Press Report 9th July 2024  

Essex Relay Championships
Southend
Sunday 7th July

The Essex Relay Championships were held at Southend’s Garon Park Stadium at the weekend in showery blustery weather, and Ilford entered two junior teams.

First off were the U15 boys.

Matthew Ayers had a great start and ran a strong bend to hand off to debutant Adam Idoura who powered down the back strait to pass the baton to Justice Okereke who used his great strength to battle the bend and the strong breeze for a really good baton change with last leg runner Damien Amaniampong who showed his sprinting ability by going away from the third placed athlete and securing a brilliant SILVER medal for the team.
Their finishing time of 47.5 seconds was just 0.8s off the Club record which was set in 1958.

A brilliant, gritty run by the team considering the absence of our fastest sprinter Jaydan Roberts-Edwards who is currently nursing a broken elbow.

The U17W were in a very strong final with teams from Chelmsford and Southend among the favourites.

Stacey Amaniampong got the team off to a great start handing over to Adaeze Oyem who attacked the back strait with great determination before handing over to Omo Ojo  for the third leg. Omo ran a strong bend before handing over to Marissa Osas-Bavis  who chased down the three athletes in front but she was unable to improve on their 4th position in a season best time of 53.6.

A great effort by the team.

Orion Forest 5
Epping Forest

Saturday 6th July

The Forest 5 is a series of 3 races in Epping Forest, held on the first Saturday in June, July and August, the 3rd of which incorporates the ‘Elvis’ race hosted by Orion Harriers.

The race was held on a rainy, unseasonably cool Saturday morning over a 1 lap 5-mile course which featured a few climbs.

Ilford AC had 8 runners representing the club. 

First home for the club in 4th place was Steve Philcox who claimed 2nd M50 on the day in 31:59. Next home in 20th place was Danny Holeyman in 35:47, followed closely by Dave Thomas in 23rd place in 36:24 and 2nd M60.

Steve Chissell was next home in 26th place for 37:06, followed by the club’s first female, Mandy Reid in 45:28 for 71st.

Jim Tilbrook came home in 85th place in a time of 47:42 followed by Frieda Keane in 53:43 for 97th and Julia Galea in 54:05 for 101st