Track and Field

Doncaster Athletic Club has a very strong Track and Field section and we are proud to welcome athletes from any standard to join us. Our members participate in many local, national and international events.

We are committed to equality of opportunity in sport for all, irrespective of gender, race, disability or age. Safety and personal achievement are our priorities, as members strive to reach personal goals in sport and fulfil their potential.

We are a friendly club and new members are always welcome. New members are welcome any Tuesday or Thursday night at 6pm. Just call down and have a chat to see what we can offer you. A welcome pack will be given on the night.

The latest Track and Field new is below:

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO JUNIOR ATHLETES, AND PARENTS OF JUNIOR ATHLETES, RE PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS

Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:12 Dave Lilley

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO JUNIOR ATHLETES, AND PARENTS OF JUNIOR ATHLETES,

RE PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS

JUNIOR ATHLETES MUST ALWAYS BRINGS CLOTHING TO KEEP THEM WARM, BEFORE, DURING (WHEN NECESSARY), AND AFTER TRAINING / COMPETITION, AND TO HAVE DRY CLOTHES TO CHANGE INTO IF THEY GET EXCESSIVELY WET. MOST TRACKS ARE VERY OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS, AND ATHLETES CAN QUICKLY LOSE BODY HEAT, IF THEY ARE NOT SUITABLY ATTIRED.

JUNIOR ATHLETES MUST ALWAYS ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WEARING LAYERS THAT, IF WARM, CAN BE REMOVED TO TRAIN / COMPETE, AND REPLACED IF NECESSARY, AFTER TRAINING / COMPETITION, IN ORDER TO KEEP WARM, AND TO AVOID INJURY THROUGH PULLING MUSCLES, OR CRAMPING.

ON THE OTHER EXTREME, JUNIOR ATHLETES SHOULD ALSO WEAR SUITABLE SUN CREAM PROTECTION, AND HEADWEAR, ESPECIALLY IF EXPOSED FOR SEVERAL HOURS AT, SAY, AN ATHLETICS MEETING, AS WE FREQUENTLY HAVE ATHLETES GETTING TOO MUCH SUN, FEELING ILL, AND, ALSO, NOT PERFORMING AS WELL AS THEY MAY HAVE HOPED, DUE TO HEAT EXHAUSTION.

ATHLETES SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A SUITABLE (i.e. WATER / ENERGY) DRINK WITH THEM, TO REPLACE FLUIDS INTO THE BODY THAT MAY BE LOST THROUGH TRAINING, COMPETING, OR MERELY EXPOSURE TO THE SUN. HOWEVER, THESE SHOULD NOT BE FIZZY, SHOULD BE SIPPED, NOT GUZZLED, AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN EXCESSIVELY, IF STILL TRAINING, OR COMPETING, AS THIS WILL BE SHAKING ABOUT INSIDE THE ATHLETE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO ILLNESS, OR EFFECT THEIR PERFORMANCE.

IF JUNIOR ATHLETES TURN UP TO TRAIN / COMPETE, AND ARE NOT SUITABLY DRESSED, OR EQUIPPED, TO COPE WITH ANY ADVERSE CONDITIONS, THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRAIN / COMPETE. IF NOT PRESENT, THE ATHLETE'S PARENTS WILL BE CONTACTED TO, EITHER COLLECT THEIR CHILD, OR TO BRING SUITABLE CLOTHING / EQUIPMENT FOR THEM.

Dave Lilley

Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:14

RACHEL CLAIMS SILVER AT ESAA CHAMPS!!!

Wednesday, 14 July 2010 16:10 Dave Lilley

RACHEL CLAIMS SILVER AT ESAA CHAMPS!!!

Last Friday and Saturday, a record number of 13 DAC athletes competed in the English Schools Athletic Association Championships, at Alexandra Palace Stadium, Birmingham. They were representing the County Schools Athletic Associations of South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, or Humberside, depending upon which schools they attend. The event was televised live on Sky TV, and to reach these Finals alone is a tremendous achievement, requiring each athlete to achieve the qualifying standard of their specific event, and to sufficiently impress their respective county's selection panel to be selected, as each county’s total squad numbers are limited to 35.

