BURY Athletic Club got their promotion campaign off to a splendid start in their opening Northern Track and Field League fixture at Oldham on Saturday.

With 535.5 points, Bury were convincing winners with more than double the points of any other club.

Carlo Balsamo led the way for the men, winning the 100 metres (11.3seconds), 200m (22.7) and high jump (1.70m).

Inspired by Balsamo, the other sprinters produced a string of victories with Nik Dodd in the B 100m (11.6), Marvin Edwards in the 200m B (23.9), John Ashton in the B 400m (54.7).

Bury dominated the hurdles events, taking both 110m hurdle races through Matthew Elkin (21.0) and Kevin Stout (21.5), who also finished second in the 400m hurdles in (60.3) and Elkin won the B race in 62.6.

The pair then added very valuable points in the field, with Stout winning the triple jump (11.90m) and B long jump (5.55m), and Elkin taking victory in the B high jump (1.50m) and second in the B triple jump (10.44m).

There was a truly outstanding effort in the field from Paul Horrocks and Mike Lutkevitch.

The former triumphed in the hammer (33.28m) and javelin (33.82m), second in the shot putt (9.23m) and third in the discus (24.71m).

Competing in the B events, Lutkevitch also won the hammer (15.79m) and javelin (21.27m), adding second places in the discus (18.73m) and shot (8.14m) James Colbeck won the long jump (5.89m) and finished fourth in the 400m (58.2).

The middle distance runners enjoyed a successful day, John Ashton in the B 800m (2:05.1mins), Dave Flood in the steeplechase (13:11.4) and Neil Coe in the B 5,000m (18:6.8). Mark Shakeshaft finished second in the 5,000m (17:36.4) with Dave Simpson third in the 1,500m (4:30.7) and fourth in the 800m (4:30.7).

The team nature of Bury’s performance was exemplified by team manager, John Conroy, who donned his spikes to claim third in the 1,500m (4:59.6).

As with the men, the women’s performance was characterised by several outstanding all-round displays.

Lizzie Cheshire claimed victory in the 100m hurdles (20.2) and long jump (4.89m), adding further wins in the 100m B (13.7), 400m hurdles (75.5) and triple jump (9.94m).

Laura Evans was a victor in four events, winning the 400m (64.5), 400m hurdles (71.9), B shot putt (6.66m) and B high jump (1.30m).

Sarah Lutkevitch won the triple jump (10.07m) B 100 metre hurdles (17.6) and taking second in the 100m (13.4) and B long jump (4.64m).

Lucy Hodgson also recorded a large points haul with victory in the B 400m (81.2), second place in the discus (20.46m) and fourth in the javelin (16.47m).

Vicky Opra added a win in the shot putt (9.96m), together with victory in the B discus (17.46m) and joint second in the high jump (1.35m).

Katrina Conroy won the 800m (2:37.1), with her sister, Grace, taking the B race (2:39.5). Both added further points in the 200m with Grace third (31.6) and Katrina second in the B race (29.2).

There was more success in the middle distance races with second places for Alana Grundy in 1,500m (5:51.9), Caitlin Cole in B 1,500m (5:59.9), Katie Geelan in 3,000 m (11:12.0), and a victory for Alison Walsh in the B 3000 metres (11:47.3).

The day was rounded off in fine style with both the men and women winning both the 4x100 metre and 4x400 metre relays.

Bury’s next fixture is at home on June 4.