Date: Saturday 23 May 2026 Venue: Crawley Result: Blackheath & Bromley WIN with 635 points
Headline
Last season we came within a whisker of the promotional final. This season the mission is singular: reach the final, and from there promote back to the Premiership. Round 1 has signalled our intent.
A 35-point opening-fixture win over Crawley AC — our nearest rival on paper and likely to be so all season — puts us top of the table with maximum league points from the first of the qualifying matches. Exactly the start the mission requires.
Set against the calibre of the squad on show, the result reads even more strongly. Charlotte Henrich lined up at Crawley fresh from representing GB at the World Relay Championships and Wales at the Loughborough International. Lauren Farley, Dillon Claydon, Holly Mpassy, Joseph Scanes, Jed Starvis, Bailey Stickings, Daisy Snell and Zara Obamakinwa all turned out within days of competing at the Loughborough International. Eight Loughborough internationals and a World Relays GB vest, all backing up for the club at the opening Championship round — and all delivering.
The standout individual mark of the day came from Zara, whose Discus 56.84m was the biggest throw in either gender across the whole match. Backed up by Dillon‘s double A-string maximum in the men’s Shot (17.13m) and Discus (54.77m), and a match-defining win for the men’s 4×400 (3:21.52), the team took control through the strength events and the longer sprints.
Match Summary
Blackheath and Bromley finished on 635 points, ahead of Crawley AC (600) by 35. Herne Hill Harriers (464), City of Portsmouth (381), Basingstoke & Mid Hants (358) and Kingston & Poly (250) followed.
Forty-nine athletes were declared. The match was won on the depth across both strings: A-string individuals contributed 326 points and B-string individuals contributed 227 — meaning roughly 41% of our individual scoring came from the B string. In a match decided by 35 points, that depth was the difference.
A-string event wins: 14 individual + 1 relay (men’s 4×400). B-string outright wins: 5 (Evan 200m, Marley 400m, Jed 800m, Holly 100m & 200m). A+B clean sweeps (both strings combined for 22 points): 7 events.
Headline Performances
Charlotte Henrich — Women’s 100m A (11.60) and 200m A (23.55). Double A-string maximum. 24/24. Straight in from GB duty at the World Relay Championships and Loughborough, looked unhurried at the top of both sprint events. Combined with Holly’s two B-string wins, both sprints were 22-point sweeps.
Zara Obamakinwa — Women’s Discus A, 56.84m. The biggest throw of the match. Backed up by 2nd in the Shot A with 12.09m — 22 points across two events. Backing up from Loughborough.
Dillon Claydon — Men’s Shot A (17.13m) and Discus A (54.77m). Double A-string maximum. 24/24. Backing up from the Loughborough International with no drop-off in either circle.
Daisy Snell — Women’s Long Jump A, 6.25m (win). Another Loughborough international stepping straight into NAL duty and winning the A string outright.
Men’s 4×400 — 3:21.52, 1st A. A match-defining team performance. Thomas, Bailey, Marley and a strong anchor leg.
Lauren Farley — Women’s Javelin A 51.15m (win) and Shot B 11.32m (3rd). 22 points, with the Shot a late move from the JT-only original entry. Another Loughborough International turning the screw at NAL level.
Holly Mpassy — Women’s 100m B (12.07) and 200m B (24.49). Two B-string wins. Loughborough International form carried straight through.
Joseph Scanes — Men’s 800m A, 1:52.22 (win). Another Loughborough athlete. Paired with Jed Starvis — also fresh off Loughborough — winning the B in 1:53.76 for a 22-point sweep.
Bailey Stickings — Men’s 400H A, 52.10 (win). Another of the Loughborough contingent. Also a key leg of the winning men’s 4×400.
Kelechi Aguocha — Men’s HJ A 1.86m (win) and TJ A 13.17m (2nd). 22 points across two events.
Elsa Pawson — Women’s Pole Vault A, 3.46m (tied win). Madeleine matched the height for 10 in the B string — a combined 21 points from a single bar.
Harry Fage — Men’s 3000SC A, 10:25.37 (win). Backed by Micah 2nd in the B (10:56.76) for a clean sweep.
Tony Ndukwu — Men’s 110H A, 16.62 (win) and 400H B, 1:07.32 (2nd). Doubled up across two hurdles events.
Top Point Scorers (combined A + B)
- Claudia Baker — 25 pts (HJ A 7, LJ B 8, TJ B 10). Three events, top individual tally.
- Dillon Claydon — 24 pts (SP A 12, DT A 12). Maximum.
- Charlotte Henrich — 24 pts (100m A 12, 200m A 12). Maximum.
- Kelechi Aguocha — 22 pts (HJ A 12, TJ A 10).
- Zara Obamakinwa — 22 pts (DT A 12, SP A 10).
- Lauren Farley — 22 pts (JT A 12, SP B 10).
- Tony Ndukwu — 20 pts (110H A 12, 400H B 8).
- Brydon Duncan — 20 pts (SP B 10, DT B 10). B-string MVP.
- Holly Mpassy — 20 pts (100m B 10, 200m B 10). Two B-string wins.
- Zoe Austridge — 20 pts (400H A 12, 100H A 8).
