• Press Report 8th June 2009

    Ilford Athletic Club had 9 runners on parade at the first of the 3 Orion Harrriers Forest 5 mile trail races on Saturday morning. The more experienced quickly realised that although stated as a predominantly flat course, such a claim should be treated as little more than hearsay when advertised on Orion literature, especially when the start could be viewed on the plain at the bottom of the steep incline leading up to the host club's headquarters. Heavy morning rain had also made the grassy areas extremely slippery as nearly 150 starters struggled to keep their footing. Nevertheless Ilford's Chris Togwell put in an extremely strong run to lead the Cricklefields club home in a good time of 32.47 for 20th position. Togwell had battled with clubmate Abdi Berleen for most of the way round and it was not until the final climb that Berleen dropped off the pace to come home in 33.07. Third home for the club was Martin Clarke, making a welcome return to competition, but struggling from an inflamed knee caused by some injudicious DIY during the week. Harrier Gerry Trill was not far back in 41.55 with Peter Spelman unwisely hobbling round with a hamstring injury next home in 43.30. A rejuvenated and highly motivated Robin Davis had turned up expecting his normal Saturday morning hard training session but creditably competed when he realised everybody else was racing and finished strongly with  50.16.  
    Vanessa Burns led the women home clocking 40.52 from Sally Gillam 44.08. Gillam had also run the previous week at the Vets AC 5 mile race at Battersea where she recorded 41.44. Claire Harrison, competing for the club for the first time, ran extremely well to finish with 46.03.
    Elsewhere the heavy rain had also made the course very muddy at the Barking and Dagenham 5 mile race (BAD 5) held at Eastbrookend Country Park in Dagenham on Sunday. Ilford had 3 runners present where Steve Parker 34.52 and Rohan Alexander 33.33 both placed highly in the field. Pam Jones was happy with her 42.30 in a race easily won by veteran Debbie Appleton in just over 31 minutes with her sister Joanne Sullivan 2nd woman home and some 4 minutes behind. 
     
      
     
    Jordan is Priceless

    Ilford A.C. athlete Jordan Kirby smashed the under-17 200 metre record at the third match of the Southern Mens League at Kingston on Saturday.  Kirby and former record holder Aaron Balogun dominated the sprints in a successful day for the Club as they marched to a fine second place, narrowly behind league
    leaders and hosts, Hercules Wimbledon.

    Jordan has only been at the club for a year but showed great professionalism in recording 22.3 to win and knock 15 hundredths of the former club record.
    This followed an excellent earlier performance by the junior athlete of 11.1 in the 100m.  Senior athlete, Aaron Balogun was also in imperious form near
    his very best as he comfortably won both 100m and 200m in excellent times of 11.0 and 22.0 seconds.
     Gary Madigan was given five minutes to prepare for his 400 metres but revelled in the adrenaline rush to run an excellent time of 53.1s, narrowly missing second place on the line.  This followed an equal season's best time of 11.5s in the 100m.
    Antoine Green made his debut in the 400m hurdles and looked like he would compete for a win until the last 150m as he set off at breakneck speed. Unfortunately the early pace was too much and he struggled over the last two hurdles but still recorded an excellent time of 64.7s and has promise to do well under the minute mark.  Dewa Collier was also in good form with a time of 74.3s.  Elijah Collins ran an excellent sprint hurdles of 17.8s.

    Simeon Stuart is looking capable of breaking 7 metres this year as he leapt to a second best ever distance of 6.62m, despite consistent trouble with his run up.  Healson Ihuoma had similar problems with his run-up but still managed a distance of 6.40m, just 3cm behind his best.  Ilford recorded the
    second double win of the day in the triple jump with fine performances of 13.29m by Nat Senior and 12.60m for Elijah Collins.  Malekout and Ihuoma performed well in the pole vault with 2.60m and 2.40m respectively.
    Malekout and Ihuoma were again together in the javelin scoring maximum points with a season's best of 42.89m and a personal best of 39.05m respectively.  Craig Burrow scored maximum points in the hammer with 32.49m but saved his best for the shot with a season's best of 12.09m and an
    excellent discus throw of 37.73m, while Wes Clarke is returning to form in the hammer with 39.24m.

    Malcolm Muir was irrepressible on the track, excelling in the 5000m, 1500m and 3000m steeplechase in a busy 90 minute period.  His 5000 time of 15.53.4 and 10.41.5 in the steeplechase were his best this year, while his 1500m time of 4.17.9 was his 7th time within half a second of his personal best, indicating a much quicker time on a quieter day.  David Dickinson also attempted a difficult double of 5000m and 1500m and excelled himself with times of 16.19.1 and 4.24.9, including the trademark Dickinson finish in both to gain two valuable extra points.  Andy Mason made a break from his usual fell racing and ultra marathons to run a personal best of 2.41.6 in the much briefer distance of 800m.
    With only the relays to go, and scores tight, the pressure was on the squads to perform.  The earlier promise of the 4x100m squad of Balogun, Kirby, Stuart and Madigan was perfectly realised with a peerless display of sprinting and handovers to record 43.7s and victory by almost a second.  The 4x400m squad was a little understrength with 3.38.7 including Ihuoma (54.2), Green (56.4), Collins (56.3) and Malekout (51.8) but it didn't matter because the late flurry of points lifted Ilford to second, only 7 points shy of a win.  Although their league position is not yet secure  the performance will give the squad the much needed boost to further success at the next match at Parliament Hill on 27th June.
    Other results: Sam Malekout 400m - 52.1; DT - 25.43m; Healson Ihuoma 110mH - 21.1; Nat Senior SP - 8.13m; Elijah Collins HJ - 1.65m; Simeon Stuart HJ -
    1.70m; Matt Maple 800m - 2.15.4; 3kSC - 11.13.5; Andy Mason 3kSC - 12.32.3
    (N/S)