BRACKNELL Athletic Club’s combined men’s and ladies team secured second place at Colchester in Southern Athletic League Division One.

They were up against three of the top four teams in the division but put in a stellar performance and only finished behind league leaders, Nene Valley.

The best results on the field were the jumps where the male team scored double wins in the high, long and triple jumps.

Peter Marlow and Nathan Standing took the honours in the high jump. Luke Batup and Standing won the long jump while Batup and Marlow were victorious in the triple jump.

Standing set a new personal best in the shot putt.

In the hammer, Jan Drzewiecki took second in the A string and James Gardner came second in the B string in his first competition with the senior weight.

Gardner also added seven metres to his best throw to take second in the junior discus.

On the track, there were double wins in the 100m and the metric mile. Chris Hill and Matthew Buckner climbed the winner’s rostrum in the one-gasp dash.

Scott Halsted, making his season’s debut, won the major 1500m a full 11 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Harry Digby took the junior event, also with a 11 second margin of victory.

In the 800m, Maxwell Cooper and Oliver Hall, took double second honours.

In the 2,000m steeplechase, Harry Withers came second in the U17 A string, while John Cooper came third in the B string.

Personal bests were also achieved by Sam Russell in the 200m, Max Cooper and Oliver Hall in the 400m and Peter Marlow in the 110m Hurdles The ladies also shone and there were double track wins for Hannah McClay and Lottie Ambridge in the 400m plus Rachel McClay and Kaya Sittampalam-Main in the 800m.

McClay, in partnership with Amelia Wills, also won the metric mile, while in the 2000m steeple chase, Elena Carey and Emily Jones took the honours.

Chante Williams won the B string javelin, Natasha Bennett won the junior 200m and Charlotte Johnson was second in the A string. Identical positions were achieved by Elena Carey and Connie McCafferty in the 400m hurdles.

Runner-up doubles were achieved by Mia Eldridge and Emily Spencer Jones in the discus and by Ivana Koynarova and Spencer in the hammer.

The ladies won both of their relays with Johnson, Bennett, Natasha Norris and Williams finishing nearly two seconds clear in the 4x100m.

In the 4 x 400m relay, Connie McCafferty, Lottis Ambridge and sisters Rachel and Hannah McClay were victorious by an impressive 12 seconds.

Chris Hill, Matthew Buckner, Sam Russell and Moses Tonade won the men’s 4x100m relay.

Results: 1st. Nene Valley 241 points; 2nd. Bracknell 214; 3rd. Colchester 201.5; 4th Basingstoke 117.5 points.