In the Junior Girls, Alice Howe (Notts), and Rachel Shaw (Humb) both reached the semi-finals of the 100m, but just failed to qualify for the final. However, Rachel was also in the Humberside 4 x 100m squad that claimed the silver medal, just behind Sussex, in 48.93 seconds, and was, understandably, over the moon with the result.

In the Junior Boys, Papa Anthony finished eighthout of seventeen in the triple jump, with a distance of 12.05m. Ashton Harrison, currently ranked 8^th in the UK at U15 level, came sixth, out of nine, in the Pole Vault (3.15m), with UK ranked No.1, and South Yorkshire teammate, Adam Hague, from Dearnside High, winning with a clearance of 3.45. In the 100m, Jake Canning reached the semi-finals (11.55secs), but was up against George Perkins, and Ronnie Wells, who finished 1^st and 2^nd in the Final, where they ran 11.25, and 11.26 respectively.

Nicole Bewley jumped 1.59m, to finish thirteenth, out of twenty two, in the Inter Girls High Jump. Kelly Bramhald threw 39.34m in the javelin, to finish seventh, out of twenty three.

Inter Boy, Dan Dale, threw his javelin 47.05m to finish thirteenth, behind Somerset’s winner, Robin Denaher, who threw an enormous 62.01m.

Kat Wilson, Amber Merrills, and Chloe Bradley were our Senior Girl representatives. Kat came eighth, out of 10, in the Pole Vault, clearing 2.85m. Amber finished fifth, of 15, in the Shot, with a distance of 11.52, whilst Chloe finished third in her heat of the 400m, in a club record time of 57.51secs, but, sadly, this just failed to qualify her for the Final.

In the Senior Boys, Ransford (Rambo) Anthony reached the final of the 100m, and, having run 11.0 secs in the heats, was hopeful of getting in the medals, but, carrying a bit of an injury, could not match that in the final, coming home in 8^th place. Liam Ramsay was South Yorkshire’s long jumper, clearing 6.81m to finish eighth out of 10.

As well as Rachel winning an excellent silver medal, all the athletes will have gained invaluable experience from competing in such a prestigious competition, and many of these, along with other, up-and-coming DAC athletes, will be keen to be there once more next year.

Well done to all those that competed, and especially to our ESAA medallist, Rachel!!

Dave Lilley

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 July 2010 16:24

DSE National Junior Championships, Blackpool, 3rd/4th July 2010

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 06:45 Diana Stanger

Hundreds of 11-20 year old disabled athletes converged on Stanley Park for this year’s DSE Championships. Competition was strong with many top class individuals present and the team event creating keen rivalry between regions.

Five DAC members competed, winning 5 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals between them.

Brian Burrows, in his very first season in competition, eclipsed the opposition in the F44 under 20 throwing events. He won gold in all 3, recording throws of 9.47 in shot putt, 24.35 in discus and a massive 36.47 in javelin.

Lucy Heavisides threw two PBs, in the F35 javelin (4.94m, bronze) and shot (4.06m, 4th) and won gold in the discus with a seasons’ best of 11.54m.

Jack Ramdeen also struck gold in the F35 shot putt with 6.26m, and won silvers in javelin with 15.35m and discus with 17.29m.

Kayden Roe, in the F37 category, was throwing against two of the best in the UK; he still won bronze in the discus with a PB of 18.29m, and was 4th in Javelin with another PB of 14.17m. Kayden was 4th again in the T37 100m in a very good time of 17.3sec.

Matthew Whitehead was also up against the best under 20 T20 athletes in the country. He won a well deserved bronze in the 100m with a time of 13.6sec, and was a close 5th in a thrilling 200m in a time of 27.4sec.

