She heaved the weight out to 15.51 metres, just short of her lifetime best of 15.55 metres, which ranked her seventh in Britain last summer.

She enjoyed a busy and successful day on the south coast coming away with a hat-trick of wins.

She also took the hammer with 48.97 metres and discus with 37.16 metres.

Despite the acquisition during the close season of all-rounder Charmaine Johnson, who, a long time ago, was with Kingston and Polytechnic, Epsom and Ewell had to settle for third place in the match on 171 points behind Bourne- mouth (203) and Enfield and Haringey (181) but ahead of City of Portsmouth (151) and Basingstoke and Mid Hants (146).

Charmaine's best placing was in the javelin where she took second with 36.65 metres.

Another Epsom winner was Natalie Brant, who took the triple jump with 10.90 metres, was second in the long jump with 5.72 metres, third in the 100 metres in 12.9 sec and then helped Epsom and Ewell win the sprint relay in 51.1 sec.

Kirsty May won the sprint hurdles (15.8 sec) and was third in the 400 metres hurdles (69.3 sec). Chris Heafford was third in the 400 metres in 61.8 sec, while over 50 veteran Jane Davies took fourth in the 3000 metres in 10:56.8.

In the absence of international sisters Susie and Helen, triplet sprinter Liz Williams took centre stage in Walton's Division Two match at Woking, taking the 100 and 200 metres in 12.6 and 15.5 sec.

Denise Howell was third in the triple jump (10.10 metres) as Walton struggled to third place on 156.5 points behind Havering Mayesbrook (208.5) and Woking (184) beating Newquay and Par (125.5) and Ilford (123.5).

Herne Hill's good start

Tooting-based Herne Hill Harriers made a promising start to their second season in the top division of the Southern Women's League.

They finished a solid third in a tough match at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre, Eton, and look set to improve on their overall 11th place last summer.

Sprint international Sabrina Scott featured in a hat-trick of wins as she took the 100 and 200 metres in 12.2 and 25.1 secs and then helped Herne Hill win the sprint relay in 49.5 secs.

Another Herne Hill success came in the 400 metres where Olivia Hines crossed the line in 59.2 sec.

She also finished third in the 800 metres in 2:19.1, and helped Herne Hill to second in the 4x400 metres relay in 4:04.5.

There were maximum points in the 3,000 metres as Claire Pauzers (10mins 23.5secs) and Marilyn Clarke (10mins 47.3secs) took the A and B events. Charnelle Garnett was third in the long jump and runner-up in a tight finish in the under-17 80 metres hurdles where she clocked the same time as the winner, 12.4 secs.

Herne Hill was third in the match with 175 points behind Ashford (203) and Windsor, Slough and Eton (196) beating Puma TVH (160) and Ealing, Southall and Middlesex (147).

As expected, Sutton found it hard going in their opening match at Sutton Arena where they trailed home in fifth place on 137 points behind Aldershot, Farnham and District (216), Shaftesbury Barnet (173), Horsham Blue Star (172) and Reading (149).

While Sutton found winners hard to come by, plenty of their athletes were placed. Susan Bovill was runner-up in the 400 metres in 59.7 sec and fourth in the 100 metres in 12.5 sec.

Nikki Moore was third in the 100 metres B race in a time of 12.9 sec.

Sarah Wellstead was runner-up in both the long and triple jumps with 5.68 and 11.44 metres.

Team worries for Belgrave

With many of their athletes still warm weather training and others making a deliberately late start for the important Olympic summer season, Belgrave team manager John Jeffery has found it difficult getting a team out for tomorrow's opening British League Division One match at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre.

Adding to his problems have been injuries incurred by athletes while training such as internationals Geoff Dearman and Julian Flynn," said Jeffery

"The way things look we won't have a full team and I am using loads of youngsters.

"One thing, though, it'll be alright for the other matches."

Belgrave, going for their fourth successive league title, will still have some stars.

Leading the challenge is Britain's top hammer thrower Mick Jones, who has shown outstanding early season form with a series of throws over 74 metres.

He threw 74.89 metres at a meeting at Colindale on Sunday, close to the Olympic qualifying standard of 75.50 metres - maybe he'll get that tomorrow!

Steeplechase international Lee Hurst, pole vaulter Ben Flint and double British Universities hurdles winner Matt Douglas will all be in action helping Belgrave to make a winning start to the new Millennium.

Mark Miles and top cross country runner Spencer Barden, form an impressive combination in the 1,500 metres.

This weekend also sees the opening matches in the Southern Men's League with Herne Hill hosting a Division One match at Tooting Bec and Belgrave travelling to Feltham for their top division contest.

Sutton are hosting a Division Two match at Sutton Arena, Richmond and Twickenham are also putting on a Division Two match at Barn Elms, while Kingston and Polytechnic and Walton face a long trip to Great Yarmouth where they are involved in a Division Three match.