Last updated
17 December 2015
Press Releases for
July, August & September 2011
27/09/11
Scott Overall made an outstanding debut over the
Marathon distance as he finished 5th in Berlin in 2.10.55. The Blackheath &
Bromley athlete’s time is the quickest by a Briton this year, over three and
a half minutes quicker than anyone else. It is well inside the Olympic Games
A standard of 2.12.
It is the equal 24th fastest time ever by a Briton and
the 4th fastest this Century. Club member Mark Steinle is the quickest with
2.09.17 and he commented “Awesome run by Scott, would be nice to see the
club record go in the Olympics”.
Scott himself said “I couldn’t believe it when I
crossed the line. When I got to 40k thought I had got the time wrong, so I
was cruising on the home straight. I thought I’d lost it.
It was only when I saw the clock at the end that I
thought, ‘Blimey I’m going to run 2:10 here’.
I always came here to run the Olympic qualifying time
and after going through halfway in 65:17 I just kept pushing and pushing. I
was on my own from halfway and if I had had a pacer I may have gone quicker.
All in all, not a bad debut. I’ve run the Olympic
qualifying time but I haven’t been selected yet.”
He is certainly now in with a chance of an Olympic
place but will have to wait on the selectors. They meet on the 5th of
December and 23rd of April 2012.
Scott is not the only athlete from the Club who has
been in action abroad recently. Montell Douglas won the 100 metres at the
Kamile Skolimowska Memorial meeting in Warsaw, Poland. The British record
holder, who herself will be seeking Olympic selection in 2012, timed 11.52
for victory with the famous Merlene Ottey in 4th.
A few days earlier Montell competed in the Decanation
in Nice, France where she was third in the 100 metres in 11.69. Also here
were middle distance runners Shavaun Henry and Ben Harding. Shavaun was 8th
in the 3000 metres steeplechase in 11.46.92 while Ben competed for an
England team in a rarely run 4x1500 metres race. The French team were well
clear of the field but Ben was involved in a cat and mouse last leg with the
teams from Germany and Poland. He brought the team home in third place in
15.39.59, his own leg being 3.58, a decent run considering he received a
late call up and had not been able to train specifically for the event.
He was back competing last weekend at the South Of
England Road Relays at Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot to help the Senior Men
finish in 16th place. This means they have qualified for the National 6
Stage Road Relays which take place at Sutton Coldfield on the 15th of
October.
Ben ran the opening leg and timed 20.24. Michael
Skinner is just returning to training and racing but he ran 18.26 on the
second leg moving up 28 places in the process. His time was the equal 19th
fastest time of the day. Alex Gibbins (19.50), Andy Rayner (19.30), Jack
Swallow (20.46) and Colin Norris (19.41) completed the team. The B team of
Jamie Darling (19.57), Will Mercer (21.20), James Donaldson (22.52), David
McKinley (20.32), Richard Hall (21.38) and Richard Daniel (22.55) finished
in 48th.
The Senior Womens team finished in 11th place. Elaine
Murty brought them home in 10th on leg one in 13.27 and this proved to be
the equal 18th fastest time of the day. Clare Parkin slipped a couple of
places on leg 2 with 14.55 and Mel Kane stayed in the same position on leg
three with 15.19. Joint team captain Jennie Butler moved them up to 11th on
the last leg with 14.55.
There were some mixed results in the younger age
groups. The Club had no one in the under 17 mens race and Amber Reed was the
sole representative in the womens race completing the first leg in 11.51.
The under 15 boys team of Richard Webb (10.47), Josh
Dowling (11.28), Thomas Desborough (11.37) and Will Fuller (10.42) finished
in 24th place. Anthony Caballero (12.12), Kieran Turner (13.38) and Jonathan
Court (13.10) formed three quarters of an incomplete B team.
The girls finished in a useful 26th place courtesy of
Lucy Sidey (11.57), Leah Everson (12.26) and Niamh Bridson Hubbard (12.10).
Best placed team of the day was the under 13 girls.
Naomi Kingston finished 2nd on the first leg and her time of 8.20 proved to
be the 5th quickest of the day. Shannon Riskey slipped a place on leg two
with 9.01; and despite timing a very good 8.53 on the last leg Jessica Keene
closed in 5th. Mary Guy and Yasmin Austridge timed 9.27 and 9.34 for the B
team but they needed a third runner to complete a team.
The boys team of Remi Ullah (12.05), Josh Davidson
(11.47), Scott Bulmer (13.28) and Charlie Davis (11.30) finished in 28th
place.
Helen Godsell ran in the Great North Run the previous
weekend finishing in 1.53.41. Better known as a sprinter who has won
numerous National titles, she is aiming to run the Marathon next year.
While for many people running a marathon is a great
achievement, Club member Colin Poole is currently preparing for his 300th .
At the age of 74 he will tackle the Beirut Marathon on the 27th of November.
In doing so he will be raising funds for his favourite charity the RNLI
(Lifeboats).
Four years ago when Colin ran his 200th marathon his
target was £2,000 which was reached and exceeded by many generous
supporters. His target for 2011 is now £3,000, ten times his marathon count.
So far he has reached around £1,000.
The RNLI is a registered charity without government
support which at present requires some £150 million plus to operate. It
launched some 8713 times during 2010 from the 235 operating lifeboat
stations and rescued some 8313 people.
In addition the RNLI operates a rescue service on some
150 beaches around the UK which in turn attended to 16664 rescues and
assisted 18779 persons. This represents 10758 hours spent in rescuing
people.
Up to now Colin has run in 22 different countries and
participated in 58 international marathons, has completed a number of Ultra
Marathon events which range from 27 to 54 miles and some 87 cross country
marathons. Four of his marathons have been through tunnels!
He ran his first marathon in 1988 in London at the age
of 50 a timed 4.22.35. Six months later he ran in Dublin and finished in
3.22.22 a remarkable improvement. From then he was hooked.
Legs permitting his next target will be to complete
400 marathons, which he will probably reach when he is close to the age of
80.
People wishing to sponsor Colin should visit
www.justgiving.com/colin-poole
20/09/11
Blackheath & Bromley’s Under 20 womens team are
officially the third best Junior team in the whole of Europe. They achieved
this ranking at the European Champions Club Cup for Juniors A Final which
took place at Castellon in Spain. In equalling the third place they attained
last year the team won a total of 10 individual medals from the 19 events
including 4 golds and impressively a number of personal and seasons bests
were set.
Team Captain Megan Southwart led by example winning
the 400 hurdles, the opening track event, in a time of 62.02. The Great
Britain International didn’t stop here though as she then finished in the
silver medal position in the 100 metre hurdles in 14.26 a new personal best
and the 6th quickest by a Junior Briton this year. She was then a member,
along with Rachel Dickens, Amara Lalemi Jacobs and Krystal Galley, of the
winning 4x400 team who triumphed in 3.54.78.
Rachel had earlier won the individual 400 metres in
56.76 a time which was an astonishing three seconds clear of the runner up.
Krystal also won an individual gold taking the 800 title in 2.20.23, a
seasons best.
Sam Milner won the silver medal in the shot with a
throw of 12.50, a new personal best at the end of a long hard season. She
was also 4th in the discus with 42.32, just short of her seasons best. It
was silver too for the 4x100 quartet of Georgina Middleton, Amara Lalemi
Jacobs, Rachel Dickens and Grace Sheppard in a time of 47.62.
Grace also won a bronze in the 100 metres timing 12.15
just four hundredths of a second behind the winner. Amara was 4th in the 200
metres in 25.85.
Further bronze medals came courtesy of Lauren Stevens
and Danielle Critchley. Lauren’s leap in the long jump of 5.58 was a wind
assisted best and she also achieved a new legal best of 5.38. Danielle
Critchley timed a seasons best of 4.58.95 in 1500 metres.
Of course it was not just the medallists who helped
the team finish third. Everybody had a part to play from Christine Lyston
and Clare Parkin who were 5th in the high jump and 3000 metres respectively
to 7th placers Jessica Jones (3000 steeplechase), Frances Read (triple
jump), Ellie Duffy Penny (javelin) and Ellie Dumper (hammer).
Similarly the Club owes a debt to those who helped
manage and support the team plus the financial backing of Biggin Hill
Airport and UK Athletics.
In fact the Club were just four points off finishing
in second place and had they had a pole vaulter they might have achieved
this.
Having qualified for next years final at the National
Junior Athletics League Final two weeks ago they will be looking to finish
even higher next year.
Alex Pope enjoyed a good weekend at the Kent Decathlon
Championships at Erith. He set seasons bests in seven of the ten events to
amass a points score of 6440. On the first day he started with a 11.76 in
the 100 metres. He followed with a 6.37 in the long jump, 12.96 in the shot,
1.83 in the high jump and 52.58 in the 400. He was the best in the field in
four of these events, only beaten in the high jump.
On to day two and he began with a seasons best of
16.61 in the 110 hurdles. Next was a 41.01 throw in the discus before he
cleared 3.76 in the pole vault and throwing 52.32 in the javelin. By now he
was well clear of the field and a 5.05.28 in the 1500 saw him secure overall
victory by nearly 700 points. He was the best in the discus and javelin on
the second day.
The Kent Masters Championships were taking place at
the same venue and the Club’s athletes returned with an impressive haul of
17 gold medals. Steve Timmins set three Championship bests in the over 35s
age group as he won the shot, discus and javelin contests with throws of
13.55, 38.63, and 40.82 respectively. He also won silver in the hammer with
a throw of 43.60.
