Track & Field News - Updated

It was a busy weekend for WGEL's athletes who were in action at the Manchester City Games, the BMC Watford Grand Prix,, the Loughborough International, the Essex Championships and the Southern League. Highlights included a Club U/17 800m record for Daniel Rowden, and other personal bests for Dan Awde, Jon Cook, Nathan Wake, Ed Shepherd, Gavin Lewis,Tom Phillips, Anthony Oshodi, Youcef Zatat and Hollie Redman. At Day One of Essex Championships there were titles for  Kitty Eleaye, Omolulu Abiodun, Joseph Dewar, Chris Linque, Jessica Burgess, Hugh Williams, Stephanie Howe,Max Wintle, Alan James, and Isabella Hoy.

The weekend's action began in Manchester on Saturday afternoon where, in the televised street races, there were wins for both Tiffany Porter, in the 100mH with 12.65 secs (+1.7) and Shana Cox, 200m 23.23 secs w (+2.9). Highlight form the BMC Grand Prix at Watford came from U/17 Daniel Rowden who broke Chris Reynolds' 13 year old Club U/17 800m record. Daniel improved his own personal best by over a second as he placed 3rd in his race and recorded a very fine 1m52.57 secs. In the men's "A" 1500m, Jon Cook came close to Matt Shone's "domestic" club best over 1500m as he placed 8th in a good quality race and recorded a personal best of 3m42.28 secs. Also over 1500m, Ed Shepherd and Gavin Lewis  both recorded personal bests, Ed with 3m53.22 secs for 5th in the "D" race, and Gavin 3m55.79 secs for 5th in the "E" race. Tom Phillips had a rare outing over 5000m and he too recorded a personal best of 14m38.44 secs as he placed 4th in the "B" race. HCA member Gemma Coe was 5th in the women's "B" 1500m with 4m30.40 secs.

Many Woodford athletes were in action at the Loughborough International on Sunday. Dan Awde, recently selected for the GB&NI Team for the World Relay Championships, was representing England and won over 400m, improving his personal best to 45.85 secs. Another recording a personal best was Nathan Wake, the former junior international 400m runner has now switched to 800m and he came 2nd in the "A" race with 1m49.97 secs. Representing British Universities, BUCS Champion Youcef Zatat, improved his personal best in the shot with 16.66m for 7th and, competing as a guest, Anthony Oshodi also recorded a personal best of 17.27m for 5th. Racing in the "A" 400mH, Mike Baker was close to his 4 year old pb as he placed 4th with 51.69 secs. In the men's hammer, Mark Dry just got the better of Andy Frost as he placed 2nd with 71.47m with Andy 3rd in 70.67m. In the women's hammer, HCA member Myra Perkins was 6th with 63.11m. Tom Norman, representing England, was 5th in the discus with 53.60m, HCA member Dan Gardner was 2nd in the PV with 5.05m, Zainab Ceesay recorded 12.69m in the TJ, Peter Kirabo was 7th in the men's TJ with 14.39m (-0.2), and over 100m Jason Greenidge recorded 11.38 secs (+0.2), and Elaine O'Neil 12.03 secs (-1-1). HCA member Ryan McKinlkay improved on his good form in the gales at Eton last week winning the 3kms/ch for Scotland in a significant personal best of 8m55.79 secs

Day One of the Essex Championships held at Chelmsford on Sunday saw Woddford athletes take 10 titles as well as other medlals and good performances. U/20 national Indoor 60m Champio,Joseph Dewar had his first outdoor race of the season after a hamstring injury and he won the U/20 100m title with 10.90 secs (-2.3) into a strong headwind. Omolulu Abiodun took the senior 100m title with 10.92 secs (-2.1) ahead of Eugene Ayanful who took silver with 11.02 secs (-2.1). Kitty Eleaye  won the SW LJ with 6.10m w (+2.4) and also claimed silver in the 100m with 12.63 secs (-2.4). Jessica Burgess won the U/20 women's 3000m with a time of 10m29.34 secs. In the U/15 1500m Isablella Hoy won with 4m57.04 secs, and in the U/13 boys 800m Max Wintle won with 2m26.30 secs. Max was also 4th in teh javelin with 25.59m First year U/17, Stephanie Howe, took the hammer in that age group with a CBP of 51.44m. Chris Linque took the senior men's discus title with 42.18m, and in the U/20 shot Hugh Williams won with 13.13m, ahead of David Peddle who gained silver with 10.41m. Hugh also gained silver in the U/20 discus with 34.50m. Alan James won the Vets (M35) 100m title with 12.85 secs (-2.9), and was also 2nd in the 300m with 39.22 secs.

Further medals were won by Omar Mansour who after being impeded ended up 3rd over 800m with 1m57.39  secs. Paul Scanlan was 4th in that race with 1m58.33 secs. Canaan Soloman took silver in the U/17 1500m with 4m10.47 secs, Scott Webster also silver in teh U/17 HJ with 1.75m. Vet (W45) Bernadine Pritchett got bronze in the senior womwnens 800m with 2m23.52 secs. Vincent Ogendegbe was back in action after three years awya at University and picked up bronze in the senior 400m with 50.20 secs. Eike Vardja  bronze in the javelin with 32.53m, and Anna Clark also took bronze in the U/20 800m with 2m18.88 secs.Molly Gardner was second in the U/15 girls 300m with 43.91 secs, and there was also silver for Amy Gilbert in the U/15 discus with 24.46m. Amy was also 4th in the hammer with 35.54m. Other Woodford athletes included Shayne Dewar who was 5th in the U/17 100m with 11.86 secs (w?) after a 11.85 secs (-2.7) heat and also 5th in the high jump with 1.70m; Dylan Tettey 6th in the U/17 100m with 12.09 secs (w?); Brandon Shibchurn was 4th in the U/15 100m with 12.13 secs (w?), and Sam Baker recorded 13.04 secs (-1.9) in those heats; Kyle Lundie recorded 42.14 secs in the U/15 300m heats: Rosie Poole was 4th in teh U/17 1500m with 5m04.84 secs; Phobe Fuhr was 7th in the U/15 HJ with 1.35m; Paige McArdell was 10th in the U/15 hammer with 17.97m and Hannah Page recorded 2m54.02 secs in the U/13 800m.

Results from the SAL at Watford included both SP and HT  personal bests for Hollie Redman, with m. Alan james won teh arks of11.52m and 41.01m. Hollie also won her main event, the DT, with 42.37m. Other results included from Harry Clarke, who won the HT with 56.73m, and Fergus Harford won the "B" with a season's best of 33.62. Harry was also 2nd in the "B" shot with 8.85m, with U/20 David Peddle placing 3rd in the "A" with 9.26m and also 4th in the JT with 37.77m. Ayamba Akim won the HJ with 1.65m, and fellow vet Keith Newton was 2nd in the TJ with 12.26m. On the track there was a double win for Katie Skelding, 12.3 secs in the 100m and 25.5 secs over 200m. Jason Greenidge was 2nd in the men's 100m with 11.3 secs. Vivek Joshi was 2nd over 400m in 55.3 secs and 4th over 200m with 24.5 secs, and over 3km there was a double win from Harold Wyber in tthe "A" with 9m30.7 secs, and Rob Cox in the "B" with 9m36.7 secs.