Last updated 1
February 2001
Press Releases for
December 2000 & January 2001
- If you want to find the latest results try Results!
- If you are after older results and gossip please
go to the Courier pages.
30 January 2001
Michael Skinner narrowly missed out on winning his first
Senior National title when he finished 2nd in 3.48.03 in the 1500 metres at the
AAA's Indoors And World Championships Trials at the Birmingham Indoor Arena. The
21 year old from Blackheath Harriers Bromley hit the front with 400 metres to go
and looked as if he may have made the decisive break to see off the chasing
pack.
However, he was closed down by Team Solent's Angus MacLean
in the last few yards and both crossed the line together. There followed an
agonising half hour wait while the judges scrutinised the photofinish before
confirming that Skinner had been pipped for the gold medal by just one hundredth
of a second, the closest race of the whole championships including the sprints.
This was Skinner's first ever National medal and there was
also an unexpected bronze for Mark Awanah in the long jump. Awanah at 18 is
still a junior but showed no sign of nerves against senior competitors as he
leapt 7.03 for his third place and, but for a hamstring injury, may have gone
further still. Levi Edwards was 6th with 6.89.
Tyrone Swaray and Lash Lashore both reached the semi
finals of the 60 metres timing 6.88 and 6.90 but missed out on places in the
final. It was similar story in the 400 metres for Alloy Wilson who continued his
promising return from injury with a 48.49 clocking in his heat and a 48.53 for a
5th place in the semi final.
Mensah Elliott and Mohammed Sillah Freckleton both hit
barriers badly and failed to progress beyond the heats of the 60 metre hurdles
as did Paul Fisher and Martin Airey in the 800 and Louisa Guthrie in the Womens
60 metres.
There were mixed emotions in the shot putt where former
member Emeka Udechuku took his first Senior title. Udechuku, who is coached by
Blackheath Life Member Mike Winch, resigned from the Club last August as
Blackheath were unable to fully fund his Masters degree, a sum estimated to
equate to over 150 members' annual subscriptions. His departure again underlines
the need for a major sponsor for the Senior Mens team. The Loughborough student
competed in the green and white hoops of Woodford Green And Essex Ladies.
Outdoors athletes from the Club were in action in
atrocious underfoot conditions at the Southern Cross Country Championships at
Parliament Hill Fields. Hopes of the Club retaining the senior title, which they
had won for 7 of the previous 8 years, were scuppered before the race even
started with 5 of last years team unavailable through illness and injury.
The jinx also hit Roy Smith the 6th member of that team.
One of his shoes fell to pieces in the first mile of the race leaving him to run
the remaining 8 miles of heavy mud with only one shoe and a bloodied foot. As
Smith, struggled round it was former footballer and triathlete John Morland who
moved steadily through the pack to lead the squad home in 93rd place. Smith in
110th, Richard Daniels (118th), Dave Ellison (319th), Chris Fincham (327th) and
Brendan McShane (356th) completed the scoring places.
Best performance by a Heathen on the day came from Daniel
Ayrton in the Junior Mens race. He paced himself well and, as many athletes
slowed in the heavy conditions, worked his way through to third place. At one
point on the last lap it looked as if he might close on the two leaders, but the
19 year old was more than happy with his bronze medal, a just reward for the
hard training he has done under coach Dave Liston.
William Bolton was a promising 21st in the same race.
It was another Liston coached athlete Jennie Butler who
led the Blackheath runners home in the Senior Womens race. In only her 2nd
season of cross country she improved on her 37th place last year to close in
21st position with a powerful sprint finish.
In the under 13 girls race Rebecca Taylor continues to
impress. Although in only the first of her three years in the age group, she
gained a magnificent 13th place in a field of nearly 200. There was
disappointment in the Boys race as faulty marshalling meant that the course was
substantially under distance and the race declared null and void.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities.
For further details call Dave Liston on 01322 663 504.