Jackie Montgomery also gained a hat trick of golds in
the over 40s age group. Her clearance of 2.10 in winning the pole vault was
a new Club Record and she also claimed the 100 and 200 metre titles. Shirley
Rowbotham won silver in the 200.
In the mens events Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen set new
personal bests of 53.74 in the javelin and 29.87 in the discus to win two
golds.
It was Barbara Terry who won the most golds of the
weekend. She won all four of the throws in the over 60s age group producing
distances of 8.00 in the shot; 18.83 discus, 24.91 hammer, and 17.41
javelin. Rob Brown triumphed in the mens 400 and 800 races and he also
struck bronze in the 100 and 200. Peter Hamilton won the 1500.
Four more medals were won by Gordon Hickey in the over
70s age group. He won the shot in 9.82 and the discus in 23.00. He also won
silver in the hammer (22.28) and javelin (22.59).
At the opposite end of the age scale the Club enjoyed
more success in the Kent Under 13 Championships at the same venue. Jamiyla
Robinson-Pascal won the girls high jump by 16 centimetres with a clearance
of 1.46. She was also part of the Club clean sweep in the long jump.
Isabella Hildritch won with a leap of 4.57, Jamiyla was second with 4.37 and
Temi Awodiya was third with 4.14. Anna Barnett won gold in both the shot
(7.75) and the discus (24.53).
On the track Georgina Taylor won the 800 in 2.27.35
and also took silver in the shot with 3.58.97. Nicole Farmer was second in
the 75 metres in 10.42 and Isabella Hildritch won bronze in the 70 metre
hurdles in 12.38.
In the boys events Ryan Poyroo and Jordan Thomas won
silver and bronze in the 100 metres in 13.78 and 13.98 and there was bronze
in the 1500 for Charlie Davis in 5.07.00 and for Femi Sofolarin in the
javelin with 25.59.
Alex Bruce Littlewood continued his racing in America
with a fine second place at the John F Cooper Memorial Rice Invitational in
Houston, Texas. On a 5km cross country course, he timed 16.55 to finish just
three seconds behind winner Patrick Kimeli of Kenya.
Much closer to home the Club hosted the annual Will
Bolton Relays at Sparrows Den in West Wickham. The races were dominated by
Tonbridge AC and the Blackheath & Bromley men and women both had to settle
for bronze medals in the team races.
Some consolation was the Club provided both the
fastest male and female legs. Michael Skinner made a welcome return to
racing and his 12.43 was the quickest by 14 seconds over the 4km course.
Katie Murray was the only woman to break 16 minutes as she ran 15.59 on the
last leg, five seconds quicker than the second fastest runner.
Colin Norris, Alex Gibbins and Peter Tucker were the
other members of the mens A team while Jane Bradshaw, Mel Kane and Ella
Fisher completed the womens quartet.
The race also incorporated the first round of the
Bennett Cup, a series of handicap races which take place over the Winter
months. Winner was Stephen Cavey with Jamie Darling second and Ian
Montgomery third.
The Club were most grateful for the support of So
Clean.
Russell Bentley won the Brockwell Park 5km park run in
a time of 14.14. At the latest event at Norman Park, Dan Marks was the
Club’s first finisher in 9th with Andy Tucker 29th. Down in Swindon Jim
Osman was 80th.
The Clubs walkers have as ever been busy racing.
Competing first claim for Surrey Walking Club at the National 10km
championships at Victoria Park, Hackney, Roger Michell finished in 17th
place in 58.42 with Shaun Lightman 22nd in 1.01.29 and this helped the team
to third place.
Shaun was in action the following Wednesday in the
Club One Hour Run or Walk in his case. He covered 10.407km which equates to
57 and a half minutes for 10km. Back on the road he was not so quick in the
Enfield League Walking race at Hillingdon where he finished 9th in one hour
and 52 seconds.
Of the runners in the One Hour Run it was Glen Turner
who covered the furthest distance, 16.805km with Roger Beswick second with
14.900km and Gerald Sterling third with 14.807km.
13/09/11
Dina Asher Smith is the Commonwealth Youth 200 metres
Champion. The Blackheath & Bromley athlete won her title at Douglas in the
Isle Of Man last weekend. The weather conditions were a hindrance to some
athletes but the sprinters enjoyed a strong following wind in the heats of
the 200 where Dina ran 24.11. On to the semi final and the Newstead Woods
schoolgirl won again in 24.40. To cap an outstanding individual season under
coach John Blackie, she won the final in 24.30.
She finished her weekend with a second gold medal as
part of the England 4x100 metres.
Dina’s Commonwealth selection meant she was not able
to compete for the Club in the National Junior Athletics League Final at
Derby. After a narrow victory last year, the Club were unable to retain
their National title this year finishing in third place behind winners
Birchfield Harriers and Shaftesbury Barnet.
While this was a disappointment, a third place in a
National Final is still a fine achievement and there was one big consolation
in that when the scores were broken down into male and female scoring, the
Club had the best womens team at the Moorways stadium.
What this means is that the womens team will represent
the United Kingdom in the European Champions Club Cup for Juniors for the
seventh successive season in 2012 at a venue still to be advised. They
represent the UK this coming weekend when they travel to Spain to compete in
the A Final. The men were 4th equal best male team at Derby.
In addition to the womens good news, two of the team
won two of the four Athlete Of The Match Awards. Adam Gemili produced the
mens track performance of the day for his win in the 200 metres in a time of
20.98. Pippa Woolven claimed the womens track award for her win in the 1500
steeplechase in a time of 5.04.41.
Adam’s time was the fastest in the League this year as
was the 10.53 he timed to win the 100 metres. He collected his third gold
medal along with Reuben Fakoya, Jonathan Ilori and Oliver Newport in the
4x100 metres.
Pippa’s time of 4.59.48 which she ran earlier this
season was the quickest 1500 steeplechase time of the year.
Two other athletes won two individual events. Womens
team captain Megan Southwart won the 400 hurdles in 62.87 and then took
victory in the 100 hurdles in 14.69. Samantha Milner won the shot and discus
contests in 11.59 and 42.06.
The team took maximum points in the womens 100 metres
with Grace Sheppard winning the A string and Amara Lalemi Jacobs the B.
Rachel Dickens won the A string 200 metres and, given the Clubs sprinting
talent, it was no surprise that when Amara and Rachel teamed up with
Georgina Middleton and Charlotte Colegate, they won the 4x100 in a time of
49.29.
Rachel, Megan, Krystal Galley and Yimika Adewakun then
won the 4x400 metres in a time of 3.52.51, the quickest time in the League
this year.
Christine Lyston won an absorbing high jump
competition in which four athletes all cleared 1.60. Christine won on
countback and Frances Read, one of the others to clear 1.60 won the B
string. Frances also won the B string long jump with a leap of 5.18 and
further B string wins came from Rachel Robinson in the 400 hurdles with a
new best of 67.67; and from Bonnie Bratton in the hammer with a throw of
35.45.
Jonathan Ilori’s triple jump leap of 15.26 earlier in
the season was the furthest in the League this year but he had to settle for
second place at Derby with a leap of 14.75. Emilie Blackwell was another to
gain a top three finish as she won bronze in the pole vault with a clearance
of 3.20.
Two other athletes produced the best performances in
individual events in the League for the season. Rachel Dickens was the
quickest of the 400 with the 55.07 she ran at Chelmsford earlier this year;
and Sarah Abrams, who missed the Final because she has started University at
Harvard in the United States, was joint top of the high jump with a leap of
1.73.
Another athlete who has commenced studies in America
is Alex Bruce Littlewood. He is attending McNeese State University and he
had his first race last Friday in a cross country relay hosted by his own
institution for other universities in Louisiana.
He came home first on the opening 3km leg in a time of
8.21. This proved to be the fastest leg of the day.
Montell Douglas has also been in action abroad. She
won both her heats of the 100 metres at the Arena Games at Hilversum in the
Netherlands.
Back in Britain at the British Masters Decathlon
Championships at Horspath, Clem Leon won the over 55s event by over 1000
points with a score of 5055. He proved unbeatable on the track finishing
first in the 100, 400, 1500 and 100 metre hurdles. He also cleared an
impressive 1.51 to claim victory in the high jump. He was also runner up in
the pole vault and third in the shot, discus, javelin and long jump.
81 runners (up from 63 last year) competed in this
year's summer series of races for the Parris Memorial Shield. Each of the 6
races is approximately 5km on the road on a yacht handicap basis whereby the
slowest runner sets off first and the fastest sets off last with everyone
else setting off in between. In theory, all runners should finish more or
less together. Points are earned by competitors in each race based on their
finishing position with the winner being the person that has accumulated
most points over the course of the six races. The trophy is in honour of Roy
Parris, a former member who died of cancer in 1998.
The final race was won by new member Ed Langford, with
another newcomer, Faye Gower-Smith second and Carolyna Jones-Baldock third.
Fastest lady on the night was Jenny Butler in 19:02 and fastest man was Tim
Ayres in 17:33. The contest for the overall Parris Memorial Shield was close
throughout the season and so it proved upon conclusion of the last race. The
winner was Barry Wetherilt by the smallest margin of one point from long
time leader Tm Ayres with Andy Pino just 5 points behind Tim in third place.
The club and the race organisers are most grateful to
everyone who took part throughout the summer and special mention must go to
the following who competed in all 6 summer races: Tim Ayres, Dave Carton,
Trevor Delahoy, Justine Eastbury, Andy Lawes, Ian Montgomery, Andy Pino and
Barry Wetherilt.
