Press Report 28th March 2023  

Mar 282023
 

Cross Country finale – Inter Counties and English Schools Champs

Whilst most members’ Cross-Country season finished several weeks ago, Ilford’s rising young middle distance star Joseph Grange has been representing Essex in two prestigious Cross-Country races. 

First up was the Inter Counties held in Loughborough, and to even make the Essex team as a lower age athlete was a tremendous achievement. The race started well, and Joseph established a good pace to follow closely the leading group; after two kilometers, however it proved to be a notch too fast and Joseph was forced to slow down, still completing the race 67th position in a field of nearly 300 runners and only half minute after the fourth Essex scorer was impressive. 

This weekend was the English schools Championships which was held in Nottingham. After an aggressive start pushing the pace with the lead group for over the 1st half of the race Joseph fell off the pace to finish a credible 27th place out of over 300 of the best year 10 and 11 XC athletes in the country.  As a bonus Joseph helped the Essex team to a 3rd place team medal.

Joseph has 2 more years to achieve his dream of a top 10 finish with the prize of England representation and an England vest is achieved.


Orion 15 Miles

Two Ilford runners, Diaurmuid MacDonnell and Danny Holeyman, headed to the hills and mud of Epping Forest on Saturday 25th March for the Legendary Orion 15 mile race. This is a renowned race in the fixture list and famous for being a demanding course with lots of elevation and great stretches of mud as well as uneven trails in the Forest. The persistent rain the day before had left the course sodden and slippery which only made the course even harder although somewhat enjoyable too! Diarmuid MacDonnell had a fantastic race and finished in 2 hours 5 minutes and 6 seconds in 32nd place which put him 3rd in his V50 age category. Danny Holeyman persevered on the challenging terrains and finished in 2 hours 17 minutes and 29 seconds which placed him 62nd out of the 163 finishers on the day.


British Masters Cross Country Championship
Rising Sun Country Park, Wallsend

This year’s British Masters Cross Country Championship took place over an undulating challenging course which was made muddier after the recent snowfall melted in the Rising Sun Country Park, Wallsend, which is landscaped on the site of a former colliery.

Rob Sargent of Ilford AC took part in the M65 age group 2 lap 5.8km event and found the race tough going on the second lap finishing 20th in 41 mins 40 secs.

Fleet Half Marathon

The Fleet Half Marathon always attracts a top quality field, and this year was no exception.
Paul Holloway was Ilford’s sole representative this year and put in a top performance to finish 113th in a field of over 1700 runners in a time of 1 hr 19mins 56 secs. The time secured him 5th place in the V50 category.

  Phyllis Winger RIP Tributes  

Mar 252023
 

From Dave Ainsworth :-
Phyllis was born at Horfield in Bristol on 22nd February 1934 which made her aged 89.

For many years Phyllis resided in Rayburn Road, Hornchurch before moving to Kent. She was a Past President (1974/75), and a former Hon.General Secretary 1997/98 and was a  Life Member.  As Phyllis Perkins she became the Club’s first Olympian when competing in the 800 metres at the 1960 Rome Olympics.  In an event which been restored to the Olympic programme for a first time since the 1928 Amsterdam Games, Phyllis was eliminated in a heat when clocking 2:15.41.  Further major events came her way as in the 1962 European Championships in Belgrade, over the same distance, she failed to make the final by just 1/10th of a second when clocking 2:08.4.  In the same year over 880 yards at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth she was 4th in 2:09.4.   For many years Phyllis headed the Club’s 800 metres rankings with 2:07.3 set on February 29th 1956 in a GB v Hungary Representative Match.  In later years she was well known as an athletics official at many meetings throughout the Southern Area.

From past Ilford AC President (1994/95) Bill Sutherland BEM & Kath Sutherland:-
Sad news indeed! May she Rest in Peace after a very memorable athletic life.

From Ernie Forsyth Ilford AC Past President:-
More sad news on the passing of another Ilford AC legend.

From Roger Mills (fellow Ilford AC Olympian & Club Past President):-
Formidable Club member. Would have been up there with lottery funding, pro contracts. 5,10k no problem. RIP.

From June Cork (City of Southend AC & Past Essex County AA President):-
Another loss of our athletic elite. I am very sorry to learn of the death of Phyllis Winger.  My condolences to her family.