23 January 2001
Gemma Viney made a welcome return to competition,
finishing third in the Senior Girls race at the Kent Schools Cross Country
Championships at Hythe. The 18 year old Blackheath athlete has missed nearly 18
months of racing because of injury, and Saturdays race marked her first step
back to showing the form that brought her a 5th place in the National
Championships in 1999.
Her performance at Hythe should ensure selection for the
English Schools Championships in March where she should be joined by at least
two more Harriers. William Bolton was unable to successfully defend the Senior
Boys title he won last year, but, his 3rd place ensures another County vest.
Kate Bugler's 7th place in the Senior Girls race at the Surrey Champs at Reigate
puts her in contention for a place in her County team.
In the younger age groups at Hythe, Ray Perkins was 11th
in the Intermediate Boys race with Dan Ryan 24th and Dan Snow 25th, while
Stephen Leach finished 23rd in the Junior Boys race.
Meanwhile, Club runners were involved in two races at
different parts of Wimbledon Common. Roy Smith was the first Heathen home in the
South Of The Thames Senior Cross Country Championships. He finished 9th over a
testing 10km course in 35.42.
In the Veterans A.C Championships Ken Daniel and Peter
Hamilton took 2nd and 3rd places in the over 50s race, with Bill Clapham taking
third place in the over 65s competition, one place behind the legendary Chris
Chataway.
On the roads the Club took the team prize at the Dartford
10. Eamonn Prendergast led the Heathens home in 3rd place with Nicky Morgan 5th
while Con Griffin was 3rd in the over 40s race.
Indoors Simon Tolson won the pole vault at the last round
of the Crystal Palace Grand Prix. He soared over 3.60 and was also on hand to
see one of the athletes he coaches, Katy Benneworth, finish 2nd in the under 17
girls long jump.
In the sprint races Tyrone Swaray and Alloy Wilson warmed
up for this weekend's AAA's Indoors and World Championship Trials at Birmingham
with 6.9 clockings in the 60 metres. They will be joined in Birmingham by, among
others, Mensah Elliott and Mohammed Sillah Freckleton in the 60 metre hurdles;
"Lash" Lashore (60 metres); Michael Skinner (1500); Martin Airey (800)
and Levi Edwards (long jump).
Outside the Club will be fielding athletes in all age
groups at the Southern Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields. Of
particular interest will be the Senior Mens race where Dave Taylor will be
defending the individual title he won last year. The Club has won the Senior
mens team race a remarkable 7 times in the last 8 years but, with a heavy injury
list, will be hard pushed to retain the title this year.
The London Marathon on 22nd of April is fast approaching,
and, youngsters from the London Boroughs will have the opportunity to be part of
the big day with the staging of the 15th London Mini Marathon over the last 2.6
miles of the Marathon course from Southwark Bridge to The Mall. Over 2000
youngsters will take part in front of cheering crowds with the races featured on
television.
The trials for the London Borough Of Bromley team are
being sponsored by Blackheath Harriers Bromley and take place at Norman Park
track on Sunday 11th of March. Entry is free and is open to all boys and girls
aged between 11 and 17. From these races, 6 teams of 8 runners will be selected
to be part of the big day in April. One of the places in each team will be a
"wild card" selection, drawn from anyone who runs in the trial races
irrespective of finishing position.
As an added attraction Mark Steinle, the first Briton home
in last years London and a Great Britain representative at the Sydney Olympics,
will be at Norman Park to encourage the youngsters in their efforts to make the
team. He will be joined by another athlete who has progressed through the
Blackheath age groups from promising youngster to Nationally ranked Senior.
Anthony Draper is one of the fastest 800 metre runners in the country but is no
stranger to the Marathon course having won the London Mini Marathon on two
occasions. He will pace make a couple of the races.
The closing date for entries is Friday 2nd of March and
forms can be obtained from David Liston, 70 Sermon Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8
7HT. Telephone 01322 663504.
