• Press Report 16th 2007

     
    Thrift Green Trotters 10k
     
    On a very warm and muggy Sunday morning Ilford AC enjoyed some considerable success on the roads around Herongate and little Bursted, near Brentwood.
    Thrift Green Trotters host this 10k described in their literature as "a pig of a race" due to the challenging nature of some very steep and long hills. The highlight of the race was always going to be the women's battle between Orion's GB international Danielle Sale and Ilford's top triathlete Karen Sindall. It was Sindall who took the early initiative by running away from her rival in the first half of the race and seemed to be holding her form for an easy victory. However the last big hill seemed to sap her strength and she was caught at the 8k mark. Despite holding on until 9k she was unable to respond to Sale's finishing speed and confessed to being bitterly disppointed with herself  for having to settle for second spot. Sale's time of 37.10  set a new course record previously held by Grace Greenhalgh 37.24 with Sindall finishing in 37.35. 
     
    Further succes came when the women's squad were announced as 2nd prize winners in the team competition with Mel Jones completing an excellent 46.53 and Sally Gillam holding out for 52.13. It was Gillam's 3rd race in the week which began on Wednesday evening at North Weald where she joined fellow Harrier Victoria Morgan in the the 5k Race for Life , both acquitting themselves well with top ten positions out of a mass field of 2000 women.

    With the men having completed the men's Southern League the previuous day it was left to super veterans Gerry Pells 56.53s and Phil postings 61.36s to fly the flag for the club.

    Great Bentley  Friday 5 mile Road  Race
     
    5 veteran athletes from Ilford AC made the long journey to Great Bentley, near Colchester, on Friday evening to maintain a traditional presence for the club in a fast and flat 5 mile road race. Mel Jones and Sally Gillam led the women's troops with pleasing finishes of 35.45 and 39.24 whilst golden oldie Pam Jones was delighted to break 40 minutes for the first time in 2 years with 39.24.
    Abdi Berleen ran an excellent 32.46 to lead the men home with John Platt who has recently rediscovered his racing shoes returning a very good 35.33.  
     
     
    Southern Mens League (14th July) - Sprints squad reach new heights

    Ilford AC sprinters broke new ground at the Southern Mens League on Saturday, recording times of 43.6 for the 4x100m and 3.25.9 for the 4x400m.
    The 100m squad of Simeon Stuart, Gary Madigan, Marvin Tuffor and anchorleg runner, Aaron Balogun were up against high quality opposition from
    Winchester and Luton but made their presence felt from early on and powered to an exceptional victory in a season's best by over a second.  For the
    longer relay, Sam Malekout replaced Simeon and took an early lead of around 20 metres with a time of 52.0 which was extended to 40 metres by the end of
    the third leg with strong runs by Marvin (51.8) and Aaron (50.4) as Luton and Winchester exchanged places for second.  Gary (51.7) went off hard and
    was still well ahead of the Winchester runner at the halfway point. However, junior international, Louis Sellars was bearing down fast on Gary
    and despite some brave resistance from the Ilford athlete, was unable to hold Sellars back as the Winchester man recorded a startling 47 seconds for
    the final leg.  The Ilford squad was recompensed by the fastest time by the club since 2001.

    Aaron had traded positions with Sellars earlier in the day, gaining an excellent victory against him in the 200m with 22.2 seconds against a stiff
    headwind.  Aaron couldn't stay with the Winchester star in the 400m but still recorded an excellent 50.9.  Sam won his 400m race by a comfortable
    distance with an excellent time in the wind of 51.3, while Marvin maintained his excellent winning record in the 200m with 23.0.  Marvin and Gary were up
    against it in the 100m and despite recording excellent wind affected times of 11.5 and 11.7, were pushed back to 3rd in each race.

