Press Report 24th July 2023  

Essex County Track Relays 14th July – Chelmsford

Ilford AC is growing and achieving greater numbers in competition in its Centenary Year. Last year at this annual county event specifically for athletes under seventeen years the club had 4 teams and this year they were able to field 10 teams across the events.

The standard of competition was very high meaning that the squad just missed out on gaining any medals but all gave their best and performed to a high standard.

The highlights of the day for the club were the U13 boy’s 3x800m team of Barney Perkins, Khalif Ali and Ibrahim Khan who came home in fifth place. It was their first relay for the club and first track race for Khalif. All three members ran under the 3 minute barrier for the distance to finish in a time of 8.37.55

Second highlight was the U15 B team in the 4x300m of Damien Amaniampong, Danika Hennadige, Jaydon Mcdermott and Jaskirat Singh who beat the more experienced A team  (Jaydan Roberts Edwards, Aron Berhe, Ryder Islam and Sam Horsley) in a sprint finish by 2 hundredths of a second to finish in 5th place.

Lastly the U15 girl’s 4x100m team of Jasmine Shaer, Neriah Anderson, Nora Nzurike and Kenina Nkurumah had to go through a heat to reach the final which they duly did. They continued their good form in the final with excellent baton changes to finish 8th

Other teams on the day were:

U15 boys 4x100m – 5th – Damien Amaniampong, Danika Hennadige, Jaskirat Singh  and Jaydan Roberts Edwards

U15 boys 3x800m – 5th – Aron Berhe, Ryder Islam and Sam Horsley

U17 Men 4x100m – 5th – Mohammed Zergouat, James Thake, Aaron Hick, Jeremiah Brown

U17 Men 4x400m – 4th – Aaron Hick, Jeremiah Brown, Samuel Crane, James Thake

U17 Men 3x800m- 6th– Aaron Hick, Samuel Crane, James Thake

U17 Women 4x300m – 4th – Anika Sharma, Leila Lauder, Adaeze Oyem, Stacey Amaniampong

Credit to the athletes and coaches for a great evenings athletics.

Eastern Young Athletes League (EYAL) – 16/07/23

Ilford AC sent a team of 26 young athletes to the fourth EYAL match of the year in Hemel Hempstead. Each event had two selected runners scoring points for the team along with races with non-scorers hoping to gain experience.

Two athletes competed in the under 13 girl’s age group. Nayla Mills Ugoh competed in 100m and achieved 2 PBs in the 200m (32.3) and Long Jump (3.01m), finishing 6th in all competitions. Sofia Crane in her first competition also came 6th in the Shot Put.

In the under 15 girls we had 5 athletes competing in multiple sprints, jumps and throws. Highlights were new athlete Chiara Mullings Smith 1.25m for 5th in the high jump and Ruby Moffat-Virk and Kenina Nkrumah first attempts at 300m. Venisha Ngala and Neriah Anderson continued their recent strong performances in the sprints and long jump.

The U17 Women had a good turnout of 4 athletes which enabled Stacey Amaniampong, Adaaeze Oyem and Precious Ajireloja to finish 2nd in the 4x100m relay in a time of 54.5 seconds. They were helped by one athlete from our sister club Orion.

Precious was the athlete of the day for club setting the fastest time in her age group for the 100m of 13.2 seconds and competing well in the 200m and triple jump. Stacey set a new long jump PB of 3.75 and Adaeze set a new shot put PB of 5.81m. 

Leila Lauder continues to progress in the middle distance and ran a new PB in 1500m of 5.29 and showed her range by also competing in the 200m and long jump.

The club had three athletes in the Under 13 boys. Daniel Guiba ran the 100m and set a new PB of 2.98m in the long jump. Elias Furreedan continued his recent progression and again showed great range running in the 100m and 1500m and Barney Perkins ran 2.38 for 3rd in the 800m and also ran the 1500m. 

The under 15 boys were as always well represented. Sam Horsley has had a great year and had his best race so far in the 1500m to finish a close 2nd to his Havering rival in 4:24. His team mate Aron Berhe had a below par performance in the 1500m but bounced back in Javelin to throw a new PB of 23.92m

The sprinters again showed their steady improvement despite a few injuries. Jaskirat Singh set three new PBs 12.7secs in the 100m, 25.5 secs in 200m and 8.39m in the Shot Put. Danika Hennadige also set a new PB in the shot put (7.46m) and ran in the sprints. The PBs continued with Damien Amaniampong setting two 14.4 for the 80m hurdles and 25.6 seconds in the 200m. He also performed in the long jump with Jaydan Roberts Edwards. 

Luke Thake ran the 300 and 800m a little off his best but continues to show promise for the future. Ethan Guiba followed his younger brother and finished 5th in the 100m and 200m.

The sprinters and middle distance athletes Damien, Sam, Aron and Jaskirat came together to run the 4x100m and finished 2nd in a great 50.5 seconds

In the under 17s Mohamed Zergouat ran 100m in 13.2 seconds for 5th place. Aaron Hick dropped down the distances and ran a new 200m PB of 26.1. This was more impressive as it was run after an earlier PB 2:16 in the 800m.

James Thake gained further experience over his distances finishing 3rd in the 400m and 800m

Finally Samuel Crane completed a day of multiple PBs running 4:39 in the 1500m for 4th place. 

Another great day for all the club! Thanks to the coaches, parents and volunteers for their support