Press Releases for
April, May & June 2014
24/06/14
It has been another outstanding weekend for the
sprinters of Blackheath and Bromley with Adam Gemili helping the Great
Britain 4x100 team to victory at the European Team Championships and Kieran
Daly and Dina Asher Smith both completing sprint doubles at the England
Under 23 and Under 20 Championships at Bedford.
Britain fielded what was described as a “developmental
squad” for the European Team Championships at Braunschweig in Germany and
they finished 5th. The squad only won one event and that was the 4x100
metres in which Adam ran the anchor leg crossing the line in 38.51, just
outside the event record.
Serita Solomon ran a seasons best of 13.22 in the 100
metre hurdles but in a high quality contest she was 8th. Second claimer Izzy
Jeffs was 7th in the javelin with 52.63.
This time last year Adam was celebrating a sprint
double at the England Athletics Under 23 Championships at Bedford. Twelve
months on and another B&B athlete achieved the same feat. Kieran Daly set a
new best of 10.18 to win the 100 metre title on Saturday. This is inside the
qualifying standard for the European Championships which take place at
Zurich in August. Next weeks British Trials will be interesting as nine
athletes have so far got the standard this year.
The John Powell coached athlete returned the next day
to take the 200 metre title in 21.07 despite running into a -1.1 metre per
second wind, just outside the best he set at the same track three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Dina Asher Smith was performing the same
double in the under 20s age group winning the 100 metres in a wind assisted
time of 11.11. Her 11.21 in her heat is still faster than any other Junior
in the World this year.
So too is the John Blackie coached athlete’s 22.74
winning clocking for the 200 metres. This is the second fastest ever time by
a British Junior with only Kathy Cook’s 22.70, set at altitude, being
quicker. It is also a Club Junior and Senior record. She now looks forward
to the World Junior Championships which take place in Eugene next month.
John also coaches Shannon Hylton who was runner up to
Dina in a time of 23.42, which is also a World Championship qualifying time
and she also won bronze in the 100 metres in 11.54, also inside the
Qualification standard.
Twin sister Cheriece ensured the Hylton household took
home a complete set of medals as she won the 400 metres in a new
Championship Best Performance of 53.56. The qualifying standard for the
World Championships is 53.30 and the deadline for achieving this is the 6th
of July.
The final gold medal of the weekend came from Kerri
Davidson in the under 20 womens triple jump. She leapt a new personal best
of 12.48.
Back in the under 23 age group Jonathan Ilori had his
first competition after returning from University in the United States and
finished second in the triple jump with a distance of 15.46. Rachel Dickens
was 4th in the 400 metres in a new best of 54.13 and Jahisha Thomas was 5th
in the long jump with 5.82.
More medals in the under 20s came as Louis Mascarenhas
took second in the discus with a throw of 49.81 with Matt Blandford third in
48.28; and Stefan Amokwandoh was third in the triple jump with leap of
14.83. Louis was also 5th in the shot with 15.13 as was Oliver Newport in
the long jump with 7.06. Richard Webb finished 7th in the 3000 steeplechase
in a new best of 9.35.57; Will Fuller 10th in the 3000 in 8.43.06; and
second claimer Robert Sutherland 7th in the triple jump with 14.14.
Elsewhere, Commonwealth Games representative Chioma
Matthews was 6th in the triple jump at the Reunion Internacional de
Atletismo in Bilbao with a distance of 13.19.Alex Bruce Littlewood set a new
personal best of 3.47.18 in the British Milers Club 1500 races at Watford.
The Club success continued with victory in the latest
round of the UK Development League, Lower Age Group, Premier Division One
match at Norman Park. This puts the Club on top of the table after three
matches with one fixture remaining, and if they stay in this position they
will qualify for the National Finals in September.
Individual highlight was a new Club record of 46.86 in
the under 15 girls Hammer for Victoria Wiltshire and there was victory too
in the boys event for James Lancaster with a distance of 41.04. Eloise Locke
won the javelin with a throw of 38.24 while Magda Cienciala enjoyed wins in
both the 100 metres (12.4) and high jump (1.50).
Katy Ann McDonald was impressive in winning the 800
metres by six seconds in 2.13.4, unsurprising as she is currently the
fastest in the country. Edward Adams took the 80 metre hurdles in 12.3 and
there was victory for the 4x300 metres team in 2.52.0.
The under 13s middle distance runners showed good form
with Peter Guy winning the 800 metres in a new best of 2.14.5, the third
fastest in the country this year; and Rowan Fuss taking the 1500 metres in a
time of 4.45.9. New bests also came from Caelan Raju in the boys 75 metre
hurdles in 13.0 and from Tajera Baldie in the girls shot with a throw of
9.20.
The squad now look forward to the final match at
Tooting Bec on the 19th of July where they hope to secure the Area title and
a place in the Final.
A number of the Club’s athletes won their events at
the Kent County Schools Championships at Ashford and they will now be
keeping their fingers crossed that they will be chosen to represent the
county at the English Schools Championships which take place at Birmingham
on the second weekend in July.
In the Intermediate Boys Bailey Stickings impressed
setting a new personal best of 55.58 to secure the title. There were
personal bests also for Philippa Croft in the pole vault with a clearance of
2.65 and from Jamilya Robinson Pascal in the long jump with a leap of 5.47.
Anastasia Davies was a double winner taking both the 80 metre hurdles and
triple jump titles in 12.52 and 10.80; and Leah Everson won the 800 metres
in 2.17.24.
The field eveners shone in the Junior Girls age group
with throwers Eloise Locke (shot 11.63), Eve Keith (discus 29.65) and
Victoria Wiltshire (Hammer 44.59) all striking gold and Magda Cienciala
taking the long jump title with a leap of 5.31. It was a good day for Magda
as she also won the 100 metres in a new personal best of 12.35.
More success came at the Surrey Championships at
Kingston where Kertis Beswick won the Senior Boys 110 hurdles in 14.64. Dele
Aladese won the Intermediate Boys discus with 39.89 while for the Girls Jazz
Crawford took the 200 metres in 25.10. James Lancaster set a new best of
44.58 to win the Junior Boys Hammer.
Roger Michell finished in 6th place in the National
veterans 5km road race walk championships at Horwich. He timed 28.14 with
Shaun Lightman 11th in 29.37.
Shaun also finished in 5th place in the Veterans AC 5
mile race walk League at Battersea. He timed 48.24 and was the first over 70
to finish. Second over 70 was Peter Hannell who was 10th overall in 52.28
while David Hoben, who was 14th was third in the over 60s in a time of
58.34.
Peter and David were back in action four days later at
the Jack Fitzgerald 10.3km road race at Crawley finishing in 9th and 11th
respectively in times of 68.04 and 73.46.
David has also been in action on the track recently
competing at the Sir Roger Bannister stadium in Oxford where he was 10th in
the 3000 metres in 20.32.4.
Mel Kane was the latest winner of the Parris Handicap
race a series which takes place on the third Wednesday of each month from
the Clubhouse in Hayes. With the slowest runner starting first and the
quickest last, in theory all those running the 5km course should cross the
line together. Having been away at Brunel University Mel beat the
handicapper to finish over a minute clear of Andrew Pino and Andy Riches.
Mel was also the fastest woman on the night in 19.33
with Amy Facer second (20.47) and Sarah Belaon (21.09) third. Fastest net
time for the men came from Tim Ayres (18.05) with Paul Sharp second (18.35)
and David Beadle third (18.41).
After three of the six races Andy Riches leads on 99
points from Tim Ayres on 96 and Scott Bulmer on 91. There is, however,
everything to play for.
Other results
Beckenham Summer 10km 9. Len Crowder 36.34 12. Tony Crowder 37.06 16.
Jon Vintner 37.50 23. Steve Pairman 38.34
Park runs
Bushy Park. 4. Ben Cockburn 16.40
Finsbury Park 66. Austin Adams 24.47
Bromley 1. Michael Skinner 14.36 9. Callum Myatt 18.12 12. Alex Leggatt
18.38 16. Andrew Lawes 19.04 18. Jessica Keene 19.07 (first woman) 29. Andy
Tucker 19.48 38. Adrian Perry 20.17 39. Nigel Haffenden 20.21 51. Scott
Bulmer 20.48 52. Mike Simms 20.49 54. Adrian Stocks 20.56 60. Glen Read
21.09 62. Cameron Swatton 21.11 96. Nigel Bulmer 22.02 103. John Issacs
22.07 111. Mick Keene 22.17 113. Sally Haffenden 22.21 179. Imogen Duke
24.07 197. John Butler 24.38 218. Leszek Malynicz 25.17 327. Peter Lovell
29.30.
Greenwich 19. Chris Pike 21.38
Crystal Palace. 12. Lewis Warren 20.48 15. Kelsi Cornish 20.58 (first woman)
18. Emilie Penlington 21.26 27. David Carton 22.18 45. Thomas Penlington
23.53
Newport. 3. Neil Ayrton 18.56
Killerton. 31. Bob Minting 20.58
Orpington. 16. Rob Brown 21.44 96 Karen Desborough 34.17
South Shields. 27. Peter Hamilton 20.51
Peckham Rye. 133. Zoe Kingsmell 28.35
Some results from the weekend have not yet been
received or were too late for inclusion.
