• Press Report 29th June 2009

    Ihuoma leaps into the record books - Report by Matt Maple.

    Healson Ihuoma led Ilford’s charge in the 4th match of the Southern Mens League hosted by Highgate Harriers on Saturday. The Ilford athlete equalled a 28 year old club record in the junior mens long jump with an outstanding leap of 6.90m, almost half a metre beyond his previous best.

    The day did not start well with the organisers unexpectedly changing the timetable.  This resulted in a number of lost points with athletes being left unprepared for their events and others struggling to get to the venue in time, but to great credit the athletes stood up to the challenge without fuss and maintained a high level of commitment and performance throughout.  Added to this, the weather turned from burning heat to rainfall of near biblical proportions throughout the day, making the day a very challenging one.

    Simeon Stuart bravely leapt on an injured leg to record 6.45m and make it a double victory for Ilford in the long jump.  The triple jumpers lost their perfect record this year with Nat Senior suffering a rare defeat but still leapt an impressive distance of 13.08m while Elijah Collins won the ‘B’ string with a new personal best of 12.87m.  Elijah was on fine form in the high jump, recording a height of 1.75m, while Healson Ihuoma was a fraction off his best in the pole vault with 2.60m.

    Malcolm Muir ran a personal best of 4:15.6 in the 1500m with a lightning last lap of 64 seconds. Muir wasn’t long off the track before running a steeplechase in a season’s best time of 10.38.9 ahead of team manager Matt Maple who was beaten by a narrow margin for the second match in a row to record 11.05.7.  Paul Dobson, making his debut for Ilford, ran an excellent time of 4:33.8 in the 1500m, which followed an earlier run in the 5000m, in which he overcame debilitating heat to record 16.38.0 just behind team mate David Dickinson who ran his trademark fast finish to record 16:30.2. Pete Clinch also ran very well despite being given little time to prepare for his 800m, running 2:05.2 in a highly competitive race.

    The sprinters suffered from the early start with Aaron Balogun getting injured in the 100m but still managing a brave performance of 11.3s.  Jordan Kirby continues to impress, running 11.5s into a headwind and following this with a 200m in 22.7s.  Antoine Green and Elijah Green both looked good in the high hurdles, both coming 2nd in times of 16.3s and 17.4s respectively.  With Healson running 23.5s in the 200m and Elijah and Antoine to join them, it was no surprise that the 4x100m squad ran strongly, narrowly missing out on 1st with an impressive time of 44.3s.

    Craig Burrow, always the bedrock of the team managed to overcome injury to throw an amazing distance of 37.31m for victory in the discus during a torrential hail storm.  He was joined in the throws by debutant Paul Jones, who threw an impressive 9.45m in the shot.  Wes Clarke was also on good form in the hammer, albeit in better conditions to record 39.54m for second, while Healson was again in action with a 36.45m javelin.

    A tired 4x400m squad of Ihuoma (54.1), Kirby (52.1), Collins (55.6) and Green (56.6) ran strongly to hold off rivals Kent in a sprint finish in 3:38.4 to secure an overall team 4th place, narrowly losing to eternal rivals Luton AC.

    The next match at Chelmsford will be on 11th July with lots for the squad to do to avoid the relegation places.

    Other performances include:- Matt Maple: PV – 1.40m, 400m – 60.3; Simeon Stuart: HJ – 1.65m; Craig Burrow: HT – 27.66m, SP - 10.94m, JT – 32.39m; Antoine Green: 400mH – 66.8; Elijah Collins: 400mH – 64.3; Malcolm Muir: 800m – 2:12.6; Pete Clinch: 400m – 56.3
     
    SCVAC 22 June 2009 - Copthall  - Report by Henry Ricketts
     
    Ilford AC's veteran athletes put in some excellent performances in an enjoyable evening of athletics at the Copthall Stadium, home of Shaftesbury Barnett Harriers, last Monday night. With the return of three injured athletes from the previous match, the club were able to able to finish in 4th place on the evening with Malcolm Muir completing an excellent middle distance double of first place in the 1500m and 5000m in 4.19.3 and 16.05.7. He was ably supported by Matt Maple taking second place B string 1500m in 4.40.2 and Abdi Berleen taking third place B string 5000m in 18.41.7.
    Chris Togwell who had a busy evening in the 50 plus age group started with fifth place in the triple jump with 7m 99 and sixth in the discus with 21m 79. He also completed the middle distance double with fourth in the 1500m with 5.27.3 and sixth in the 5000m with 19.11.5.
    Rob Sargent who competed as a guest finished the 5000m with 20.17.6.
    John Batchelor took the spoils in the 60 plus 5000m finishing 40 seconds ahead in 20.04.2. He also filled the 400m and his time of 71.6 secured a further first place.
    In the sprints Henry Ricketts finished fifth in the 100m with 12.5 and fourth in the 400m with 58.8. His one attempt in the triple jump saw him finish sixth with 9m 43.
    Matt Maple filled the B string sprints finishing sixth and third respectively with 14.2 and 60.9.
    Ray Rawlinson competed in the 50 plus age group finishing sixth in the 100m and 400m with 15.0 and 68.4 respectively. His shot of 6m 54 gained eighth place.
    Pete Whiting filled the throw events and finished sixth and seventh in the discus and shot with 20m 64 and 7m 36.
    The evening finished with the Medley Relay (200, 200, 400 and 800) where the team of Rawlinson, Ricketts, Maple and Muir finished third in 4.05.7.

    The last match is to be held at Dacorum and Tring AC, Hemel Hempstead. The team stand in fourth place at present just ahead of Trent Park.

    Road Report
     
    Meanwhile back on the roads Nicola Hopkinson was first lady home for the club at the Veterans AC 5 mile race held in the grounds of Battersea Park on Tuesday. Hopkinson clocked 39.32 for 22nd place and was closely followed by Sally Gillam 40.05 for 23rd and Pam Jones 41.30 for 28th. Pam Jones was back in action on Friday in the Serpentine 5k where her 25.11 was easily good enough to top the age graded scales with a phenomenal 92.6 per cent. 
    Sally Gillam is another prolific racer and together with Abdi Berleen braved some scorching temperatures at the Horndon 10k on Sunday. In a field of nearly 500 runners Berleen managed 40.50 for 34th place with Gillam recording 53.17 for 230th. The race was won by Paul Whittaker of Southend in 32.55 from Crispian Bloomfield of Billericay 33.59.
    Gary Floate has also been in action recently and was more than happy with his 19.14 performance in the Dulwich 5k which is his fastest set as a 40 year old. Duncan Turner decided to give the triathlon discipline a go in the Epping "Try a Tri " event and discovered he might well have some talent when finishing an excellent 20th iin 1.07.21. Turner really enjoyed the event and will now be turning his hand to the Beastway Mountain Bike series in July.