HARROW Athletic Club made a great start to its 2009 British Athletic League National Division Two campaign, with a strong second place at rain-soaked Cardiff on Saturday, writes Tony Bush.
The Bannister-based outfit placed just five points behind host club Cardiff but 65 points clear of third placed Thames Valley, with the other five clubs well adrift.
Matthew Carey was the star of the show, winning the 3,000m steeplechase in a new personal best time of 9.17.67. He tracked the leading duo for five laps before kicking clear to win by nine seconds.
Tim Maitland made a superb start to his season by winning the high jump with 1.90 metres. Noel Reid took the B string with a useful 1.85. David Sketchley edged the javelin with a good throw of 58.43.
Othroy Marsh was in great form in the sprints, winning the B string 100m in 10.97. He later anchored Harrow to second spot in the short relay in a fast 42.4. Craig Stewart set a season's best of 48.9 to take second in the 400m.
Andrew Howell ran well to finish second in the 400m hurdles behind Commonwealth bronze medallist Rhys Williams. Decathlete Guy Stroud made an excellent club debut, taking third in the sprint hurdles in 15.2 and second in the B javelin, as well as putting the shot more than 13 metres.
Ian Smart performed well to take second in the pole vault with four metres. Matt Weaver won the B event. Kadeem Greenidge-Smith continued his good season by taking second in the long jump with Felix Maisey-Curtis also second, in the B string.
Harrow ended the afternoon with a fast 3.19.6 time for second place in the 4 x 400m relay, just a stride behind Cardiff.
Meanwhile, Adam Bowden (pictured) won the national sprint triathlon title in Olney on Sunday. He was fourth after the 750m swim, improved to second after the 20km bike stage, 60 seconds behind the leader, but nailed his opponent by three seconds with a trademark sprint finish to the 5.3km run.