17/06/14
Seven athletes from Blackheath & Bromley have been
selected for the England Athletics team at this years Commonwealth Games in
Glasgow.
Adam Gemili is picked for the 100 metres an event in
which he continued his good start to the season by finishing in third place
at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway. He timed 10.11. After his fine
performances at the World Championships last year and the Olympics in 2012
he will be looking to challenge for medals.
Serita Solomon just missed out on selection for the
100 hurdles at last years World Championships so being chosen for the
Commonwealths is justly deserved. She was competing in Geneva this week
where she timed 13.30, a very good time as she was running into the teeth of
a -3.3 metre per second win.
Shaunagh Brown celebrated her selection for the hammer
by setting a new best and Club Record at the Folkson Grand Prix at Goteborg
in Sweden. She improved by nearly 80 centimetres to 66.85.
Chioma Matthews has been chosen for the triple jump
and she too was in action competing in Germany at the Anhaltmeeting in
Dessau. She leapt a seasons best of 13.44 to finish in 5th.
Lorraine Ugen, who has been studying in the United
States, goes in the long jump and she continued her preparations for Glasgow
by leaping 6.40 at the NCAA D1 Championships at Eugene, Oregon.
In addition, former member Emily Godley is chosen for
the England Weightlifting team; second claim members Pippa Woolven and Izzy
Jeffs have been selected for the steeplechase and javelin respectively; and
Woodford’s Tom Norman is coached by Life Member Mike Winch.
Jonathan Ilori was in action at the same meeting as
Lorraine, leaping 15.58 in the triple jump. Dan Putnam ran in Switzerland
with Serita and timed 47.33 in the 400 metres.
There was plenty of success for the Club’s athletes in
the South Of England Championships for Seniors and under 20s at Crystal
Palace with four athletes striking gold and many others picking up silver
and bronze medals.
Kieran Daly has been a revelation in the sprints this
season and the John Powell coached athlete posted another top class time of
10.28 to win the Senior 100 metre title. Tremayne Gilling set a seasons best
of 10.46 for bronze and Toby Olubi and Dean Hylton both timed 10.63 in the
heats for wind assisted personal bests.
It was a wind assisted best too for Jahisha Thomas,
who, in her first year in the Senior age group, won the Southern long jump
title with a leap of 6.20 while second claim member Emily Martin was third
with 5.73. Jahisha also set a windy best of 13.50 in gaining silver in the
100 hurdles.
Alex Bruce Littlewood nearly made it a hat trick of
senior golds but he was beaten into second place in the 1500 metres by two
hundredths of a second with a time of 3.52.33. Zara Asante was the Club’s
other senior silver medallist as she finished second in the triple jump with
a leap of 12.38.
Stefan Amokwandoh showed that he is getting back to
his best after injury as he won the under 20 mens triple jump title with a
leap of 14.40 despite jumping into a headwind. Matt Blandford took the
discus title with a throw of 54.18 and set a best of 15.58 to win the shot.
Third in both of these contests was Louis Mascarenhas with distances of
50.13 and 15.53, the latter a new best.
Kerri Davidson continued an excellent weekend for
triple jumping at the Club by winning silver in 12.37, just outside her
best; while on the track Kertis Beswick was third in the 110 hurdles in
14.21.
At the Welsh Championships at Cardiff Matthew Jones
made a big improvement over the 400 metres when he picked up silver in the
under 20s running under 50 seconds for the first time by recording 49.29.
It was a similarly successful day for the Club’s
athletes at the Southern Counties Vets Championships at Lee Valley where all
those who competed came away with medals. Jackie Montgomery won the over 50s
pole vault title with a clearance of 2.60 and not only was this a personal
best but it was also a Club Record. Not content with this she also won the
200 in 31.73.
However, Helen Godsell was even quicker in the over
55s as she clocked 30.69 for gold, an new over 60s Club Record. She was also
second in the over 50s 100 in 14.78. Despite being into a -1.6 metre per
second headwind this broke her own Club over 60s record.
Likewise for the men Tom Phillips set a new Club over 60s record when
finishing second in the 100 metres with a time of 13.26; and also runner up
in the 200 with a time of 27.47.
Barbara Terry picked up four silver medals in the over
65s age group in the shot, discus, javelin and hammer.
All these athletes were back in action on Friday night
for the latest round of the Kent Masters League at Norman Park in which the
men enjoyed their first team win of the season and the women were third.
In the over 35s Steve Timmins won the shot by nearly
four metres with a throw of 13.13 while Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen was an
equally impressive victor in the javelin with a distance of 50.66. On the
track Ritchie Leccia won the 1500 while in the over 50s Clem Leon took the
200 metres. Tom Phillips continued his revision of the over 60s sprint Club
Records by breaking his own 200 M60 best with 27.0.
Not to be outdone Helen Godsell took four tenths off
her womens over 60s Record when she timed 30.4 for victory. In the over 50s
Jackie Montgomery won the 200 and Rosie Ferguson the 1500 while in the over
35s the 4x400 quartet of Charlotte Stickings, Jenny Neal, Louisa Vallins and
Carole Penlington enjoyed victory in 4.39.3, seventeen seconds clear of the
runners up.
Despite winning on the night the men are still fourth
in the table and face an uphill battle to qualify for the Area Final in
September. Third place on the night leaves the women one point off second so
there is everything to play for. The womens’ B team were third in their
Division Two match and are second overall.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the Commonwealth
Games selections was that athletes such as Shaunagh Brown and Serita Solomon
have been competing for the Club since they were under 13s and started their
Athletics careers in the Kent League.
The Club’s potential Commonwealth stars of the future
enjoyed a most successful afternoon in the latest Kent Young Athletes League
match at Norman Park with wins for both under 15s teams, victory for the
under 13 boys and a second place for the under 13 girls.
Highlight of the afternoon was the under 15 girls
throws with three A string wins with Grade One performances. Victoria
Wiltshire broke her own Club Record in the hammer with a distance of 46.78;
Carys Marsden secured maximum points in the discus with 28.12; and Eloise
Locke the shot with a throw of 11.28.
Further wins came from Mhairi Brooks (100), Roisin
Atkins Dykes (300), Yasmin Austridge (1500), Karina Harris (long jump) and
the 4x300 team of Yasmin, Catrin Murphy, Olivia Richer and Kate Purser plus
the 3x800 trio of Roisin, Naomi Kingston and Kelsi Cornish.
The under 15 boys enjoyed an impressive clean sweep of
relay victories thanks to Adefela Lipede, Lewis Stickings, Edward Adams and
Harry Taylor in the 4x100; Frankie and Charlie Scrivener, George Pope, and
Callum Myatt (4x300); and Coleman Corry, Henry James Cowie and Lewis Warren
(3x800). Individually Angus Harrington won the 1500 in a new best of 4.38.2.
Tajera Baldie had an outstanding afternoon in the
under 13s girls age group. She won the 75 metres, long jump and shot with
National Grade One performances of 10.1, 4.55 and 8.62. Adding to the throws
success Daisy Dowling won the javelin with a very useful throw of 24.43.
For the boys Caelan Raju won the high jump with a
clearance of 1.35 and there was victory for the 4x100 relay team of Robert
Suckling, Phil Tenyue, Benjamin Gardiner and LJ Wright.
As well as Clare Elms’ over 50s 1500 metre World
Record performance at last weeks Club Open Meeting and Championships, Rowan
Fuss ran the second fastest 1500 metres by an under 13 this year when he
timed 4.35.32. Peter Guy’s 4.42.11 moved him up to fourth, and he Is also
5th in the 800.
On the roads Neil Ayrton was the first over 50 in the
Staplehurst Carnival 10km. He was actually 10th in the whole field in a time
of 38.16.
Due to the heavy fixture programme, some results are
not included in this report. It is hoped they will be included next week.
10/06/14
Blackheath & Bromley duo Adam Gemili and Serita
Solomon have been selected the represent Great Britain at the European
Athletics Team Championships at Braunschweig, Germany on the weekend of the
21st to 22nd of June. Adam, who was ranked third in the 100 and first in the
200 in 2013, has a place in the 4x100 squad. Serita, who was unlucky not to
be selected for the World Championships last year, is picked for the 100
metre hurdles.
Former member Emily Godley has been selected to
represent England at Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She
also competed at the 2010 Championships at Delhi. Emily had a varied career
with Blackheath & Bromley, competing in cross country during the Winter, and
in the Summer in long jump, hurdles, throws and sprints before gaining
International selection in the pole vault. The selections for the Athletics
team should appear imminently, Monday's announcement being delayed due to
administrative reasons.
Adam’s season is now getting into full swing as he
finished third in the 100 metres at the Diamond League meeting at Rome. He
timed 10.07 in a race won by US sprinter Justin Gatlin. Next stop is Oslo
where on the 11th June he runs the 100 metres at the Bislett Games.
