• Press Report 28th August  2007

     
    Sikh Marathon Relay
     
     

    A mixed squad of 5 Ilford AC athletes, made up of 2 men and 3 women, enjoyed the hospitality of the Sikh community on a sunny Sunday morning winning the inaugural Sikh Marathon Relay in a combined time of 3 hours 2 minutes and 33 seconds. This extremeley well organised community event attracted 100 runners from 16 teams bringing  together good club runners, young and old fun runners, men and women of a range of abilities and from a variety of backgrounds and faiths and from all parts of the country including the Midlands, Scotland, and West/East London. The relay was held over a 2km   hilly loop at the back of Woodford Bridge which is also the training route of one of Ilford's most celebrated  runners, 96 year old Fauja Singh. The holder of 12 concurrent World age records was not only there in person to add to the high profile of the day but also competed in Team "A"   billed as the "World's Oldest Relay Team". Two other teams also contained Ilford AC club members from the Sikh community, Sukhbinder Jandu and Sulakhan Jandu.

     
    The event raised £1,000 for the Mayor's Charity Appeal and the Worshipful Mayor of London Borough of Redbridge, Councillor Mrs Joyce Ryan opened the procedings with a short speech of thanks and best wishes before setting the runners on their way.
     
    The marathon was spread over 21 legs of approximately 2k which could be negotiated in any combination as each team decided. Mel Jones opened Ilford's account by favouring 5 consecutive legs totalling 10k as most other teams initially swapped their runners in and out.  It soon became apparent that the 2 running  clubs present,  Ilford AC and Barking Road Runners, were going to be in contention for the spoils together with two very young and fit looking all male teams from Singh Sabha Barking FC and the Friends Academy martial arts club. A very quick run on leg 6 from Robin McNelis shot Ilford into the lead followed by  Nicola Hopkinson and Martin Clarke alternating legs to consolidate the advantage. As the challenge from Barking Road Runners faded it was the Friends Academy Team that were holding on gamely. However just after halfway the speed endurance of McNelis and Sally Gillam began to take its toll on the inexperience of the youngsters leaving them nursing their aches and pains by the wayside. After a determined leg by Sally Gillam had all but lapped their nearest rivals on the penultimate leg it was left to an exuberant McNelis to bring the club home to complete the glory leg capping a very happy day for the squad with a winners interview on Channel Punjab TV.
     
     
     
     
    Position    Team                                                 Time
    1              Ilford Athletic Club                              3 hours 2 minutes 33 seconds
    2              Friend's Academy Club                        3 hours 14 minutes
    3              Singh Sabha Barking Football Club       3 hours 16 minutes (jokingly disputed)
    4              Harmander's Harriers                         3 hours 16 minutes 6 seconds
    5              Barking Road Runners                         3 hours 16 minutes 23 seconds
    6              Scottish Sikhs                                    3 hours 27 minutes
    7              Namdhari Sikh Relay Team                 3 hours 36 minutes
    8              Raj Runners                                       3 hours 40 minutes 5 seconds
    9              Suky's Striders                                   3 hours 40 minutes 8 seconds
    10            Sikh Sports Association                       3 hours 48 minutes
     
     
     
     ZATAT SMASHES 36 YEAR OLD U/15 DISCUS RECORD - report by Paul Cheal
     
    Ilford Athletic Club took part in the Tate & Lyle Sugars/Tom Morgan Memorial Meeting held at Macmillan Stadium by Newham & Essex Beagles on a pleasent Sunday afternoon.
     
    There were 7 athletes that made the journey along the A/13 to take part and good performances were achieved. Youcef Zatat U/15 Boys surpassed his PB in the Discus with a magnificant throw of : 34m 24cm which also smashed the CLUB RECORD previously set by J.Salton way back in 1971 of 33m 38cm, so a 36 year record has gone to an athlete that it improving all the time and he still has one year left of the U/15's next year, he also set a PB in the Javelin with: 28m 81cm. Andrew Townsend was also in fine form at the end of the season in the U/15 Boys with a fine throw in the Discus with a PB of nearly 3m's to: 24m 25cm and he continued this in the Shot Putt with a PB of: 7m 37cm. Rob Legon in the U/17 Boys was also not to be outdone and threw a PB in the Discus with: 24m 33 and did the Shot with: 9m 15cm. Chris Dawe was slightly disappointed with his Discus throwing only: 26m 93cm and did the Shot with a distance of: 8m 84cm. Kurtland Martyr also took part in the Discus throwing over: 23m's. Last U/17 to compete was Andy Carle. Coming back from 4 wks of no training due to injury and holiday threw the Javelin a distance of: 39m 55cm.
     
    Laura Townsend the U/17 Women did the Shot Putt and threw it a distance of: 6m 64cm. The last Ilford Athlete was U/13 Boy Thomas King who did the 800m and 1500m. Following a few weeks of due to holiday and only one weeks training since return he did well to run a 800m which he hasnt run before for the club in: 2m 46.2s and the 1500m with his 3rd fastest time of: 5m 30.5s.
     
    This was a very good day and the performances at the end of a long season were very good with no doubt that they will get stronger and fitter for next season.