From Peter Matthews.
Editor Athletics International & International Athletics Annual
With Acknowledgement to Peter’s internationals file:-

Phyllis Elsie Maureen GREEN/PERKINS/WINGER (b, 22 Feb 1034 Horfield, Bristol) died on February 22 in Kent. As Phyllis Perkins she competed at 800m in the 1960 Olympic Games (heat), 1962 Europeans (heat) and 1962 Commonwealth Games (4th). At the International Cross-country she was 4th 1956, 6th 1957, 7th 1968. WAAA champion 880y 1956 and 1963 (2nd 1957, 1959-60m 1962, 3rd 1952) , 1 mile 1954-5,  indoor 600y 1962, Won National CC 1951-52 (2md 1956, 1963, 3rd 1968). Southern champion 880y 1959, 1 mile 1952 CC 1951-53.S she set world records at 1500m 4:35.4 (1956), 3000m/2M 10:56.0/11:28.0 (1954) & 10:55.2/11:27.2 (1955), 3x880y 1952. UK records: 3x880y (2) (1952-6), 3x800m (1956); indoor 600y (3) 1:30.0 (1962) to 1:27.1 (1963), 880y 2:16.3 (1962); junior 880y 2:17.8 (1952). Pbs: 200m 25.3 (1959), 400m 55.8 (1960), 600y 1:25.6 (1962), 660y 1:34.2 (1963), 800m 2:07.3 (1956), 1M 4:57.0 (1963), 2M 11:27.2 (1954). Ilford AC. Leading official, President South of England AA 2016-17.

Phyllis also competed at a high level in Cross Country running and was part of the Ilford AC team that won the National Cross Country Championships in 1960 with 4 runners in the first 22.
She is pictured here, on the left, with Muriel Critchley, Pam Jones and Joan Dryden.

  Press Report 20th March 2023  

Mar 202023
 
Chingford League Relays 

The final Chingford League fixture of the season took place at Wanstead flats last weekend.
Unlike the previous fixtures the final event was a 4x 3000m relay race. Ilford AC fielded four teams including one team ( C team) made up entirely of U15 Athletes. 

New Member  Sam Horsley, an under 15, ran a great first Leg for the D team running a time of 11.45 and handing the team over in 7th place. Fabrizio Stefanoni who is returning from injury ran a solid leg for the A team in a time of 12.11 for 13th place. Aaron Hick ran 12.47 for 28th for the C team and Steve Crane 13.23 for 34th for the B team. 

Wayne Hick was expecting an easy run round in mid field for the D team, but with Sam’s great run he was much higher up the field than expected.  Wayne completed his leg in 14.49, with the team now in 26th place. Ronan Edwards was Ilford’s fastest runner of the day clocking 11.18 to move the A team up to 6th place. Samuel Crane also had a great leg clocking 11.35, and moving the C team up to 11th. Neil Crisp ran the second leg for the B team clocking a time of 13.36 to improve to 27th place. 

Leg 3 saw Seb Parris run 13.02 for the A team who were now in 10th place.  James Thake for the C team ran 12.42 to close in on the A team. Danny Holeyman, also returning from injury, moved the C team up to 24th place with a time of 13.36. Jim Tilbrook ran a solid 17.47 for the D team, but unfortunately there was no 4th leg runner to complete Team D. 

The final leg was a family affair with father and son Berekhat Berakhy and Aron Berhe running for the A and C teams. On this occasion Berekhat won the honours and kept the A team ahead of the C team with a time of 12.31 for 10th place, with Aron running 12.55 to bring the C team home 12th. Andy Catton anchored the B team home to 29th with a time of 15.23 

Although unable to run due to injury, special mention to Ryder Islam who won the U15 category for overall points for the season. 

  Press Report 14th March 2023  

Mar 142023
 

BRENTWOOD HALF MARATHON
Sunday 12th March 2023

Thirteen runners from the endurance group of Ilford AC took part in the popular 41st staging of the Brentwood Half Marathon. The undulating course  is a one-loop, road race, starting and finishing in Brentwood, taking runners on a route around the roads north of Brentwood.

It continues to be the most popular race in Essex and attracts a field of over 1700 runners. 

Leading the way for Ilford AC was Sam Rahman, who continues to show good form in his marathon build up, in 19th spot and 4th in the M40 category, with 1 hr 21 mins 21 secs. He was followed home by Malcolm Muir showing his usual gutsy performance  with 1 hr 26 mins 03 secs for 54th and not far behind in 78th place was Diarmuid Mac Donnell with 1 hr 28mins 19 secs.
Berekhet Berakhy ran the distance for the first time in 1hr 29mins 20 secs for 91st spot. Race walker Steve Crane changed disciplines and ran home in 1 hr 34 mins 31 secs while Dennis Briggs continues his training for the Manchester Marathon with 1 hr 37 mins 38 secs.
Hannah Sheikh was the first Ilford lady home and ran very well, hitting her target of a new personal best by over 2 minutes recording 1 hr 47 mins 48 secs and finishing as 60th lady.
Gaye Young was next over the line for the club with 1 hr 49 mins 03 specs, with Steve Lacey next home recording 1 hr 51 mins 51 secs. Alison Sale was another who ran well,  improving her best time for the distance in 1 hr 54mins 57 secs. Adam Coals followed in hr 57 mins 52 seconds  Julia Galea finished as 2nd in the F65 grouping with 2 hrs 14 mins 47 secs. 

