Last updated 27
November 2001
Press Releases for
October & November 2001
27 November 2001
Following his excellent 16th place in the Trials for the
Great Britain Junior team for the European Championships, Blackheath Harriers,
Bromley athlete Andrew Rayner was rewarded with selection for a South Of England
representative team to race in the Belgian Cross Cup races in Roeselare.
The meeting also doubled as the Belgian Trials for the
European Championships, thus guaranteeing another high quality race. He finished
25th in 22.44 for the 6.75km course, improving from 52nd last year when he
entered as an individual.
He was not the only Harrier in action as a number of his
clubmates travelled at their own expense to Belgium to taste European
competition. William Bolton ran well in the same race coming in 34th in 23.06
and Chris Daniel, who was probably one of the youngest in the field, timed 25.57
for 49th. His time was not far off his father Ken's 25.39 in the veterans race
where he finished as 6th over 50 athlete overall. Con Griffin was 15th in this
veterans race race and was also 3rd in the over 45's category and, like Daniel,
was the first Briton home in his age group.
Meanwhile, many Club members were in action at the annual
mob match against Orion Harriers at Chingford. The Club found themselves
outnumbered and were beaten by 1002 points to 1901 but did, nevertheless,
provide the two individual winners.
Roy Smith won the 7.5 mile race by over one and a half
minutes in 47.18 despite going off course on two occasions. He also won the Club
7.5 mile Championship title which was incorporated into the race. John Morland
was second home for the Club in 5th place overall with Dave Ellison in 8th.
Sixth scorer for the Club and 16th in a race of 105
finishers was Jennie Butler whose time of 53.44 saw her over 8 minutes clear of
the second placed woman. Anne Cilia was next home for the Club in 84th in 69.56
with Sarah Cummings 94th in 74.48.
Athletes from the Club feature prominently in the recently
published under 17 men's rankings. Pride of place goes to Karim Chester who
broke the Club hammer record four times in the summer. He tops the country with
60.52. Fabian Collymore is 16th in the 100 with 11.0 and 12th in the 200 with
22.49; Ian Allerton is 19th in the 400 with 50.70; Andrew Johnson is 13th in the
100 hurdles with 13.97; and Tom Robinson 11th in the pole vault with 3.80.
Athletes from all age groups, men and women, will be in
action at Danson Park this Saturday in the latest round of the Kent Men's,
Women's and Young Athletes League.
20 November 2001
Athletes from Blackheath Harriers, Bromley had another
successful afternoon at the Reebok International Cross Challenge at Margate
which incorporated the Senior and Junior trial races for the Great Britain team
for the European Championships in Thun, Switzerland in December.
The meeting also incorporated the the latest round of the
Kent Women's And Young Athletes League in which the Club had three individual
winners.
Michael Skinner finished 16th in the Senior Men's race
and, running as an individual, took the scalps of a number of athletes who had
been selected to represent the South Of England including Clubmate Dan Ayrton
who finished in a useful 28th position. Skinner's run must catapult him into
contention for a full England vest on the country to add to the Great Britain
Under 23 selection he has already achieved for 1500 metres.
In the senior Women's race Jennie Butler was also ahead of
runners selected to represent Regional teams as well as athletes from France and
Luxembourg. Her 35th position overall saw her record her second successive Kent
League victory, 33 seconds clear of second place.
With Karyn O Mahoney 7th and Julia Harrington 13th the
team equalled their best ever position of second achieved in the opening fixture
at Tunbridge Wells. It also means that the Club currently top the League after
two matches, albeit by the narrowest of margins. They are level on League points
with Ashford and the newly amalgamated Medway And Maidstone, but head the table
courtesy of a one point superior match points score.
Valuable back up from Carolina Jones Baldock (25th), Val
Place (26th), Anne Cilia (31st), Sarah Cummings (34th) and Alison Jelly (37th)
leaves the Club, at the halfway stage, with a realistic chance of lifting the
League trophy for the first time.
In the Junior Men's race Andrew Rayner had his best ever
run for the Club finishing 16th overall ahead of athletes from France, Belgium
and Holland, a performance that also left him as winner of the Kent League race.
With William Bolton 3rd and Matt Hill 4th the Club easily won the Kent League
team race and actually beat France in the Cross Challenge team race.
