Peterborough and Nene Valley Athletics Club
2015
A handful of NVH athletes competed at the World Masters earlier this month. Dave Brown was part of a world record relay quartet in the over 35s 4 x 400m. Here's Barry's report how they fared.

World Masters - NVH member part of world record!

16/08/2015
A handful of NVH athletes competed at the World Masters earlier this month. Dave Brown was part of a world record relay quartet in the over 35s 4 x 400m. Here's Barry's report how they fared.

Nene Valley Harriers' 400 metres ace, Dave Brown, has enjoyed a golden summer, with some outstanding performances on the track. Brown has been one of a small group of Harriers competing in The World Masters Track and Field Championship in Lyon over the past fortnight. The 37 year old had modestly admitted that he was travelling to France more in hope than expectation. No-one could possibly have predicted the extraordinary level of his success at the meeting, as he returned home a world record holder and double medalist. The world record came in the 4 x 400 metres relay in which Brown and his quartet set a new over 35's world best with a time of 3:17.82.

Brown had already secured a bronze medal in the individual 400 metres for his age group. Having safely secured his place in the final, he sprinted to third place, recording a PB of 49.54. Before this summer Brown had never broken 50 seconds for the distance, but has now done so four times since July.

55 year old Ricky Huskisson has, for some years, proved to be almost unbeatable by his contemporaries in domestic competition, over both the 100 and 200 metres sprint distances, and now had a chance to test himself against the world's best. Huskisson came through his heats to reach the final in both events. The Nene Valley star just missed out on a medal in the 100 metres, coming home in 5th place. With his favoured 200 metres distance still to come Huskisson was determined to make up for his 100 metres disappointment, which he did in some style, claiming the silver medal in a stunning seasons best of 24.95.

Julian Smith may have been overshadowed by his medal winning teammates, but he still proved a force to be reckoned with in the over 45's 100 and 200 metres. Smith was a little unfortunate not to make the final of 100 metres after coming through the first qualifying round with a PB of 12:03. The Tim Needham coached sprinter ran his semi final in a slightly slower time of 12:07, but was unlucky to be drawn in by far the toughest race, and his time, which saw him finish 7th, would have secured a final place had he been drawn in the other semi final. Despite failing to qualify for the 200 metres final, Smith ran well in his heat setting a new PB of 24.71

Andrea Jenkins just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in the over 35's throwing pentathlon, and Tim Needham, acquitted himself well in the over 60's throwing pentathlon, finishing 25th.

Barry Warne