National Cross Country Champs
Nottingham
22nd February 2020

The National cross country championships, held by the English Cross Country Association was held at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, on Saturday.

Pitting himself against the finest athletes in the country was Ilford’s sole entrant Trevor Robinson.
Recent weather meant that the course was less than ideal, with even the elite runners in the country struggling to maintain any kind of speed in the thick mud.

Over a very demanding and hilly 12.k course Trevor gave a very good account of himself however, finishing in a time of 1:26 which placed him in 1,679th  place.

BMC Indoor track meeting
Lee Valley
19th February 2020

The BMC is one of the premier middle distance athletics clubs in the country, with athletes having to achieve target times to be granted entry.
On Wednesdays open meet Ilfords Paul Grange came 4th in the 800m event with a time of 1:55:68

Lee Valley Open meeting
19th February 2020

On the same evening Lee Valley sports centre also held an ‘open event’ for local athletes to test their speed on the track, and with many races cancelled over the last couple of weeks, two Ilford AC athletes took up the opportunity to race.
Sam Rahman  ran in heat 3 of the 1500m and ran in the leading positions throughout the 7 1/2 laps of the 200m indoor track finishing 2nd in 4 mins 40.60 secs showing his marathon preparations are on target.
Farris Patel had a similarly excellent race competing in the 800m. Always in contention Farris just missed out on 1st place in the final few yards but was pleased with a Seasons best time of 2 mins 1.28 seconds for second place

Lee Valley U13 / U15 Open meeting
22nd February 2020

Three Ilford youngsters had a successful track meet at the U13/U15 Open meeting on Saturday, with all three achieving PB’s .
First off was Lucas Emeagi who ran 28.39 seconds for the 200m and 5th place.
Following Lucas was older brother Jacob Emeagi who ran 47.57 seconds for the 300m and 4th place.
Finally Aaron Hick ran a great 800m to finish in 3rd place with a time of 2 mins 41.36 seconds

Essex & Eastern Counties Indoor Championships 2020
Lee Valley
8th – 9th February 2020

Ilford AC was represented very well by several athletes this weekend at the 2020 Essex & Eastern Counties Indoor Championships at Lee Valley.
First up was newcomer Rhys Ofori who won Gold in the U15 Boys 60m with a superb 7.26 seconds. He won the final originally but the race was re-run after a rules infringement made by an Official. Despite this, Rhys composed himself well to win in what was his fourth race of the day and in doing so captured his first County Gold medal after having been edged out in a photo finish at last year’s Essex Schools.
In the Senior Women’s 200m Krystle Balogun was a comfortable winner in an impressive indoor PB of 26.97. 

Esmeralda Mengeyele captured her first county championship in winning the Senior Women’s Long Jump title and also secured a Bronze medal in a close fought Women’s 60m race.
Jordan Akinpelu added to his championship medal tally with a Silver medal in the Senior Men’s Long Jump.
Another new club member, Fidunu Abidekun, won Silver in the U17M High Jump.
To round off a great weekend’s Field events, Denise Evi-Parker won a Bronze medal in the U20W Triple Jump. 

Elsewhere on the track Gemima Massamba won her first medal at Senior level with a solid Bronze medal in the Senior Women’s 400m.
Efe Austinz narrowly missed out on making the U20 Women’s 60m final, and in the U20 Men’s 60m Wanya Williams set a new PB in just missing the final by one place. 

Ilford were also represented in the middle distance events and managed to earn three gold medals.

First up in the Senior Men’s 800m was Paul Grange, Paul who is a veteran and was giving 15 plus years to some of the younger guys, ran a perfect race, content to sit in over the first 400m, he kicked down the back straight on the 3rd lap, to ease away from the field to win in a very good time of 1.55.25 which set a new championship record.

Next up in the U20 women’s 800m was Jordan Hinds, Jordan has had a very good winter and with an exam free summer is looking forward to some track races. She again was content to sit in for the first lap, but felt the pace was to slow and kicked on, from then on she extended her lead for the rest of the race to win her first individual county title in a time of around 2.30. This was an indoor pb, and 7 seconds faster than the same race last year.

Finally Ryan Holeyman ran in the Under 15 boys 1500m, Ryan hit the front from the off and gradually increased his lead the whole of the race, to win in an impressive 4.59.03.
This was also Ryan’s first ever county win, and was richly deserved on all the hard training that he has put in this winter.

Mercury 10
Epping Forest
8th February 2020

Mud glorious mud was the order of the day for Ilford athletes Jim Tilbrook and Gary Coombes on Saturday morning.
The Mercury 10 is a tough hilly cross country race through Epping Forest, and the recent wet weather ensured that the mud the race is famed for didn’t disappoint those that enjoy the challenge.

Gary Coombes came home in 10th place powering home in 1 hr 12 mins 39 secs, whilst Jim Tilbrook was pleased with his 86th placing in a time of 1 hour 50 minutes 8 seconds.

Surrey League Cross Country
Croydon
9th February 

Ilford stalwart Trevor Robinson ran in the Surrey League Cross Country league on Sunday morning.
The hilly 2 lap course of approx 5 miles was all on grass and trails and was almost waterlogged in places, so Trevor was very pleased with his time of 46 mins 24 secs for 120th place

South of England AA Championships
Parliament Hill
25th January 2020

The penultimate race on the long day of Cross Country running was the Senior ladies.
With the fields now well and truly churned up this was always going to be a tough race.
However the 5 Ilford ladies equipped themselves very well over the 8k course and did the club proud. Leading the way was Anna Crawley who has been in fantastic form over the last 12 months. Anna battled to a fine 215th position in a time of 38 mins 07 secs, an improvement of over 300 places in the same race last year. Coming in 2nd and 3rd for Ilford were two of the clubs Cross Country stalwarts Alison Sale and Frieda Keane finishing in 551st and 657th in times of 47 mins 29 secs and 55 mins 24 secs. Next in was a relative newcomer to Cross Country in her first season Lovedip Dhaliwal who came in on 59 mins 19 secs for 675th place. Completing the Ilford ladies squad was Launa Broadley who always gives 100% in 692nd place in a time of 67 mins 52 secs

There were strong results from the senior men of Ilford Ac with Tom Gardner particularly impressive coming home 136th in the 15km event in 55 minutes 18 secs. Next home was Oscar Peris, who is improving with each outing over the country, in 222nd with 57 mins 09 secs. Malcolm Muir gave his usual 100% coming in on 60 mins 45 secs for 375th.  Seb Parris finished a fine 501st in 63 mins 01 secs with Gary Coombes not too far back in 525th in 63 mins 25 secs. The 2 remaining Ilford men, both putting in solid performances followed shortly after. John Crawley was 588th in 64 mins 50 secs and Diarmuid McDonnell was 676th in 66 mins 42 secs.

Farnborough Half Marathon
25th January 2020

Elsewhere Ilford AC had 3 members competing in the Farnborough Half Marathon.
Paul Holloway finished in a very impressive 37th place in a field of almost 2,000 runners and also claimed 2nd place in his age category in a time of 78 mins 24 seconds.
Brennie Gabbidon was absolutely thrilled with her time of 2 hours 31 mins 36 secs which was an improvement of 38 minutes for the same race last year. Brennie is training for this years London Marathon and her hard work and dedication is paying dividends.  Brennie was accompanied on the run by her husband Rhoan who finished 1 second and one place behind her