He will no doubt be impressed at the breakthrough
performance of Enfield & Haringey’s Chijindu Ujah, who clocked 9.96 at
Hengelo in Holland on Sunday. Ujah is coached by Jonas Tawiah Dodoo, who
also looks after long jumper Jermaine Olasan and Jermaine was also in action
this weekend producing a leap of 7.36 at the Sparkassen Gala meeting at
Regensburg in Germany.
The British sprints success continued as Dina Asher
Smith was the Club’s star performer at the second UK Womens League match of
the season at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium. She set a new personal best of
22.98 in winning the 200 metres. This puts her in fourth place on the UK all
time list, only Kathy Cook, Jodie Williams and Vernicha James have run
quicker. It was not only a new League Record but also both a Club Under 20
and Senior record as well.
She made it a hat trick of Club records when she
teamed up with Montell Douglas, Shannon Hylton and Vivien Olatunji to win
the 4x100 in a time of 45.53, over two tenths quicker than the previous
record.
Dina had also won the 100 and with Montell and Shannon
taking the 100 and 200 B strings the Club achieved maximum points in the
sprints.
The Club’s other A string winner was Serita Solomon in
the 100 hurdles. She won in a very useful time of 13.40 and Jahisha Thomas
made it maximum points by winning the B string. More good points came in the
400 with Rachel Dickens third in the A string and Cheriece Hylton winning
the B.
Shaunagh Brown was second in both the hammer and
discus contests with distances of 61.69 and 47.95 and Chioma Matthews just
missed out on victory in the triple jump despite producing a leap of 13.21.
In the middle distance Clare Elms set new Club over
50s records in the 800 and 1500 in times of 2.18.95 and 4.43.97
respectively.
All these fine performances helped the team to third
place on the day which leaves them in fourth overall with one match left to
go at Eton on the 5th of July.
Following her races on Saturday, Clare broke the World
Over 50s 1500 metre best at the Club Open Meeting and Club Championships at
Norman Park with a time of 4.40.09. Katie-Ann McDonald has also had a
successful week. She went to the top of the UK Under 15 3000 metre rankings
when she ran 9.56.71 at the British Milers Club PB Classic at Milton Keynes.
This is a new Club Record taking over ten seconds off the previous best
time. In the Memorial Josefa Odlozila meeting in Prague, Shaunagh Brown was
5th in the hammer with 64.64.
It was not such a good weekend for the men in the
second round of the British Athletics League at Gateshead. A depleted squad
of 14 were well beaten and they finished in last place, a result that takes
them to bottom of the table. However, the League placings are very close
with B&B, Herne Hill and Windsor all on six points, Gateshead on 7 and Kent
AC on 8.
Dan Putnam was the Club’s only winner, taking the 400
metres in 47.59 a very decent time considering the atrocious conditions
which saw it rain for virtually all of the five hour match. He also made his
debut in the long jump to help the team put some points on the board, before
running a storming second leg in the 4x100 to help the team of himself,
Duayne Bovell, Mark Cryer and Dean Hylton to third.
Mark had earlier finished second in the 110 hurdles as
well as leaping a useful 6.50 in the long jump. Captain Ed Harrison made it
maximum points in the B string hurdles.
Under 20 Max Hodson showed he is on his way to
becoming an important member of the Senior team. Despite using a stadium
pole rather than his own, he cleared 3 metres in the vault to finish in 4th
place in the A string. He also helped out in the high jump and 400 hurdles.
Andy Rayner is fast coming back to fitness and he
timed 15.07.06 in the 5000 metres.
With two matches left the Club will be looking for
much better in the next match at Tooting on the 5th of July.
The latest Parkrun at Lloyd Park included an
unofficial mob match between the Club and Croydon Striders. B&B were heavily
outnumbered and suffered defeat.
Parkruns
Sunderland. 22. Ian Taylor 21.07
Bexley. 28. Chris Pike 22.44. 131. Zoe Kingsmell 31.29
Greenwich. 14. Adrian Perry 21.10
Crystal Palace. 8. Carole Penlington 19.47 11. Lewis Warren 20.15. 25.
Thomas Penlington 22.00
Lloyd Park. 8. Andy Tucker 19.17. 16. Coleman Corry 20.27. 20. Ian
Montgomery 20.33. 26. Steve Pairman 20.40. 28. Andy Lawes 20.53. 36 David
Beadle 21.34. 48. Sarah Belaon 22.18. 52. Glen Read 22.42. 53. Scott Bulmer
22.46. 63. Jason Short 23.28. 65. David Carton 23.30. 68. Mike Simms 23.38.
77. Nigel Bulmer 24.33. 132. Julia Pairman 28.49.
Killerton. 25. Bob Minting 21.26
Riddlesdown. 24. Steve Haley 22.53
Dulwich. 6. Len Crowder 18.07.
Orpington. 37. Harry Keene 23.20. 44. Andrew Clowes 24.16. 61. John Butler
25.49. 141. Karen Desborough 35.37
3/06/14
Adam Gemili and Dina Asher Smith set Meeting best
performances in the 100 metres on Day One of the Bedford International Games
on a Super Saturday of sprinting from the athletes of Blackheath & Bromley.
Having dipped his toe in the competitive water in the
BUCS at the start of the month, Adam has been deep in revision for exams. He
emerged on Saturday to post a blistering 10.08, just three hundredths of a
second off his personal best and his equal fourth fastest time ever. More
than content with his performance, he opted not to race in the second set of
100 metre races and looks forward to competing in the Diamond League 100
metres in Rome this Wednesday.
Dina did compete in both rounds breaking the 14 year
old Meeting Best Performance twice. In the first race she timed 11.31 with
Club mate and British record holder Montell Douglas in second with 11.55.
Come the second race Dina took another tenth off her new record clocking
11.21 with Montell third in 11.51.
An in depth feature with Dina appeared on last weeks
edition of Transworld Sport. With interviews with her, coach John Blackie,
and mum Julie plus extensive footage of her and her training group at
Bromley’s Norman Park track. This can be viewed at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY2pYi3Z2mo
Remarkably of the five first round male 100 metre
races four were won by Blackheath & Bromley athletes. Kieran Daly won race
two with 10.49 with Tremayne Gilling (race 3. 10.55) and Duayne Bovell (
race 5. 10.84) both setting seasons bests.
The magic of the black vest (with the maroon and blue
bands) didn’t stop there as in the second round Kieran improved to 10.40 and
Trem to 10.54 before Luke Smallwood won race one of the 200 in 21.54 and
Kieran race two in 21.00, both of which were personal bests. It has been a
good few days for Luke, who earlier in the week set a new best of 52.87 in
the 400 hurdles at the Peugeot Sint-Niklaascup in Belgium.
Continuing the track success Dan Putnam was third in
his 400 metre race in 47.40 and he too had raced in Belgium in the week
timing 47.57 at Namur.
There was a strong Club presence in the field as Zara
Asante and Kerri Davidson were third and fourth in the triple jump with
leaps of 12.60 and 12.27. Jahisha Thomas was 5th in the long jump with a
distance of 5.55 and Shaunagh Brown was 6th in both the hammer and discus
with throws of 59.67 and 48.79.
Shaunagh was back again on Day Two of the Games which
was offering the opportunity for athletes to achieve Qualifying performances
for forthcoming championships. She set a new best and Club record of 51.77
in the discus and also threw 59.84 in the hammer and 15.58 in the shot.
Chioma Matthews won the womens triple jump with a
seasons best of 13.40 which leaves her third ranked in the country this
year. Zara Asante improved on her previous days mark with a leap of 12.64.
On the track Serita Solomon won both her heats of the
100 hurdles, her quickest time being 13.34. She remains second fastest in
the country this year. Jahisha Thomas set a new best of 13.80 as did Rachel
Dickens in the 400 metres with 54.31. Kertis Beswick was just off his best
in the under 20s hurdles with 14.26 while Matt Blandford and Louis
Mascarenhas were first and second in the junior discus with 51.84 and 49.42.
Louis then went hot foot back to Norman Park to win
the discus in the UK Development League, Upper Age group, Premier Division
One match. Efforts such as his made all the difference as the Club enjoyed a
narrow victory to haul themselves into second in the table, a position
which, if they stay there, will give them an automatic place in the National
Final in September.
Kerri Davidson had been in action at Bedford the day
before but was still in fine form at Bromley as she won both the under 20
long and triple jumps. So too was Dina who joined Cheriece Hylton, Natalie
Jones and Vivien Olatunji in the 4x100 for an emphatic victory, their time
of 46.43 being not far off the Club Record. Vivien had earlier won the 200,
Cheriece the 400 and Natalie the 400 hurdles, and Cheriece and Natalie were
also part of the winning 4x400 quartet with Charlotte Rhule and Sonia
Woolhouse.
Further wins in the under 20 age group came from Reece
Young (110 hurdles), Richard Webb (2000 steeplechase), Oliver Newport (long
jump), Stefan Amokwandoh (triple jump), Leah Everson (800) and Kelsey Fuss
(3000).
