Runs Fastest ever 200 hurdles by British girl . . . and 23-8 on Flat!
Lancashire and Yorkshire kept the rope taut as they tugged away at each other for victory' in the Northern Women's Inter-Counties championship at Blackburn last Saturday. The rope was also stretched nearly to the limit in most events as the competitors continually achieved personal bests. Sheila Garnett has never done as well in the 100m hurdles. She skimmed over the barriers in 13.8, equalling the European qualifying time, and beating Sue Hayward by three tenths.
A swirling wind that hindered the runners for most of the afternoon dropped to 2 metres for the 100m hurdles, but 30 minutes earlier it was blowing nearly three times as fast for the 200 barrier event. Sharon Colyear took full advantage of the situation and whipped through in 26.8. a time no other British runner has registered with or without a following wind. She was half a metre behind Miss Garnett, the joint UK record holder (27.3) at the first flight, and they rose and fell in unison over the next three hurdles. Then the young Stretford girl moved ahead, and forced her Yorkshire rival into a mistake. She missed her stride at the seventh hurdle, caught it with her trailing leg. and although her knees buckled she somehow kept on her feet. Sheila took second place 1.4 seconds behind Sharon.
On this sort of running Sharon should officially break the UK record before the season comes to a close. Besides her flawless hurdling she has the speed, as the other 200m runners found to their cost as they trailed her from the start. Sharon managed to glide over the last 20 metres and still record 23 8 (inside the Helsinki standard) from her Stretford clubmate Ruth Morris, who is also coached by Jim Harris.
Ruth (17) looks a better prospect in the short sprint, and beat Sheila Sherwood and Linda Barrett convincingly in 11.7. But the biggest margin in any race was gained by Norine Braithwaite, rounding into form again after a month's lay off through injury. She began the 1500m treading carefully, but after 200m was prancing along in her old style. The expected challenge from Jean Lochhead never materialised and Norine finished 100m clear in 4:28.4.
The long jump competition must have brought back memories to Sheila Sherwood. It was at this meeting a decade ago as a 15-year-old schoolgirl that she first came into prominence. Once again she out jumped the field, with Janis Murray showing the promise that had disappeared last season.
Sheila just keeps slipping when she changes into top gear, but everything will click smoothly into place when the situation demands. Confidence is not missing, and it was very much in evidence with Dorothy Shirley's high jumping and the shot and discus throwing of Dorothy Swinyard. The North Shields girl scored two victories and two personal best performances, but Australian Jean Roberts competing as a guest stole the show from the field event competitors. Next year she will be able to compete for Yorkshire, who lost the title to Lancashire by 10 points.
100: 1, R. Morris (lanes) 11.7; 2, S. Sherwood (Yorks) 12.0; 3, L. Barrett (Y) 12.0. 200: 1. S. Colyear (L) 23.8; 2, Morris 24.3; 3, D. Webster (Y) 24.6. 400: I, C. Howell (Y) 56.0; 2. W. Kavanagh (L) 56.9; 3, S. Howell (Y). 800: 1. G. Tivey (Derby) 2:14.7; 2. C. Tranter (L) 2:15.7; 3, M. Hepworth (Y) 2:17.3. 1500: 1, N. Braithwaite (L) 4:28.4; 2, J. Lochhead (Y) 4:43.8; 3, C. Horsley (N&D) 4:51.7. 100H: 1, S. Garnett (Y) 13.8: 2. S. Hayward (L) 14.1; 3, N. Njoku (L) 14.2. 200H: 1, Colyear 26.8; 2, Garnett 28.2; 3. A. D'Arcy (Y) 29.3. II J: I, D. Shirley (L) 1.65/ 5'51; 2, K. Davenport (Ches) 1.58/5'21"; 3, D'Arcy. LJ: 1. Sherwood 6.26/20'6; 2, J. Murray 5.84'19'2"; 3, Njoku 5.71/18'81". SP: 1, D. Swinyard (N&D) 12.19/40'0"; 2, Hayward 12.03 39' 5j": 3, Njoku 11.91/39'1". DT: 1, Swinyard 41.78/137'1"; 2. J. Fielding (L) 41.04/134'8"; 3. O. Payne (L) 38.58/126'7"; guest - J. Roberts 51.18/ 167'11". JT: 1. A. Good! ad (Y) 38.34/125'9"; 2, M. Pearson (Dby) 38.24/125'5"; 3, C. Slater (L) 37.94/124'6".
Match result: 1, Lancs 117 points; 2, Yorks 107: 3, Cheshire 32; 4, N&D 29; 5, Derbyshire 24: 6, Lincs 3.
Ends
Source - Athletics Weekly - Saturday, 03/07/1971 by Joe Lancaster
Ref 2971