Friday Serpentine 5K
The race was of an unusually high standard near the front, and was won by a German from Munich, Florian Neuschwander, in the fast time of 14:48, and by a large margin. (The accepted record of 14:35 was on the old and faster course by the Army runner Andy Arrand. Only Bedford's Huw Lobb has run faster on this course, with 14:41). Top Ilford runner was Malcolm Muir whose time of 16:31 put him in tenth place. Nursing an Achilles strain John Batchelor could manage only 19:31 in 48th place overall, but it was good for fastest M60/65 by a rather bigger margin than last time! Nicola Hopkinson place 126th overall in 23:01.
Friday/Sunday Denmark
Ilford AC's Pam Jones and Steve Parker have been competing in the European Veteran's Road Championships in Aarhus Denmark.
Pam Jones was beaten in her W70 age group by two minutes in the 10K by German runner Elfriede Hodapp, clocking 51:20, but bounced back two days later to win the W70 half marathon title by twelve minutes in 1:54:47. Pam also dropped down to the 65 category for the 10k team competition helping GB to take Gold ahead of the Germans. In some very hot conditions sun cream was the order of the day as temperatures reached 23 degrees. Steve Parker clocked 42.20 in the 10k 1.38.58 in the half marathon.
ONYEKA ON TARGET WITH THROWS - Report by Paul Cheal
On a very hot day Ilford juniors took the long journey to Brighton for round 3 of the UKYAL Meeting and although a small squad was able to show off some good performances along the way.
In the U/13 Girls Ellie Atkinson is showing signs of improvement in only her 2 competition.She ran the 150m, 75m in 11.9sec and the Long Jump with a PB of: 3m 11cm. Trinity St Lewis completed the same disciplines with: 150m - 22.0sec, 75m - 11.2sec and the Long Jump: 3m 41cm. Tamara Chambers coming back to some decent form now in the U/15 Girls ran a fine 200m in: 26.4sec, Long Jump slightly below her best of: 3m 91 and the 100m. Mika Marston did the 200m in: 29.2sec whilst debutant Bethany Hall jumped: 2m 74cm and ran a respectable: 5m 34.1sec in the 1500m.
The U/17 Women had Victoria Onyeka perform so well that she claimed 3 PB's. In the Hammer she threw: 18m 77cm, the Discus: 26m 85cm and the Shot was 7m 71cm which just goes to show the more you practice the better you get. Corina Bryce Arnold ran: 28.7sec for the 200m & 48.3sec for the 300m, whilst Clare Rodway the 300m Hurdles: 56.4sec and the 300m flat: 50.7sec. Gloria Alabi: 200m in a time of: 27.5sec and a welcome return of Rochelle Rhodes with a Long Jump: 4m 61cm, Discus: 16m 73cm and the Triple Jump: 10.00m, this was all rounded of with a 4 x 100m consisting of: (Rodway, Bryce-Arnold, Rhodes & Onyeka).
Harry Kyriacou in the U/13 Boys was Ilford's sole representative in this age group and he was also making his debut. He ran an impressive 200m with: 29.0sec, a 800m and the Shot Putt with: 6m 55cm. The U/15 Boys although dominated by George Hadler's 12.2sec for the 80m Hurdles, 200metres and 58.9sec - 400m was eclipsed by Thomas King's PB in the 1500m which he has been trying to surpass for sometime now. In a competitive race where he was running with a small group of athletes, this definitely helped him along to a PB of: 5m 14.3sec, whilst he also did the Long Jump: 3m 53cm and the Javelin: 17m 22. Jordan Akisanya did the 200m and the Long Jump: 4m 82cm, the other member of the quartet was debutant Tarshan Peart who did the 400m: 73.5sec, 1500m: 5m 37.6sec and the Javelin: 12m 17cm. The four of them finished with a 4x100m relay in a time of: 58.6sec. Jordan Kirby in the U/17 Men was in superb sprinting mode running a brilliant: 22.6sec in the 200m which equalled his PB and a 11.3sec for the 100m, whilst Kofi Gibbon Jeffers claimed a PB in the 100m Hurdles with: 15.2sec and a 11.9sec in the 100m.
Well done to all those who took part today and look forward to them competing at the next match in 3 weeks time at St Albans.