Press Report 17th December 2019
ESSEX CROSS-COUNTRY LEAGUE
Writtle College
Saturday 14 December
ILFORD CLAIM SENIOR MALE AND TEAM TITLES
Ilford AC created a piece of club history last Saturday winning an Essex League match for the first time as their Senior men’s team triumphed in the 3rd match of the season at Writtle College beating local rivals Havering AC by just 2pts.
The men’s race was over around 8.5k on a muddy course in a stiff chilly breeze. Ahmed Abdulle was in superb form winning by over 200 metres in 29 mins 09 secs. He was supported by Alex Richards on his first run over the country this season in 8th with 30 mins 58 secs and Paul Grange who ran well for 11th in 31 mins 18 secs. Tom Gardner was as consistent as ever in 18th with 31 mins 34 secs and Mungo Prior, who is still in the under 20 category, came home 26th in 32 mins 06 secs. Gary Coombes moved through the field as the race progressed to 36th with 32 mins 51 secs. Next home was Oscar Peris in 39th with 32 mins 59 secs followed by Paul Holloway in 67th timed at 35 mins 04 secs. The improving Haydn Newland recorded 36 mins 40 secs for 89th two places and 2 seconds in front of Diarmuid Mac Donnell. Alan Pearl had a strong run in 114th with 39 mins 18 secs and Terry Knightley crossed the line in 39 mins 22 secs for 116th.
Other Ilford finishers, all running well were : Dennis briggs (135th 40.34) Jim Tilbrook (182nd 47.25) Bradley Brown (186th 48.38) Jim Huddart (202nd 68.01)
The Ilford ladies raced over 7km with Anna Crawley leading the way in 27th spot with 30 mins 11secs with Jenni Sheehan in 35th in a time of 30 mins 55 secs. The evergreen Bree Nordin came home 50th in 32 mins 12 secs. Nicola Hopkinson completed the team scorers in 69th with 35 mins 05 secs. Alison Sale ran well for 71st in 35 mins 08 secs with Dianne Crisp recording 41 mins 45 secs for 83rd.
The remaining Ilford ladies all putting in a fine effort were Doris Gaga 104th in 41.45 and Lovedip Dhaliwal 109th in 45.06
In the match Ilford finished 9th in the first division.
Over the season the Ilford senior men are placed in a strong 3rd place in the division with the ladies 10th in the top tier.
Ilford are also placed well in the Individual tables.
Mungo prior is 4th in the under 20s and Tom Gardner 4th senior man after three matches. Bree Nordin is top of the F6 rankings and Nicola Hopkinbson 2nd in the F55 group. Paul Grange lies second in the M40 age category with Dennis Briggs 6th in the same group. Gary Coombes is second in the M45 age group while Alan Pearl is leading the M60 group.
Chingford League
Stratford Velodrome
Wednesday 11th December
The latest round of the Chingford League took place on the floodlit cycle circuit in the Olympic Park over a rolling 5km course. Doris Gaga was the only Ilford AC in action finishing 99th in the ladies race in 28 mins 30 secs
Victoria Park 10km\Half Marathon
Hackney
Sunday 15 December
Doris Gaga was in action again taking part in 10km around the flat course in Victoria Park. She came home in 366th place overall and 4th in the F55 age group in 58 minutes exactly.
In the accompanying half marathon recent Ilford recruit Sameena Ahmed recorded a new pb of 1hr 32 mins 17 secs for 108th and 2nd in the F40 category
Olympic Park Runthrough 10k
Stratford
Saturday 14th December
On a wet and windy Stratford morning Pauline Tester tested herself over the 10k distance.
Pauline was pleased with her time of 50 mins 45 seconds which placed her 3rd in the Female V55 category
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Zuzana Sinalova recently left England to return to her native Slovakia, but she has been getting in the races and recently nipped across the border to nearby Austria to compete in the Vienna Winter Series. Running along the same streets where Kipchoge recently ran sub 2 hours for the marathon inspired Zuzana to a 5k pb of 19.56 and an age category victory.
She is using the series as build up to the Slovakian half marathon championships in April