Completing the Ilford team on the day was the ever reliable Frieda Keane, coming home in 2 hrs 17 mins 20 secs.


Lisbon Half Marathon
Sunday 12th March 2023The Lisbon Half Marathon is Portugal’s most popular race, attracting over 35,000 runners each year. Running across the Ponte de abril bridge it offers runners a great view of the Capital City.
Competing in this years race was Ilfords Anna Crawley, who ran a well paced race to finish in 1,849th place for a time of 1 hr 40 mins 35 seconds

  Press Report 7th March 2023  

Mar 072023
 

British Masters Indoor Championships
(18-19th February) (Sheffield)

Krystle Balogun put on a strong showing in winning a Bronze medal in a closely contested W35 200m final at the recent British Masters Indoor Championship that took place in Sheffield. Despite an interrupted start to her season due to nagging injuries, she showed her championship prowess in setting a new indoor personal best of 26.49 seconds to win her fourth national medal at Masters level in the last year.

Essex and Eastern Indoor Championships
(4-5th March) Lee Valley

The Essex and Eastern Indoor Championships took place last weekend, with some outstanding performances and results from Ilfords athletes, including 7 medals.
Krystle Balogun continued with the fine form she has been showing of late with a Gold medal for the 60m V35 final in 8:39 and a Silver medal in the Senior 200m final in 26.83.
Paul Grange doubled in the senior men’s races winning the 1500m in 4:23.19 and finishing a strong second, although gaining an Essex Gold in a season’s best time in the 800m in 1:56.45 to add to his medal tally.
Dylan Harrod ran in the U20’s 800m with hopes of a medal finish after a good winter’s training. He ran well to claim the silver medal in a good indoor time of 2.04.97
Oliver Blainey, gained a Bronze medal in the U20 400m final in 52:43.
Joseph Grange gained further indoor experience for future year’s competition finishing with a Bronze Essex medal in the U17 1500m final in 4:21.93

Although finishing outside the medal positions there were still very impressive performances from Malachi Harley 5th 60m Snr final 7.33, Aleena Lawrence 8.39 in the U20 60m heats and Wayna Williams 24.97 in the 200m senior heats

ESSEX 20 MILE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Carver Barracks Saffron Walden
Sunday 5 March

The Essex 20 mile road running championships were held on a cold morning on the disused airfield at Carver Barracks near Saffron Walden. The race consisted of 5 4 mile laps and the squad from Ilford Ac, who are all preparing for a spring marathon, produced good results, with three individual medals, 3 personal best performances and included 4 runners acing the distance for the first time.

Paul Holloway took home the Essex title in the M55 age category with a time of 2 hrs 6 mins 48 secs in 25th place. Gaye Young improved her best time for the distance by over 8 minutes to take 2nd in the F50 group and win the silver medal in 2 hrs 55 mins exactly in 30th in the female championship. Gaye will be taking part in the Manchester marathon in April.
There was a bronze for Terry Knightley in the M60 age group with 2 hrs 24 mins 09 secs.

Sam Rahman is looking in good shape to break his target of 2 hrs 56 mins in the Boston Marathon later this Spring, as he improved his personal best in the 20 mile distance to 2hrs 05 mins 02 secs for 20th overall and just missed out on a medal, placing 4th in the M40 category.
Also setting a new best time for 20 miles was Dennis Briggs, who is also taking part in the Manchester marathon, with 2 hrs 31 mins 05 secs for 88th spot in the Essex Championship.

The Ilford runners running the distance for the first time are all taking part in the London Marathon . Richard Woolterton recorded 2hrs 19mins 08 secs, Sean Costello 3 hrs 08 mins 54 secs, Mandy Reid 3 hrs 12 mins 01 secs and Batmanaden Ramen 3 hrs 21 mins 59 secs

Trafford 10k
5th March

The Trafford 10K. One of the UK’s most popular and quickest 10K’s for club runners, with elites traveling from all over Europe to run this super-fast course.
The one lap course is perfect for fast times ran on scenic country roads starting and finishing in Partington near to Manchester.
This year’s race saw Brother and Sister team Malcolm and Carol Muir heading North for the race with Malcolm finishing in 38:17 for 455th position and Carol coming home in 1:04.43 for 1200th position

London Half Marathon
Olympic Park
5th March

Dara O’Cuireain, who has recently started training with Ilford AC, showed great potential for his future as a member of the club recording 1 hr 27 min 23 seconds, finishing in 88th place in a large field, just 37 seconds behind in 1 hr 28 minutes was Craig Livermore