The Club's other individual Kent League winner was Rebecca
Taylor who took the under 13 girl's race for the second time with Aimee Boyle in
6th.
Danny Brewer came 2nd in the boy's race and backed by Tom
Corbett and Michael Thorpe the team finished 3rd.
Ray Perkins achieved his highest ever position in the Kent
League as he finished third in the Under 17's race as did Bryony Proctor who was
9th in the under 15 girls race.
Bill Foster has also been in action on the country
recently. A former Great Britain representative in the European Championship
marathon, he finished 4th in the Veterans Home Countries International at
Falkirk and was part of the England team that won the over 40's team race.
Fellow veteran Con Griffin timed an excellent 33.31 at the
Brighton 10km road race, a personal best even though he is now over 45! He was
4th veteran overall and first over 45 runner.
Indoors the Club had two winners at the South Of England
Veterans Indoor Pentathlon. Denis Wallington took the over 50's title with 3199
points, which included a 5.32 long jump, and Jim Day was the over 65's winner
with 2842 points. Alan Hardy finished 6th in the over 40's competition.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities.
For further details please call Dave Liston on 01322 663504.
13 November 2001
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley's senior men finished a
useful 17th in the National Cross Country relay at Mansfield, but probably
missed out on a top 10 placing after a mix up at the first changeover.
Michael Skinner ran another excellent opening relay leg as
he finished in six place, timing 15:34 for the 5km stage. Unfortunately
second-leg runner Peter Tucker missed the change over and despite a gallant
effort to claw back places the team lay 31st after two legs.
Roy Smith moved the team up to 27th on leg three before
the in form Tim Dickinson cut through the field to finish 17th with a 15:41
clocking.
The Junior team were a creditable 15th in their race.
Andrew Rayner brought the club home in 13th on the opening 3km leg in 9:30 and
handed to Matt Hill who slipped to 17th of with 10:00. William Bolton then moved
up to 15th with 9:42.
Meanwhile more 'heathens were in action at the South of
the Thames Junior Championship at Coulsdon. The race is Junior by standard
rather than age with barring clauses that restrict elite performers. The
quality remains good, however, and this year a women's race was included for the
first time with the Club providing the individual winner.
Jennie Butler, is in the form of her life at the moment,
and despite describing her run as 'steady', ran away from the field to win by 48
seconds, on an over distance five mile course.
In the men's race the club finished 5th in the four to
score and third in the 8 to score competition with John Morland first home in
20th in 31:20 Followed by Nick Gasson (25th 31:29), Steve Cooper (29th 31:39)
and Con Griffin (33rd 31:48).
At the post race results a special presentation was made
to Club Past President, Alan Brent, in recognition of his 53 years of service to
the South of the Thames Association.
A number of the club's youngsters were in action in the
first Sportshall Athletics meeting of the season at Swanley, with a number of
individual and team successes.
In the under 15's age group Venita Akpofure was 3rd
individual in the girls event with Richard Daniel 4th in the boys.
The under 13's boys and girls teams both finished in
second place with Alex Alameen second individual for the boys and Serita Solomon
third for the girls.
In the under 11's Courtney Miller broke the speed bounce
record as the team finished 10th out of over 20 others.
Team manager, Michelle Bovell, was delighted with the
youngsters' efforts and would like to take more to the next match at Tunbridge
Wells in December. If any youngster is interested in completing in Sportshall
Athletics please contact her on 07930 191345.
All eyes will be on Margate this Sunday for the Reebok
International Cross Country Races incorporating the British trials for the
European Championships. The races also include the latest round of the Kent
Women's and Young Athletes League which means the Club will have athletes
completing in 10 different races. The first race is at 10:50.
6 November 2001
On a busy weekend of cross country racing, athletes from
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley were in action at four different venues across
Britain and Europe.
Former Southern Cross Country champion Tim Dickinson
returned to International competition in Ghent in the latest round of the
Belgian Cross Cup. Building on his good recent performances at the Reebok cross
country race in Liverpool and the National Road Relay last week, he was the
first of the England team to finish in 16th place, ahead of one of the athletes
that had beaten him on Merseyside.
