Two young athletes from Ilford Athletic Club gained some invaluable experience when rubbing shoulders with some top quality opposition in the recent Birmingham indoor games held over 2 days of competition.
On Day 1 Simeon Stuart competed in the U/20 Men's 60 metres and 200 metres using both events as good preparation for his main event, the long Jump. In the 60m he ran a time of: 7.69sec in heat 4 of 5 coming home in 7th place and progressing no further. In the 200m though he ran a good time of: 24.36sec in heat 5 of 6 to finish 4th but again bowing out at this stage. Although far from happy with either performance Stuart continues to improve his times. Aaron Balogun was the other athlete in competition running a fast 7.16 sec to finish 3rd in heat 6 of 9 against some quality talent on show.
Undaunted Balogun returned on Day 2 to blast out a 22.07 to win heat 3 of 12 in the senior men's 200 metres and going through to the semi-final. Despite breaking one of his spikes he was still able to match his time set in the heats but unfortunately finished 2nd narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Nevertheless this was a good performance by the Ilford man who was recently been as high as 18th in the national rankings.
Balogun returned to top competition the following Saturday when trying to improve his 200 metre PB at the UK indoor trials at Sheffield. Balogun was drawn in the first heat but could only post 22.46 for 5th place.
The following Saturday Andy Catton was in 3000 metre action in the Southern Counties Vets AC Track and Field championships at Lee Valley. Catton trailed the very small field of 7 competitors with combined age groups. Although running solo for the last 10 of the 15 laps his time of 10.37 was respectable enough to earn him the male 50 bronze.
On the roads veteran Keith Ennis has been battling some icy cold winds on the very tough and "challenging handful of hills" otherwise known as the Watford half marathon. He was pleased with his 1.37.04 clocking in the circumstances which earned him 389th place in a mass field of nearly 2000 competitors.
Over 1000 runners took part in the PPUK London Valentines Love Run in Battersea Park where Ilford's Gary Floate placed 24th in 39.11 slicing off over 3 minutes form his corresponding time last year.