16 January 2001
Two young hurdlers of Blackheath Harriers Bromley returned
from a summer of injury misery to strike gold at the Southern Indoor
Championships at Bedford. In doing so Katy Porter and Mohammed Sillah Freckleton
both retained the titles they won last year and both set personal bests.
Katy, from West Wickham, confessed to feeling nervous in
her first race back but, the 18 year old Energize TV presenter, showed a clean
pair of heels to the opposition, winning the junior womens 60 metre hurdles in
8.9 seconds.
Sillah Freckleton maintained his 100% record in the senior
mens race and was delighted to clock 8.1 in his second year in the age group.
There was further success in the under 17 boys where Tom Robinson picked up
bronze in the pole vault, although he was disappointed to have cleared no higher
than 2.80.
Sillah Freckleton's win means that the Club have both the
current Southern Indoor and Outdoor Senior mens sprint hurdle champions. Outdoor
titleholder Mensah Elliott, who was 4th fastest in the country in 2000, chose to
miss the Bedford meeting to compete at the Birmingham Games. However his hopes
of achieving a World Indoor Championship qualifying time were dashed when he
clattered the first hurdle in the final. He fought back from last place to
finish third in 8.02 but, having already timed 8.06 in his heat when jogging
over the line, felt he could have won the race.
One Harrier who did strike gold was Michael Skinner. He
cruised through his heat of the 1500 in 3.55 before seeing off all comers in the
final winning in 3.51 ahead of faster runners on paper. Former World Junior
Championship 400 metre finalist Alloy Wilson continued his comeback from injury
with a useful 22.2 clocking in the 200 metres.
Outdoors 19 year old Dan Ayrton finished 12th in the
Hastings 10km in 33.33. With the race organisers offering a car to anyone
breaking 28.30, the event attracted a number of top Kenyan athletes and Ayrton
was actually the 7th Briton to finish. His time would probably have been two
minutes quicker on a flatter course.
Closer to home Roy Smith was the runaway of the Clubs Open
10km and Veterans Championship race at Hayes. He won the race by over 2 minutes
despite a far from ideal preparation which saw the Charles Darwin School
groundsman queue overnight at Stamford Bridge to get tickets for the Gillingham
verses Chelsea FA Cup 4th round tie.
It was another groundsman who won the veterans race as
effervescent Norman Park track manager Ken Daniel rolled back the years to claim
the title for a record 5th time. He first took the title in 1993 and,
significantly, this was the first time that it has ever been won by a 50 year
old. (His cause was helped by Nick Kinsey, the first Heathen home at the County
Championships, being away in Birmingham where he finished 3rd in the Nation
cyclo cross Veteran Championships at Sutton Park.)
Jenny Butler used the race as a training run but still won
the Open womens race by over 4 minutes from track specialist Karyn O' Mahoney.
Anne Cilia took the veterans title from Cath Messent, who was competing in her
first race since becoming a mother.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages. Anyone
interested in track and field should contact Dave Liston on 01322 663504.
Alternatively visit Norman Park track on a Tuesday or Thursday from 6.30 and ask
for either Dave or Michelle Bovell. Road and cross country runners should visit
the Clubhouse at 56 Bourne Way, Hayes on a Wednesday night from 6.30.
Alternatively visit the Clubs 144 page website at www.bandbhac.org.uk
9 January 2001
Four sets of team medals and an individual winner were the
highlights for Blackheath Harriers Bromley at the Kent County Cross Country
Championships at Wildernesse School in Sevenoaks.
Outstanding performance of the day came in the under 13
girls race where Rebecca Taylor took her first County title despite being one of
the youngest competitors in the field. She only turned 11 in November which
means that she still has another two years left in this age group.
Aimee Boyle ran another brave race to finish in 4th place
while Bryony Proctor's hard training under coach Andy Frankish earned her 14th
position and a gold medal as the third scorer of the winning team. To emphasise
the strength of the Club in this age group at present, there were more
encouraging runs from Emily Godley in 16th and Rachel Stokes in 28th who, like
Taylor, had birthdays which only just qualified them for the race.