    Ilford currently has an exuberance of talented athletes in the jumping events as three athletes cleared six metres and young debutant, Healson
    Ihuoma came within 3 cm of the barrier as a 'non-scorer' showing amazing raw talent for the future.  Simeon Stuart was up to his usual excellent standard
    with a leap of 6.20m while Sam Malekout was not far behind with 6.10m, suffering from trying to juggle 3 events at once.  Nathaniel Senior will be
    challenging for their places at the next match as he leapt a personal best 6.04m.  In Senior's main event, he leapt an excellent 12.83m, with Healson
    again showing his talent with 12.00m, closely followed by Osi Nzeako with 11.55m.  Another Ilford AC debutant, Anthony Marsh, showed some of his
    former 2 metre ability with a first time clearance at 1.50m in the high jump, as he works his way back to full strength in the discipline.

    The throwers were again in outstanding form with veteran Wesley Clarke throwing a season's best of 43.90m in the hammer.  Craig Burrow had a
    successful afternoon with wins in the discus (37.26m), javelin (40.42m) and hammer (28.07m) and a quality throw for second in the shot (11.81m).
    Malekout was also making his presence felt with a powerful throw in the javelin of 42.47m and a promising 9.54m in the shot putt.

    The middle distance squad of Rob Nixon, Mohamed Swamad, Malcolm Muir and Matt Maple found the going tough against strong Winchester and Luton
    runners.  Nixon showed that he is coming back to his former glory with a strong run in the 800m for 2.00.8 with Swamad running a good even paced time
    of 2.09.4.  Muir put a bruised knee aside for two excellent 2nd places in the 5000m (15.55.3) and steeplechase (11.01.1).  Team Manager, Maple also
    ran a determined 5000m for a time of 17.21.7.

    Final scores were Winchester 143, Ilford 124, Luton 118, Ryston 94 and Wessex and Bath 53.  Ilford's excellent 2nd place leaves promotion in the
    balance as they have to score well against excellent opposition in the final match at Hastings to go up.

    Other results: Sam Malekout DT - 27.00; Pete Whiting PV - 1.00m; Simeon Stuart HJ - 1.50, 100m - 12.2 (ns); Matt Maple 3ks/c 11.01.9; 400mH - 70.1;
    110mH - 25.4; Rob Nixon 1500m - 4.25.8; Mohamed Swamad 1500m - 4.37.6; Osi Nzeako LJ - 4.93(ns); 100m - 12.4(ns); Healson Ihuoma 100m - 12.4 (ns);
    Nathaniel Senior 100m - 13.0 (ns)

    Watford Open (11th July)

    Aaron Balogun and Gary 'pb' Madigan continued to improve their best performances on a still evening in Watford last Wednesday.   Balogun was
    dipped to the line in the A race with a classy performance of 22.06, nudging ever closer to the 22 second barrier.  Madigan also neared a big barrier
    with 23.12 with only 0.06 seconds separating him from victory.  On a night of personal bests, Rachel Giwa ran an outstanding 'pb' time of 26.30
    seconds, while Sam Malekout recorded 23.49s and Osi Nzeako also recorded his best effort of 24.91s.   Malekout also recorded an impressive debut putt of
    9.72m in the shot putt and Craig Burrow recorded a superb hammer throw of 35.80m and 11.61m shot putt.  Matt Maple was also running with 2.10.72 in
    the 800m, narrowly missing the winning position.

    Eastern AA Championships (8th July)

    Gary Madigan continued his excellent form with personal best performances and a brace of medals at the Eastern Championships in Cambridge.  He
    recorded times of 11.2 for silver in the 100m and 23.2 for bronze in the 200m.  Madigan's rapid progression in the sprints has put him within
    fractions of a second of the qualifying times for an international vest for Ireland.

    Jumps Fest (30th June)

    Simeon Stuart was invited to compete with the country's top athletes at the annual 'Jumpsfest' in Solihull.  He struggled with his approach in the early
    rounds but acquitted himself well with his later jumps with a excellent 7th position with a leap of 6.24m. 
     

