Press Report 18th July 2023
Ilford AC Win first Southern League match in many years
Ilford AC competed in the 3rd Southern league Track and Field Match at Sandy last weekend. In the first 2 matches Ilford had competed well but just didn’t have enough athletes to win the matches.
However Ilford sent a very strong team to Sandy, and this proved decisive as for the first time for many years Ilford AC won the overall match.
Starting with the Female sprinters, Krystle Balogun, Ayshe and Aleena Lawrence all were first or second in the 100m and 200m and 4x100m.These ladies have been amazing so far this year and always compete to a very high level.
Jordan Hinds is always the busiest Female athlete in the Southern league and once again she won the 400,800 ,1500 and 4 x400.This included 2 Personal bests in the 400 and 800.
In the long-distance Anna Crawley performed to a high standard winning the 800 and placing 3rd in the 3k, as well as being in the 4 x400 winning team.
It was great to see Zuzana Sinalova back running, winning the B string 3k and 4x 400m.
Finally, Ilford had 2 U17 girls participating in the Southern league for the first time and they both provided lots of points for the club.
Leila Lauder won the B string 400 and 2nd in the 1500 and was in the winning 4 x400 team and Stacey Amaniampong won the 100m hurdles, was 3rd in the High Jump, 3rd in the long jump and was in the winning 4 x100 team.
On the men’s side Ilford had a very strong team and filled every event.
Jordon Duncan was second in the 100 and won the 200 and was in the 4 x100 team that came second.
It was great to see the sprint Coach Nat Senior come second in the 100m in 11.9, be part of the 4 x100 team and find time to throw the Shot 9.85.
Wayna Williams also ran well for 3rd in the 200m and part of the relay team.
Oliver Blainey won the 400m and Dylan Harrod won the B string, and both were in the winning 4 x400 team.
In the 800m Ronan Edwards and James Thake won their 800m races with James getting a PB of 2.05.
Dylan returned in the 1500m with Alex Richards to both win the 1500m, Alex for the ‘A’ string and Dylan the ‘B’ string.
To continue our success on the track Samuel Crane and Berekhet Berakhy won the 3K in a strong time.
The 110m Hurdles was one of the strongest races and Rhys Edwards ran well for 3rd and Akwasi Nkrumah did well for 2nd. Rhys had a busy and successful day also winning the 400 Hurdles, 3000m Steeplechase and triple jump.
Ronan also helped the team by running the 3000 Steeplechase as well and it was great to see both brothers winning their respective races.
Youngster Aaron Hick, running his 2nd ever 400 hurdles, won the B string and ran a strong leg in the winning 4 x400 team.
In the jumps /throws and Pole vault Ilford are very lucky to have some key athletes who do many events. Akwasi Nkrumah, who only joined this year is one of those athletes and did very well winning the Triple jump,3rd in the pole vault,3rd in the long jump and 4th in the javelin.
Sam Malekout also did well in the Javelin, High Jump, Discuss, Shot and Pole Vault.
Finally Pete Whiting threw the Discus and Hammer and Jeremiah Brown jumped 1.50 in the High jump.
Overall, this was a great performance from the Ilford team. If we can get a full team out for the last match the club has a chance for promotion this year, which once again hasn’t happened for many years.