John Hoy was a Club member who tragically lost his
life, along with his three children, in Thailand on Boxing Day 2004. They
were on the beach at Khao Lak when a tsunami struck. Only John’s wife, Nim,
survived. Since then, members that compete in track and field championship
races from 800m to 10kms earn points towards the John Hoy trophy with the
winner being the person that has earned most points over the course of the
six races.
The trophy is open to senior and master men and women.
Points are awarded on a handicap basis and this year there was a change in
the way the handicap was calculated. For 2011, runners earned points using
the Internationally recognised Age Related tables. These tables adjust
finish times based on the gender and age of each competitor so a 50 year old
woman can compete on an equal basis with a 30 year old man, for example.
32 members competed in this year’s series of races
with the winner being Helen Godsell. She justly deserved her win by virtue
of being the only person that took part in all 6 races and running
consistently well throughout the Summer. Rob Brown was second and Jane
Bradshaw was third.
Andrew Rayner won the latest Bromley 5km park run at
Norman Park in 15.53 with Glen Turner second and Elaine Murty 5th. Brendan
McShane was 3rd in the event at Lloyd Park; Rob Brown was 32nd at Cambridge;
Nigel Haffenden 44th at Greenwich and Peter Hamilton 37th in Newcastle.
The previous weekend Will Mercer was the Clubs first
finisher at the Bromley event in third place with Dan Marks 11th and Graham
Coates 21st. Brendan McShane was 5th at the Riddlesdown event; Nigel
Haffenden 52nd at Greenwich; and Ian Taylor 8th up in Sunderland.
6/09/11
Blackheath & Bromley’s youngsters won the McCains
National Young Athletes League Auxiliary Final in Birmingham by over a 100
points. In doing so they set a new UK Club relay record, recorded 17
Individual National Grade One performances and won 23 A string gold medals.
The highlight was the performance of the under 15
girls 4x100 metres team of Shannon Hylton, Cheriece Hylton, Maya Bruney and
Vivian Olatunji. Their time of 48.22 broke the UK Club record of 48.5 which
has been held by Haringey since 1979. It was, of course, a new League Record
and Club Record.
There were few surprises in the Under 17 womens age
group where Internationals Dina Asher Smith and Rachel Dickens both enjoyed
A string victories. Dina won the 100 and 200 metre races in grade ones of
12.16 and 25.04 while Rachel won the 300, also in a grade one of 40.00.
Captain Rhiannon Jones started the day on the right foot by winning the
opening track event the 300 hurdles.
Dina and Rachel then joined Georgina Middleton and
Charlotte Colegate to win the 4x100 metres and with Rhiannon replacing Dina,
there was another gold in the 4x300.
Two of the men enjoyed double victories. Louis
Mascerenhas set a new best, and grade one, of 42.35 to win the discus
competition by over 6 metres. He also won the shot. Aaron Lloyd won both the
100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. He also won gold in the 4x100 metres along with
Reuben Fakoya, Ishmail Smith-John and Christian Pratt.
As well as their triumph in the relays, the under 15
girl sprinters enjoyed great individual success. Shannon Hylton, Cheriece
Hylton and Maya Bruney all produced grade ones. Shannon won the A string 100
with Maya winning the B string while earlier in the afternoon Maya had won
the A string 200 with Cheriece taking the B string. In the field Yemisi
Sofolarin won the discus and, despite a grade one effort of 1.55, Isobel
Reeves had to settle for third in the high jump.
Likewise Joshau Dalsan and Gabriel Ibitoye in the boys
age group. Joshua ran a grade one of 54.64 in the 400 metres but this only
got him silver. Gabriel timed 23.81 in the 200 metres and also ended in the
runners up spot. Both did pick up gold, however, in the 4x100 metres where,
along with Alex Skipp and Ayo Ajiboye, they won by over two seconds in
46.01. There was individual gold, however, for Billy Blackham who won the
javelin with a throw of 36.29.
It was two wins and two grade ones for Jamilia
Robinson Pascal in the under 13s age group. She won the long jump with 4.49
and cleared 1.46 for victory in the high jump. B string winner Toyin Orelaja
also achieved a grade one with a clearance of 1.40. Akina Gondwe Onobrauche
won the shot putt with a throw of 9.09.
Akina was also in the winning 4x100 metre team along
with Nicole Farmer, who had earlier won the 75 metres in a grade one of
10.36 into a strong headwind, and Olivia Richer and Parris Johnson.
For the boys Niyi Akin Agunbiade was a winner in the
800 dead heating with his opponent from Swansea with less than a second
separating the first four athletes. This was only his second competition
ever!
Jordan Thomas came away with four medals, silvers in
the long jump and 100, bronze in the 200 and bronze in the 4x100 with team
mates David Ajiboye, who competed despite a sore achilles, the ever
consistent Danny Eversley and promising first year under 13 Adefela Lipede.
“Great team effort and team spirit” commented Under 13
boys team manager Paul Austridge who was enthused by the efforts of these
and the rest of his squad.
There were plenty of other fine performances by the
Club’s youngsters with full results available on the Club website. The task
now is to channel all this talent and enthusiasm into qualifying for the
National Final in 2012.
As well as the efforts of the youngsters none of the
teams achievements this year would not have been possible without the
support of an army of coaches, team managers, officials, parents, supporters
and sponsors headed by Biggin Hill Airport.
Two more great team performances came from the Clubs
mens and womens teams at the Southern Counties Veterans AC Area Final at
Ashford. The men missed out on becoming Champions by just one point while
the women were just four off victory.
The fact that they were both so close to winning was
because a number of athletes competed in more than just their normal events
to score points for the team. For example, javelin thrower Mike Van Den
Dobbelsteen also competed in the 100 metres.
Mike won the over 35s javelin and Steve Timmins took
victories in both the shot and hammer. Alex Gibbins was also a double winner
with first places in the 800 and 1500 and he joined Clem Leon, Keith Ewing
and Richard Holt for victory in the 4x400 metres. More success in this age
group came from Murray Hilborne who set a new best of 3.10 to win the pole
vault.
Keith Ewing also won the B string 1500 metres in the
over 35 age group but also in his own over 50s age group he won the 800.
Roger Michell, an over 60, moved down an age group to win the 2000 metre
walk by nearly half a minute. Clem Leon, another who also competed in the
over 35s, won the over 50s high jump and triple jump and there was victory
too for Steve Langdon in the javelin.
In the over 60s Bob Minting won both the 400 and high
jump, while Ken Daniel was a comfortable winner of the 1500 metres.
Highlights of the womens match were two new Club
Record in the over 35s age group. In the high jump Caroline Morten improved
her previous best to 1.36 to win the competition. Jackie Montgomery did not
win the pole vault but her clearance of 2 metres improved her existing Club
Record.
Other individual wins in the over 35s age group came
from Maureen Miller in the 400 metres and Jennie Butler in the 1500 and the
two then joined Jackie Montgomery and Shirley Rowbotham for victory in the
4x400 metres.
Helen Godsell was a double winner in the over 50s age
group with first places in the 100 and 200. However, this only told half the
story. She also competed in the 400, 800, long jump and triple jump, as well
as running for the over 35s 4x100 team who came second.
Similarly over 60 s Nanette Cross and Barbara Terry
competed in numerous events in both their own and the younger age groups.
It was not quite enough to win the event but it was
nevertheless a great effort and one on which they can build for next year.
The day before competing at Ashford, Roger Michell
competed in the British Masters 10km walk at Leicester where he gained
silver in the over 60s age group in a time of 57.42. Shaun Lightman went one
better in the over 65s age group winning in one hour one minute and 36
seconds.
Second claim member Oliver Newport won the long jump
at the UK School Games in Sheffield with a leap of 7.01. Bonnie Bratton was
6th in the hammer with a throw of 35.12
A number of the Club’s athletes have been competing in
late season fixtures. At the Crawley open meeting Jonathan Ilori won the
under 20 mens long jump with a leap of 6.42. In the under 15s age group
Shannon Cordell was second in a new best of 5.13, the furthest by an under
15 in the Club this year.
Parris Johnson won both her heats in the 100 and 200
metres with Olivia Richer third and fifth in hers. Shannon Riskey And
Jessica Keene had useful run outs in the 800 and 1000..
Frederica Peart won her heat of the 100 metres at the
Wood ford Open Meeting and was also 2nd in the 400 metres. Alloy Wilson won
the 400 metres in 49.18 and was third in the 100 metres..
30/08/11
Blackheath & Bromley’s Senior men will be competing in
Division Two of the British Athletics League next season. Although they came
in 5th place in the final match of the season at Crawley they finished in
7th place overall for the season which means they are one of the two teams
relegated from Division One.
The Clubs Athlete Of The Match was Lewis Ely who was
the teams highest A string finisher. He was second in the high jump with a
leap of 1.95, the same height as the winner. He did this despite having his
knee strapped because of an injury, but this also didn’t stop him from
filling in for the team in the triple jump.
There were plenty of other good performances. Dan
Putnam won the B string 100 in 10.69 and set a new best of 47.31 in the A
string 400. He was also part of the 4x100 metre team along with Ed Harrison,
Duayne Bovell and Dwayne Grant who won in 41.77 and then joined Ed, Luke
Smallwood and Ben Harding for second place in the 4x400.