There was no individual glory in the under 13 boys race
but good packing from an enthusiastic squad saw them secure bronze medals in the
team competition with Stephen Leach first scorer in 10th place. Tom Beech
(15th), Danny Brewer (18th) and Chris Place (21st) completed the scoring for the
team with another seven Heathens chasing hard behind them.
There were medals also for both the boys and girls in the
Under 20 races. Cath Castledine will be returning to her studies at Birmingham
University with a silver team medal as she led the Club home in 6th with Kate
Bugler 7th and a rejuvenated Hazel Barker in 8th.
The Boys missed a cold-ridden Dan Ayrton but still managed
bronze medals in the team race with Private Peter Tucker, making it a profitable
weekend away from his barracks in Yorkshire, leading the Blackheath charge in
6th place. Matt Hill returned to competition on the country after a long break
and he and William Bolton were the other scoring runners in 12th and 9th
respectively.
In the Senior race Joe Mills continues to show good form
on the country despite running considerably further than his favourite distance.
The Welsh International 1500 metre runner finished in a useful 5th place over
the 7.5 mile course. There were further good runs from Roy Smith in 11th and
John Morland in 17th but, with the squad considerably understrength, there was
never much chance of team honours.
Likewise in the Senior Women where, despite feeling
unwell, Jennie Butler closed in 8th place with Ann Cilia and Alison Jelly
completing the scoring places in 33rd and 38th.
Elsewhere Caroline McQuillan made a promising debut in the
under 15s race finishing in 25th place and looks set to become a valued member
of the Blackheath teams. There was bad luck for Joe Sweeney in the Under 15s
Boys race. He had to pull up while in the silver medal position when he
sustained a knee injury.
Meanwhile at the Surrey Championships at Lloyd Park, Dave
Taylor was a comfortable winner of the Senior Mens race while representing his
second claim club Herne Hill Harriers.
At the first Committee Meeting of the year, members were
saddened to hear of the death of Phil Saxon, one of the Clubs Vice Presidents.
Aged 79, he had been a member of the Club for over 54 years, and, as a former
student at Cambridge University, had been a member of the Achilles Club for a
similar period of time. He would regularly act as announcer at Clubs track and
field meetings at Norman Park.
On a brighter note the Committee were pleased to receive
applications from over 30 new members, many of whom were joining under the Clubs
scholarship scheme for Under 15 Athletes. This allows any child aged 14 and
under joining the Club between now and the end of 2001 to be exempt from paying
a subscription until the 1st of January 2002.
For further details please contact Dave Liston on 01322
663 504. Alternatively visit Norman Park track from 6.30 on a Tuesday, Wednesday
or Thursday and ask for either Dave or Michelle Bovell. Further details about
the Club can be obtained from the recently expanded website at www.bandbhac.org.uk
The site now boasts 133 pages with over 400,000 words giving news and
information on members of all ages.
2 January 2001
Daniel Ayrton produced the best performance from a
Blackheath athlete over the Christmas break. Competing in the Clubs Christmas
Yacht Handicap race at Hayes he was easily fastest of the day for the 5 mile
course. His time of 29.03 was impressive as the course was over distance and,
wearing only trainers, he fell over twice on the slippery surface.
He finished over a minute and a half clear of second
placed John Morland with super vet Ken Daniel in third. Jennie Butler was the
fastest woman of the day timing an excellent 34.15 which was actually the 13th
fastest overall of the 52 starters.
Ayrton will be encouraged by his performance which leaves
him approaching this weekends County Cross Country Championships in confident
mood. His only problem at the moment is to decide whether to run in the Junior
or Senior race. The 19 year old is keen to race at the Inter County
Championships in February but cannot be selected as a junior as different age
group criteria are used for that race. If he wishes to make the Kent team for
Nottingham he will, therefore, have to qualify by racing with the Seniors at
Sevenoaks this Saturday.
