• Press Report 21st July 2008

    Having won both the mens and womens races in the first leg of the East London Five Interclub Series (Elvis)  Ilford AC were hoping for similar fortune in the 2nd leg when sending a massive squad of 28 athletes to Havering 90's midweek 5 mile race last Tuesday. In the womens race Breege Nordin turned the tables on her main rival, Havering's Sue Spong, to lead the Ilford squad to yet another glorious victory on a balmy summer evening.The race which was started by an Elvis Tribute marshal who was also there to cheer runners through the finish, was held on a predominately flat 2 lap course on the paths and roads within and around Romford's Raphaels . Nordin  blitzed round in 34minutes 51 seconds and was beaten only by East London's Karen Levison who recorded an excellent time of 33.33. Lindsey Barker is another Ilford lady rapidly regaining her fine form and chased Nordin and Spong all the way to win the FV35 prize in 35.11 for 4th place overall. Pam Jones made it a clean sweep for Ilford in the vets prizes, her 40.37 being the top FV55 time of the evening. Nicola Hopkinson 37.06 and 5th overall, Dianne Crisp 38.57 and Sally Gillam 42.23 completed the scoring squad with the Cricklefields based club's low overall score of 56 pts showing a clean pair of heals to Havering90 90pts, Dagenham 136pts and Barking 226 pts. Ilford must now be strong favourites for the women's shield.
     
    The men brought a team missing some key personnel yet having considerable strength in depth. Unfortunatley they were up against a very stong Havering 90 squad including the likes of David Dickinson and Tony Pecararo. Nevertheless Ilford's Malcolm Muir gave both Dickinson and eventual winner Rob Warner of Havering Mayesbrook a great battle fighting tooth and nail for his 2nd place in 27.08 to Warner's 26.54 and Dickinson's 27.19. Neil Crisp 11th in 30.10, under 20, Iain Macdonald 31.30, both carried the flag well ably suported by veterans Gary Floate ,32.41, Rohan Alexander ,32.44, and Steve Parker 34.20. Howvever despite their best efforts this was not quite good enough to match Havering 90 who emerged the victors on 103 pts with Ilford 30 points adrift on 133pts. Barking were 3rd with 188pts and Dagenham back in 4th with 303pts.
     
    Other Ilford runners times were Jack Webb 34.48, Martin Clarke 36.25, Peter Spelman 36.36, Stephen Cheal 37.37, Henry Ricketts 37.55, Ray Rawlinson 37.58, Ernie Forsyth 40.17, Gerry Trill 40.28, Michael Herring 40.51, Victoria Morgan 43.04, Emma Light 43.22, Peter Whiting 44.44, Sulakhan Jandu 44.45, Carol Muir 49.03, Owen Phipps 50.59, Stephen Port 55.40. There were 177 finishers. 
     
    The series is proving to be incredibly popular and organisers of both of the races to date have been delighted with the substantial increases in numbers. The series now moves on to the 3rd leg which is the Barking Park 5k held on Bank Holiday Monday 27th August. Barking Road Runners are the hosts this time and encourage runners to preenter to help with administartion on the day.   
     
    Meanwhile Ilford had 3 representatives in the Thrift Green Trotters 10k held on a very challenging course at Brentwood last Sunday. The organisers always describe this event as "a pig of a race" and so it proved to be with times as usual well down on normal with Keith Ennis leading the trio home in 44.11. Bree Nordin in her 2nd race of the week was next home as 3rd lady over 45 in 45.11, followed by club stalwart Gerry Pells, certainly one of the club's oldest competitors in his 74th year, returning 58.35. It came as no surprise that prolific racer Crispian Bloomfield of Billericay won the race in a very good time of 32.28.
     
    FIRED UP CHAMBERS SPRINTS TO CLUB RECORD AND AIDS CLUB PROMOTION - Report by Paul Cheal
    On a blustery Sunday Ilford AC Juniors again made their way along the A13 to Thurrock Harriers this time for the last league match in the UKYAL S2 Thames division which proved to be a great success as they have secured PROMOTION to division 1 next season final score was as follows: 
    1) Thurrock - 412 Points
    2) Southend - 399 Points
    3) Ilford AC  - 353 Points
    4) VPTH      - 341 Points
    5) Invicta Kent - 218 Points
    6) Eton Manor - 185 Points
     
    Tamara Chambers was back to fine form in the sprints and hurdles. She did the 150m with a PB of: 20.2s just outside the club record but went one further with the 75m eclipsing the CLUB RECORD and also ran a fine 70m Hurdles with: 12.2s and another PB so she can fly off into the sunset tomorrow on holiday a happy girl. Ashley Joseph also performed well with PB's, 21.3s in the 150m, 13.1s in the 70m Hurdles and: 3m 80cm in the Long Jump. Trinity St Lewis competing for the second time ran a PB for the 75m: 11.6s, 4m 55cm in the Shot Putt and 3m 25cm in the Long Jump, whilst Sian Connelly did the Shot Putt: 5m 85cm. They finished with the 4x100m (Connolly, St Lewis, Chambers & Joseph) with: 60.7sec.
     