Matthew and Kayden were also valuable members of the Yorkshire and Humberside relay teams.

Diana Stanger

Swiss Wheelchair Track Championships, Arbon, 26/7 June 2010

Tuesday, 13 July 2010 06:13 Diana Stanger

Doncaster AC athlete Louis Speight (20) maximised his chances of being picked for the GB team for the IPC World Championships to be held in New Zealand early in 2011, with his excellent times recorded at the Swiss Wheelchair Track Championships at Arbon on 26-27^th June. Louis, a Leeds University student, recorded European records in all 3 of his T33 wheelchair races – 19.09sec in the 100m, 1.05.98 in the 400m which was a huge personal best, and an outstanding 33.77 seconds in the 200metres which is within one hundredth of a second of the world record in T33 category. Although Louis easily achieved the A qualifying standard in each event, he is not guaranteed selection as team numbers are limited, but the selectors can surely fail to take note of his continuing improvement.

Diana Stanger

Last Updated on Tuesday, 13 July 2010 06:14

Dave Lilley meets Steve Cram

Friday, 09 July 2010 18:03 Martin James

On Tuesday I had the pleasure to meet former GB middle distance runner Steve Cram, at a seminar held by the Yorkshire Bank in Doncaster. During his career, Steve won an Olympic 1500m Silver medal, 3 Commonwealth Games Gold medals (1500m twice and 800m once), a World Championship Gold medal (1500m), 2 European Championship Gold medals (both 1500m) and a bronze for the 800m.

As if winning all these medals was not enough, he is most remembered for his “19 DAYS OF GLORY”, during which period, in 1985, he set 3 world records:-

July 16^th 1985 - 1500m – 3:29:67, beating Said Aouita by 0.04 of a second
July 27^th 1985 – Mile – 3:46:32 (record stood for a further 8 years)
August 4^th 1985 – 2000m – 4:51:39

Steve talked about how he got into athletics whilst at school (because he was a bit better at running than he was at football). He admitted that he used to be lazy when it came to training, but was still the best his school had to offer. In 1978, when he was just 17, his PE teacher, to teach him a lesson, did not pick him for a forthcoming 1500m race at Gateshead. He asked why he hadn’t been picked, and his coach explained that it was because of his attitude towards training. Steve promised to change his ways, if he was picked to compete. The teacher agreed, and Steve went to Gateshead to race. Steve did not know it, but Brendon Foster (who only lived about 500 yards from Steve) was in the crowd watching. Steve went into the race, determined to prove that he was the best. He won by about 100 metres, in a time of 3.42.8, which he said, was the exact equivalent of doing a 4 minute mile.

Having seen this amazing performance by a young 17 year old, Brendon Foster contacted the organisers of the Emsley Carr Mile, a prestigious annual race, which was due to be held at Crystal Palace the following week, and recommended that Steve be invited to run. It was the furthest Steve had ever travelled to race, and was at a much higher standard than anything he had previously encountered. He failed to win the race, but his time of 3:57:4, broke the “Age 17 and Under” world record for the mile, previously set by Jim Ryun.

Steve’s performance led to him being selected, a week later, to represent England in the Commonwealth Games in Canada. Whilst he was eliminated in the qualifying stages, he found the experience invaluable, and he knew then that he wanted to be a world class athlete, and if he wanted to be the best, he had to be fully committed to the sport, ensuring that every aspect of his preparation was planned and carried out to the letter.

His athletic records speak for themselves, and Steve said that he later went back to see his former PE teacher, and thanked him for dropping him as, but for this jolt in the arm, he may never have achieved what he did.

Steve signed a DAC vest, for framing, as well as signing a few items to be raffled off for club funds, and had his photograph taken, holding the club vest. He said that he would love to come and talk to DAC’s members if we can find a time that coincides with him being in the area at some point in the near future. If this comes about, do not miss it, as he is definitely worth listening to.