The Club will have representatives in all age groups and will be in contention
for individual and team awards in a number of age groups.
At a less serious event there was a good turn out for the
Clubs Annual Boxing Day Fancy Dress paperchase. The only prizes here were for
costumes with "The Weakest Link" and "Robin Hood" taking the
awards after an hours worth of running.
The Club is pleased to announce that it is to continue
with its scholarship scheme for Under 15 Athletes. Any child aged 14 and under
joining the Club between now and the end of 2001 will not be required to start
paying a subscription until the 1st of January 2002. The aim behind the scheme
is to give youngsters the opportunity to come and try the sport and to see if
they enjoy it before making a further commitment. By joining now a budding
athlete will receive nearly a years free membership of one of the top athletic
clubs in the country. So the earlier you join the more you save.
For further details please contact Dave Liston on 01322
663 504. Alternatively visit Norman Park track from 6.30 on a Tuesday, Wednesday
or Thursday and ask for either Dave or Michelle Bovell. Further details about
the Club can be obtained from the recently expanded website at www.bandbhac.org.uk
The site now boasts 133 pages with over 400,000 words giving news and
information on members of all ages.
19 December 2000
Blackheath Harriers Bromley's Senior men swept to victory
in the County Road Relay Championships at Rochester. Leading from start to
finish they finished 22 seconds clear of a strong Medway team despite third leg
runner Dan Ayrton going off course and losing ground.
Michael Skinner's time of 11.46 on the opening leg was the
3rd fastest of the day and Roy Smith held onto the lead place with 12.31 on leg
two. Ayrton on leg three timed 11.57, and, had he not taken a wrong turning, may
have bettered that of Skinner and last leg runner Joe Mills who was 2nd fastest
of the day with 11.45.
In the over 50s Ken Daniel continues to defy the aging
process. His 13.15 clocking was the fastest of the day and would have placed him
3rd quickest in the over 40s. Indeed his time was only one second slower than
that which he recorded on the same course in 1993. His efforts and that of Jim
Phelan, Peter Hamilton and Terry Brightwell earned silver medals. It was so
close to gold as Brightwell was caught by Invicta East Kent with just 40 metres
to go.
The over 40s team finished in 4th place despite being
short of some of their leading runners. Con Griffin was the fastest with 13.39.
Dan Ayrton was also in action the day before leading the
Under 20 mens team to victory in the latest round of the Kent League races at
Sparrows Den, West Wickham. Ayrton won the race with Matt Lucht in 2nd and
William Bolton 3rd.
There was also a win for the under 13s team but by the
narrowest of margins. The three scorers , Tom Beech, Stephen Leach and Dale
Willis had the same number of points as the 2nd placers but earned the victory
by virtue of the fact that Willis was the highest third placed scorer.
Joe Sweeney won the under 15s race and there was another
good team effort from the under 13 girls. The lead changed three or four times
before Rebecca Taylor had to settle for 2nd place. There was a valiant run from
Aimee Boyle, who, still not recovered from a cold, finished in 12th place, with
more encouraging performances from Bryony Proctor in 13th and Rachel Spears
15th.
With the races incorporating the Club's cross country
Championships the first runners home were Club champions. Jennie Butler was
first Heathen in the Senior womens' race in 4th place and it was 4th again in
the under 15s as Eve Bugler celebrated her best ever run in the Kent League and
her first Club cross country championship medal. Her sister Kate joined in the
celebrations with 2nd place in the under 20s race while Hannah Williams was the
leading under 17.
Meanwhile Giles Clifford was in action for the Bank Of
Engalnd in the Hercules Wimbledon Inter Club 5 Miles races at Wimbledon Common.
Clifford was part of the Senior Mens team who won the Southern Cross Country
title in January and he showed that he is in shape to challenge for a place in
the team for 2001 winning by 24 seconds in 29.05.