     EYAL  Round 4  Ipswich
     
     
    HADLER RUNS UP A DOUBLE PB
     
    Ilford AC took their smallest number of athletes for some time to Ipswich for Round 4 of the EYAL and were up against some tough opposition including Havering Mayesbrook, Ipswich (Hosts), Luton & Colchester & Tendering plus Trent Park. This did not deter them at all and there were some good performances all round.
     
    George Hadler in the 800m & 75m Hurdles U/13 Boys struck up a double PB which unfortunately cost his dad a treat. The 800m was - 2m 53.9s and his 75m Hurdles - 16.5s, he also did the 100m in a time of - 16.6s. Thomas King continues to improve everytime he steps on the track with yet another PB in the 1500m in a time of - 5m 29.2s. He took part also in the Long Jump with - 3m 26cm and the Shot with - 3m 90cm. Jordan Akisanya suffering from a slight injury did the 100m and 200m in - 13.9s and 29.8s respectively. The final athlete was Ciaran Rodway who did the 75m Hurdles in - 16.1s, the 800m in a new PB of - 2m 51.5s and the 200m - 31.2s. The relay finished off with them coming home in - 60.3s.
     
    In the U/15 Boys did the 80m Hurdles in - 14.1s, the High Jump with an equalling PB height of - 1m 55cm and a non-scoring 200m with - 27.2s. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake did the sprint double with - 12.7s in the 100m and 25.4s in the 200m for an equal PB. Jerrell Alleyne the 200m with - 25.1s and the 400m in a time of - 56.2s. Ayokunle Adekeye the 100m in - 12.8s and the Long Jump with a distance of - 5m 07cm, whilst Aaron Akisanya did the Shot Putt with a PB distance of - 9m 44cm and the Javelin - 26m 29cm. Liam Leddy ran the 800m in - 2m 34.9s and showed his diversity with a PB in the Shot of - 6m 40cm and the Javelin to get points with - 4m 57cm. Joshua Daly ran a respectable 400m for the first time in - 70.2s, cleared a height of - 1m 25cm in the High Jump and 4m 28cm in the Long Jump. In a very well fought 4x100m relay (Ayokunle, Jerrell, Jeffers & Mitchell-Blake) were just piped to the line by 1 hundredth of a second in a time of - 49.1s.
     
    The U/17 Men were headed by Simeon Stuart who shows that his jumping continues to flourish with a distance of - 6m 17cm, a 12.1s in the 100m and 24.7s in the 200m. Bakr Al-Akku also did the 100m in a time of - 12.7s, the 400m - 56.5s and the Long Jump with a distance of - 4m 39cm. Kurtland Martyr recorded a PB in the Shot Putt with - 8m 35cm whilst also throwing the Javelin and a non-scoring Discus with - 19m 52cm. Chris Dawe did the Shot with - 8m 87cm and was consistent in his Discus with - 31m 59cm. Last of the men were Andy Carle who did the Discus with - 22m 35cm and the Javelin - 40m 78cm.
     
    The Girls team were very sparse to say the least and so Mika Marston in the U/13 Girls was the only competitor. She did the 200m in a time of - 30.3s, the Shot Putt - 6m 36cm and the High Jump - 1m 15cm.
     
    The only other competitors were the 3 girls in the U/15's. Emma Light did the 1500m with - 5m 34.75s, the High Jump - 1m 20cm and 18.1s in the 75m Hurdles. Clare Rodway also did the Hurdles competing in a time of - 16.1s and the Long Jump of 3m 46cm but was pleased with a PB in the Discus of - 11m 92cm. The final athlete was Corina Bryce Arnold, she did the 200m in a - 28.8s, the Long Jump and the Discus with - 6m 98cm.
     
    Next Meeting is the 4th and Final round of the UKYAL Meeting at Terence Macmillan Stadium host of Newham & Essex Beagles next Sunday 22nd July.