Press Report 15th June 2021
VAC 5km
Battersea Park
Tuesday 8 June
The second VAC promoted 5km of the summer was held last week on a warm but muggy night. Four runners from Ilford AC travelled to the park to race over the fast flat 2 lap course.
First home for the club was Tony Young, who is currently showing good form, in 43rd spot in 22 mins 07 secs, with Alison Sale producing results showing that she trained well earlier in the year during lockdown recording 23mins 47 secs in 54th and 5th in the F55 grouping.
Ilford endurance coach Rob Sargent laced them up and came home 62nd and 4th in the M65 age category with 25 mins 35 secs. Ernie Forsyth raced for the first time in two years after breaking his shoulder and despite the injury still causing him a few problems finished in 28 mins 43 secs for 70th and 5th in the M65 age group.
Two race walkers also represented the club on the night in the 5k Race Walk. Stuart Bennett put in a seasons best performance to finish in 4th place and first V60 on the night in a time of 32:07, whilst Lesley Morris was just one second outside her PB finishing in 7th place and second V60 female in a time of 34:12.
Sri Chinmoy 5K
Battersea Park
7th and 14th Jun 21
Sameena Ahmed was the sole Ilford representative in the Sri Chinmoy 5k held at Battersea Park last Monday.
Sameena ran an excellent time of 19:39 which placed her 4th lady finisher on the night.
This time was the fastest ever by an Ilford lady over 40, beating the previous record by over a minute, and the 13th fastest ever by an Ilford lady over the distance.
Competing this week, and also Ilfords sole representative was Anna Crawley.
On what was the hottest day of the year Anna produced a fantastic performance to record a personal best over the distance in a time of 20:50
TRACK NEWS
A couple of record breaking runs for Ilford Athletes last week. On Sunday, running as higher claim Athlete for Chelmsford, Paul Grange ran a pb and club Vet record over 800m of 1.53.20. Not only a club vet record, but the 8th fastest ever by an Ilford athlete and the 4th fastest ever 800m run by a uk male over 40.
Jak Wright racing over 800m at a BMC meeting last Wednesday at Wormwood scrubs, not only won the race, but broke 2 mins for for the first time, in a time of 1.59.64
A few of the younger athletes competed in the Essex schools at Chelmsford on Saturday, Joseph Grange ran for Havering in the junior boys 1500m, he ran a very good tactical race and just got caught when the vital break was made with 400m to go. He finished a very good 4th in a pb time of 4.29.
Also running in the junior boys category, over 800m was Lucas Emeagi, more used to run in lanes over shorter sprints, he ran almost the whole of the first lap in lanes before breaking just before the bell. Regardless of this he produced a great performance for 4th place in a time around 2.23.
In the BMC Grand Prix 5000m at Watford, Ahmed Abdulle ran in the B race putting in another excellent performance taking 28 seconds of his previous 5000m pb for a time of 14:21:36