PRESS RELEASE - SML CRICKLEFIELDS 20th AUGUST 2005

Ilford came third in the last Southern Mens League match of the year with
another determined and talented team performance.  The team was a mixture of
young and old with youngsters Bakr Al-Akku (400m in 57.8) and Elijah Collins
(1.55m high jump) making their debuts in the senior team while Dunstan
Creavalle (2:08.5 in the 800m) and Roger Honey (topping the year's rankings
with 20.2 in the high hurdles) demonstrated their experience to record
impressive results.

Performance of the day goes to Sol Anwar who putt the shot 13.38m for first
place.  The sprints duo, Aaron Balogun and Ekow Quagraine warmed up for the
British Grand Prix in Sheffield (where they will share the stage with Dame
Kelly Holmes) with impressive results in the 100 and 200m.  Aaron recorded
an equal personal best in the 100m of 11.2s and followed this up with a fine
200m in 22.8.  Ekow recorded 12.0 and 24.4 for the two events.  Not to be
outdone, Francis Okwei-Nortey recorded an excellent 54.8s in the 400m.

Also impressive was Sam Malekout who took part in his usual five events, the
highlight of which was a 5.88m in the long jump.  Malcolm Muir was tireless
in the difficult double of 5000m (16:20.3) and 3000m steeplechase (10:36.3)
finishing second in both.  Rob Nixon indicated a return to some form with a
controlled effort in the 1500m (4:21.8) and a personal best in the 400m
hurdles of 64.2s. 

The final results were Basingstoke 148, Dartford 126, Ilford 98, Woking 84,
Serpentine 74.  Ilford look forward to next year in division 1 with great
expectation as a wealth of talented youngsters start making their mark in
the senior ranks.

Other results were
John MacDonald: 800m - 2:04.0, 1500m - 4:22.3
Roger Honey: Pole Vault - 2.40m
Pete Whiting: 110m hurdles - 25.0, high jump - 1.10
Craig Burrow: javelin - 43.72m, discus - 36.05m, shot - 11.50m, hammer -
34.04m
Wes Clarke: hammer - 40.93m
Sol Anwar: discus - 35.32m
Sam Malekout: pole vault - 1.10m, triple jump - 11.39m, javelin - 39.20m
Francis Okwei-Nortey: long jump - 4.94m
Matt Maple: 400mhurdles - 64.2, 5000 - 17:14.9, 3000m steeplechase -
10:41.2, triple jump - 9.09
4x100m: Elijah Collins, Ekow Quagraine, Sam Malekout, Aaron Balogun - 47.3s
4x400m: Bakr Al-Akku, Francis Okwei-Nortey, John MacDonald, Matt Maple -
3:47.4

PRESS RELEASE  British Grand Prix - Under 17 Men's SPAR 4x100m, Sheffield 20th August 2005

Most eyes were focussed on Dame Kelly Holme's curtain call, but the future
of British athletics could be found earlier in the day in the under 17 mens
4x100m.  Ilford Athletics Club came second in a new club record of 43.44
against top national teams such as Birchfield, Shaftesbury and Gateshead.
Blackheath and Bromley crossed the line first by over 4 metres ahead of
Birchfield Harriers (43.16), but were later disqualified to raise Ilford's
medal colour to silver. The squad of Jo Perry, Gary Smallman, Ekow Quagraine
and Aaron Balogun have had a sensational year, breaking long standing club
records all year and forming the back bone of the senior mens squad.

 

PRESS REPORT - ILFORD AC CLUB CHAMPS 21st AUGUST 2005

Ilford Athletics Club held its annual Club Championships at Cricklefields
stadium last Sunday.  The under 13 boys saw an exciting battle in which
Jerrell Alleyne dominated with an excellent 4.81 in the long jump and
followed up with 27.4 and 13.2 in the 200 and 100. Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake
(4.30/29.0/13.6) and Aaron Akinsanyo (4.16/13.9) were not far behind.  Not
to be outdone, under 15 girls also produced some outstanding results with
the impressive Rachel Giwa scoring a double in the 100 and 200 (12.6/27.5)
ahead of Sarah Kigozi (13.4/28.7).  Also impressive was Laura Townsend who
came second in the 200 with 28.2 and climbed one place higher in the 300
with a win in 50.2.  Bakr Al-Akku recovered from his previous days efforts
in the senior ranks to score excellent victories in the 100, 200 and 400
(12.3/25.4/57.6).  He was closely followed by Osi Nzeako (12.7/26.3).

Ozi Nzeako also had a narrow victory in the under 15 boys high jump with
1.45 over Simeon Stuart (1.40) while the under 17 high jump was won by
senior team member Elijah Collins at 1.60 ahead of Iain MacDonald (1.50).
Ozi, Simeon and Elijah also jumped well in the long jump (5.19/5.11/5.09
respectively).

Two under 15s also dominated the javelin, with Charlie Clements throwing
20.60m in the girls event and Andy Carle recording a 30.53m throw.
Charlotte Deacon won the under 15 shot with 7.25m, defeating all rounder,
Laura Townsend (6.77m) but Deacon failed to get the better of Sarah Kigozi
in the discus (17.59m/16.25m).  Townsend got the bronze in this event with
16.11m.  There were also strong throws in the boys events with Aaron
Akinsanyo scoring a victory in the under 13 discus with 19.81 and Andy Carle
just pipping David Hughes to the under 15 discus trophy (21.97 to 21.90).
David Hughes turned the tables in the shot (8.28/7.19).  Chris Dawe managed
third in both with 21.53 and 7.06.

Not to be outdone, veteran athlete Alun Jones showed some class in the 200m
with 25.0, narrowly defeating fellow vet, Lee Richards (25.9).  Jones also
did well in the shot putt with 9.13, before straining a hamstring in the
long jump with 5.35.  Sam Malekout was the pick of the seniors with 5.64m in
the long jump, 11.8 in the 100m and a 37.84m javelin.  Under 17 runner, Iain
MacDonald took on all-comers in the steeplechase, running the event twice,
being beaten eventually by senior representative, Malcolm Muir.

The Club Championships also incorporated an Open event for youngsters to try
athletics for the first time.  Under 11 year old athletes Toryon David and
Jordan Akinsanyo were outstanding in this event with 9.7s and 11.6 in the
60m and 75m respectively.  Also outstanding were Nikos Shiamthanis with
30.92 in the cricket ball throw and Cintya Laouici with 1.50m in the
standing long jump.

The hard day of exertions were followed by a barbeque in the sunshine,
rounding off another successful Ilford AC event.