WSEH scoop Club of the Year gong as Tobias takes award

Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC figured highly in the inaugural England Athletics Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony in Birmingham at the weekend.

The club were awarded the Southern Club of the Year Award on the back of their achievements during the 2008 track season which saw them crowned champions of the National Young Athletes League, Southern Young Athletes League, British Womens League Cup, UK Womens League Division 1, Southern Womens League Division 1, Alder Valley Girls League, Alder Valley Boys League and the British League Cup Top male/female club.

Also at the awards, talented young sprinter Deji Tobias won the Young Athlete of the Year award for his unbeaten record in under 17 UK competition, which included taking the UK and English Schools 100m titles.

The previous weekend, Tobias' dream of a Commonwealth Youth Games medal was dashed as he finished fourth in Pune, India, despite running a personal best time.

The 100m star looked set for a medal with the second fastest time in the semi-finals, but his 10.52secs pb in the final proved not enough as his opponents all raised their game.

WSEH’s other two representatives at the Games acquitted themselves well, reaching the finals of their respective events but just failing to make the medals podium.

Hurdler Laurie Clarke cruised through the heats of the 100m hurdles in a pb of 14.23secs and looked set for for glory in the final. Once again, despite improving to 14.22secs, he was squeezed out of the medals into fourth spot.

Shelayna Oskan in the 400m also looked a medal prospect with victory in the semi-final in a pb of 54.90secs. However, she could not repeat the feat in the final with fifth place in 55.77secs.