Kelsey is actually an under 17 and as well as her
victory on the flat she also won the 1500 metres steeplechase in her own age
group. Highlight in this age group, however, was the performance of Isabella
Hilditch in the 300 hurdles. She won in a new best of 44.36 which is the
fourth fastest in the country this year.
Further victories came from Bailey Stickings (400
hurdles), Dele Aladese (discus), Jazz Crawford (200), Toyin Orlaja (triple
jump) and Jamilya Robinson Pascal (high jump).
This meant the Club had a double win in the UKDL this
weekend as the previous day the under 15s and under 13s had won the Lower
Division Premier 1 match at Reading.
Among the many fine performances, Victoria Wiltshire
improved her Under 15s Club Record in the hammer to 46.71, moving her up to
fourth place in the National rankings. More throws success came from Eloise
Locke who won the javelin with a new best of 38.38 with the new 500g
implement. She too is fourth ranked in the UK. Magda Cienciala won a close
100 metres with the first three all timing 12.4. It was a new personal best
as was her 5.24 victory in the long jump and 1.53 clearance to win the high
jump. For the boys multi talented Edward Adams won the 80 hurdles in a new
best of 12.1.
In the under 13s age group there were A string
victories for Peter Guy (800), Rowan Fuss (1500), Myles Xavier (long jump)
and Tajera Baldie (150). Rowan’s 4.44.9 moves him to 6th ranked in the
country this year.
As ever many athletes set new personal bests showing
the growing strength and depth the Club is developing in this age group.
Like the Upper Age Group, the result leaves the team in second place in the
table and on course for a place in the National Final in September, but
there is a long was to go.
On the Friday evening the Clubs Masters were in action
in the third round of the Kent League. The women were second on the night
and half way through the season are in second place in the League, which
will qualify them for the Area Final. A fourth place for the men leaves them
fourth overall and it is going to be tough for them to claw back a seven
league point deficit on second place to make the Final.
Highlight for the women was a new Club over 60s long
jump record from Helen Godsell. Competing in the over 35s age group she
improved the record to 3.20. Back in her own age group she won the 100
metres in 15.1 while Barbara Terry took the discus with a throw of 18.38.
In the over 50s Jackie Montgomery won the 100 and
Rosie Ferguson the 800.
For the men Steve Timmins won the over 35s discus with
a seasons best of 39.36 while in the sprints there were wins in the 100 in
the over 50s from Clem Leon and in the over 60s from Tom Phillips.
In the womens division two match Sue Dowse won the
over 50s discus and Amy Facer, Claire Austridge, Charlotte Stickings and
Honey Oyenade won the over 35s 4x200 metres. The Club were second on the
night.
27/05/14
Scott Overall finished in third place in the BUPA
London 10km, a race which incorporated both the British 10km individual and
team championships. He timed 29.55 on what was not necessarily a fast
course.
Alex Bruce Littlewood celebrated his return to the UK
by finishing in 5th place in a new best of 30.13. Third home was Sam Barnes
and he too set a personal best finishing in 60th place in 32.44.
This helped the Club to what is believed to be second
in the team contest while there was strong support from Andy Rayner, 88th in
33.30, Ritchie Leccia, 108th in a personal best of 33.53, and Mark Steinle
116th in 34.12.
For the women, Carole Penlington ran a new best of
39.16 to finish 492nd overall. Jenny Neal was 762nd in 41.24 and Sarah
Belaon 1116th in 43.39. Their position in the team race is not yet known.
England Athletics included some invitation throws
events in conjunction with the national decathlon championships at Bedford.
Shaunagh Brown won the shot with a throw 15.74 and also set a seasons best
of 50.47 in finishing second in the discus. Sam Milner was third with 44.87.
In the decathlon itself Mark Cryer set a best of 6.73
in the long jump but did not complete the full event as he was suffering a
minor injury on the second day.
British Record holder Montell Douglas won the 100
metres at the Kent County track and field Championships at Ashford. The
Blackheath & Bromley athlete took the title by nearly three tenths of a
second from team mate Serita Solomon but the headwind of -1.7 restricted her
to an 11.81 clocking.
Montell was the Clubs only senior winner, male or
female, but there were another twenty in the younger age groups. In the
under 20s Matt Blandford and Louis Mascarenhas set personal bests of 55.88
and 53.95 as they finished first and second in the discus. The positions
were reversed in the shot with Louis throwing 15.27 and Matt 14.86.
On the track the Hylton sisters were in winning form
with Shannon taking the 100 and Cheriece the 400, while training partner
Natalie Jones claimed the 400 metre hurdles title. Will Fuller won the 1500
in a new best of 4.03.62.
There were some outstanding hurdles success in the
under 17 age group. For the men Bailey Stickings won the 400 hurdles title
in a sparkling 55.96 which is the third fastest in the country this year.
Isabella Hilditch won the womens 80 and 300 hurdles races. Her time of 11.81
in the short race was a new best despite being run into a -1.7 m/s headwind
and ranks her 8th in the country.
Another double winner was Toyin Orelaja who won a very
close high jump contest and also the triple jump. Her height of 1.55 and
distance of 11.16 were both personal bests, the latter being the 8th
furthest in the UK in 2014. Continuing the jumps success Phillipa Croft won
the pole vault.
In the middle distance, wins came from Kelsey Fuss in
the 1500 steeplechase and Jessica Keene in the 800 while Jazz Crawford took
the 100 metres title.
Great success came in the under 15 throws with a clean
sweep of gold medals as Eloise Locke won the shot and javelin, Eve Keith the
discus and Victoria Wiltshire the hammer. Eloise’s distance of 38.10 in the
javelin was a personal best and leaves her 5th ranked in the UK this year
behind four athletes who are a year and a half older than her. Victoria’s
distance of 43.62 was a new Championship Best Performance and the 5th
furthest in the country this year.
Edward Adams and Karina Harris took the two long jump
titles, Edward being just five centimetres off his best with 5.61 and Karina
setting a pb of 5 metres exactly. Second placed Magda Cienciala also jumped
the same distance and they were just two centimetres ahead of Invicta’s
Holly Fielder.
There was more success at the Surrey Championships at
Kingston where Tremayne Gilling won the Senior mens 100 metre title with a
time of 10.61 and Jahisha Thomas took the womens 200 metres in a personal
best of 25.08.
In the under 20s age group Oliver Newport won the long
jump with a leap of 7.18 and Stefan Amokwandoh leapt 14.33 for victory in
the triple jump, his first competition back from injury.
Katy-Ann McDonald continued her fine season with a win
in the under 15 girls 1500 metres in a time of 4.41.8.
Back on the roads Jane Bradshaw was third woman in the
Sussex 10 mile race at Peasmarsh. She timed 70.01.
The walkers have also been in action, and despite
being up against younger rivals, Peter Hannell was second in the Surrey 3km
in 18.22.82 and Shaun Lightman was third at Middlesex in 17.10.56.
20/05/14
Dina Asher Smith is now the second fastest ever
British Junior woman over the 100 metres after her performance at the
Loughborough International. The Blackheath & Bromley athlete, who was
representing the Great Britain Under 20s team, won her race in 11.20 a time
which is the fastest in the World by a Junior athlete this year. Coached by
John Blackie she also tops the World 200 metre list. Her time is also, not
surprisingly, a Club record.
This was not the only victory by a Club member in the
first major Athletics meeting of the domestic calender. Chioma Matthews took
the triple jump with a leap of 13.38, the second furthest jump of the year
by a Briton, but the furthest outdoors. Serita Solomon claimed victory in
the 100 metre hurdles in 13.43, having run the second quickest in Britain
this year the day before at the BT Great City Games in Manchester. Jahisha
Thomas set a new best of 13.86 in winning the B race.
Dina’s training partner Shannon Hylton ran an
outstanding 23.30 to finish in second place in the 200 metres. Sister
Cheriece timed 23.75 in a guest race and she was then part of the GB Junior
4x400 metre team who finished in 4th place.
For the men, Kieran Daly ran a fine 21.13 to add to
his new best of 10.37 in the 100 metres, a race in which Tremayne Gilling
made his seasons debut with a 10.62. Dan Putnam equalled his best of 47.16
to finish in 5th place in the 400 and Kertis Beswick was just one hundredth
of a second off his best in the Junior 110 hurdles with 14.23.
In the field Shaunagh Brown was third in the shot with
15.96 and fourth in the hammer with 64.32. She is ranked 4th and 5th
respectively in the UK in these events. Samantha Milner took 4th in the
discus, throwing 46.22. New member Matthew Blanchard, had his first
competition of the season and shot to the head of the Under 20 discus
rankings with a throw of 53.98. With Louis Mascerenhas throwing over 51
metres at the Club’s open meeting on Monday, they are the top two junior
throwers in the country.
Like Serita, Jermaine Olasan had competed in
Manchester the previous day where he leapt 7.29 in the long jump. At
Loughborough he was 4th in 7.22 with Oliver Newport representing the GB
Juniors 8th in 6.88. Also in the jumps Zara Asante was 8th in the womens
triple jump with 12.08.