Luke equalled his best of 47.99 in winning the B
string 400 metres, his first 400 outdoors this year. Ed, an ever present
this season, was 4th in a high class 400 hurdles and also gained 6th in the
110 hurdles. Another ever present Duayne Bovell set a seasons best in the
non scoring 100 and scored important points in the 200 and triple jump. As
well as the relay, Ben Harding doubled up in the middle distance racing the
800 and 1500.
Usain Bolt was not the only athlete in the world last
weekend to be disqualified for false starting in a 100 metre race. Dwayne
Grant did the same at Crawley, twitching in his blocks and paying the
penalty. Still on his way back to full fitness, he had to settle for fourth
place in the 200.
Likewise Russell Bentley, Andy Rayner and Jack
Swallow, who are all coming back from or carrying injuries, scored some
important points in the middle distance as did David McKinlay who made a
rare appearance in the 3000 metres steeplechase to help the team and was
rewarded with 4th place in the B race. Ever consistent Alex Gibbins gained a
fine third place in the A race.
Ben Hopkins had his first race since competing for
Great Britain in the European Junior Championships last month. He was second
in the B string 400 hurdles in 55.18 just five hundredths of a second behind
the winner.
In the field Sam Brown scored a good third place in
the A string pole vault, although he was disappointed to only clear 4.20, a
sign of the progress he has made this season. No doubt he was hampered by an
arm injury but this did not prevent him from throwing the javelin to score
points for the team with Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen 6th in the A string.
Alex Pope as ever had a busy day competing in the
shot, discus, long and high jumps and 110 hurdles. Steve Timmins was in
action in the shot discus, hammer and long jump. Andrew Jordon was 4th in
the A string hammer despite having missed a lot of training due to
travelling.
Murray Hilborne came into the team at very short
notice and finished in an excellent 4th place in the B string pole vault.
Despite all these efforts it was not enough to avoid
the drop, although at times during the afternoon it did look possible.
Kate Curran represented Great Britain at the 2011 ETU
Triathlon European Championships in Tours, France. In a team of three each
athlete completed a 350metre swim, a 9km bike and a 2.5km run.
France won the team gold but Kate secured silver
medals for Britain after a close battle with the team from Hungary.
The Club had a number of under 20 and under 15
athletes competing at the South Of England Inter Counties match at Abingdon.
Wins in the under 20 age group came from Megan Southwart in the 400 hurdles;
Jonathan Ilori in the triple jump and Sam Milner in the shot. Sam was also
second in the B string discus with Ellie Duffy Penny 8th. Rachel Robinson
was just outside her best in placing third in the B string 400 hurdles and
Frances Read was 5th in the triple jump.
Maya Bruney continued her outstanding season with
victory in both the 100 and 200 metres in the under 15 age group. She won
the 200metres by over a second. Janae Galley was 5th in the 800 and Aine
Hurlock 5th in the 75 metre hurdles.
At the Veterans AC track and field championships at
Battersea Park, Shaun Lightman finished 3rd and Peter Hannell 4th in the
3000 metres walk in times of 17.11.7 and 17.47.7. They were 1st and second
in the over 65s age group.
Two Club members enjoyed doubled victories. Shirley
Rowbotham won the W40 100 and 200 metres races while Keith Ewing enjoyed
victories in the M50 800 and 1500. Ken Daniel won the M60 1500.
Elaine Murty was the Club’s first finisher in the
Bromley 5km parkrun at Norman Park. She came 4th in a time of 18.05 with
Steve Pairman 13th and Rob Brown 20th. Brendan McShane was 4th in the event
at Riddlesdown.
23/08/11
James Alaka just missed out on individual medals at
the World University Games in Shenzhen, China. The Blackheath & Bromley
athlete finished in 5th place in the 100 metres final in 10.29, the same
time as the fourth placed athlete and just two hundredths behind third. He
had got faster in each round timing 10.48, 10.36 and 10.32.
After four races in the short sprint it was on to the
200s. He timed 21.32 and 21.12 to reach the semi finals. A 20.81 saw him
qualify for the final where he finished in 4th place in 20.67 just eight
hundredths of a second behind the 2nd and 3rd placed athletes who timed
20.59.
So after an exhausting season, which has seen him race
at a consistently high level from the end of March, he now takes a well
earned rest to prepare to qualify for the Great Britain team for next years
Olympics Games in London.
Some more of the Club’s top Seniors competed in the
McCain UK Challenge Final at Birmingham. Highest finisher was actually a
Junior, Adam Gemili who was 3rd in the 100 metres final in 10.68. Busiest
athlete of the weekend was Shaunagh Brown who was 4th in the shot (14.67),
5th in the Hammer (55.53) and 6th in the discus (45.75). Of the three
efforts she was most pleased with the hammer.
Megan Southwart was also 4th in the 400 hurdles in
60.97 while Ed Harrison was 5th in the mens race with 52.30. Dan Putnam was
6th in the 400 in 48.90.
Two of the Clubs athletes set seasons bests at the
British Milers Club Grand Prix. Russell Bentley ran 3.53.03 for 1500 and
James Poole 1.57.89 for 800. Ben Harding was quicker, however, timing
1.53.41.
The previous Wednesday at Sutcliffe Park, Russell had
timed 1.54.0 over 800, with Alex Bruce Littlewood clocking 1.53.32 in his
last race before he travels to University in the United States. Others in
the 800 included Steve Cavey (2.00.37), Jamie Darling (2.00.30), Chris Miles
(2.03.9), Danny Brewer (2.04.1) and Shannon Riskey (2.33.6). In the 1500
Alex Gibbins timed 4.01.7, Will Ruiz 4.43.7 and Lucy Sidey 5.13.9.
Maya Bruney had an outstanding weekend at the England
Athletics Under 17 and Under 15 Championships at Bedford. She won both the
Under 15 100 and 200 metre titles. In the 100 metres she cruised through her
heat in 12.29 with the benefit of a +2.9 per second wind. Running into the
wind in the final she won in 12.29 over a tenth of a second clear of the
runner up.
She followed this by winning her heat of the 200 by
nearly a second and completed her weekend with victory in the final in
25.24.
Rachel Dickens continued her highly successful season
by winning silver in the Under 17 womens 300 metres in a time of 39.60,
having won her heat in 40.16.
Two of Herbie Kuentslinger coached athletes set
personal bests at these Championships. Yemisi Sofolarin was fourth in the
under 15 girls discus with an impressive 36.21. Like Yemisi, Louis
Mascarenhas was rewarded for the hard work he has put into training with a
best of 40.24 in the under 17 mens event which gave him 9th place.
The Senior men and women finished what has largely
been a disappointing season in the newly formed Southern Athletics League
with a 4th place in the final match at Luton. Despite good performances in
some events these have been negated by weaknesses in others.
Athlete of the Match for the men was Jack Chambers on
his debut for the team. The 18 year old, who is off to Sheffield University
this Autumn, won the B string high jump with a clearance of 1.70 and
followed this with a leap of 5.94 in the long jump, before racing the 100,
200 and 4x100 metres relay.
Womens Athlete of the Match was Chelsea Crouser who
was second in the 400 hurdles before scoring important points for the team
in the 200 and 400.
Most success for the team came in the mens field
events with A string wins for Lewis Ely in the high jump, Alex Pope (pole
vault and discus) and Steve Timmins (shot). In addition B string wins came
from Murray Hilborne (pole vault), Alex Pope (shot and javelin), as well as
the already mentioned Jack Chambers in the high jump. Sian Duffy was the
sole female winner. She won the 100 metre hurdles by over six seconds in
16.3.
The result means the team will almost certainly be
relegated this year, although, with this being an embryonic League, this has
yet to be confirmed.
Jane Bradshaw has made more Club History by being the
first woman to win the Club 5000 metre title. Having annexed the 3000 trophy
last month, she won in 18.45.6 with David Beadle second and over 60 Rob
Brown third.
The Club’s walkers have also been in action competing
for their first claim Club, Surrey Walking Club. Peter Hannell was 11th in
the Veterans AC Summer 5km League race at Battersea Park. He timed 51.14.
Shaun Lightman travelled to Woodford for the latest
London Inter-Club Competition. He was 8th in a large field in a time of
30.17.
Martin Lundie was the winner of the latest Parris
Handicap race with Trevor Delahoy second and Tracey Ashenden third. Fastest
on the night was Eamonn Prendergast in 16.57.
Steve Pairman was the Club’s first finisher in the
latest Bromley 5km Parkrun at Norman Park. He finished in 14th place in
19.33 with Rob Brown 23rd and Andy Tucker 25th. Lucy Sidey was the first
female from B&B to finish in 44th with Justine Eastbury 49th and Sarah
Belaon 61st.
Brendan McShane was 4th in the event at Lloyd Park
while Nigel Haffenden was 47th at Greenwich.
16/08/11
Montell Douglas has been selected to represent Great
Britain at the World Athletics Championships at Daegu which take place in
South Korea from August 27th to September the 4th. The Blackheath & Bromley
athlete did not gain a place in one of the individual sprints but has been
picked for the 4x100 metres squad.
A sixth place in their latest British Athletics League
match at Gateshead means that Blackheath & Bromley’s Senior Men will have to
produce an exceptional performance in the final fixture at Crawley to avoid
relegation to Division Two next season. The Club currently lie in 7th place
in the eight team table with eight League points, three behind sixth placed
Belgrave.
This will be a difficult gap to close yet, such has
been the topsy turvey nature of the results this season, it is not an
impossible task. However, it will need the Club to field a far stronger line
up than it did last Saturday.
There were some very good performances at Gateshead.