Some of the top sprinters from Blackheath Harrriers
Bromley came out of winter hibernation to compete in the first meeting of the
Crystal Palace Indoor Grand Prix series. The fixture offered many their first
competitive opportunity of the winter and led to some good early season
clockings.
Internationals Akinola Lashore and Mensah Elliott both
timed 7.0 for the 60 metres and there was a promising return to racing for 400
metre runner Alloy Wilson. The 20 year old has spent much of the last two
seasons injured but he timed 7.1 in his 60 metre race to show that he is getting
back into the shape which saw him break the Club junior 400 metre record.
Long jumper Levi Edwards used the meeting to hone his
speed and timed 7.3. In the under 20s race George Isodo made his debut in the
age group and won the second of his two races in 7.2.
Anyone of any age who is interested in taking part in
track and field should visit Norman Park on a Tuesday or Thursday from 6.30 and
ask for either Michelle Bovell or Dave Liston. The session on a Wednesday night
again at 6.30 is specifically for the under 11s and offers an introduction to
the various track and field disciplines in a fun environment.
12 December 2000
Dave Taylor finished 37th for Great Britain in the
European Cross Country Championships at Malmo in Sweden. In doing so the
Blackheath Harriers Bromley athlete helped Great Britain's Senior Mens squad to
6th place in the team race.
Tooting based Taylor timed 30.45 for the race and was 4th
scorer for the team having finished 5th in the Trials Race last month.
Jennie Butler continued her successful winter season as
she finished as the first Kent athlete in the Southern Womens Inter Counties
Championships at Sherborne in Dorset. On a tough course which covered ploughed
fields, hills and "farmyard slurry", she finished in 15th. Equally
pleasing was the performance of Rebecca Taylor. The Highfield schoolgirl
finished in 8th place in the under 13s race on her Kent debut, despite being one
of the youngest competitiors having only just turned 11. There was an excellent
run, also, from another Andy Frankish coached athlete with Aimee Boyle in 36th.
The Bugler sisters were also both in action. Kate was part
of the under 20s team who finished 2nd to Surrey. She placed 17th in 22.40. In
the under 15s Eve took 37th place in 15.09.
The Club won a triple set of silver team medals at the
Kent Veterans and Clubmans races at Canterbury. Best run of the day came from
Nick Kinsey who finished 2nd in the over 40s race. The former British record
holder for the ironman triathlon needed all of his endurance skills to cope with
the atrocious conditions with much of the course waterlogged. Tim Soutar, in his
first outing of the winter, in 5th place and Con Griffin 19th and Mark Ellison
23rd secured second place in the team race just one point behind Invicta East
Kent.
If conditions were tough for the over 40s, they were worse
for the over 50s who were forced to run nearly a mile too far because of an
error in the marking of the course. Ken Daniel led the team home in 4th place in
a time of 47.15 for a course supposed to be 10 kilometres. To add to his
displeasure at the overlength course, he also suffered the indignity of falling
flat on his face in a very large puddle, much to the amusement of his fellow
competitors. Some compensation was the silver team medal thanks to the strong
runs from Peter Hamilton in 6th and Jim Phelan in 7th. Terry Brightwell just
missed out on a team medal in 8th while Bill Clapham was 6th in the over 60s
race.
It was silver again in the Clubmans race which is for
runners who have never finished in the top 15 in the Kent Senior Championships.
Club Junior Cross Country champion Andrew Rayner led home the Blackheath quartet
in 11th with Dave Ellison 12th, Brendan McShane 14th and new member Richard Hill
26th, his first Championship team medal.
Blackheath's most famous athlete Sydney Wooderson will be
visiting Buckingham Palace this week to receive an MBE from the Queen.
Wooderson, now aged 86, is a former World Record Holder for the mile, 800 and
880 yards and his award is long overdue as his times were set in the 1930s.
