Tim AshGreat performances from City of Norwich AC athletes were in abundance at the weekend, with Loughborough student Paul Goodall taking pride of place. Competing over 800m in the British Universities Track and Field Championships at a cold and very windy Bedford he produced the performance of his life.Tim Ash

Great performances from City of Norwich AC athletes were in abundance at the weekend, with Loughborough student Paul Goodall taking pride of place.

Competing over 800m in the British Universities Track and Field Championships at a cold and very windy Bedford he produced the performance of his life.

Goodall, a 47 second 400m athlete, made the decision to increase his endurance base over the past winter months and move up to the two-lap discipline.

To the surprise of many he cruised through his heat and semi-final to take his place in the final. A pedantic first lap by the supposed experienced field played into right into Goodall's hands. Taking everyone by surprise he took off with 300m to go, worked his way quickly through the field and held on down the home straight to record a superb victory.

Although his winning time was modest the manner of his victory was right out of the top drawer and bodes well for his future success as an 800m specialist.

At the same meeting City club member Sam Coe, representing Imperial College London, produced his best ever mammer throw of 61.71m to take the bronze medal.

On the other side of the Atlantic Barbara Parker and Ruth Senior are producing some excellent results on the track and it is pleasing to note that both City athletes currently head the UK ranking list for the 5000m.

Over the weekend Parker, when competing in Stanford, recorded a personal best 15:39.76secs while a week earlier Senior had produced a fast time 15:57.82secs for a new personal best for the distance.

On the home front, while there were some excellent individual performances, the club's senior men's team struggled in their opening fixture of the Southern Men's League when finishing a below par fourth.

Winners were in short supply, with James MacLachlen taking maximum points in the long jump with an effort of 6.78m.

Tim Newenham's son Harry, who looks to be following in his father's footsteps, won the javelin with an impressive 51.71m while in the 3000m steeplechase James Senior, looking to make his mark, produced a winning time of 9:42.3secs.

The next fixture is on home ground in two weeks time when the team will look to produce an overall performance of which they are capable.