BAL Snippets

Visit this page regularly for the latest news and gossip on the TVH Men’s BAL squad.
 

21 February 2006

Robert Russell is currently injured with an Achilles problem but says that he is recovering and will be aiming for sub 14 minutes over 5000m in the summer.
 
Alistair Hay won the Scottish Junior National Cross Country last Saturday by 32 seconds and was selected for the Scottish senior team for an International Cross Country event in Ireland next month.

 

14 October 2005

News from two of our squad members:

BAL Pole Vaulter Greg Conlon marries Kirsten in the West Country tomorrow with a luxurious honeymoon in India.

Also John Munroe current BAL Physio and ex international Long and High jumper marries long time partner Jenny in Dulwich.

Much happiness to them all.

 

3 October 2005

BAL Team Manager Ray Culberson is delighted to announce the latest athlete to join the TVH Men's squad that will compete in Division One next season. 19 year old Pole Vaulter Steve Carpenter has a personal best of 4.60 metres and will be a valuable addition to the team.

20 September 2005

Ray Culberson signs another!..........................Matthew Hulyer a long jumper with a best of 7.26 has joined us. Matt who is 21 has represented Wales, the South of England and Kent at under 20 and 23 level. Back in 2003 Matt was the South of England Champion in the under 20's at long jump.

During the last season he has struggled with injury but has that behind him now. Matt is looking to get in a good winter of hard training with his coach Mike Mein and get back to his very best in BAL 1 in 2006.

 

19 September 2005

Happily Kerr Johnstone had a successful operation last Friday (16th) on his troublesome shins. If all goes according to plan he should be running inside two months. An interesting aspect to his operation was that BBC Scotland filmed the whole thing for a medical programme to be shown in Feb 2006.

Veteran steeplechaser Steve Norris is getting married! He ties the knot with Monica on Thursday the 22nd in Colchester. Steve has played a significant part in the success of the BAL Squad over the past few years and we wish them both joy and lots of happiness. Ray and Gissela Culberson will be in attendance to make sure he gets to the start line in time!

 

12 September 2005

Ray Culberson has been advised that Kerr Johnstone goes under the surgeons knife on Friday (16th). Kerr then has between 6 to 8 weeks convalescence and hopefully a return to training in late November.
 
Kerr hopes that after being out of the sport for the past 18 months with shin splints the operation on Friday will give him enough time to challenge for a place in the BAL Division 1 side next May.

 

3 September 2005

Ray Culberson, BAL Team Manager, is delighted to advise that we have made our first signing for next season.  James Bridge, 21, a sprinter from Ashford has decided to join us. Although James has had a 2005 season dominated by injury his PB's are 10.7 and 21.6. He has represented Kent and  South of England at both Under 23 and Senior levels.
 
He is currently a student at the University of Kent.

 

24 August 2005 - More pain!

After being out injured for over 12 months Kerr Johnstone, our forgotten Scottish 1500 man, seems about to start to make a comeback.

Finally after waiting over 6 months doctors in Edinburgh have agreed to operate on his shins which have given him so much pain over the past few years. Kerr is destined for the operating table in the next few weeks after which he should be back in light training by mid October. His aim is to regain his place in the BAL 1500m at the first meeting of the 2006 season.  We wish him well.

 

24 August 2005 - Ouch!

Vaulter Greg Conlon has had it confirmed that he fractured his ankle during the Cup Semi-final at Eton. Although in pain Greg competed in the last league match at Stoke not realising how bad an injury he had. Greg will be out of action for the next six weeks whilst the ankle mends.

 

23 August 2005 - Annual recruitment drive starts!

The BAL Management Team is on the lookout for around 7 new recruits to make us more competitive for the rigours of Division One in 2006.
 
We are looking for :
 
A sub 10.7 sprinter.
A sub 49 400m runner.
An 800/1500 man who would be sub 1.53/3.52.
A high hurdler who can run sub 15.2
A long jumper who has jumped over 7.25.
A triple jumper who has gone further than 14.50m
and finally a pole vaulter who has jumped over 4.50.
 
For further details and a chat please call Ray Culberson on 07956 157 545  


From the August 2005 BAL Newsletter:

The end of Season awards were presented at the last match at Stoke:

Athlete of the year: Leighton Green For his all round performances in 100/200/sprint relay and 4x 400relay as well as PB’s over 100, 200 and 400 and availability for each match
2nd Place: Steve Whyte For coming back to us in such fine style and covering the loss of Erik so well with many victories
3rd Place: Andrew Hennessy For being a super committed Team Captain over all the middle distance events during the season
4th Place: Dean Clark For having his best season for many years and showing some really committed running to secure a number of victories
5th Place: Nick Leavey Tipping the vote in his favour with some super times at Stoke

The amazing effort of our Vice-Captain, Guy Briggs, in running from John O’Groats to Lands End needed a further mention and for that he gained a “Clubman” Award for the pain he went through.

Performance Awards throughout the season were:
 

Cardiff Track: Leighton Green
  Field: Alex Zulewski
  PB Buster: Stuart Benson
  Clubman: Wayne Taylor
Eton Track: Frank Tickner
  Field: Steve Whyte
  PB Buster: Chris Dougherty
  Clubman: Nav Childs
Copthall Track: Andrew Hennessy
  Field: Jon Harvey
  PB Buster: Gordon Irvine
  Clubman: Leighton Green
  Track: Robbi Smith
  Field: Gerard Sluiter
  PB Buster: Nick Leavey
  Clubman: Ray Culberson

 

Special thanks must also go to Livon Houslin who unfortunately due to a continuing injury was never fit enough to contest a place in the javelin this season but was good enough, yet again, to donate 5 bottles of Champagne as prizes. Thanks Livon.