The Club still has a limited number of copies of the book
"Sydney Wooderson - Forgotten Champion" by David Thurlow. Priced at
£4.95 including post and package. It can be obtained by writing to Brian Saxton
c/o Blackheath Harriers at 56 Bourne Way, Hayes, Bromley, Kent BR2 7EY. Cheques
payable to Blackheath Harriers. (An ideal stocking filler)
Youngsters interested in joining the Club should visit
Norman Park track on either a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night at 6.30 and
ask for either Michelle Bovell or David Liston. Note that the Wednesday night
sessions are primarily designed for the under 11 age group offering an
introduction to the various track and field disciplines in a fun environment.
5 December 2000
Joe Mills opened his winter racing campaign with a strong
3rd place in the Kent Cross Country League race at Danson Park. The thick grass,
mud and surface water could not disguise the fact that the course was
substantially further than the advertised 5 miles, but the Blackheath Harriers
Bromley athlete coped well with the conditions to hold the bronze medal
position, in a race won by a guesting Keith Cullen, who was using the outing as
a warm up for this weekends European Cross Country Championships.
Roy Smith reaped the reward of six weeks of physio
treatment from Past President Steve Cluney, and showed that he is fast returning
to fitness taking the next scoring place in 11th, with Steve Cooper 29th and Con
Griffin 51st completing the team places.
The Boys and Girls from the Club had an emphatic victory
in the latest Parkwood League match at Canterbury. Particularly pleasing was the
turn out in the under 13 age groups with eight boys and seven girls competing.
Highfield schoolgirl Rebecca Taylor swept to victory in the girls race defying
the heavy conditions to win by nearly 20 seconds. Another Andy Frankish coached
athlete, Aimee Boyle took 4th and with strong support from Emily Godley and
Bryony Proctor in 11th and 12th place team victory was ensured.
Stephen Leach led the boys team home in 5th place with
Danny Brewer making a promising Parkwood debut in 8th; just clear of the
improving Richard Daniel with Tom Beech 4th scorer in 18th. Duncan Proctor
showed that he is another valuable addition to the squad closing in 20th on his
debut.
In the Under 15s Harry Cliff spearheaded the Club
challenge in 11th place with Eve Bugler a fine 3rd for the girls. Hannah
Williams was 9th in the under 17s race while in the boys race Ray Perkins
continues to reap the rewards of some hard training at Norman Park with an
excellent 5th place. Dan Ryan and Chris Daniel also made the top 10 in 9th and
10th respectively.
Kate Bugler was 4th in the under 20s race while in the
boys race Will Bolton and Matt Lucht finished 3rd and 4th. To prove that the
future looks bright over the country, Will's brother Richard was 3rd in the
under 11s race with Charlie Brett 7th, while for the girls there were hugely
encouraging runs from Claire McNamara and Melanie Griffiths in 3rd and 4th
places.
The combined scores from all the age groups gave the Club
61 points with Tonbridge 2nd on 9 and Canterbury Harriers and Paddock Wood on 8
and 7 respectively. The leaves the Club top of the table after 2 matches closely
followed by Maidstone And Rochester and Invicta East Kent.
Two athletes from the Club have recently received
Excellence Awards from the London Borough Of Bromley. The awards were made to 19
youngsters from all sports and were presented by James Cracknell, a member of
the British Coxless Fours Sydney 2000 Olympic winning team. Paul Archer received
his award for both his second place in English Schools Shot Putt Championships
and for being selected to represent England at Rugby. Joe Godsell also received
a cheque for £150 in recognition of his 2nd place in the AAA's under 17s
Championship 800 metres.
Also in action over the weekend was Jeremy Bradley who
finished 3rd for Oxford in the annual varsity cross country match against
Cambridge. He timed 40.40 for the 7.5 mile course but his efforts were not
enough to prevent Cambridge winning by 4 points. Also in University action in
the last week was Michael Skinner. The Brunel captain won the latest London
Colleges Cross Country League race at Trent Park by 32 seconds.
If anyone is interested in joining the Blackheath
youngsters please contact Michelle Bovell or Dave Liston at Norman Park on a
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 6.30.