The Club’s Athlete of the Match was Alex Bruce Littlewood. He finished in
second place in the 3000 metres steeplechase in a seasons best of 9.16.37
and then followed with another second place and a personal best of 8.30.58
in the 3000 metres flat.
Other second places came from Dwayne Grant who ran
10.97 into the teeth of a strong headwind in the 100 metres and Ed Harrison
in the 400 hurdles who defied the conditions to clock another sub 52 second
race with a time of 51..83.
Lewis Ely showed he is getting right back to form as
he finished third in the high jump with a leap of 1.95 and it was third also
for Sam Brown who cleared 4.40 in the pole vault.
Phil Sesemann made his debut in the 3000 metres
steeplechase and won the B string in 9.53.22. This means the Club has won
each B string chase this season and it is the first time in two years that
the steeplechase pairing has included someone with a name other than Alex.
Duayne Bovell gained second in the B string 100 in
11.04 a time which would also have gained second in the A race and he teamed
up with Dwayne Grant, Jermaine Alexander and Jermaine Olasan to finish
second in the 4x100.
Elsewhere Steve Timmins and Alex Pope scored a mass of
points in the field events; Ben Harding and Richard Davies doubled up in the
800 and 1500 and joined Alloy Wilson and Ed Harrison to help the 4x400 team
to 5th.
The final match at Crawley takes place on the 27th of
August.
Craig Morten represented Scotland at the Celtic Games
in Antrim. He ran 50.99 in the 400. At the South Of England Under 17 Inter
Counties at Kingston, Bonnie Bratton won the hammer with a throw of 36.22.
She was also third in the B string discus. Second claimer Oliver Newport was
second in the long jump with a leap of 6.45 and Frances Read third in the
triple jump with 10.93. Thomas Greenhill was 4th in the 1500 steeplechase in
5.13.4.
In the Surrey Walking Club open 5km track race at
Norman Park, Shaun Lightman finished in second place in 29.01.6 with Peter
Hannell 4th in 30.19.8.
9/08/11
Blackheath & Bromley are UK Womens League Division One
champions and are promoted back to the Premier Division for 2012. They
secured the title by winning their final match of the season at Winchester
by 19 points from runners up Swansea, who themselves are also promoted.
This was a fine team effort with all athletes making
an important contribution to the team victory, sometimes doing more than
their normal events. For example, Sarah Abrams won the high jump with a leap
of 1.70 but she also ran the 2000 metres steeplechase to score important
points for the team.
Biggest individual points scorer on the day was again
Shaunagh Brown. She won both A string shot and discus events with distances
of 14.28 and 49.70. She was also second in the Hammer. Sam Milner duplicated
these positions in the B strings, giving the Club near maximum points in the
heavy throws.
Rachel Arnehim and Liz Hughes gained second and first
in the pole vault and Lauren Blackie and Sandra Alaneme were third and
second in the triple jump. Liz and Sandra also helped out in the javelin
while Lauren was also second in the B long jump with Emily Martin 5th in the
A string. Christine Lyston was a good third in the B high jump.
On the track Serita Solomon was second in the A string
100 hurdles and third in the 100 and also part of the 4x100 team, along with
Lauren Blackie, Emily Martin and Amara Lalemi Jacobs who finished in third
place.
Yimika Adewakun and Krystal Galley were both second in
their 400 strings and teamed up with Amara and Megan Southwart to finish
third in the 4x400. Megan had already come third in the A 400 hurdles and
won the B 100 hurdles.
B string 400 hurdler Rachel Robinson was third and she
then gained 4th place in the B 3000 metres with Jane Bradshaw 7th in a
competitive A race. Danielle Critchley and Shavaun Henry scored important
points in the 800 and 1500 metres.
Manager Brendan McShane was proud of his teams
performance and the fact the they have bounced back into the Premier
Division at the first attempt. He is keen to build on this years success.
Montell Douglas was unable to compete at Winchester.
She was invited to compete in the 100 metres at the Aviva London Grand Prix
at Crystal Palace. She was 7th in her heat in 11.74. Adam Gemili ran for the
Great Britain Under 20s 4x100 metre team but unfortunately they were
disqualified.
Ed Harrison travelled to Belgium to compete in Nivove
in Belgium. Here he won the 400 hurdles in 51.71.
Highlight of the South Of England Under 17 and Under
15 championships at Ashford was a sensational clean sweep of the medals in
the under 15 girls 100 metres.
Shannon Hylton won in 12.43 with Maya Bruney second in
12.53 and Cheriece Hylton third in 12.64, having set a new best of 12.62 in
her heat. Not only was it a clean sweep for the Club’s athletes it was also
so for coach David Bruney.
Shannon’s time of 12.36 in the heat was a personal
best with electronic timing. She is 4th fastest in the country this year.
She also ran 26.75 in the heats of the 200 metres but did not contest the
final. Cheriece did, she won the race in 26.39 into the teeth of a -.4.4
metre per second headwind.
Yemisi Sofolarin set a new best of 35.07 to win the
silver medal in the under 15 girls discus. She is now 5th ranked in the
country in her event. Leah Louise Everson timed 2.26.34 in the 800.
More medals were won in the under 17s age group with
Frances Read winning silver in the triple jump with a leap of 10.66. She was
also 4th in the long jump where in the mens event Oliver Newport was second
in 6.89.
Louis Mascarenhas was 4th and 5th in the shot and
discus events with distances of 13.03 and 39.50. Bonnie Bratton was 4th in
the hammer with a throw of 37.53 and Reuben Fakoya was 5th in the 200 metres
in 24.08. He also ran 11.72 in the 100 metres heats.
Eamonn Prendergast won the latest Bromley 5km Parkrun
at Norman Park in a time of 17.16. David Beadle was 18th and Katie Murray
29th. Jennie Butler was 11th in the event at Brockwell Park.
There was more sad news for the Club recently with the
news of the death of Past President Ian Smith. He was a great servant of
both the Club and the Kent County. Further grim news came as long time
member Tony Bounds has died at the age of 59 from cancer. He was a 2.34
marathon runner and great supporter of the Club and its activities.
3/08/11
Lorraine Ugen was Blackheath & Bromley’s most
successful athlete at the World Championships Trials at Birmingham. She
finished with a silver medal in the long jump with a new personal best of
6.54 one place ahead of Britain’s top multi eventer Jessica Ennis.
She also reached the semi final of the 100 metres
where she timed 11.88, having clocked 11.91 in her heat. Montell Douglas was
fourth in the 100 metres final in 11.54 and was also third in her heat of
the 200 metres.
Shavaun Henry was just outside her best in finishing
7th in the 2000 metres steeplechase in 11.11.85 while Joe Lawrence was 8th
in the triple jump; Serita Solomon was 8th in the 100 hurdles; and Jermaine
Olasan was 9th in the long jump.
Dan Putnam set a new best of 47.55 in the heats of the
400 metres and also timed 21.94 in the 200. Others in action included
Tremayne Gilling and Kieran Daly in the 100, Yimika Adewakun (400), Ben
Hopkins and Ed Harrison (400 Hurdles); Ben Harding (800), Elaine Murty
(1500) and Ned Quiney (pole vault).
Shaunagh Brown missed the Championships as she was
competing in the Highland Games.
Two of the Club’s senior stars of the future have been
representing Great Britain at the European Youth Olympic Festival at Trabzon
in Turkey. In extremely hot and humid conditions Rachel Dickens finished in
6th place in the 400 metres final in a time of 55.47, having run 55.21 to
qualify from her heat.
Dina Asher Smith suffered the disappointment of being
disqualified in the final of the 200 metres. However, to reach the final she
broke the Club under 17 record previously held by Montell Douglas with a
sensational time of 24.16.
Although the Club had the athletes away at the World
Trials this can be no excuse for another disappointing result in the
Southern Athletics League. The combined men and womens team finished in
fourth place in the latest fixture at Harrow which means that the squad will
need to be out in force in the final match of the season at Luton on the
20th of August if they are to avoid relegation.
Lewis Ely celebrated his birthday two days early by
winning the Club’s male Athlete Of The Match. He won the high jump with a
seasons best of 1.95, set a personal best in the triple jump and also scored
valuable points in the long jump. Female Athlete Of The Match went to Rachel
Robinson, always a great supporter of the team, and on this occasion scoring
heavily in the 400 hurdles, long jump, 4x100 and 4x400.
Steve Timmins set a new best of 13.65 in the shot putt
and also won the Hammer with a throw of 48.30. Alex Pope won the discus with
a throw of 42.70. He also won the B shot and Hammer. More success came in
the womens throws where Sam Milner won the shot and discus and was second in
the hammer and javelin. Other wins came from Anike Shand Whittingham (100);
Jermaine Alexander (200), and womens team manager on the day Jane Bradshaw
in the 1500 in a seasons best.
Both the Club’s men and women have qualified for the
Southern Counties Veterans AC Inter Club Final on the 4th of September. They
confirmed their place in the final Kent Masters League match of the season
at Norman Park..
The men finished second on the day and won the Kent
title on match points as both they and Cambridge Harriers were level on 29.5
League points. Wins on the night came from Steve Timmins in the over 35s
discus; Ken Daniel, M60 800; and Dennis Wallington M60 Long jump; but
perhaps the best performance of the night came in the M35 B string 800 where
Keith Ewing, an over 50, moved down an age group to time 2.05.7, just over
half a second outside the Club over 50s record.