Back to back competing seemed to be a feature of the
weekend as Carolyn Plateau who was 7th at Loughborough in 2.07.47 had raced
at the British Milers Club Grand Prix at Watford the previous evening and
timed 2.05.91. Leah Everson ran 2.17.76. Alex Bruce Littlewood flew in from
Ireland for the second weekend in a row and was 6th in the 3000 steeplechase
with 9.05.24.
Highlight of the Club performances, however, was a
stunning 1500 metre time of 4.27.14 from another new member, under 15
Katy-Ann McDonald. She recently joined from Herne Hill Harriers and her time
took over 11 second s off the previous Club Record and leaves her almost ten
seconds faster than anyone else in the age group in Britain so far this
year.
Over in the United States, Lorraine Ugen had to
contend with strong winds at the meeting at Lubbock in Texas. Her 6.12 in
the long jump was some way off her best as she was jumping into the teeth of
a -5.5 metre per second wind. She also ran 11.60 for the 100 metres, just
outside her personal best.
At the Oxford v Cambridge Varsity match at Oxford,
Craig Morten won the 400 hurdles in 54.56 and Tom Parker with a throw of
50.19 in the hammer, and James Allen with a leap of 6.28 in the long jump
recorded seasons bests.
The Club fielded athletes in six of the age groups at
the British Masters road relays at Sutton Coldfield with the best results
coming from the womens over 35s team who finished in 7th place. Carole
Penlington had an outstanding run to time 18.45 with Jennie Butler 19.28,
Jane Bradshaw 19.45 and Jenny Neal 19.41 completing the team.
Rosie Ferguson was a sole runner in the over 45s race
but she ran a useful 21.51. The over 55s quartet of Cath Messent, Anne Cilia
and Maz Turner were 9th.
In the mens races the over 35s team were 14th with the
fastest runner being new member Ritchie Leccia who timed 16.23. Adrian
Stocks, Fintan Parkinson, Richard Hall, Gareth Evans and Steve Cooper were
the others who flew the flag.
The over 45s team of Andy Tucker, Neil Ayrton, David
Beadle and Steve Pairman were 29th while an over 55s team of Andy Lawes,
Chris Pike and David Carton were 22nd.
Closer to home the Club finished runners up in second
Sweatshop Southern Athletics League match at Croydon. None of the Clubs who
won the opening matches were victorious in the second round which means that
Blackheath & Bromley are one of three clubs on 7 points at the top of the 16
team Division One. They are third because Southampton and Brighton & Hove,
who they beat in the opening fixture, have more match points.
Louis Mascarenhas had a most successful afternoon
winning three A string Shot, discus and hammer events setting personal bests
in each. Other A string wins came from Toyin Orelaja (triple jump), Rachel
Dickens (200), Krystal Galley (400), Shannon Riskey (800), Jessica Keene
(3000), Kelsey Fuss (2000 steeplechase), Duayne Bovell (200), Will Fuller
(800), Mark Cryer (long jump) and the mens 4x100 metre and womens 4x400
relay teams.
There was also a new Club record as Jackie Montgomery
improved the womens over 50s pole vault record by 90 centimetres with a
clearance of 2.50.
With a number of athletes setting personal bests, and
a pleasing mix of young and older athletes competing with an age range in
the squad of nearly 55 years, the Club look forward to the next match at
Southampton on the 21st of June.
Blackheath & Bromley’s youngsters continued their good
progress in the Kent Young Athletes League winning three of the four age
groups in the second round match of the season to maintain their overall
lead. Just as pleasing was the number of new athletes making their debuts
for the Club; and the haul of over 50 new personal bests achieved.
Highlight in the under 15s age group was a personal
best a grade one performance of Eloise Locke in the shot with a throw of
11.13. She also produced a grade one distance in the javelin of 31.95, but
in a high standard contest she had to settle for second place. More throws
success came from Carys Marsden who won the discus with a throw of 26.93;
and from James Lancaster who launched the hammer out to 40.28.
Magda Cienciala enjoyed a most successful day with
wins in the 200 (26.6) and long jump (4.97) and then with Olivia Richer,
Nicole Farmer and Mhairi Brooks in the 4x100.
In the under 13s, Keir Lundy moved from third to first
on the last bend to win the 800 metres in a personal best of 2.29.7. The
middle distance success continued as Lauren Goddard took the 600 metres in a
new best of 1.47.3.
It was a new best also for Caelan Raju as he cleared
1.40 in the high jump. While Myles Xavier won the long jump with a leap of
4.44. Peter Guy is best known as a middle distance runner but he won the
hammer, set a pb in the 200 and was part of the winning 4x100quartet with
Billy Keene, Benjamin Gardiner and Leo McCallum.
It was an evening of mixed emotions for the Club’s
older members at the latest Kent Masters League match at Canterbury. While
the women celebrated victory in both Divisions One and Two, the men again
struggled finishing in 5th place and now sit five points behind joints
leaders Cambridge Harriers and Dartford.
In the womens division one match, Barbara Terry won
the over 60s shot by over a metre with a throw of 7.20. The over 50s
category saw a win for Rosie Ferguson in the 1500 in 5.52.8 and an eclectic
mix of over 35s,50s and 60s, middle distance runners, pole vaulters and
sprinters resulted in Jennie Butler, Jackie Montgomery, Jenny Neal and Helen
Godsell winning the over 35s 4x100.
This capped a memorable evening for Helen as she
continues her systematic revision of the Club over 60s records. Her time of
30.8 in finishing 2nd in the over 35s B string 200 metres improved the
previous 10 year old record by a sensational 8.7 seconds. Demonstrating her
versatility she also took over half a minute off the 1500 record with 6.50.2
in finishing second in her own age group race.
Adding to the celebrations the B team win won the
Division Two match thanks to the efforts of Anne Cilia who did 5 events in
the over 50s, Honey Oyenade, Angela Powell, Tracey Ashenden and Maz Turner.
For the men Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen won the over 35s
javelin with a throw of 50.84 and Graham Coates the over 60s 1500 metres in
5.36.3. This was not enough to avoid 5th place and they are now 4th overall.
13/05/14
Blackheath & Bromley made an excellent start to the UK
Womens League season finishing in fourth place in the opening Premiership
match at Swansea. In fact they were just 10 points behind winners Birchfield,
and had they had athletes in every event they would have won the match.
The weather conditions were not the best for top
times, heights or distances but there were some fine competitive
performances. Dina Asher Smith won both the 100 and 200 metres but with a
wind against of over -4.0 metres per second she timed 12.07 and 24.18. In
fact Shannon Hylton ran faster in the B string 200 winning in a time of
23.89.
With Vivien Olatunji gaining third in the B string 100
there was only going to be one winning team in the 4x100 metres. Vivien,
Dina and Shannon were joined by Cheriece Hylton to storm to victory by over
a second in 46.43.
Cheriece had earlier won the B string 400 metres in
56.22 after Rachel Dickens had finished in third place in the A string in
55.93.
Dina and the 4x100 team were actually the only A
string winners on the day but there were plenty of top three placings in the
highest division of League Athletics in the country. On the track Serita
Solomon missed out on victory in the 100 metre hurdles by just two
hundredths of a second in 14.71.
Clare Elms had a remarkable afternoon finishing in
third place in the 3000 metres in 10.20.55 and was also 7th in the A string
1500 in 5.01.93 and 5th in the B string 800 with 2.21.44. Having just turned
50 this meant she had reduced the Club over 50s record for 3000 by just
under two minutes; the 1500 record by almost 45 seconds and the 800 by
nearly 16 seconds.
In the field Shaunagh Brown was third in the hammer
with 59.72 as well as winning the B discus and finishing 4th in the shot.
Samantha Milner was second in the A string discus with 46.81.
Having won the B string 100 hurdles, Jahisha Thomas
was third in the A string long jump with a leap of 5.65. Zara Asante was 2nd
in the B long with 5.26 and also won the B triple with 12.55 as Chioma
Matthews was third in the A string with 12.78.
With Frederica Foster making a welcome return to
competition in the 800; Patricia Curtin and Nathanielle Jones making their
League debuts; and Grace Sheppard and Krystal Galley scoring valuable points
for the team, it was just the sort of start the squad wanted to the season
and they will look forward to the second of the three matches at Birmingham
on the 7th of June.
The mens team were celebrating too as they finished in
4th place in the British Athletics League Division One match at Eton. Having
been promoted from Division Two last year this was a promising opening.
The Club’s athlete of the match was Kieran Daly who
won both the 100 and 200 metres in sparkling times. An above the legal limit
wind speed in the 100 saw him cross the line 10.21. The 200 metres was a
legal +1.1 and he finished in 21.08 a massive personal best, and well clear
of Kent AC’s Portugal international David Lima, who has a best of 20.72.
There was a small piece of History made in the long
jump with the Clubs best ever pairing. Jermaine Olasan won the A string
event in 7.47 while under 20 Oliver Newport took the honours in the B string
with a leap of 7.43, a distance that, had Jermaine not been competing, would
have won the A string.