The English equivalent of the Belgian series took place at
Senneleys Park, Birmingham where four Heathens were among the 800 athletes who
toed the start line. First home was Dan Ayrton in 24th place timing 35.50, after
being around 12th for most of the race before fading in the later stages.
Junior Andrew Rayner followed in 65th, which made him 14th
under 20 athlete overall, with Scott McDonald 104th and Neil Ayrton 301st.
Meanwhile at Capston Park, the Senior Men were finishing
fourth in the latest Kent League fixture. Roy Smith continued his recent good
form finishing in fourth place and was backed up by Anthony Draper (12th), Con
Griffin (32nd) and Steve Cooper (35th). The Club now lie second in the League
overall and third in the duodec 12 to score competition.
Going one better at the moment are the Club's youngsters
who head the Parkwood League after the second fixture at Canterbury. The Club
had two individual winners with Rebecca Taylor taking the under 13 girls race
and Robert Evans winning the under 11's competition.
Taylor was backed up by good packing from Rachel Stokes
(13th), Claire McNamara (16th) and Clare Sapsed (18th); while there was able
support for Evans from Courtney Miller in 4th and Ian Rowswell in 9th.
Emily Baxter showed great promise on her Club debut as she
finished 5th in the under 11 girls race.
Best of the age group team performances came from the
under 20 men where William Bolton (2nd), Matt Hill (3rd) and Joe Godsell (5th)
combined for an emphatic victory.
Ray Perkins led home the under 17 boys in 5th place while
Tom Beech was 12th in the under 15 boys and Bryony Proctor 13th in the under 15
girls.
Tom Corbett was 8th in the under 13's race and there was
an encouraging run from Richard Bolton in 15th.
Team positions after 2 matches. 1. Blackheath Harriers,
Bromley 123. 2. Invicta East Kent 106. 3 Medway And Maidstone 99. 4. Dartford
98. 5. Ashford 92. 6. Bromley AC. 64. 7. Bexley 44. 8. Tonbridge 27. 9. Paddock
Wood 25.
Athletes from the Club feature prominently in the 2001
under 20 track and field rankings which have recently been published. Dwayne
Grant was the fastest in the country over 200 metres during the summer having
clocked 20.64, a performance that meets the qualifying standard for next year's
Commonwealth Games. He is also ranked 2nd in the 100 metres behind Birchfield's
Mark Lewis Francis.
Fellow Junior International, Mark Awanah is second in the
long jump with his wind assisted leap of 7.66 and is also ranked 11th in the
triple jump with 14.27 despite only dabbling with the event. Club Under 17
hammer record holder Karim Chester also features despite being three years
younger than some of those listed. He is ranked 10th in his event with 52.59.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages and
abilities. For further information contact Dave Liston on 01322 663504 or
visit the Club website at www.bandbhac.org.uk
30 October 2001
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley's Senior Men achieved a fine
8th place in the Nike National 6 Stage Road Relay at Sutton Coldfield from a
field of 65 teams, who had qualified for the event via their Area Championships.
The Club were always in the leading places following an
outstanding opening leg from Michael Skinner. He closed in 2nd place just four
seconds off the lead clocking 17.26 for the 5.8km course, a time which proved to
be the 10th fastest of the day overall.
Welsh International 1500 metre runner Joe Mills kept the
team in medal contention on leg two finishing 4th with 18.02 and, although Roy
Smith (18.21) slipped to 9th on a very strong stage three, the Club were just
one minute off the lead at halfway.
Young Dan Ayrton (17.51) pulled the team up to 7th on the
fourth leg before a fit again Tim Dickinson took the Club into the top five. His
run was one of the most encouraging of the day as his excellent 17.49 time
showed he is getting back to his best following a long period of injury. He has
been selected to represent England this weekend in a cross country match at
Ghent, Belgium.
Veteran Bill Foster anchored the team home in 8th place
timing 18.21 to leave the team as 4th Southern and top Kent Club.
The women's team showed no signs of tiredness following a
5 hour car journey to Birmingham the previous evening and completed a small
piece of Club History as they competed in the National 4 Stage event for the
first time finishing in 45th place from 86 starters.
