Young Athletes League
Ackworth Road Runners & Athletics Club won the 4th and last fixture in the Northern Division 2 East Central of the National Young Athletes League at Cleckheaton on 19 July 2009. It was the Ackworth club’s 2nd victory this season and it clinched the 2nd promotion spot behind Pendle AC to take them into next year’s Division 1.
The match was very close with Ackworth finishing just 13½ points ahead of their nearest rivals, Skyrac AC. The match scores in the 4th fixture were:- 1st Ackworth – 448½, 2nd Skyrac – 435, 3rd Barnsley – 367, 4th Pendle – 353½, 5th Longwood – 257, 6th Ilkley – 143.
League positions at the end of the season were:- 1st Pendle – 22 points, 2nd Ackworth – 21 ponts, 3rd Skyrac – 19 points, 4th Barnsley – 18 points, 5th Longwood – 12 points and 6th Ilkley – 6 points.
Liam Holdsworth led the way for Ackworth with 3 victories in the Under 17 Men’s age group. He started by winning the Pole Vault with a club record of 3.10 Metres. He then recorded a 2nd victory in the 100 Metres Hurdles, improving the club record to 15.7 seconds. Liam then moved immediately on to the High Jump for his 3rd success of the day with a clearance of 1.75 Metres.
Ben Wellington also recorded an outstanding treble in the Under 15 Boys age group, setting club records in all 3 events. After winning the 200 Metres in 25.4 seconds, Ben was first over the line again in the 80 Metres Hurdles, in which he clocked 14.1 seconds. He finished the day with an impressive throw of 32.39 Metres in the Javelin to record his 3rd victory.
Connor Abbott won the Under 15 Boys Pole Vault with a clearance of 2.55 Metres to establish a club record in that event. Alex Dunnill was 2nd in the Pole Vault with 2.30 Metres and he then won the Under 15 Boys 1500 Metres in 5 minutes 20.9 seconds.
James Saxton won the Under 15 Boys 800 Metres in 2 Minutes 18.1 seconds. He then equalled the club record in the 100 Metres, finishing 3rd in 12.4 seconds. Philip Knowles won the Under 15 Boys High Jump with a clearance of 1.55 Metres and he also won the Hammer competition with 13.73 Metres.
William Kennett improved the club record for Under 13 Boys in the High Jump by a massive 17 centimetres, winning the competition with an impressive jump of 1.42 Metres. He also won the Shot Putt with a throw of 5.95 Metres.
Joel Dibb won the Under 17 Men’s Triple Jump with 11.69 Metres. The Under 17 Men’s 4 x 100 Metres Relay team of Steven Chappell, Nathan Price, Liam Holdsworth and Joel Dibb came home first in 50.8 seconds.
Megan Hoyle was the only female athlete from the Ackworth club to win an event. Megan won the Under 15 Girls Javelin with a throw of 17.49 Metres.