Alex Bruce Littlewood flew in from Ireland to compete and took second place
in the 3000 steeplechase as well as scoring valuable points in the 1500
metres. A classy 400 metres saw Dan Putnam finish in 3rd place in 47.74.
Back in the field Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen was third
in the javelin with a seasons best of 52.57. It was third also for Louis
Mascarenhas in the discus improving his best to 45.04. He was one of seven
under 20s making their debut and of these Will Fuller (8.40.75 in the 3000);
Richard Webb (9.56.05 3000 steeplechase); and Max Hodson (3.40 in the pole
vault) also set new bests.
The team will be looking to build on this at the next
match in Gateshead on the 7th of June.
On the roads Scott Overall won the Bristol 10km by
four seconds in a time of 30.20. David Hoben was 28th in the Pednor 5 mile
race walk at Chesham, and four days earlier finished in 17th place in the
Haywards Heath Open Meet 1km walk.
6/05/14
Adam Gemili began his Summer season with victory in
the 100 metres at the BUCS Championships at Bedford. The Blackheath &
Bromley athlete, who is on a scholarship at East London University won the
title despite not running flat out. Yet his time of 10.32 saw him win by a
large margin of 0.26 of a second.
The Club’s other winner was Samantha Milner who won
the womens discus title with a throw of 45.94. She also finished in 6th
place in the shot.
Second claimer Carolyn Plateau finished second in the
1500 metres in 4.27.15 and other top six finishes came from Zara Asante who
was 4th in the womens triple jump with 12.45 and Megan Southwart who was 5th
in the 100 metre hurdles in 14.96.
Others in action included Craig Morten (400 hurdles),
Mark Cryer (high and long jump), Grace Sheppard (100), Caroline Ford (800),
and Georges Vacharopoulos (1500).
The Clubs youngsters finished in second place in the
UK Youth Development League, Lower Division, Southern Premier 1 match at
Southampton. This was a promising start to the season and gives hope that
they can qualify for the National Final later in the year.
In the under 15s age group a number of athletes
achieved grade one performances led by Eloise Locke who won the javelin with
a mighty throw of 36.12. She also set a grade one of 11.07 in the shot but
had to settle for second place. Likewise Magda Cienciala who won the long
jump with a leap of 5.23 but was beaten into second in the 100 metres
despite clocking 12.5. Eve Keith continued the field events success winning
the discus with a throw of 28.50. Back on the track Edward Adams won the 80
metre hurdles in 12.3.
In the under 13 age group there was some encouraging
middle distance success with Peter Guy winning the 800 metres in a grade one
of 2.18.0 and Rowan Fuss taking the 1500 metres in 4.49.8. Caelan Raju won
the boys 75 metre hurdles in 13.5 and Tajera Baldie ran a grade one of 20.5
in the girls 200 metres but was beaten into second.
However, she did gain victory in the long jump with a
distance of 4.74 while Myles Xavier won the boys event with a leap of 4.63.
Under 15s boys team manager Nic Corry said that when
the team met in the morning there was a “gentle aroma of pbs in the air”. He
wasn’t wrong as in over 50 events the Club’s athletes achieved their best
ever performances, a remarkable effort. An exciting season is in prospect.
Prior to this meeting Adefela Lipede had been part of
a Whitgift School team which set a UK Club relay best of 1.36.69 for the
4x200 metres at the Achilles Sports Relays.
There is a new name on the Ted Pepper Memorial race
trophy as Ritchie Leccia took the title over the 10km multi terrain course
at Norman Park in 35.16. Ritchie has only recently joined the Club having
been unattached previously as he was in the army up until last year and
stationed around the world.
He looks like he will be a valuable addition to the
Club Senior and Masters teams not just because he finished ahead of former
Ted Pepper winner Andy Rayner, but also because he estimates he is a stone
overweight at present. Andy’s time of 35.54 was a useful performance as he
begins his slow return to fitness after injury.
Fintan Parkinson was third home in 37.25 and Peter
Tucker in 11th, Len Crowder 14th, Tony Crowder 18th, Marco Arcuri 19th and
second claimer Clare Elms, who was first woman, 20th all made the top 20.
Another second claimer Andrea Pickup was 38th while
Sarah Belaon was 72nd, Justine Eastbury 128th and Sally Haffenden 134th.
29/04/14
On the busiest weekend of the year so far, athletes of
all ages from Blackheath & Bromley were in action at home and abroad setting
World and National leading performances, producing Championship qualifying
performances; breaking Club records, and achieving a massive number of
personal bests.
Underpinning this success was the great clubmanship
which was demonstrated not just by the enthusiasm of the athletes but also
by the efforts of the coaches, officials, team managers, parents and
supporters.
While Britain celebrated a new National Long Jump
Record of 8.51 for Greg Rutherford at Chula Vista in California, members of
Blackheath & Bromley were similarly elated at a performance a little further
down the card. In 6th place was Club member Jermaine Olasan with a new
personal best of 7.75 beating the 7.59 he set in 2011. The Commonwealth
Games B standard and also coincidently Club Record of 7.90 is now firmly in
his sights.
Meanwhile, at Clermont, Florida, Chioma Matthews
improved her seasons best to 13.28 in the triple jump despite leaping into a
-1.5 metre per second wind. This sees her ranked second in the event in the
UK this year, and is the furthest outdoor jump.
Also in the States at the Drake Relays in Des Moines,
Lorraine Ugen finished in second place in the long jump with a leap of 6.24.
The Club’s future seniors were in action in the UK
Development League Upper Age Group Southern Region Premier 1 match at
Norwich. After nearly eight hours of intense competition the combined men
and womens team finished 4th out of the six competing teams and so will need
to improve on this if they are to qualify for the National Final in
September.
Highlight of the afternoon was a new Club Senior and
Junior Record in the under 20 womens 200 metres from Dina Asher Smith.
Running into a -0.6 metre per second wind, she reduced her best to 23.08, a
time which is the fourth fastest ever by a British Junior. Not only is this
the qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships, it is the
quickest by an under 20 in the World this year. It is also the A standard
for the European Championships, and the B standard for the Commonwealth
Games. A strong -2.6 m/s wind restricted her winning time in the 100 to
11.49 but this was an astonishing 1.31 seconds ahead of the runner up.
Kerri Davidson was also a double victor taking the
triple jump with 12.32 over two metres clear of the runner up and also
winning the long jump with a leap of 5.17. Other A string victories in the
under 20s came from Niamh Bridson Hubbard and Jessica Keene in the 1500 and
3000 metres despite still being under 17s.
Jessica was also part of the winning 4x400 metre relay
team along with Cheriece Hylton, Natalie Jones and Janae Galley while back
in her own age group she won the 1500 metres. Bailey Stickings took the 400
metre hurdles and was the part of the winning 4x400 metres team along with
Aleksander Wiltshire, Ife Okikiade and Luca Taylor. Likewise Jazz Crawford
won the 300 metres and then joined Elizabeth Ibidunni, Parris Johnson and
Toyin Orelaja to win the 4x100 metres.
Further wins came from Jamilya Robinson-Pascal in the
high jump and from Isabella Hilditch in the 300 hurdles with a grade one
performance of 44.93.
Isabella also set a National grade one in the 80 metre hurdles but such was
the standard of the opposition that her 11.89, into a -1.5m/s headwind was
only good enough for second place, despite being the sixth fastest in the
country this year.
Louis Mascarenhas was another to be deprived victory
despite achieving a grade one being defeated in the discus and shot despite
throwing 48.96 and 14.45. Likewise Cheriece Hylton who ran 55.35 in the 400
metres.
Amongst all these wins and grade ones there were many
other athletes who achieved personal bests, some in events in which they
would not normally compete.
The same spirit and talent had been seen the day
before at the first Kent Young Athletes match of the season at Ashford where
the Club won all four age groups.
In the under 15 girls age group Eloise Locke won the A
string shot with a grade one distance of 10.78 and Karina Harris the long
jump with a leap of 4.54.
Both were involved in the Club’s clean sweep of relay
victories. Karina joined Magda Cienciala, Mhairi Brooks and Nicole Farmer in
the 4x100 which was won in 52.56. Eloise was part of the 4x300 team and
along with Catrin Murphy, Olivia Richer and Yasmin Austridge they won by
over seven seconds in 3.08.34. Finally Roisin Atkins-Dykes, Grace Scopes and
Darcey Kirwin secured victory in the 3x800 metres in 8.13.94.
More relay success came in the boys 4x300 metres
courtesy of Edward Adams, Oscar Hussey, Charlie Scrivener and George Pope
with a time of 2.54.00. Edward had earlier won the long jump with a leap of
5.16.
The under 13 boys were in rampant form with Peter Guy
enjoying a gun to tape victory in the 1500, and also winning the shot and
discus. Double A string wins came from Myles Xavier (100 and long jump) and
Caelan Raju (75 metre hurdles and high jump). Myles long jump distance of
4.72 was another National Grade One performance and he and Caelan joined Leo
McCallum and Billie Keene for victory in the 4x100 in 56.82.