    In the U/15 Girls Corina Bryce Arnold claimed an Equalled PB in the 100m with: 13.3s, 200m: 27.7s and the Shot Putt: 5m 11cm. Melodie Ihuoma did the 200m: 28.1s an impressive: 20m 25cm in the Discus and 4m 82cm in the Long Jump. Kehinde Ademola did the Long Jump: 3m 64cm, the Javelin: 9m 68cm and the Discus: 11m 33cm. Gloria Alabi did the 100m: 13.2s, the High Jump: 1m 25cm and the Shot Putt: 8m 87cm and then they finished with 4x100m: 55.0sec.
     
    Zena Uppal made a welcome return in the U/17 Women with a time of: 31.2s in the 200m and 50.5s for the 300m, whilst Lydia Hall competing for the first time in a little while did the 300m: 47.1s, the 200m: 28.9s and the High Jump: 1m 40cm. Rochelle Rhodes improved her PB in the Shot Putt: 8m 27cm, a solid Triple Jump of: 9m 20cm and the High Jump: 1m 40cm. Laibah Malik continues to improve with a PB in the field events: 10m 81cm in the Javelin, breaking the 4m barrier in the Long Jump with: 4m 02cm and the 100m in: 14.9s, finally Alisha Cox ran a PB in the 100m: 14.3s, Long Jump: 3m 34cm and the Shot Putt: 5m 44cm. The relay of ( Lydia, Zena, Alisha & Laibah) came home in: 56.2s.
     
    In the U/13 Boys credit must be given to Ciaran Rodway as he must definitely be called a Ilford AC hero. After competing in five football matches earlier in the day and clearly very tired he battled his way round the 1500m to gain maximum points in the B-String with a slow but expected time of: 6m 29.8s and he also competed in the relay what a true star. George Hadler extended his own CLUB RECORD in the High Jump by 1cm to: 1m 42cm whilst he recorded another PB in the 75m Hurdles: 13.4s and the 800m in: 2m 38.9s. Jordan Akisanya did his usual events with: 26.9s for the 200m, 13.5s for the 100m and 4m 62cm for the Long Jump, whilst Thomas King ran a good solid 1500m in: 5m 21.3s, the Long Jump: 3m 50cm and equalled his PB in the High Jump: 1m 25cm, they finished with a 4x100m: 58.1s.
     
    In the U/15 Boys we had Youcef Zatat who was competing for the first time following his English Schools success last week. He did the Discus: 39m 20cm, the Javelin: 41m 60cm and the Shot Putt: 11m 37cm. Taiwo Ademola ran a PB in the 100m with: 14.4s and the 200m in a time of: 32.2s whilst leaping: 3m 64cm for the Long Jump. Kofi Jeffers was the remaining U/15 Boy who did the 200m in a time of: 24.3s but was unable to compete anymore due to illness.
     
    Ayokunle Adekeye U/17 Men did well in his jumps with a PB in both the Long & Triple Jump: 5m 64cm and 12m 61 respectively and he also did the 100m where he equalled his PB with: 12.2s. Jordan Kirby ran the 200m to claim a PB with 23.9s and that was also the case in the 100m: 11.5s and the Long Jump: 5m 28cm. Jack Webb did the 800m: 2m 23.9s, the 1500m Steeplechase: 5m 43.6s and the Shot Putt: 6m 47cm. Liam Leddy ran in the 200m: 30.4s but was unable to run the 800m due to a slight injury so did the Javelin for points and threw: 5m 09cm. Last to make up the U/17 Men was the lone thrower Chris Dawe who although he had some back up with some middle distance runners was the only recognised thrower he didn't let that stop him with a PB in the Discus: 34m 42cm, the Javelin was: 21m 78cm and the Shot Putt: 10m 24cm. The relay team consisting of (Ayokunle, Kirby, Webb & Dawe) finished with: 49.6s.
     
    Yet again from the squad there were some very good performances and it definitely shows with some hard work they can achieve their goals. Next stop is the last league meeting in the EYAL at Home on Sunday 03rd August.