Southern Men’s League – Cricklefields

Heroic Malekout leads Ilford victory

Sam Malekout braved a painful shoulder injury to record a lifetime best of 6.29m in the long jump and a season's best in the quarter mile of 51.5, as Ilford Athletic Club romped to a comfortable victory in the 3rd Southern Mens League match held at Cricklefields on Saturday. The result of the match hung in the balance midway through the match but a series of victories towards the end of the day provided a 24 point cushion over nearest rivals Watford.

With sprints star Aaron Balogun away on National league duty, sprinters Marvin Tuffor and Erik Obot recorded resounding victories in the 100 and 200 metres with Marvin recording 11.0 and 22.6 and Erik 11.5 and a injury affected 24.2 respectively.  With Simeon Stuart replacing Balogun in the sprints relay, Ilford again charged to victory with an impressive 45.4. Stuart was also in fine form with the jumps with wins in the 'b string' long jump (6.25m) and triple jump (11.93m).  The triple jump scored maximum points with Osi Nzeako recording a good distance of 11.28m.  Elijah Collins made up the 3rd of the up and coming under 20 jumpers with an excellent leap
of 1.70m in the high jump.

The hot weather didn't lend itself to the middle distance runners, but it didn't stop fast improving Darren Bottrill from smashing his personal best by 10 seconds in the 5000m to record 17.43.0.  Malcolm Muir tried hard to chase down a slowing Epsom athlete leading the 5k, but left himself too much to do, coming 2nd in a creditable time of 16.02.1.

The 1500m provided the race of the day as the experienced legs of Rob Nixon were pursued step for step by 15 year old Mohamed Swamad who improves week by week in this blue riband event.  The race started slowly and Swamad had to run near his best half mile time in the 2nd half to keep on the heals of Nixon as they charged down the home straight to record a comfortable 1-2 in 4.26.2 and 4.26.8 respectively.

Iain Macdonald is another who is finding his feet at the senior level and showed his most mature run in the 800m as he knocked 8 seconds off his best to come 3rd in the 800m in 2.10.3.  Nixon was again in action in the earlier 800m race, hotly pursuing the leader to record 2.03.4.

Sohail Anwar maintains his excellent record in the shot putt with 13.06 for victory and continues to improve in his 2nd event, discus, with a lifetime best of 37.11m.  Craig Burrow continues to amass league points with an excellent victory in the b string shot (11.83m), an improving javelin
(40.79m), discus in 37.38m and a seasons best 31.10m in the hammer. The throwers were joined by Andy Carle who is still under 17 and yet managed to launch the javelin an impressive 39.66m in the non-scoring event.

With four events to go, and the shot and discus going well for the team, victory looked assured.  This didn't stop the team scoring heavily in the last two track events, the 3000m steeplechase and 4x400m.  Muir and Matt Maple tussled for 1st place in an thrilling finish as Muir closed up a 30m gap in the last lap to get the better of his team mate with 10.44.7 and 10.45.7 respectively.  The 4x400m team of Osi Nzeako, Sam Malekout, Marvin Tuffor and Gary Madigan was faced with an impressive Watford team but fought hard all the way to record 2nd place and an excellent time of 3.33.6.

Final match scores were Ilford 144, Watford 120, Met Police 116, Worthing 94 and Epsom and Ewell 39.

Ilford AC march onto their next match at Thurrock on 23rd June in 2nd place in the league with real prospects of promotion to the 1st division if they can maintain this excellent form.

Other results: Gary Madigan - 400m: 54.3; Matt Maple - 110mH: 23.9; 400mH: 72.2; PV: 1.10m; HJ: 1.50m; Craig Burrow - 110mH: 24.5; 400mH - 1:52.6 (beautiful technique but inappropriate warm up for a Hammer Throw!); Sam Malekout - PV: 2.40m; JT: 31.63m; Pete Whiting - HT: 21.90m.


Balogun battles in British League

Ilford AC's top sprinter Aaron Balogun was called up for first team duty with his '2nd claim club' Woodford Green with Essex Ladies in the national British Athletics League division 1 in Manchester.  His excellent time of 50.47 was just under a second behind his season's best.  Balogun is in the form of his life having recorded his lifetime best of 21.46 in the 200m
while representing Essex in the Inter-counties last week, but competed in the British League in his new event of 400m.  He also competed in a non-scoring 100m to equal his personal best (electronically timed) of 11.15.

On the Road

On a warm and sunny Sunday morning a contingent of Ilford AC runners participated in the popular Barking and Dagenham (BaD) 5 mile at Eastbrook End Country Park. The race was held over a mix of road, grass and gravel paths.

In the men's race Matt Maple was first home for the club in a very creditable 30.59 which was good enough for 4th place overall, especially having completed for the Club on the track the preceding day. He was backed up by Neil Crisp in 6th [1st Male Vet O40] in 31.58. Abdi-karim Berleen was next home followed by Henry Ricketts and Suki Jandhu. Dave Sharpe "walked" and held his own against the "runners".

In the women's Dianne Crisp was first lady home in 39.48 [1st Female Vet 045]. She was followed closely by Pam Jones in 41.17 [1st Female Vet 065] and Joan De'ath in 42.24.

Malcolm Muir, Terry Knightley and new member, Joanne Harrington ran in hot and very hilly conditions at The Tilty Hilly 5 Mile Road Race at Great Dunmow, Essex on Sunday.

179 runners completed the course set around the Essex vountry lanes of Great Easton and Great Dunmow. Malcolm Muir came 5th in 28 minutes and 16 seconds with Terry Knightley 9th in 29 Minutes and 27 seconds. Joanne Harrington, competing in her first race since the London Marathon came 170th in 50 Minutes and 23 seconds.

Meanwhile recent distance recruits Sulakhan Jandu and Bradley Few returned home from their respective trips up north where they have both been competing in the excellent Edinburgh Marathon which boasts an entry of nearly 8000 runners. Few from the “Harriers” section was well pleased to go under the 4 hour mark for the first time with 3hrs 59mins 16 secs whilst Jandu found the going a bit tougher after also competing in London last month but nevertheless returned 4hrs 43mins and 54 seconds.   

The previous weekend results saw Pam Jones setting a women‘s over 70 course record in the Serpentine 5k last Friday held in Hyde Park . Pam Jones clocked an incredible 25:08.

Also 3 club members celebrated some good performances in the Orsett 3 Mile Fun Run through country lanes of Orsett and surrounding areas in Essex. Terry Knightley finished in 3^rd place out of 65 runners in 16 minutes and 42 seconds behind the young 'Houghton' twins of Thurrock Harriers who have won the race between them for the last 4 years. Joan De'ath was first Veteran Lady over 50 to finish in just over 23 minutes to win the gold medal in her age category.