In fact the Club won every A string long jump on the
day as in the girls contest Tajera Baldie also had a grade one leap,
recording a distance of 4.64. She also won the shot with a distance of 8.13
and together with Greta Elliott, Kareena Galley and Lauren Goddard claimed
victory in the 4x100. Lauren had earlier won the 1200 in 4.15.64.
Many of these performances leave the athletes highly
ranked Nationally, albeit early in the season, but importantly many of the
athletes, too numerous to mention, set personal bests while others performed
admirably in their first ever competitions for the Club.
The success continued in the opening round of the Kent
Veterans League at Sutcliffe Park with the women finishing in first place.
Star performer was Helen Godsell with two wins and two Club Records. She was
over two seconds clear in the 400 metres in 73.9 and this improved the Club
Record by over 20 seconds! She improved the triple jump record by over a
metre with a leap of 7.48.
The records didn’t stop there as Rosie Ferguson broke
the over 50s 3000 metre record as she won in 12.19.8. Jackie Montgomery was
the Club’s other winner on the night taking the over 35s pole vault with a
clearance of 2.40.
The men finished in third place and will be looking to
improve on this to qualify for the Area Final. Best performance came from
Steve Timmins who won the over 35s hammer by over 10 metres with a throw of
46.74. Graham Coates provided the other winning performance of the night
coming home over three seconds clear of the field in the over 60s 400 metres
in 69.0.
A small number of seniors competed at the Kinnaird and
Sward meeting at Kingston with the highlight being a narrow win in the 100
metres for Toby Olubi in 10.91.
In the open meeting at Loughborough, Samantha Milner
won the discus with a throw of 47.42. At the Woodford Combined Events
meeting Mark Cryer set new bests of 1.89 in the high jump; 42.58 in the
javelin and a wind assisted 6.73 in the long jump.
22/04/14
Blackheath & Bromley jumpers have shown some promising
early season form in the United States. At the Mt Sac Relays meeting at
Walnut, California, Jermaine Olasan leapt 7.55 in the long jump. This was
his furthest leap for three years and was into a -2.6 metre per second wind,
so he will be hopeful of exceeding his 7.59 personal best .
At the Tom Jones Memorial meeting in Florida, Chioma
Matthews produced a distance of 13.10 in the womens triple jump, the
furthest by a British athlete outdoors this year. On the track Kieran Daly
timed 10.60 for the 100 metres and 21.59 for the 200, to show he is over the
injury problems that dogged his 2013 season.
Back on the green green grass of home, British 100
metre record holder Montell Douglas timed 11.84 in the open meeting at Mile
End while for the men Femi Owolade ran 10.75 for the 100 and 49.74 for the
400.
Blackheath & Bromley made a bright start to the
Southern Athletics League season with a victory in their home match at
Norman Park. It was no easy win as they were fought all the way by a
promising Brighton & Hove team and it was only in the last handful of events
that B&B pulled clear to score 204.5 points to the South coasters 192, with
Basingstoke & Mid Hants third (176.5) and the City of Portsmouth fourth
(143).
Highlight of the B&B performances was a new League
record in the womens 4x100 metres courtesy of Dina Asher Smith, Rachel
Dickens, Shannon Hylton and Vivien Olatunji. They timed 45.81 nearly two
seconds quicker than the previous record and a time which is also a Club
Record for an electric timed relay. In addition to her Record, Rachel also
received both the League and B&B Athlete Of The match awards for winning the
400 metres in a new personal best of 54.48.
Steve Timmins was the Club’s Male Athlete of the Match
for his A string wins in the Shot and Hammer and his B string victories in
the discus and javelin.
In fact the Club achieved maximum points in the mens
throws as Mike Van Den Dobbelsteen won the A string javelin with 52.19 and
under 20 Louis Mascarenhas took the A string discus in his first competition
with the senior implement with a distance of 41.71. He also won the B shot
with 13.13 and to complete the rout Alex Pope won the B hammer with a new
best of 42.40.
There were plenty of other wins and personal bests. As
well as providing the photo finish equipment Luke Smallwood also found time
to win the 400 metre hurdles in a new best of 54.32. Other A string wins
came from under 20 Will Fuller in the 1500 metres; Mark Cryer in the high
jump; Jessica Keene in the 800; the womens 4x400 quartet; and from Samantha
Milner in the discus with an impressive early season throw of 48.18, after
travelling some distance to attend the match.
In the B string discus Anna Barnett set a new best of
29.46 and she also set a pb of 23.54 in coming second in the A string
hammer. One of the many pleasing aspects of the day was how the team was
made up of a mixture of youth and experience as while Anna is just 14, her B
string in the hammer Barbara Terry is slightly older at 68. Being a veteran
this was the first time she had thrown the senior implement for four years
and she recorded a commendable distance of 20.00.
In fact it was a day of personal bests for young and
not so young alike with Ife Okikiade, Ryan Poyroo, Ishmael Smith John,
Joshua Dalsan, Bailey Stickings, Reynaldo Guevara, Daniel Kennedy, Natalie
Jones, Parris Johnson, Elizabeth Ibidunni, Isabella Hilditch, Bethany Frost,
Mel Kane, Sarah Belaon, Phillippa Croft, Anastasia Davies, Brooke Hollett,
and Yemisi Sofolarin, all achieving better than they had before.
One of the most exciting finishes of the day came
further down the field in the mens 2000 metres steeplechase. Alex Pope has
yet to shed his Winter coat, (he’s a few pounds overweight) but this did not
stop him, a multi eventer, volunteering to score important points for the
team and he held off Brighton’s former National Junior Cross Country
champion Richard Carter by seven hundredths of a second and recorded a pb of
10.25.11. It was just one of many examples of athletes going the extra mile,
in this case quite literally, to help the Club and at the same time achieve
individual success.
The Club will be looking to build on this result when
they travel to Croydon on the 17th of May for the next match of the season.
Many Club members were in action at the Tonbridge open
meeting on Bank Holiday Monday with numerous personal bests achieved in the
younger age groups. There were more set at the Herne Hill meeting the
previous week all of which promises much as the Club looks forward to a busy
weekend ahead with the Kent Young Athletes at Ashford and the Kinnaird &
Sward Meeting at Kingston on Saturday; the UK Development League at Norwich
on Sunday; and the Kent Masters League at Sutcliffe Park on Monday.
15/04/14
Blackheath & Bromley members were prominent in all
areas of the Virgin London Marathon with runners in the main race and the
accompanying Mini Marathon; providing helpers in the baggage area at the
finish area; and offering a sea of support to the participants around the
course.
Leading the Club home in the Marathon was Scott
Overall who finished in 17th place in 2.19.55. It wasn’t what Great Britain
2012 Olympian had been looking for. A 65 minute first half saw him on course
for a top class time but he had had to work hard to achieve this pace
against a strong wind. The last 10km proved tough and with chances of a fast
time gone, he made sure that he finished.. He was the 6th Briton to finish
and it did mean he is the Club Marathon champion.
Next home was Alex Gibbins in 2.34.13 followed by
Fintan Parkinson in 2.39.44. Kev May (2.43.47), Danny Brewer (2.49.05) and
Andy Tucker (2.59.34) were also inside the three hour mark.
First woman home for the Club was Jenny Neal in
3.25.53 with Rebecca Taylor second in 3.33.14 and Trudi Carmichael third in
3.57.47.
At least 29 Club members completed the course with
over two and half hours covering the first to last. With Mo Farah timing
2.08.21, Club member Mark Steinle is now only the second fastest Briton over
the distance this Century with the 2.09.17 he ran in 2002.
The Club’s youngsters enjoyed considerable success in
the Mini Marathon both individually and as part of the Bromley teams in the
London Boroughs Challenge; and also, for some, as part of the London teams
in the British Athletics Road Challenge.
In fact, Bromley were in the top three in five of the
six age group team results and Club athletes were in three of the winning
London teams in the British Challenge.
In the London Boroughs race under 17 girls race Niamh
Bridson Hubbard was first home in 4th and with Anna Myers, Leah Everson ,
Janae Galley, Samantha Leighton and Jennifer Sheasby the team finished in
3rd place.
It was bronze also for the boys team led home by
Richard Webb in 3rd. and Will Fuller in 4th followed by William Bardsley,
Marc Foxhall, Tom Desborough and Bertie Harrington.
The under 15 girls race saw the Bromley team claim
victory with Jessica Keene 2nd, Kelsey Fuss 4th, and Yasmin Austridge 7th
all making the top 10. Georgina Taylor, Shannon Riskey and Tammy Falshaw
completed the scoring.
Another three Club members made the top 10 in the boys
race with Marco Arcuri 3rd, Alexander Wiltshire 7th and Niyi Akin Agunbiade
9th. Jake Potter, Arthur Carey and Oscar Hussey completed the sextet that
finished in second place.
The other winning team were the under 13 boys with
Henry James Cowie 2nd and Michael Eagling 3rd followed by Angus Harrington,
Coleman Corry, Peter Guy and Keir Lundy.
The girls team were 6th led home by Alice Prentice in
26th supported by Millie Smith, Grace Scopes, Emilie Penlington, Holly
Wright and Lily Tappenden.
