• Press Report
     
    Ilford AC's Malcolm Muir ran a superb tactical race to finish in 2nd place in the Benfleet 15 mile multi terrain race on Sunday. On the notoriously tough course varying from the stony hard sections of Canvey Island's Sea wall to the strength sapping mud of Hadleigh Downs Muir started cautiously sitting off the cracking pace set by eventual winner Crispin Bloomfield of Billericay Striders. By the 10 mile mark Muir had worked his way through the field to challenge Benfleet's Paul Prosser in 3rd place. Returning to the sea wall for the final 2 and a half miles Muir was well clear in 2nd finishing some 90 seconds behind the winner in 1hr 29mins and 37 seconds, a time that would have normally won the race.
     
    The race also saw the welcome return of old favourite Iain Wilson who now seems to have forsaken his track spikes in pursuit of some longer distances including some ultra races. Wilson ran strongly to finish in 1hr 44mins 35 seconds for 44th pposition. Terry Knightley found the going not to his liking and struggled around the course finishing 75th in 1.49.42.
    Ilford's sole woman rerpresentative was Sally Gillam who had an excellent run to record yet another pb shaving nearly 10 minutes from her previous best with a time of 2.09.03.
     
    Further afield Peter Spelman ran the Miami half marathon in  a pleasing 1 hours 40 minutes 25 seconds and in very windy warm conditions. Peter came home in 21st position in his age group with over 6000 competitors in the race. 
     
    Junior Press Report
     
    The junior section of Ilford AC enjoyed some great successes in Days 1 and 2 of the Essex Indoor Track and Filed Championships at Melbourne Park Chelmsford last weekend.
    On day 1 pride of place went to an emphatic gold medal performance in the Under 13 boys 60 metres by Nethaneel Mitchel-Blake who powered his way to a championship record clocking 8.4secs to beat the previous best of 8.46 set in 2004.
    Charlotte Deacon competed in the under 15 girls shott putt where she recorded a creditable  8m 12cm finishing a respectable 7th of 11.
     
    Day 2 saw some more excellent performances from the club's junior athletes with 4 more medals being won - 2 gold and 2 silver. In the under 17 girls 60 metres Rachel Giwa triumphed with a gold medal in a time of 8.0secs only 0.1s outside the championship record set last year. Sarah Kigozi also did extremely well to reach the final finishing 6th in a time of 8.5s although she had clocked a quicker time of 8.4 in her heat. Sarah also took part in the long jump where she finished with a leap of 4m 41cm in 10th position.
     
    Ilford's sole representative in the under 20 women 60 metres, Jessica Manning, stormed to the final clocking 8.2s in her heat for 2nd place. Although up against some tough opposition Jessica surpassed herself in the final by improving her time to 8.1secs and taking a magnifcent silver medal in the process.
     
    The U/20 60m men event saw 2 Ilford athletes fight their way through to the final, Aaron Balogun & debutant Salim Patel. Aaron proved his consistency by running 7.2secs in every round including the final where he just held on to take the gold in a very exciting race. Salim also did extremely well to make the the final where he finished 6th in 7.5s.
     
    Ilford's only other competitor was Jason Bartley in the U/20 Men Shot Putt. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond his control Jason arrived late for the event and without any real warm up and preparation was able to still produce a putt of - 11m 90cm to finish 2nd  for a silver medal which was a superb performance in the circumstances. In the U/20 Men, Aaron Balogun also competed in the Long Jump where he  finished with a leap of - 5m 86 for 3rd place.