The women were second on the night and second in the
League. Evergreen Maureen Miller, a W45, won the W35 800 metres despite
being the oldest in the race and she joined Jackie Montgomery, Helen Godsell
and Jane Bradshaw for victory in the 4x100 metres. Jane had earlier won the
B 800. Helen also won the over 50s 100 and 800 metre races.
Such is the enthusiasm among the women that they also
field a B team in the League, and they also finished in second place on the
night and second in Division Two for the season. Sarah Dowling and Rosie
Ferguson achieved maximum points in the A and B string 800 metres, while in
the over 50s Annie McDonough triumphed in both the 100 and 800. Tina
Harradine won the discus.
The Club’s youngsters have finished a very successful
season in the Kent Young Athletes League at Sutton Valence. On the day, the
under 15 boys and girls and under 13 boys all won and the under 13 girls
were third. As a result both the boys and girls won overall on the day.
As far as the season was concerned the youngsters
enjoyed a clean sweep of victories in the four age groups and so won both
the overall boys and girls titles.
In the under 15s age group there were wins in the
middle distance for Janae Galley in the 800 and Leah Everson in the 1500
while Aine Hurlock won the 75 hurdles by over half a second in 12.2. She
then teamed up with Sharai Williams, Oshuwa Ogbeta and Leah McDonald for
victory in the 4x100.
For the boys Gabriel Ibitoye won the shot with a throw
of 11.35. He also enjoyed relay success along with Bradley Clegg, Joshua
Dalsan and Alex Skipp in the 4x400.
Most impressive age group were the under 13 boys. They
won all five A string field events with three of the victories coming from
Michael Redmond. His throw in the shot of 9.55 was a national grade one
performance and he also won the discus and javelin.
Joe Saddler also achieved a grade one in the long jump
with a leap of 4.76 and he also won the long jump with 13.9. Asa Andrew won
the high jump clearing 1.30 and Joss Barber prevailed in the 1500 in a time
of 5.08.3. Asa was also a member of the winning 4x100 team along with Samuel
Low, James Low and Bruce Slee.
The youngsters achievement at Sutton Valence was even
more impressive given that many were unavailable because they were
representing Kent at the Southern Under 13 Inter Counties Championships.
Just to be selected was an achievement and the youngsters responded with
some good performances.
For the girls Akino Gondwe-Onabrauche was third in
both the A string shot and discus. Isabella Hildritch took 4th in the long
jump with a leap of 4.43, a new personal best, and she was also second in
the B string 70 hurdles.
Others in action included Toyin Orelaja (high jump),
Jamiyla Robinson-Pascal (100) and Shannon Riskey (800).
Danny Eversley was 6th in the 75 metre hurdles in
13.60 and was also in action in the high jump and long jump. Also competing
were Ryan Poyroo (100), Remi Ullah and Jake Potter (800), and Jordan Thomas
(long jump).
A small piece of Club History was made last week when
a Club Championship was won by a woman. Jane Bradshaw was the athlete who
produced this epoch making performance as she stormed to victory in 10.54.0
in the 3000 metres last Wednesday with Gerald Sterling second and Joshua
Dowling third.
The Surrey Walking Club 3000 metres walk took place at
the same venue with Roger Michell winning in 16.43.1 with Shaun Lightman
second and Peter Hannell fourth. Three days earlier Shaun had been in action
in the Hillingdon Half Marathon finishing in 14th place in 2.23.19. The
previous evening Peter Hannell was 5th in the penultimate race in the
Veterans AC 5 Mile League walk at Battersea Park. He timed 50.24.
The two were soon back in action again at the Ilford
League 5 mile walk at Redbridge Cycle Circuit where Shaun was 7th in 51.20
and Peter 8th in 52.07
There is a special feature on the Club in the August
edition of Running And Fitness Magazine which is now available in all good
newsagents.
26/07/11
Adam Gemili returned from the European Junior
Championships at Tallinn, Estonia with two silver medals. The Blackheath &
Bromley athlete was second in the 100 metres and was then part of the 4x100
metre team who also finished in the runner up spot.
This is a remarkable achievement for the John Blackie coached athlete as
this is his first full Summer of Athletics. He cruised through his heat in
10.49 and then clocked 10.41 in the final pushing Great Britain number one
David Bolarinwa into third.
The two were then part of the 4x100 team who finished in second place in
a time of 39.85.
Ben Hopkins ran a new best of 53.39 in the 400 hurdles but this was not
enough to allow him to progress beyond the heats. Megan Southwart did,
however, as she clocked 60.16. She then improved to 59.87 in her semi final
where she finished in 7th place.
Kate Curran is the latest athlete from the Club to gain an International
selection. She has been chosen as a reserve for the GE Great Britain
triathlon team at the 2011 ETU Youth Triathlon Championships in Tours,
France at the end of August.
With athletes away at the European Championships, the Club were not at
full strength for the final Southern Premier Division match of the National
Junior Athletics League at Norman Park. The Club finished in third place on
the day which means that they have qualified for the National Final at Derby
in September.. However, they will not go there as Southern Premier Champions
as they were pipped to the title by Shaftesbury Barnet who won the match and
were crowned Area champions by just 1.5 event points, as both finished with
29 League points.
Samantha Milner won the female Athlete Of The Match for her 41.28 throw
in the discus. She also won the shot and was second in the B string javelin.
Grace Sheppard was another double A string winner with victories in both the
100 and 200 races and she was also part of the winning 4x100 metre team
along with Georgina Middleton, Amara Lalaemi Jacobs and Charlotte Colegate.
Other A string wins came from Phil Sesemann in the 2000 steeplechase;
Jonathan Ilori (triple jump); Mark Longhurst (pole vault); Ben Parkin (400
hurdles) and Sarah Abrams (triple jump).
As reported last week, the Club’s Young Athletes team have missed out on
a place in this years National Final in September but will compete in the
Auxilliary Final instead.
Despite the disappointment of not qualifying there were, nevertheless, a
number of fine performances at the Area Final at Copthall with eight
National Grade One performances achieved.
In the under 17s age group these came from Aine Hurlock (75 metre hurdles
11.81), Dina Asher Smith (100 in 11.96) and Rachel Dickens (300 in 39.76).
Aine and Dina’s times were both personal bests.
More sprints success came in the under 15s with grade ones for Maya
Bruney (200 in 25.78), Cheriece Hylton (200 26.23) and Shannon Hylton (100
12.47).
Nicole Farmer timed an excellent new personal best of 10.15 in the under
13 girls 75 metres while Akina Gondwe-Onobrouche won the shot with a throw
of 8.68.
The Regional Final is a big step up from the four divisional fixtures
from which the team qualified as it is an 8 team event against the best
Clubs in the South. Therefore, to win an A string event is quite an
achievement.
Bonnie Bratton won the under 17 womens hammer with a throw of 38.47 and
the 4x100 and 4x300 quartets of Georgina Middleton, Dina Asher Smith,
Charlotte Colegate and Rachel Dickens also enjoyed victories.
More relay success came in the under 15s age group with wins for both the
boys and girls quartets courtesy of Dotun Ayodele, Joshua Dalsan, Alex
Skipp, and Ayo Ajiboye; and Vivien Olatunji, Maya Bruney, Cheriece Hylton
and Shannon Hylton respectively. Yemisi Sofolarin won the discus with a
throw of 34.03 and Jon Pairman the high jump with a clearance of 1..60.
Jamiyla Robinson-Pascal won the under 13s high jump with a leap of 1.33
and the 4x100 metre team of Olivia Richer, Toyin Orelaja, Parris Johnson and
Nicole Farmer won in a time of 54.70
Neither of the Club’s Senior teams have qualified for the Final of the
Super8. Both teams finished third in their semi finals at Luton. The women
only had two athletes competing but what they lacked in quantity they made
up for in quality as Sam Milner in the discus with a throw of 42.31and
Christina Moore with a clearance of 3.00 in the pole vault both won their
events achieving maximum points. This gave them third in the team event as
only three Clubs contested the event rather than the Super eight.
The mens turn out was better and wins came from Alloy Wilson in the 400
in 49.0 and Steve Timmins in the discus with a throw of 35.81. Alloy also
ran a swift 48.5 medley relay split. Duayne Bovell looked to have won the
100 metres but was given second place in 11.2, electronic timing may well
have shown otherwise.
Lewis Ely was pleased to be over 1.90 again as he placed second in the
high jump and Murray Hilborne came in at short notice in the pole vault
going out at what would have been a new best of 3.10.
Many of the Club’s athletes have been in action at various open meetings
around the country. At the British Milers Club races at Stretford, Ben
Harding ran 1.51.75 for the 800, a new best by a hundredth of a second. Alex
Bruce Littlewood timed 3.59.05 for the 1500.
Highlight at the Cambridge Harriers Open Meeting was a new Club M50
record for Keith Ewing in the 1500 metres. He timed an impressive 4.15.1 to
take more than three seconds off Hugh Morten’s previous record.
Alex Bruce Littlewood raced again timing 1.54.20 for 800. Steve Cavey ran
a season’s best of 1.55.41.Others to compete were Russell Bentley (1.57.08),
David McKinley (1.59.40), Lucy Sidey (2.26.11), Leah Louise Everson
(2.26.53) and Jessica Keene (2.30.16).
Will Ruiz ran 4.34.6 for 1500 with Kate Curran timing 4.45.9, Ken Daniel
5.05.6 and Michelle Fewster 5.19.7.
Holly Fletcher and Sonia Woolhouse ran 61.91 and 64.00 in the 400 and
Seyi Daramola ran 12.1 and 13.36 in the 100s.
