Press Report 10th February 2020
Essex & Eastern Counties Indoor Championships 2020
Lee Valley
8th – 9th February 2020
Ilford AC was represented very well by several athletes this weekend at the 2020 Essex & Eastern Counties Indoor Championships at Lee Valley.
First up was newcomer Rhys Ofori who won Gold in the U15 Boys 60m with a superb 7.26 seconds. He won the final originally but the race was re-run after a rules infringement made by an Official. Despite this, Rhys composed himself well to win in what was his fourth race of the day and in doing so captured his first County Gold medal after having been edged out in a photo finish at last year’s Essex Schools.
In the Senior Women’s 200m Krystle Balogun was a comfortable winner in an impressive indoor PB of 26.97.
Esmeralda Mengeyele captured her first county championship in winning the Senior Women’s Long Jump title and also secured a Bronze medal in a close fought Women’s 60m race.
Jordan Akinpelu added to his championship medal tally with a Silver medal in the Senior Men’s Long Jump.
Another new club member, Fidunu Abidekun, won Silver in the U17M High Jump.
To round off a great weekend’s Field events, Denise Evi-Parker won a Bronze medal in the U20W Triple Jump.
Elsewhere on the track Gemima Massamba won her first medal at Senior level with a solid Bronze medal in the Senior Women’s 400m.
Efe Austinz narrowly missed out on making the U20 Women’s 60m final, and in the U20 Men’s 60m Wanya Williams set a new PB in just missing the final by one place.
Ilford were also represented in the middle distance events and managed to earn three gold medals.
First up in the Senior Men’s 800m was Paul Grange, Paul who is a veteran and was giving 15 plus years to some of the younger guys, ran a perfect race, content to sit in over the first 400m, he kicked down the back straight on the 3rd lap, to ease away from the field to win in a very good time of 1.55.25 which set a new championship record.
Next up in the U20 women’s 800m was Jordan Hinds, Jordan has had a very good winter and with an exam free summer is looking forward to some track races. She again was content to sit in for the first lap, but felt the pace was to slow and kicked on, from then on she extended her lead for the rest of the race to win her first individual county title in a time of around 2.30. This was an indoor pb, and 7 seconds faster than the same race last year.
Finally Ryan Holeyman ran in the Under 15 boys 1500m, Ryan hit the front from the off and gradually increased his lead the whole of the race, to win in an impressive 4.59.03.
This was also Ryan’s first ever county win, and was richly deserved on all the hard training that he has put in this winter.
Mercury 10
Epping Forest
8th February 2020
Mud glorious mud was the order of the day for Ilford athletes Jim Tilbrook and Gary Coombes on Saturday morning.
The Mercury 10 is a tough hilly cross country race through Epping Forest, and the recent wet weather ensured that the mud the race is famed for didn’t disappoint those that enjoy the challenge.
Gary Coombes came home in 10th place powering home in 1 hr 12 mins 39 secs, whilst Jim Tilbrook was pleased with his 86th placing in a time of 1 hour 50 minutes 8 seconds.
Surrey League Cross Country
Croydon
9th February
Ilford stalwart Trevor Robinson ran in the Surrey League Cross Country league on Sunday morning.
The hilly 2 lap course of approx 5 miles was all on grass and trails and was almost waterlogged in places, so Trevor was very pleased with his time of 46 mins 24 secs for 120th place