Press Report 2nd July 2019
SCVAC – Southern Counties vets track league
Lee Valley
Monday 24th June
Match 3 of the Vets season was held at Lee Valley on the evening of the 24th June.
The Men’s team triumphed for the third match in a row and go into the last match of the regular season in a great position.
Sam Malekout covered the V35 triple jump, discus, 100m and 400m finishing 3rd and 5th in the field events and winning both short and long sprints. Malcolm Muir came down an age group to win the 5000m in the V35 age group. The first place theme was continued by Sam Rahman who won the 1500m in the same age group.
In the V40 category Paul Grange ran his first competitive 100m and as a consequence earned a PB when finishing 2nd. In his more favoured distance of 400m he earned another 1st place for the team. Gary Coombes ran the 1500m running sub 5 minutes for 3rd.
In the V50 category Cliff Warren started with the triple jump earning 2nd place. He followed this up with 4th place in the 400m. Henry Ricketts covered the short sprint finishing 5th over 100m. Steve Philcox covered the 5000m and 1500m gaining 1st and 2nd positions respectively. Roger Honey covered the Javelin placing 5th. Peter Whiting also competed as a non-scorer in the Javelin.
In the V60 category Gerald Daniel covered both sprints finishing 6th over 100m and despite an injury flare up in the 400m managed to cross the tape in 6th. Andy Catton came home 4th in the 5000m. Roger earnt 3rd place in the discus.
The medley relay team of Henry, Sam, Malcolm and Paul brought the baton home in 1st place.
The Women’s team had four athletes.
Due to injury Michaela Davis was not able to run however she did compete in the field. In the V50 Hammer and V40 Shot she placed 4th and 5th respectively.
In the V60 Shot, Javelin and 100m Barbara Higgins placed 3rd, 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Frieda Keane debuted on the track and while she earnt 4th place in the 100m she unfortunately suffered an injury in the 400m and was unable to finish the race or take part in any other events.
Alison Sale ran the V40 long sprint and placed 6th over 400m. She also ran 1500m in the V50 category finishing 5th.
The Women finished 6th on the evening and lay 6th overall after 3 matches.
The teams go into the last match on 22nd July in Hemel Hempstead looking to finish the season on a high.
Orion Fell Race
Chingford
Friday 28th June
The Orion fell race is the only official Category ‘A’ fell race within the M25.
Held in Chingford on an impossibly hilly course that includes over 850 ft of climb in just 5.5k this is definitely a race for the brave – or foolish!
Amongst the 130 entrants were five Ilford AC runners.
Leading the team home was James Rigby who finished in 25:55 for 23rd place. Not far behind in 32nd and 33rd place was Ryan Holeyman and William Crossley who were both given the same time of 26:32. Completing the male contingent was Danny Holeyman in 26:59 for 40th place.
First Ilford lady home was Anna Crawley in 31:58 for 82nd place
Horndon on the Hill 10k
Sunday 30th June
5 Ilford AC runners ventured into Essex for the annual Horndon on the Hill 10k race, a race which takes place during the traditional ‘Feast and Fayre’ festival held within the local village. The motto of the race is ‘Run the Hill’ and the runners start the race by running down a steep hill before turning around and having to climb back up it before the course ventures out into typically Essex rural back roads.
The 11am start meant that the participants were having to cope with the very worst of the days hot weather but that didn’t deter Gary Coombes who set off at a blistering pace to eventually finish 5th overall and first Male Vet 40 in a time of 36:17.
Danny Holeyman, just 2 days after competing in the Orion fell race, shrugged off the heat and hills to nab a new 10k PB to finish in 12th place in a time of 39:43.
Third Ilford male was Billy Green finishing in 135th place in a time of 50:49 with the 4th Ilford male spot going to Ray Sparra Everingham who completed the course in 242nd place in a time of 57:50.
Mandeep Bassi was Ilfords 1st lady, finishing in a time of 60 minutes and 3 seconds to claim 278th place.
North Downs 30k Multi-terrain
Guilford
Sunday 30th June
Now in its 37th year this popular race once again hosted the BMAF (British Masters Athletics Federation) Multi -terrain 30k championships.
On a very scenic but tough course, Ilfords Malcolm Muir finished in 8th place in a field of 551 runners in a time of 2:09:54 to take a well deserved BMAF V40 Gold medal
