Press Report 5th March 2024  

ROAD

Tokyo Marathon
Sunday 3 March

Two runners from Ilford Ac ventured east to take part in the Tokyo Marathon, the first marathon major of the year. The race was a field of over 26000 and was run around the city centre on basically a flat course with a slight downhill in the first 5km. The race was won by Benson Kipruto of Kenyan in a course record of 2 hrs 2 mins 16 secs.

Nick West was the first of the Ilford duo to finish in a new personal best of 4 hours 09 mins 41 secs after reaching halfway in 1 hr 59 mins.
Stephen Parker passed halfway in 2 hours and 9 mins to finish in 4 hours 56 mins 10 secs.

Leicester 10km
Sunday 3 March

Nearer to home Ilford Endurance Coach Rob Sargent took part in the Leicester 10km on a chilly Midlands morning. The course runs from the city centre up to the grounds of the University of Leicester and Victoria Park on a basically fast but twisty course with a couple of hills to keep it interesting.
Rob came home in 650th in a field of around 1000 in 60 mins 25 secs.

Cambridge Half Marathon
Sunday 3rd March

The Cambridge Half Marathon is one of the biggest in the South of England with over 15,000 runners running a stunning course which takes runners through the grounds of 4 of Cambridge’s colleges, St Johns, Trinity, Kings and Jesus.
Jack Nixon was first Ilford runner home in a time of 67 mins 39 seconds for 17th place and 2nd in the M35 Category.
Malcolm Muir ran his best time since 2017 to finish in an impressive 76 mins 58 seconds for 211th place and 12th in the M45 Category

INDOORS

Essex and Eastern Counties Championships
Lee Valley Athletics Arena
2nd – 3rd March

Ilford AC sent a strong team of 32 athletes to the annual Essex and Eastern Counties held over two days at the Lee Valley Athletics Arena. The team included many youngsters having their first taste of indoor competition along with many seasoned senior and veteran athletes.
A total of 15 medals were won, four gold, four silver and seven bronze.

In the under 13 boys 60m Elijah Muirhead and Andre Mullings-Roache both achieved personal bests of 8.81 and 9.09 respectively, both narrowly missing out on the semi-finals. In the girls 60 m Nayla Mills-Ugoh also set a new best of 9:07 again just missing out on the next round.

The Under 15 boys had a very successful weekend with 2 fantastic medals, the first county medals for the development group.
Jaydan Roberts-Edwards in the 60m set personal records in every round and equalled his best of 7.48 in the final for a fantastic bronze medal. He returned the next day in the 200m and set another personal best of 24.70 but just missed the final. He was well supported by training partner Damien Amaniampong who set new bests of 24.89 for 200m and 7.66 for the 60m in the semi-finals of both competitions. Third member of the group Justice Okereke set a 200m best of 24.77 in the 200m heats but was unfortunately disqualified in the semi-final. The day before he gained the club first medal of the weekend in the long jump with a fantastic PB jump of 5:51 for the silver medal.
Luke Thake unfortunately suffered disqualification also in the 300m but looked strong and rightly looks forward to the outdoor season.
Both Jayden and Justice Performances place them currently in the top 20 in the country for 2024 and Damien in the top 50, showing the standard of competition on show.

Jasmine Shaer (8.95) and Kenina Nkrumah (9.07) both gained personal bests and great indoor experience in the u15 girls 60m.
For the under 17 girls, captain Stacey Amaniampong set a new best of 8.67 to reach the semi-finals in the 60m and a new indoor best of 29.50 in the 200m heats. Adaeze Oyem just missed the semi-finals in the 60m but was pleased with her new best time of 8.96.

James Thake came into the 800m with high hopes of a first individual Essex medal. After a strong heat he duly delivered coming 3rd in the final in a time of 2.06.09. Three sprinters contested both the 60m and 200m in this age group and all achieved new best times. Joshua Babalola, making his club debut, reached the semi-final of the 60m in a time of 7.62 and ran 25.31 in the 200m. Jaskirat Singh ran 7.91 in the 60m and 25.49 in the 200m both best times, Jayden-Kyle McDermott also achieved bests in 60m (8.13) and the 200m 27.33.
Finally for u17 four men raced the Essex 1500, Sam Horsley (4th), Samuel Crane (5th), Aron Berhe (7th) and Ryder Islam (8th). Sam’s time of 4.21.05 was a new PB and he looks forward to representing Essex in the cross country in the next 2 weeks.

Oliver Blainey has previously won many medals at the event and returned this year with a strong silver medal in the u20 400m (52.16) and a new PB in 60m (7.29) to make the final.

For the senior event the highlight was double middle distance gold by Alex Richards. His 1500m win of 4.12.37 was made even more impressive by the fact that it followed his 800m win (1.55.66) only 30 minutes before.
In the 800m Dylan Harrod came 4th in 2.04.59 and in the 1500m
Tom Gardner returned from injury to claim a bronze in 4.22.85. Rhys Edwards came 5th in the 1500m in a time of 4.31.15 a good return to form and he also showed his versatility in the triple jump gaining a brilliant Essex bronze with a jump of 11.01. Jordan Duncan represented the club in the sprints and progressed well through the 60m rounds finishing the final with a great bronze medal in a time of 7:20. Jordan unfortunately pulled up in the 200m the next day

Jordan Hinds is another athlete with a strong record in this event. After a winter of road and cross country she showed a return to form with a solid silver in the senior 800m in a time of 2.25.87. Ellie Wright, like Jordan, has grown up with the club and ran brilliantly in the 60m to gain a bronze medal in 7.95. She was supported by training partners Toyin Olufemi (8.25) sixth in the final and Aleena Lawrence (8.56) who went out in the heats.

There were selected events for veterans also at the championships and Club legend Krystle Balogun delivered as always with double gold in the 60m (8.36) and 300m (44.11).
All-rounder Akwasi  Nkrumah claimed a bronze in the 60m in 8.19 and a silver in the 300m in 43.05. Finally Steve Chissell came 8th in the 1500m in a new PB of 5.37.98.

Credit to the athletes and their coaches for a strong set of results after a long winter and hard training.