jump with a jump of 2.82m and eighth in the 200m in 37.09secs.Fiona Argent finished fourth in the 400m in 1:10.95mins.
  Don Smith picked up a bronze medal in the triple jump with a leap of 8.97m and finished seventh in the long jump with a leap of 4.25m.
  Meanwhile, Tamworth AC throws coach Brian Sumner gained a bronze medal when he finished third in the British Masters Weights Pentathlon Championships at Milton Keynes.
  Sumner recorded a throw of 36.13m in the hammer, 10.49m in the shot, 27.12m in the discus, 26.10m in the javelin and 12.88m in the heavy hammer event.

Andy Wright, Tamworth AC’s most senior fell runner, has been concentrating on the English Championships which take the form of a series of 6 races, (2 short, 2 medium & 2 long distance) where the best out of 4 races count towards the final positions.

To date Andy has competed in all of the first 4 races and based on the results he is currently in 7th place overall for the O40 class.

   His best result so far this season in an English championship event  was in the Cardington race, based at Stretton . This was a short race (4.5m / 1800ft) run in very cold conditions where he finished in 26th overall and 5^th in the O40 section.

   With the next championship event coming up in Lancashire in September, Wright is mindful of his hardest race to-date. The incredibly tough Ennerdale race held on a very hot day in June in the Lake District, 23m/7500ft,  saw Wright holding a top 30 position up to halfway, when a fall, a badly cut hand and dehydration led to him slumping to 70th overall at the finish. Although a disappointing result he was pleased to have finished the course in such difficult conditions and has not been put off running similar races in the future.

   Wright, whose background is in track competition, seriously considered retiring from competitive athletics in 2002 after suffering on-going injuries. A run out in a small fell race in Yorkshire changed all that. He was really taken with fell running and continued to enjoy the races not only for the competitiveness but for the tremendous sense of freedom from running in the hills : competing against  ones self and the elements.

  Wright is aiming to support Tamworth AC’s men’s cross country team during the 06/07 winter and  may even be tempted into running the Vets Cross County Championships and the 07 London Marathon.

 If you are interested in track, cross country or fell running competition and training please contact Chris or John at tamworthac@aol.com or phone 01827 28717

There will be NO Induction session on Tuesday 18th July otherwise the twice weekly sessions for prospective members will continue to take place in the clubhouse every Tueday and Thursday night at 7pm

For details on joining the club please email Chris at tamowthac@aol.com

The Tamworth Athletic Club Website has been invited to participate in a trial of a new e-mail service provided by Google.  If you are interested in getting your very own web based e-mail account with a yourname@tamworthac.co.uk e-mail address then get in touch with the webmasters now webmasters@tamworthac.co.uk and tell us who you are and what address you would like.  This offer is only open to club members and officials for the time being, you will be verified against our records.

Your e-mail account will have 2GB of storage space and is based on Google's new invite only e-mail service G-Mail with the same slick user interface and features.  If you are quick you can also get the best addresses first!

Tamworth Ac is launching its search for the next generation of athletes with a special athletic course during the summer holidays.
Tamworth will be running a week-long Star:track scheme at the Marlborough Way Stadium from Monday to Friday, August 14-18, between 10am-3pm.
During the action packed week, children aged between eight-15 will receive expert coaching on all core athletics disciplines and can even try their hand at events such as pole vaulting, hurdling, discuss and javelin in a fun and safe environment.
The cost is £35 for the week or £8 per session (minimum of two sessions) and includes all the coaching, competitions, Norwich Union t-shirt, goodie bag and more.
Olympic champions Denise Lewis and Mark Lewis-Francis, Olympic bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton and other top Great Britain stars such as Jamie Baulch and Paula Radcliffe all took part in the scheme on their roads to success, and it is hoped the increasing numbers now taking part will increase the talent pool for the future.

Tamworth AC's 2006 Star:track was visited by a UK:Athletics representative who considered it to be one of the best schemes in the UK. 
Registration forms and further details are available from Chris (Star:track scheme organiser) on 01827 287177 or 01827 260897.
Forms accompanied by a cheque for the full amount should reach the organiser by Tuesday, August 1st 2006.

As usual there will be Electronic Timining,  Electronic Distance Measurement (long throws only), Medals and T shirts for winners.

Entry forms, which must be returned by Saturday 12th August, are available through the Club Secretary by emailing tamworthac@aol.com for a copy.