HAVING reached the national finals last season, Southampton AC were determined to get the new Youth Development League Southern Premier campaign off to an impressive start at Southampton Sports Centre.

And they did not disappointment, setting four club records, 37 personal bests, three season’s bests, eight top-five UK rankings and three qualifying standards for English Schools. It was something of a rollercoaster afternoon with Southampton’s under-13 and under-15 athletes slipping from first to third and back up to pole position again before sealing their first ever YDL victory.

The got off to a blistering start, winning six out of eight hurdles races courtesy of Lucy-Jane Matthews and Ettie Hammond (under-13 girls), Callum Gregson and Liam Higgins (under-13 boys) and George Rosam and Arm Harawan (under-15 boys). Rosam also won the under-15 boys’ long jump with a Grade 1 personal best of 5.78 metres.

The under-13 girls celebrated a high jump double through Matthews and YDL debutant Lara Scott while, on the track, Grace Griffiths led the A-string 150m and debutant Emily Eades-Scott was B-string runner-up.

After 24 events, Southampton led Reading by 31 points but, with several athletes missing due to injury and Bank Holiday events, every point would prove valuable.

Ben Williams showed the fighting spirit needed when, never having done the discus before, he managed to nail a throw for fifth place in under-15 boys’ A-string.

Southampton secured maximum under-13 boys’ high jump points through Callum Gregson and Ben Vaughan, while the under-13 girls’ shot duo of Jessica Bennett and Shannon McCosh followed suit. Samantha Callaway achieved an English Schools’ qualifying standard when finishing runner-up in the under-15 girls’ discus – her throw of 32.64 taking her third in the UK rankings.

Matthews and Griffiths took a full house of points in the under-13 girls’ long jump – Matthews’ 5.15 leap setting a club record and taking her top of the UK rankings.

By now Southampton had dropped to second behind Reading, but more good results were to follow.

For the U13 girls, A-string winner Griffiths achieved a 75m club record of 10.4 to go fourth in the UK.

Grace Kelly (32.31) and Callaway (31.51) came second and first respectively in the under-15 girls’ javelin.

Under-15 boys’ 1500m winner Zak Mahammed went second in the UK rankings with a Grade 1/ES qualifying time of 4.18.4 and, with just a smattering of field events and the relays to come, Southampton were now third behind Reading and Blackheath & Bromley, the division’s top-two last season.

A remarkable turnaround followed with the under-13 girls’ 4x100m quartet of Eades-Scott Matthews, Jasmyn Allen and Griffiths producing a club record-breaking time of 54.6 to power top of the UK standings.

Brilliant news then arrived from the field with the both the under-13 boy and girl javelin throwers sealing a double victory. Bradley Jenvey (31.37) and Thomas Griffin (28.46) starred for the boys, while the girls top-scored through Elizabeth Adamson (27.26) and Lucy O’Dell (16.63).

Going into the 4x300m relays, Southampton were back up in first place The under-15 girls (Amaya Scott, Izzy McCormac, Kelly and Freya Coe) produced a club record for second, while the boys’ quartet (Max Satterly, Mahammed, Jack Higgins and Rosam) also finished runners-up to Blackheath & Bromley.

The icing on the Southampton cake was news that Scott (4.72) had won the high jump with an ES qualifying height and McCormac had taken B-string second.

Match result: 1 Southampton 523, 2 Blackheath & Bromley 515, 3 Reading 508, 4 Tonbridge 441.5, 5 Harrow 393.5, 6 Croydon Harriers 368.