At the Herne Hill Open Meeting Jermaine Alexander ran 22.58 for the 200
with Luke Smallwood clocking 22.61 while Richard Holt ran 59.1 for the 400
hurdles.
David Beadle was the Club’s first finisher at the latest Bromley 5km park
run at Norman Park. He finished 11th in 19.01 with Graham Coates
15th and Joshua Dowling 16th. Justine Eastbury was the
first woman from the Club to finish in 64th place.
There is a special feature on the Club in the August
edition of Running And Fitness Magazine which is now available in all good
newsagents.
19/07/11
James Alaka is European Under 23 100 metre champion.
The Blackheath & Bromley athlete, who hails from Penge, won his title at the
Championships which took place at Ostrava in the Czech Republic.
Going into the Championships he had the seasons best
of those competing but needed to translate this form into a gold medal. The
21 year old won his heat in 10.49, one hundredth of a second slower than the
fastest qualifier, but only 7 hundredths of a second separated the six
quickest finalists.
With such competition a good start was important in
the final but he didn‘t get it. Thankfully his strength over the later
stages of the race saw him move through to take gold in 10.45, two
hundredths of second clear of Italian Michael Tumi. It was Britain’s first
gold of these Championships.
However, the former Ravenswood schoolboy was not
finished. He also won silver in the 200 metres setting a new personal best
in the final of 20.59 in his heat and running 20.60 in the final just four
hundredths off first place.
Sadly Lorraine Ugen had three no jumps in her
qualifying pool of the long jump and so did not progress.
More International success came in the Aviva Schools
International at Cardiff. Rachel Dickens came away with two gold medals. She
won the 300 metres in 39.20 and was then part of the 4x300 metres team who
won in a time just outside the Championship Best Performance.
Dina Asher Smith won the 200 metres in 24.69 but her
chance of a second gold went as the 4x100 metre team did not get the baton
round.
Second claim member Oliver Newport, who competes for
the Club in the Junior League won the long jump with a leap of 7.07.
Still on the International scene Nick Kinsey finished
in third place in the over 50s division in the Challenge Triathlon
Championships, one of the longest running Ironman distance races, held in
Roth in Germany. He finished after 9 hours 22 minutes of swimming, biking
and running in an event in which over 3,500 athletes from around the world
took part. Nick was one of only two British athletes to finish in the top
three in their respective age groups
Tom Phillips came away from the World Masters
Championships in Sacramento with a silver medal as part of the Great Britain
M55s 4x100 metre team who finished runners up to the USA. He was also 6th in
the semi final of the M55s 100 metres and 4th in his heat of the 200 metres.
Former English schools International winner and
European Under 23 silver medallist Montell Douglas returned to competition
following injury at the English Athletics Senior Championships at Bedford.
The UK record holder for the 100 metres was pleased to be back competing and
won silver in the 100 in 11.39, her fastest time since 2008.
Shavaun Henry also won silver in the 3000 steeplechase
in a time of 11.04.20. Ed Harrison was again under 52 seconds in the 400
hurdles as he finished third Briton in 51.76. It was third also for Shaunagh
Brown in the discus with a new personal best of 51.57 and third equal for
Ned Quiney in the pole vault with 4.80.
Elaine Murty was 5th in the 1500; Dan Putnam 8th in
the 400; Emily Martin 8th in the long jump; Jonathan Ilori and Joe Lawrence
8th and 11th in the triple jump. Serita Solomon was third in her heat of the
100 hurdles; Dan Putnam was 5th in his 200 metre semi final; and Anike Shand
Whittingham continued her comeback from injury in the heats of the 100
metres.
Shaunagh Brown had a busy weekend because the
following day she represented Kent at the South Of England Inter Counties
match at Hemel Hempstead. She had a memorable afternoon winning the shot,
discus and hammer contests. Alex Bruce Littlewood was the Club’s other
winner. He was first in the 5000 metres in 15.24.69.
Rachel Arnheim was second in the pole vault with a
clearance of 3.50 with Sam Brown third in the mens event with 4.30. Oweka
Wanagho was third in the 100 with Grace Sheppard third in the womens event.
Ellie Duffy Penny was 7th in the javelin and third and
fifth in the B discus and shot while Christina Moore won the B string pole
vault; and Richard Holt was 4th in the B 400 hurdles.
Alex Bruce Littlewood went into the race at Hemel
Hempstead fresh from setting an impressive new personal best of 3.47.67 at
the BMC Gold Standard races at Watford. Ben Harding clocked 1.52.75 for the
800 while Keith Ewing edged closer to the Club over 50s 800 metre record as
he ran 2.07.79.
There was disappointment for the Club’s youngsters at
the Southern Area Final the National Young Athletes League at Copthall. They
finished in third place and, subject to confirmation later this week, the
Club will not have qualified for the National Final but will instead compete
in the Auxilliary Final. Full details of this match will appear in the next
report.
Peter Hannell finished 11th in the London Inter Club
Challenge and Enfield League 3km at Lee Valley. He timed 17.48.65.
Andrew Rayner made a low key return to competition
with a win in the latest Bromley 5km Parkrun at Norman Park. He ran a very
useful 16.20 with Glen Turner third, Dave Beadle 8th, M60 Rob Brown 14th;
and youngster Joshua Dowling 15th. Justine Eastbury was the first woman from
the Club to finish in 50th position.
National Junior League action returns to Norman Park,
Bromley this Sunday as the Club host the final Southern Premier Division
match of the season. The Club currently top the Division and barring a
disaster will qualify for the National Final in Derby in September. They
cannot, of course, afford to be complacent and not only will the team want
to secure their place in the Final, they also want to go their as Area
Champions.
This is a rare chance to see the Club’s Junior team in
action on home ground. They are the 2010 National Champions and later this
year the women will represent the UK in the European Champions Club Cup for
Juniors which takes place in Spain the week after the National Final.
With this in mind the Club has arranged for a barbecue
with 100% Aberdeen Angus Burgers, sausages and bacon butties together with
vegetarian options. All proceeds from this will go to towards helping fund
the womens team represent the United Kingdom in Europe in September.
There is a special feature on the Club in the August
edition of Running And Fitness Magazine which is now available in all good
newsagents.
12/07/11
Ed Harrison’s reward for his recent fine form in the
400 hurdles was an invitation to compete in the Aviva Birmingham Grand Prix.
He finished 5th in his race and was again under 52 seconds, this time with a
51.77 clocking.
A number of the Club’s top Seniors competed in the
McCain Jumps & Throws Fest at Hendon. Shaunagh Brown was the most successful
as she set another new best in the Hammer, improving to 56.10 and edging
ever closer to the Club Senior Record. She also threw 15.06 in the shot.
Lauren Blackie was 5th in her heat of the triple jump
with a leap of 11.98 while Rachel Arnheim cleared 3.25 in the pole vault.
Lewis Ely cleared 1.84 in the high jump but there was disappointment for Ned
Quiney who no heighted in the pole vault.
At the BMC Nike Grand Prix at Solihull Ben Harding ran
1.52.70 for 800 and Alex Bruce Littlewood and Elaine Murty timed 3.50.74 and
4.24.01 for the 1500.
Two athletes from Blackheath & Bromley have been
selected for the Great Britain team for the European Youth Olympic Festival
at Trabzon in Turkey at the end of the month. Dina Asher Smith has been
picked for the 200 metres an event in which she has run 24.68 this season.
Rachel Dickens, who like Dina is coached by John Blackie, has been chosen to
race the 400 metres, an event in which she is the fastest under 17 in the
country this year with 55.07. This time is actually the 6th quickest by an
under 20 in Britain this year.
The two will be on International duty this weekend as
they represent England at the Aviva Schools International in Cardiff.
Both were in action for the Club’s under 20 team last
weekend helping the team to finish in second place and, thus, strengthening
B&B’s hold on a place in the National Final which takes place in September.
With just a home match at Norman Park remaining, the Club head the table on
23 points, two clear of second placed Shaftesbury Barnet who in turn are two
points clear of third placed Windsor. The top two qualify automatically for
the Final.
Dina won the 100 metres in 12.14 while Rachel
triumphed in the 400 metres in 56.14. Other A string victories came from Sam
Milner in the shot and discus; Sarah Abrams, triple jump; Craig Morten, 400
hurdles; Phil Sesemann, 2000 steeplechase; and the womens 4x100 team of
Dina, Rachel, Georgina Middleton and Grace Sheppard.
Things did not go so well at the Southern Athletics
League match at Walton where the Club were last of the four competing teams.
The main reason for this was that the Club only had one woman competing.
What was lacking in quantity was, however, made up for in quality as Jackie
Montgomery set a new Club record in the womens over 35s pole vault contest
with a clearance of 1.90. She also competed in all other field events apart
from the triple jump plus the 200 metres. Such a contribution would on any
afternoon have seen her in contention for the Club’s female Athlete of the
Match and on this occasion it was no contest.
Athlete of the Match for the men was Jermaine
Alexander who was a convincing winner of both the 100 and 200 metre races.
Particularly pleasing were the results in the throws where Steve Timmins
(shot and discus), Andrew Jordon (Hammer) and Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen
(javelin) all achieved A string victories. Mike’s 52.99 was a new personal
best.
At the Southern Area Walking Association 20km
Championship at Basildon, Shaun Lightman finished in 7th place in 2 hours,
16 minutes and 59 seconds.
Gerald Sterling was the Club’s first finisher in the
latest Bromley Park Run at Norman Park. He finished 17th with Steve Pairman
19th and Graham Coates 24th. First woman was Justine Eastbury in 61st.
