30^th /31^st May 2004

Luton athletes played a major part in Bedfordshire's victories in both the men and women's second division trophies in the UK inter county championships at Bedford this weekend. The men won the Middlesex/Surrey trophy and the women took the Essex shield and both teams will be promoted to the first division match next year.

Claire McMahon set an excellent personal best in the 5000m to take 6^th place in a time of 17m 51s, the first time she has run inside 18mins.

In the men's match national star Graham Beasley took 2^nd in the 200m with 21.31s, losing by about a metre running into a head wind. Steve Whyte gained several points for finishing 4^th in the shot with a putt of 16.08m, was 12^th in the discus and was a non scoring 8^th in the hammer with a throw of 57.91m. On Sunday Vinnie Bruce ran a new personal best of 10.72 for 100m to take a place in the 100m final but unfortunately couldn't finish it because of a calf strain. Vinnie's time is the best by a Luton AC athlete and is a new club record. Gary Smith took 4^th place in a 110m hurdles heat in a time of 14.88, very close to his all time best. Oliver Sweeney jumped into 6^th place in the high jump with 1m90 and long jumper David Hughes took 8^th place in the long jump with a leap of 6m92 before pulling his ham string for a painful end to the competition. In the final event of the 2 days, former inter county champion Steve Body took 7^th place in the 5000m in a time of 14m 38s to collect 3 valuable points and ensure victory for Bedforshire, the smallest county in the competition.

The Bedford club provided the remaining points with Rob Lewis taking 2^nd in the 400 hurdles, Alex Tanner was 7^th in the mile in 4m 17.22 and Glen Kerr threw the hammer 61m30 for 4^th in the competition. David Pratt was knocked out in the heats of the 400m with 50.17s.

Fred Stebbings.