Press Report 7th February 2017  

Young Athletes
A small number of Ilford AC young athletes competed in some high quality races in the last week doing the Club proud with their performances

In the year 7 Essex Schools X country Championships, 253 athletes competed. Matthew Hick, representing his school, as opposed to the borough, went off with the leaders from the start. Matthew continued to battle during the race and was outsprinted by 2 athletes at the end , but came a very promising 6th. As a result of this performance Matthew has been picked to represent Essex in the intercounties in March. Subsequently Matthew’s team won the team event and he won his first ever Essex medal.
In the Havering Mini Marathon trials, Matthew Hick and Jack Halil competed in the trials fighting for a place in the Havering team. Matthew finished 3rd to claim his place but unfortunately despite running extremely well in a high quality under 15 race Jack just missed out on a place in the team

Aaron Samuels represented Essex in the Intercounties at the weekend. Aaron , who recently won the Essex Schools gets better with every race, came a superb 5th position in a top quality race. Ahmed Abdulle, also Essex Schools champion and 9th in the Southern Counties, finished a brilliant 2nd.

London Winter Run
Club captain Billy Green was Ilford AC’s sole representative in last Sunday’s Club London Winter Run when 15000 runners from all over the world toed the line raising money for Cancer Research. Billy is a great supporter of this type of event and greatly enjoyed the run which started in Trafalgar Square and finished in Whitehall taking in many of the Capital’s iconic sights along the 10k route. Billy’s time was 52.01.

 

 

 

 

 

DOUBLE SATURDAY SUCCESS FOR SEB

Ilford’s Seb Parris had a busy Saturday as he came 2nd in the morning Valentine Park parkrun. Not one to rest on his laurels, he travelled to Lee Valley Indoor Arena to line up in the Essex County 1 Mile Championship, where he comfortably landed a gold medal in only his 2nd appearance on an indoor banked track. His 9 minutes 26 seconds was well ahead of defending champion Keith Palmer (Southend), winner in both 2015 & 16. Ilford AC gained 2-of-3 individual medals on offer as stalwart Dave Ainsworth claimed the bronze medal in 12.12, making it a remarkbale time span – as his first Essex individual medal was in the 1975 County 50 Kilometres 42 years’ ago!

Issued by Ilford AC Walking Section (01708-377382)