• Press Report 30th August 2006

    Ilford AC's John Batchelor continued his impressive vein of form last week  when he competed in the Vets AC 5000metres. John at the age of 65 was the oldest competitor in the race but nevertheless     achieved another big breakthrough when placing 2nd to BMAF M60 Champion Gareth Jones (17:46.0) in 18:17.3.  John's previous best  as a M60 was 18:28.3 four years ago.
     
    The race was held at Kingsmeadow, and has now become his favourite track with 3 out of 3 age personal bests set there.
     
    Not content with this John was back in action in Friday's Serpentine 5k easily taking the M60/M65 award in a time of 18:41, 13 seconds quicker than his April time and defaeating arch rival Les Presland (BMAF M65 5K road champ) by 27 sec in the process.  The Ilford Man's recorded age graded percentage of 89.1% puts him in the lead in the "average of best 6 races" championship with 86.8%. with his nearest rival Dave Cox of Woodford Green just behind on  86.6%.  Steve Allen was 88th in 20:34.
     
    Club Captain Malcolm Muir came home in 3rd place for the 2nd successive year in Sunday's Mersea Island 10 mile race. A combination of extremely warm conditions and a course which always proves difficult kept times well down. Muir managed 58.33 having to give best to Glenn Hill of Havering Mayesbrook (56.48) and veteran Richard Jordan of Stownarket (57.58). Abdi Berleen was the only other male club competitor finishing in 71.19. In the women's race Breege Nordin ran well to finish 1st Lady 50 past the post in 71.32. Sally Gillam in heavy traing for the Abingdon marathon finished in 81.17.
     
    Last Saturday I the club's premier high mileage man, Peter Spelman, participated in the Springfield Striders Dawdle, a 30km cross country event in Essex.
    Peter finished in 28th place overall with a time of 3.44.19 covering a total distance of 20 miles due to a few wrong turnings.
     
    Tate & Lyle Open Meeting Newham & Essex Beagles - Report by Paul Cheal
     
    Today (Sunday) Ilford AC athletes took part in the Tate & Lyle Open Meeting held at Newham & Essex Beagles track. This is an annual event that allows athletes to finish of there long season. With this Ilford AC was represented with 18 athletes.
     
    In the U/11's you had the Akisanya brothers take part in the 75m & long jump. Jordan Akisanya came home 1st in the 75m with a time of - 10.67s whilst Isaac finished 5th with - 12.58s. In the long jump Jordan equalled his PB with a leap of - 4m 45 to finish 1st and Isaac jumped - 3m 05 for 5th.
     
    Alex Legon recorded a very good PB in the long jump in the u/13 boys event with a distance of - 4m 19cm for 2nd place overall and he did the 800m in a time of - 3min 00.4 for 3rd and the 200m with a time of - 33.2s for 6th. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake came 1st in the long jump and 2nd in the 100m with a time of - 12.92s. Ben Jones threw a good javelin to come 3rd with - 16m 77 whilst putting the shot a distance of - 6m 11 and 4th.
     
    Robert Legon seems to have finished the season of with a flourish and recorded another PB in the shot with - 9m 63 and 2nd, the javelin throw of - 24m 59 for 4th and another PB in the discus with - 23m 02 and 3rd. Andy Carle also did very well with an excellent new post 2004 CLUB RECORD an extension of his own record. The throw of - 40m 86 was good enough for 2nd. Chris Dawe threw the discus - 24m 33 for 2nd and recorded a PB in the shot with - 8m 87m and 4th. Andrew Townsend was another athlete who wanted to finish on a high and this was evident when he also recorded PB's in both the discus and shot putt. He threw - 15m 28 in the javelin and putt - 5m 81 in the shot.
     
    The sprinters were in fine form in the u/17 boys. Simeon Stuart recorded a PB in the 100m with a time of - 12.13s for 3rd and leaped close to his PB in the long jump with a distance of - 5m 96 for 3rd, whilst coming 4th in the 200m with - 25.37s. Nathaniel Senior not to be out done recorded a sprint double PB with - 12.43s in the 100m and 4th, 25.34s for 5th in the 200m whilst his distance of - 5m 74 in the long jump was a solid performance. Ozi Nzeako ran the 100m and came home in - 12.37s and a PB with a 4th in the 200m in - 25.04s and 4th. The last member of the u/17's was Chike Okonji who ran a PB in the 200m with - 24.67s and 1st with a leap of - 5m 44 in the long jump.
     
    In the u/15 girls Charlotte Smitheram is continuing to throw well with another PB. She threw the javelin - 21m 55 for 5th and a PB, whilst the discus was - 18m 34 and the shot putt - 7m 98. Charlie Clements threw near to her PB in the javelin with a distance of - 22m 37. Aimee Jones ran the 100m in a time of - 14.59s and the 200m in - 29.6s. Her final event of the long jump saw her leaped very close to her PB with - 4m 05.
     
    Lastly in the u/17 girls Rachel Giwa powered her way to the sprint double again with times of - 12.32 in the 100m and 26.3s for the 200m, she also did the javelin and threw - 16m 48. Sarah Kigozi arrived late but was still able to do the 200m in a time of - 28.2s and throw a PB in the javelin alongside Rachel with a distance of - 15m 89. Jamie Smith also threw the javelin with - 10m 82 and the shot putt with - 7m 38. Laura Townsend was the last member of the u/17 girls running the 200m in a time of - 30.2s and threw the discus - 15m 37.
     
    Again well done to them all with 14 PB's for so late on in the season it was a very good effort indeed. The next meeting is the last round of the SWL meeting this coming Saturday 02nd Sept at Mile End Stadium, then the Essex Champs Relays at Thurrock at the end of September.