Leading British clubs battle for honours at the NAL grand finals this weekend in Bedford

Despite coinciding with the European Championships and falling shortly after two major championships, the National Athletics League has attracted a good field for the Premiership Grand Final in Bedford on Saturday (Aug 20).

Thames Valley Harriers are out to defend their title as all the clubs come together for the first time to decide the overall league standings. However, two separate matches will effectively be staged together as the top eight and bottom eight clubs will compete for the Cup and Plate titles respectively.

Just three days after running a PB of 13.58 in the semi-final of the European Championships in Munich, Miguel Perera is turning out for Harrow.

“The club has been very good to me and I am going to continue to be a part of the team as much as I can,” said the England senior champion, whose business Tudo Sports is the league’s big sponsor.

Several competitors from this month’s Commonwealth Games are also scheduled to be in action.

Adele Nicoll, who was eighth in Birmingham, will compete in that event, plus the discus and hammer.

Craig Murch, who was also eighth in the hammer, is another Birchfield Harrier who will be on the infield. He will face Mark Dry of Woodford Green and Chris Bennett of Shaftesbury Barnet, who were both a few places behind him in Birmingham.

Yet another Stag who was at the Commonwealths is Scottish sprint hurdler Heather Paton, who is up against in-form Alicia Barrett (Trafford) after her recent improvement to 13.02.

Shadine Duquemin, who was 10th at the Commonwealths for Jersey, heads the discus line-up. Also in the circle will be Blackheath & Bromley’s Zara Obamakinwa, who was recently 11th at the World Under-20 Championships in Colombia.

Katie Head, who narrowly missed out on a place at the Euros, will head the hammer line-up for Newham & Essex Beagles. However, this will be in the Plate match as Pippa Wingate (Thames Valley) leads the Cup match contenders.

Sam Reardon, who was fifth over 800m at the World U20 Champs, will compete over that event, plus the 400m and 4x400m. In the latter, he will combine with 50-second 400m hurdler Bailey Stickings and Dan Putnam as they chase after their 3:11.05 UK clubs 2022 lead set last time out. Over the one lap, the 46.69 runner will be up against sub-46 man Jamal Rhoden-Stevens of Shaftesbury Barnet.

READ MORE: Bailey Stickings targets NAL final

The women’s 400m hurdles will be strong, with 55.89 runner Jess Tappin of Thames Valley up against Ese Okoro of Birchfield and England junior champion Emily Newnham of Shaftesbury in the main final and Swansea’s Caryl Granville in the other. Former heptathlete Tappin will have a busy day as she is also entered for the 100m hurdles, 200m and 400m flat.

The men’s shot has two of the UK’s top four this year in Youcef Zatat (Woodford Green) and Patrick Swan (Swansea), although they are in separate matches.

Jade-Spencer-Smith of Harrow looks for her third win of the NAL season in the pole vault. The men’s pole vault will pit two of the UK’s top 10 in 2022 against each other in Thomas Walley of Swansea and George Heppinstall of Sheffield & Dearne.

Thames Valley triple jumper Jude Bright-Davies, the UK No.2, looks to complete his unbeaten run in the league this year.

Birchfield will be out for top points in the men’s javelin through Benji Pearson and Greg Millar, English and Scottish champions respectively.

In the 200m will be England under-23 200m champion Alwayne Campbell (Birmingham), England 100m champion Louie Hinchcliffe (Sheffield) and Olympic 4x400m representative Lee Thompson (Sheffield).

Thames Valley have a two-point lead over Blackheath & Bromley with Harrow a further point down.

The Championship final takes place the next day at Bedford with exactly the same format. Crawley are leading Chelmsford by just one point. The leaders will have 5700-point heptathlete Jo Rowland competing in the 400m, shot and javelin.

Steph Okoro, who won European 400m hurdles youth bronze this summer, heads the challenge of Havering Mayesbrook.

Sale’s Shaunna Thompson, who is ranked seventh in the UK this year, will be in the shot circle.

Khahisa Mhlanga of Herts Phoenix will be among the top middle-distance runners on the track.

Competing clubs (with current points)

August 20 Premiership Cup: Thames Valley 24, Blackheath & Bromley 22, Harrow 21, Shaftesbury Barnet 20, Woodford Green with Essex Ladies 19, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow 16, Birchfield 14, Trafford 12 (1295.8 match points)

August 20 Premiership Plate: Swansea 12 (1229), Notts 11, Sheffield & Dearne 10, Newham & Essex Beagles 9, Cardiff 7, Southampton 7, Glasgow Jaguars 6, Bristol & West 6

August 21 Championship Cup: Crawley 23, Chelmsford 22, Sale 20 (1545.33), Tonbridge 20 (1488), Havering 19, Basingstoke & Mid Hants 17 (1386), Liverpool 17 (1347.3), Herts Phoenix 14

August 21 Championship Plate: Bournemouth 11 (1101.3), Bedford & County 11 (1026.3), Kington & Polytechnic 9 (956), Herne Hill 9 (878.5), Enfield & Haringey 9 (832), Peterborough & Nene Valley 7, Wigan 4 (729), Reading 4 (680)

Both days will be available to view live via Vincosport. Although entry to the stadium is free, a £3 parking charge will apply and only cash is accepted.

For more information on the league, including timetable see here.