STEVENAGE and North Herts AC sent a small women s and girls team to a trophy meeting at Haringey. The club gained two firsts, two seconds and four third places against some of the top female clubs in the south of England in Easter Saturday s meet. Shelle

STEVENAGE and North Herts AC sent a small women's and girls' team to a trophy meeting at Haringey.

The club gained two firsts, two seconds and four third places against some of the top female clubs in the south of England in Easter Saturday's meet.

Shelley McLellan with a shot put of 12.25m and Wendy Meadows Smith with a high jump of 1.60m won their events.

Justine Simpson was second in her first 100m hurdles race (B string) and Ann Rees put the under-15s shot 8.08m for the other second place. Ann then high jumped 1.50m for third spot in the under-15s event.

Rachel Williams took third B string place in the discus with 21.55m.

Emma Kemp, whose main event is the 400m, got some speed work practice with third places in the 100m (12.90, into a headwind) and 200m (26.00, again into a headwind).

Fourth places were recorded by Louise O'Connell (under-15s 800m in 2:38.88), Anne Rees (under-15s 75m hurdles B string in 14.38), Amy Pring (under-15s 1500m in 5.25.40), Chloe Vernon-Hamilton (under-15s shot put, 7.01m) and Frances Gross (under-15s discus, 15.44m).

Other senior performances were: Sara Bailey 800m 2:24.42; Helen Bailey 800m 2:50.48; Bunmi Awokoya 100m 13.38, 200m 27.30 and 400m 69.70s; Joylin Saunders-Mullins 400m 64.37s; Helene McLellan 100m hurdles 18.16 and long jump 4.52m; Sam McCormick 1500m 5:10.59; Beth Harris high jump 1.35m; Wendy Meadows Smith long jump 4.19m; Rachel Williams javelin 28.00m; Rachel Banks 300m 49.77 and 200m 31.34; Larissa Aldred 300m 52.77 and 200m 33.35; Julia Wright (u15) 800m 2.50.84 and 200m 32.12; Natalie Wilcox (u15) 100m 15.10 and 200m 30.93; Hollie Crease (u15) 100m 15.35 and long jump 2.95m; Bethan Scanes (u15) 75m hurdles 15.58, high jump 1.25m and long jump 4.21m; Chloe Vernon Hamilton (u15) 1500m 5:55.60 and discus 15.98m; and Frances Gross (u15) javelin 10.23m.

Louise Shortland also broke her club record by clearing 3.30m in the pole vault at an open meeting at Chelmsford.

Three Fairlands Valley Spartans were in Holland for Easter Monday. Their times for the Utrecht Marathon were Roger Biggs 3-34:03, Carol Paul 4-08:25 and Michaela Norton-Lay 4-43:20.

Two Spartans ran at the Gosling stadium open track meeting in Welwyn GC on Good Friday afternoon. In the first 1500m race of the year, Simon Jackson ran 4:51 and Steve Smithson 5:18.

Four Spartans went to Stratford-upon-Avon for an off-road marathon on the same day.

Times: Robert Hardy 5-22:13, Roger Biggs 5-56:52, Dave Carter 7-16:39, Pauline Hardy 7-35:53.

Jim Brown enjoyed his annual trip to the Maidenhead Easter Ten on Good Friday where he recorded a time of 66:37 to finish 126th out of nearly 1,000 runners.

Despite being the day before the Easter holiday, 20 Spartans raced round Stevenage in last Thursday evening's handicap 5k road race.

Susan Leigh was first to cross the finish line in an excellent new best time of 26:59.

Fastest runner on the night was Graham Blackburn in a season's best of 18:54.

Eighteen of the 20 runners beat their handicap and there were nine personal bests and a further five season's bests.