Event-by-Event Summary
Men’s Track
| Event | A | B | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100m | Zute 2nd (10.80) — 10 | Evan 2nd (11.02) — 8 | 18 |
| 200m | Zute 3rd (22.03) — 8 | Evan 1st (22.35) — 10 | 18 |
| 400m | Thomas 2nd (49.78) — 10 | Marley 1st (50.07) — 10 | 20 |
| 800m | Joseph 1st (1:52.22) — 12 | Jed 1st (1:53.76) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| 1500m | Ben 2nd (4:01.68) — 10 | Jonathan (4:24.95) — 5 | 15 |
| 5000m | Christian 4th (16:33.97) — 8 | Mark 5th (16:46.05) — 8 | 16 |
| 110H | Tony 1st (16.62) — 12 | — | 12 |
| 400H | Bailey 1st (52.10) — 12 | Tony 2nd (1:07.32) — 8 | 20 |
| 3000SC | Harry 1st (10:25.37) — 12 | Micah 2nd (10:56.76) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
Men’s Field
| Event | A | B | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| HJ | Kelechi 1st (1.86m) — 12 | — | 12 |
| PV | — | — | 0 |
| LJ | Josiah 3rd (6.22m) — 8 | Dennis 4th (6.09m) — 10 | 18 |
| TJ | Kelechi 2nd (13.17m) — 10 | Dennis 6th (11.33m) — 8 | 18 |
| SP | Dillon 1st (17.13m) — 12 | Brydon 3rd (11.32m) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| DT | Dillon 1st (54.77m) — 12 | Brydon 3rd (38.16m) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| HT | Pat 2nd (28.49m) — 10 | Simon 3rd (26.86m) — 10 | 20 |
| JT | Max 2nd (50.99m) — 10 | Simon 10th (25.13m) — 5 | 15 |
Men’s Relays
- 4×100 A: 2nd (42.98) — 10 pts.
- 4×400 A: 1st (3:21.52) — 12 pts. Match-defining.
Women’s Track
| Event | A | B | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100m | Charlotte 1st (11.60) — 12 | Holly 1st (12.07) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| 200m | Charlotte 1st (23.55) — 12 | Holly 1st (24.49) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| 400m | Samantha 6th (1:04.35) — 5 | Gracie 5th (1:16.53) — 4 | 9 |
| 800m | Sophie 3rd (2:09.13) — 8 | Assia 7th (2:31.30) — 8 | 16 |
| 1500m | Kyla 5th (5:15.42) — 7 | — | 7 |
| 5000m | Millie 2nd (18:55.04) — 10 | Gracie 7th (21:34.30) — 6 | 16 |
| 100H | Zoe 3rd (15.00) — 8 | Amber 5th (16.13) — 10 | 18 |
| 400H | Zoe 1st (1:05.36) — 12 | Julia 2nd (1:06.23) — 10 | 22 ✓ |
| 2000SC | — | — | 0 |
Women’s Field
| Event | A | B | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| HJ | Claudia 5th (1.36m) — 7 | — | 7 |
| PV | Elsa 1st= (3.46m) — 11 | Madeleine 4th (3.46m) — 10 | 21 |
| LJ | Daisy 1st (6.25m) — 12 | Claudia 6th (5.06m) — 8 | 20 |
| TJ | Joyce 2nd (11.60m) — 10 | Claudia 3rd (10.69m) — 10 | 20 |
| SP | Zara 2nd (12.09m) — 10 | Lauren 3rd (11.32m) — 10 | 20 |
| DT | Zara 1st (56.84m) — 12 | Gemma 7th (27.36m) — 6 | 18 |
| HT | Gemma 2nd (43.01m) — 10 | — | 10 |
| JT | Lauren 1st (51.15m) — 12 | Samantha 12th (11.27m) — 3 | 15 |
Women’s Relays
- 4×100 A: 2nd (48.86) — 10 pts.
- 4×400 A: DQ — no points. Julia, Zoe, Sophie and a fourth ran but a disqualification stopped what would likely have been an 8–12 point return. Worth understanding the cause ahead of R2.
Multiple-Event Participants
17 athletes contested more than one individual event:
Three events: Claudia (HJ, LJ, TJ — 25 pts).
Two events:
- Men: Dillon (SP/DT — 24), Kelechi (HJ/TJ — 22), Tony (110H/400H — 20), Brydon (SP/DT — 20), Zute (100/200 — 18), Evan (100/200 — 18), Dennis (LJ/TJ — 18), Simon (HT/JT — 15).
- Women: Charlotte (100/200 — 24), Zara (SP/DT — 22), Lauren (SP/JT — 22), Holly (100/200 — 20), Zoe (100H/400H — 20), Gemma (DT/HT — 16), Gracie (400/5000 — 10), Samantha (400/JT — 8).
Plus relay double-ups: Charlotte, Holly, Zute, Evan, Clayton, Matthew (men’s 4×100); Thomas, Marley, Bailey, Julia, Zoe, Sophie (4×400 squads); Joyce, Rebecca (women’s 4×100).
The next match is at home on July 11th. A busy weekend with English Schools and another YDL UAG match competing for attention will mean that we will have plenty of competition opportunities. Watch this space!