The Boroughs race took place in tandem with the
British Challenge which involved teams from all regions of the UK. Niamh
Bridson Hubbard was 11th overall in the under 17s and part of the London
team which won. Richard Webb and Will Fuller were 13th and 15th helping the
London quartet to second place.
In the under 15s Jessica Keene was 5th overall and
Kelsey Fuss 17th and represented half of the winning London team.
Similarly in the under 13 boys London won again with
Henry James Cowie 8th and Michael Eagling 12th.
Back on the track, the full results from last weeks
Alpha Beta meeting show some important early season performances led by a
new Club Under 20 record for Dina Asher Smith in the B string 400 metres.
She timed 53.49 and won the B race by nearly nine seconds.
This was part of a clean sweep of victories in track
races from 100 up to 1500 metres courtesy of Grace Sheppard, Rachel Dickens,
Krystal Galley, Dina, Niamh Bridson Hubbard, Shannon Riskey, Jessica Keene
and Kelsey Fuss. Niamh in the 800 (2.15.48) and Kelsey 1500 (4.46.73) also
set personal bests and the icing on the cake was another Club Record in the
4x100 as Dina, Shannon Hylton, Rachel and Vivien Olatunji sped round in
45.8. The only disappointment was that the electronic timing did not
function but it seems only a matter of time before the Senior squad goes
quicker.
While there were no winners in the field events there
were, nevertheless, personal bests for Toyin Orelaja in the long jump and
Brooke Hollett and Anna Barnett in the shot and discus.
Victories in the under 15s contest were more evenly
spread between track and field. Eloise Locke set new bests of 11.10 to win
the shot and 33.73 to place second in the javelin. Eve Keith set bests in
the shot and javelin and also won the A string discus while Magda Cienciala
and Karina Harris scored maximum points in the long jump.
Magda also won the A string 100 metres and Catrin
Murphy’s 28.54 win in the A 200 and Naomi Kingston’s 4.54.78 in the A 1500
were both personal bests. Further bests came from Mhairi Brooks (100),
Jessica Sellar and Grace Scopes (800) and Yasmin Austridge (1500)
These all helped the under 15s to win their match and,
with the Seniors second, the Club won the overall Alpha trophy.
There was another Club record at the midweek open
meeting at Watford where Jessica Keene ran 9.45.27 in the 3000 metres
Another breakthrough came in the United States where
Jonathan Ilori broke the 16 metre barrier for the triple jump for the first
time at the Missouri Relays meeting. His leap of 16.10 was above the legal
limit for ranking purposes but it is, nevertheless, a sign of things to
come.
Note results from the Marathon and Mini Marathon are
provisional and subject to update.
8/04/14
With the squad short of some of its better athletes
for a variety of reasons, Blackheath & Bromley’s senior men finished in 39th
place in the National 12 stage road relays at Sutton Park. For the first
time in many years the course has been changed with the short legs reduced
to 2.69 miles and the long legs to 5.08 miles.
Fastest long leg runner was Mark Steinle who went
round in 27.57 while on the short stage it was James Poole with 13.20. Other
long leg runners were Fintan Parkinson, Ross Braden, Danny Brewer, Georges
Vacharopoulos and Daniel Kennedy with short stages from Ben Cockburn, Alex
Gibbins, Will Ruiz, Steve Cooper and David McKinlay. 55 teams finished,
though more started.
The women finished in 29th out of 40 finishing teams
in the 6 stage relay at the same venue. Quickest of the day was Mel Kane on
the third leg with 17.03. Jennie Butler, Carole Penlington, Sarah Belaon,
Jenny Neal and Cath Messent completed the other stages.
Alex Bruce-Littlewood is still based in the Emerald
Isle and he timed 30.55 for 12th place in the SPAR Great Ireland Run 10km in
Dublin. In addition to the results in last weeks report from the World
Masters Indoors in Hungary, Tom Phillips won gold as part of the Great
Britain over 60s 4x200 metre relay team. Second claim member Clare Elms won
three gold medals taking the womens over 50s 800, 1500 and 3000 metre
titles.
The Club won the Alpha Beta trophy meeting at Lee
Valley stadium retaining the title they secured last year. They were joint
second in the Senior Womens event, two points behind winners Radley. In the
under 15 girls contest they won by three points to secure the overall title.
At the Woodford Open meeting Toby Olubi won the 100
metres in 10.94, while multi eventer Mark Cryer had a busy day competing in
a number of events, his best being a 15.66 clocking in the 110 hurdles and a
6.40 long jump.
Many of the Club’s youngsters competed at the Hercules
Wimbledon open meeting. Highlight in the Under 20s age group was a personal
best for Louis Mascarenhas in the discus with 49.03. He also threw 14.04 in
the shot. More bests came from Akeem Pusey (100 and 200), Tom Desborough
(800) and Will Fuller (Mile).
Further throws bests came in the under 15 girls shot
courtesy of Eloise Locke (10.52) and Eve Keith (8.69). Eloise also set a
best in the javelin (30.66) as did Eve in the discus (26.43). Sophia
Harper’s 4.15 in the long jump was also further than she had jumped before.
In the under 13s age group Myles Xavier enjoyed his
day setting personal bests in the 100 (13.44), 200 (27.02) and long jump
(4.87).
At National Schools Biathlon Championships at the London Aquatics Centre at
the Olympic Park a few BBHAC athletes had great success. In the U11 boys age
group Rowan Fuss won the contest. It was victory too in the U12 girls
competition for Imogen Meers with Hanna O'Flynn 36th.
1/04/14
Blackheath and Bromley athletes of all ages have been
in action around the world over the last few days from America to Eastern
Europe to Paddock Wood competing in track and field, road and cross country.
In the United States, Jonathan Ilori leapt 15.41 for
the triple jump at the Texas Relays at Austin.. He took the runner up spot
with Lorraine Ugen 6th in the womens’ long jump with a distance of 6.17.
Soon to be racing in the States is Craig Morten who
will be part of an Oxford University 4x400 metres team who will compete in
the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, in Europe, Peter Hamilton was part of the
Great Britain team who won gold at the World Masters Cross Country
Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He was 8th in the race in 33.04.3. In
the indoor track Championships he was 5th in the 3000 metres B race.
Roger Michell was 5th in the over 65s walk in 16.16.04
and Jackie Montgomery was 9th in the over 45s pole vault with a height of
2.40. Jackie is coached John Wakeman as is Dartford’s Teresa Eades who won
the over 55s event.
Tom Phillips made the semi finals of both the over 60s
60 metre and 200 metre events setting seasons bests of 8.20 and 26.91.
Similarly Clem Leon made the semis in the over 55s 60 and 400 metres.
Also in Hungary at the Rotary Debrecen Marathon John
Turner won the over 60s category in 3.47.53. To add to the celebrations his
wife Maz was second in the womens over 60s Half Marathon in 2.13.55.
At the other end of the age scale, a number of the
Club’s youngsters were selected to compete in the Schools Inter Counties
Cross Country for years 7 and 8 at Chelmsford. Henry James Cowie was second
in the year 8 boys race with Michael Eagling 8th, Coleman Corry 22nd, Angus
Harrington 31st, George Pope 51st and Lewis Stickings 63rd. Jessica Sellar
was 15th in the girls race followed by Grace Scopes 22nd and Stephanie
Taylor 31st.
In the year 7 races Imogen Meers was a fine second
place while Alice Prentice was 13th, Hanna O’Flynn 27th and Emilie
Penlington 66th. For the boys Joseph Georgiadis closed in 10th while Keir
Lundy was 17th and Ben Gardiner 27th.
Remarkably Henry James Cowie was back in action the
next day as he won the Under 15s Pentathlon at the indoor open meeting at
Lee Valley. He set a personal best points score of 2129 and in the process
also set new bests of 9.97 and 4.77 in the 60 metre hurdles and long jump
respectively.
Outdoors Luke Smallwood timed an excellent 33.97 for
300 metres at the Crawley open meeting, a new best. Further bests came from
Dean Hylton, also in the 300 with 36.64; Jessica Keene with 9.53.01 in the
3000 metres; and James Lancaster with 36.56 in the under 15s hammer.
Leah Everson ran 47.97 in the under 17 womens 300
hurdles and was back in action the next day in the Havering Open meeting
where she timed 48.0 in the same event. Naimh Bridson Hubbard ran a new best
of 4.35.9 in the 1500 metres.
There has been plenty of activity on the roads, not
least at the Paddock Wood Half Marathon where over 20 Club members finished.
Mark Steinle continued his recent prolific race schedule by finishing in
20th place in 74.10 with Gareth Evans 36th in 76.09 and Andy Tucker 98th in
83.25. Carole Penlington was first woman for the Club in 90.23 followed by
Claire Austridge and Amanda Taylor. Dick Griffin had his first run as Club
President, shepherding his flock home.
Meanwhile Fintan Parkinson finished in 4th place in
the Croydon Half Marathon in 79.14 and won the over 35s category.
At the Southern Area 10km race walking Championships
at Sutcliffe Park, Peter Hannell was 6th in 65.38.