Ian Taylor was 7th at Lloyd Park with Rebecca Taylor
15th while Jessica Keene was 52nd at the Brighton & Hove event; Helen
Godsell 24th at Riddlesdown; and Nigel Haffenden 23rd at Greenwich.
There is a special feature on the Club in the August
edition of Running And Fitness Magazine which is now available in all good
newsagents.
5/07/11
With International competitions, the English Schools
Championships and League matches across the age groups, it has been a busy
weekend for the athletes of Blackheath & Bromley. When the dust had settled
on a busy few days, six Club members had earned International selections;
three Club records had been broken; and there had been considerable team
success.
Four Club members have been chosen to represent Great
Britain at the European Junior Championships which take place at Tallinn in
Estonia from the 21st to the 24th of July. Adam Gemili has been selected for
the mens 100 metres and the 4x100 squad. Ben Hopkins and Megan Southwart
have both been picked for the 400 hurdles and Yimika Adewakun is part of the
womens 4x400 squad.
Adam and Megan competed as part of a Great Britain
team at the Mannheim International in Germany and both enjoyed victories.
Megan won the 400 hurdles in 59.90 a time which was again inside the
qualifying time for the European Under 20 Championships. Adam won one of his
two 100 metre races in 10.45 and was second in his other in an even quicker
time of 10.41. Both times were well inside the Euro Qualifying standard of
10.60.
Also in Europe, Ed Harrison ran a fine new personal
best of 51.43 in the 400 hurdles at the meeting at Namur in Belgium. At the
Mondo Keien Meeting at Uden in the Netherlands, Ned Quiney cleared 5.10 in
the pole vault
Two more athletes from the Club have qualified for
Internationals by winning their events in the Intermediate Girls age group
at the English Schools Championships at Gateshead. Dina Asher Smith won the
200 metres in a sparkling 24.38, a new personal best. Rachel Dickens won the
300 metres in 38.52, the fastest time in the country this year. It not
surprisingly broke the Club Record because it is the 8th fastest ever by a
British under 17 athlete
Three more gold medals came in the Senior age group.
Yimika Adewakun won Girls 400 metres in 55.60. Pippa Woolven took the Girls
1500 metres steeplechase in 4.53.53 and Mark Longhurst continued his fine
recent form in the pole vault winning with a clearance of 4.80.
Maya Bruney had an outstanding run in the Junior Girls
200 metres winning in 24.74, the fastest time in the country this year.
Silver medals in the Senior age group were won by
Sarah Abrams in the long jump with a leap of 5.97, just 8 centimetres off
the qualifying standard for the European Junior Championships; Krystal
Galley in the 400 with an excellent new best of 56.00; and Joe Lawrence in
the triple jump with a leap of 15.40 just 10 centimetres off the qualifying
standard for the European Junior Championships. Silver too came for Yemisi
Sofolarin in the Intermediate Girls discus with a throw of 34.05.
Emilie Blackwell won bronze in the Senior Girls pole
vault with a clearance of 3.45 as did Craig Morten in the Senior 400 hurdles
in a time of 55.19. Anton Daly was third in the Intermediate Boys 100 metres
in 10.92 as was Shannon Hylton in the Junior Girls event in 12.53.
It is a great achievement for an athlete to be
selected for these championships and plenty of athletes performed well
despite not winning medals.
In the Senior age group Phil Sesemann timed 3.57.96 in
his heat of the 1500 metres before finishing 11th in the final. Samantha
Milner was 5th in the discus and Naomi Lee 6th in the pole vault with 3.25.
Aaron Lloyd reached the semi final of the 100 metre
hurdles and Rhiannon Jones was 6th in her heat of the 80 metre hurdles
Cheriece Hylton just missed out on a medal in the
Intermediates age group as she finished fourth in the 400 metres in 25.57.
Alex Wheelwright was 11th in the high jump; Bonnie Bratton 15th in the
hammer; and Aine Hurlock 6th in her heat of the 75 metre hurdles.
The Clubs Seniors had mixed results in their
respective National League Division One matches with the women finishing
second in their UK Womens League match at Copthall and the men 7th in their
British Athletics League match at Kingston. This means the women are second
in the table, a promotion position, and the men are 7th , a relegation
place. The women have one match remaining while the men have two.
Two athletes broke their own Club Records at Copthall.
Serita Solomon timed 13.27 in the 100 metre hurdles, but had to settle for
second place. Shaunagh Brown broke the discus record she set four years ago
with a throw of 51.23. Despite these efforts they both had to settle for
second place.
Shaunagh also won the shot and was second in the
hammer. Lorraine Ugen was the other individual winner in the long jump with
a leap of 6.13 and she was also second in the 100 metres in 11.81. She and
Serita along with Grace Sheppard and Anike Shand Whittingham formed the
winning 4x100 quartet.
Grace had earlier set a new best of 25.6 in the 200
metres and Anike won the B string 100. Elaine Murty had two good runs in the
800 and 1500 finishing in third place. Mel Kane in the 2000 steeplechase;
Lauren Blackie in the triple jump; and Rachel Arnheim in the pole vault also
achieved thirds. Sarah Abrams was second in the high jump having earlier won
the B string long jump. Unfortunately her leap of 5.73 did not gain her the
European Junior qualifying standard she had been seeking.
Other B string wins came courtesy of Sam Milner in the
shot and discus; Liz Hughes in the pole vault and Rachel Blackie in the
hammer.
Best results at Kingston came on the track with
individual wins for Dan Putnam in the 200 in a new best of 21.54 and from
Scott Overall in the 3000. Ed Harrison and Alex Bruce Littlewood were close
to their bests in finishing second in the 400 hurdles and 3000 steeplechase
while Mensah Elliott was third in the 110 hurdles.
Ed also won the B string 110 hurdles in a new best of
15.16 and further B string wins came from Pete Matthews in the 3000 in a
best of 8.35.40 and Alex Gibbins in the 3000 steeplechase.
Unfortunately the team were very weak in a lot of the
field events despite the heroics of Alex Pope and Lewis Ely plus a personal
best of 3 metres from Murray Hilborne in the pole vault.
Murray was at Kingston fresh from having competed for
the Masters team the previous evening in the Kent Masters League at Ashford.
It proved to be a very successful night as the men finished joint first and
now head the table. The women won their match and are now second just one
point behind leaders Dartford. Both should are well on course for a place in
the Southern Area Final.
Murray won the over 35s pole vault in what was then a
new best of 2.80, while other wins came from Steve Timmins in the over 35s
hammer and from Ken Daniel in the over 60s 3000 metres.
In the over 35s age group in the womens match the Club
achieved maximum points on the track with double wins from Maureen Miller
and Shirley Rowbotham in the 400 and Jennie Butler and Rosie Ferguson in the
3000 metres, while Jackie Montgomery won the 2000 walk.
This track dominance was nearly replicated in the over
50s age group where Helen Godsell won both the 400 and 3000 metres with team
manager Anne Cilia second in the 2000 walk. Helen also won the triple jump.
More success came in the latest Kent Young Athletes
League match at Canterbury. The under 15 and under 13 boys both won, so
winning overall. The under 13 girls also won and although the under 15s had
to settle for third, the girls too won the overall match.
Gabriel Ibitoye won both the 200 and shot in the under
15 boys age group and there was a double win also from new member Billy
Blackham with victories in the discus and javelin. More success came in the
throws for the girls with a win in the shot for Brooke Hollett.
Most pleasing perhaps was the quality of the
performances in the under 13s age group. In the girls field events the Club
had a clean sweep of victories in the A strings. Jamiyla Robinson-Pascal
soared over 1.44 in the high jump, a National Grade One performance. She
would have won the long jump with a leap of 4.40 but she was pipped to A
string victory by Magda Cienciala who leapt one centimetre further. Greeta
Wedderburn enjoyed victories in the discus and javelin and also the B string
shot. Impressive A string winner in the shot was Akina Gondwe-Onobrauche who
threw 9.38, a National Grade One Performance.
For the boys Danny Eversley won both the 75 metre
hurdles and high jump and then teamed up with Ryan Poyroo, James Low and
Jordan Thomas for victory in the 4x100 metres. Jordan had earlier won the
long jump. Remi Ullah won the 800 metres.
Roger Michell was part of the Surrey Walking Club team
who won first place in the RWA National Championships which were
incorporated in the Surrey Walking Club open 100 mile race at Lingfield,
with part of the course using the road inside the roadway inside the grass
horse race track of the racecourse. Roger completed the course in 21 hours
36 minutes and 17 seconds.
Ben Cockburn was the Club’s first finisher in the
Orpington 10km. He was third on the multi terrain course in 37.42. Will
Mercer was 13th and David Beadle 26th with Graham Coates the first over 60
to finish in 43.35
Steve Pairman led home the B&B contingent at the
Bromley 5km Parkrun at Norman Park. He was 13th with Gerald Sterling 14th
and Adrian Stocks 33rd. Katie Murray was first woman from the Club in 57th.
At the Lloyd Park event Dan Hassett was 11th and Ella Fisher 14th. Helen
Godsell was 67th at the Riddlesdown event, the day after her exploits in the
Kent Masters League, and Martin Lundie was 45th at Greenwich.
Glen Turner finished in 8th place in the Bewl Water 15
in a time of 1.35.18 with Ian Montgomery 104th in 1.55.48.
There is a special feature on the Club in the August
edition of Running And Fitness Magazine which is now available in all good
newsagents.
