IT WAS a case of high fives all round for the Hillingdon AC Southern Men's League team at Hillingdon Stadium on Saturday.
They won their first fixture of the season, gaining five points which also moved them five places up the Division Two table.
Throughout the team there were some impressive results but it was on the track they gained the most reward, picking up an incredible 91 points out of a possible 100 after winning 13 out of the 20 events and finishing no lower than third at any distance.
Despite some gallant performances in the field events Hillingdon finished a distant fifth in that department.
Sam Starr was once again the king of the hill or should that be hurdle, after he claimed three wins out of three including two measured performances of 16.9secs in the 110m hurdles and 60.9 in the 400m hurdles.
Over-50 Keith Seldon was the oldest and busiest athlete of the day as he battled blustery conditions to compete in all five throwing events, with the pick of his day being a 39.70m effort in the javelin.
Junior Robert Thompson showed his growing confidence and ability by running a near personal best time of 4mins 13.3secs in the 1500m and very soon after that put in a strong run in the tough 3000m steeplechase.
Newcomers Alechi Nduka, in the 110m hurdles and long jump, and Chris Cobham in the long jump, also produced some very good results.
At least three personal bests were achieved by Andrew Kendall in the 400m (51.1), Dan Thompson in the steeplechase (10.23.2) and Martin Bateman in the 400m hurdles (65.9).
By contrast a very small squad of female athletes faced what was probably their toughest match of the season at a windy Bedford in their Southern Women's League Division One event.
Everyone contributed to a great team effort but the top performer was undoubtedly Roseanna Bonney who undertook five individual events - the maximum allowed for an U20 athlete - and secured the club's only win of the day as well as earning two seconds, a third and a fourth place.
Claire Tompsett and Tara McNally also competed in five events with McNally equalling her personal bests in the pole vault and high jump as well as attempting the 800m for the first time.
Julie Martin threw a personal best in the hammer, just one of the four throwing events she took part in.
See www.hillingdonac.co.uk for more information on the club.