Jennie Butler finished in 22nd on a very high quality
opening leg with a time of 15.30 that compared favourably with her performance
at the Southern event. Karyn O'Mahoney slipped to 34th despite a useful 16.42
clocking on leg two before Zoe Morrell moved the team back up to 32nd timing
17.03. Sarah Cummings anchored the team home in 45th place timing 19.29. This
meant the Club finished 15th Southern team overall, and, with them finishing top
Kent team as well, there was much to celebrate for both squads in the evening.
Meanwhile, 25 Heathens were in action at the Seven Sisters
Marathon. First home in the 26 mile cross country race was Darryl Hillier in
23rd place in 3.35 with Mark Ellison 28th in 3.37 and Terry Brightwell 40th in
3.42.
The Club also fielded athletes in a four team cross
country event at Roehampton against the Bank Of England, Kingston And
Polytechnic and Thames Hare And Hounds. First home for the Club was Richard
Daniels in 2nd in 27.04 with Con Griffin a minute behind in 7th and the team
being completed by Graham Coates (18th), Bill Clapham (46th) and David Griffin
(47.48).
Also on the country over 50's athlete Peter Hamilton
finished third in the Veterans AC 5 mile race at Wimbledon Common.
23 October 2001
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley provided a hat trick of
winners in the opening Kent League races of the season on a muddy course at
Tunbridge Wells, while in the team competition the Senior Men were victorious
and the Senior Women's second position was their highest ever in the event.
Reigning Kent League champion Jennie Butler led from start
to finish, eventually coming home over 45 seconds clear of the field. However,
her chances of retaining the overall title this season appear slim as fixture
clashes mean she may miss some matches.
With 800 metre runner Karyn O'Mahoney in 10th and marathon
runner Julia Harrington in 13th, the team improved one place on last year's
third place, and prospects of a win in the competition will improve in the New
Year with the return of two of the Club's top athletes. Siobhan Budd will be
back from her studies in Italy and Olympic Triathlete Sian Brice is due to give
birth any time now.
There was good back up for the scoring trio from Carolina
Jones Baldock (33rd), Sarah Cummings (37th) and Alison Jelly (47th).
The Club also had the winner of the Senior Men's race as,
on a rare excursion on the country, Great Britain Under 23 1500 metre
international, Michael Skinner skated away from the field for a comfortable 27
second victory.
Roy Smith, currently in the form of his life, achieved his
highest ever placing in the League in third, and, with Martin Airey 14th and
Anthony Draper 15th, the Club won the team competition for the first time in
some while.
The "B" team placed 8th overall and the Club
also came 3rd in the 12 to score competition. Skinner has been racing for the
Club since he was eleven and it was in this under 13 age group that the Club had
it's other winner. Like Butler, the Andy Frankish coached Rebecca Taylor headed
the field from gun to tape. The Newstead Woods schoolgirl was ably backed by
Rachel Stokes (16th) and Sarah Coombes (21st) to give the team third place.
More individual success in the younger age groups came
with Eve Bugler placing second in the Under 17 girls race with backing from
Michelle Delahoy; and Matt Hill and Danny Brewer took third places in the under
20's and under 13's races.
It was an encouraging turn out in the under 13's with Tom
Corbett (17th), Duncan Proctor (20th), Robert D'Angelo (28th), Alex Ginn (29th)
and Richard Bolton (32nd). Tom Beech and Dale Willis were 22nd and 23rd in the
under 15's boys with Bryony Proctor 10th in the girls race in the same age
group; while Ray Perkins was first home for the Club in the under 17 boys.
Meanwhile, there was a welcome return to form for one of
the Club's top distance runners at the Reebok Cross Challenge in Liverpool.
After a few years of injury problems former Southern Cross Country champion Tim
Dickinson placed an excellent 6th place in a strong Senior Men's race.
Dickinson lines up for the Club this weekend at the
National 6 Stage Road Relay at Sutton Coldfield. He is joined by Skinner, Smith,
Dan Ayrton, Bill Foster and Joe Mills. The Club will be fielding a team in the
women's 4 stage event for the first time.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities.
For further details contact Dave Liston on 01322 663504.
16 October 2001
Roy Smith and Jennie Butler defied injury and illness to
become runaway winners of the Blackheath Harriers, Bromley 5 mile cross country
championships with 75 runners toeing the start line on a hot and humid afternoon
at West Wickham.
Smith's victory in the men's race was achieved just three
days after an operation to remove tissue growth from the top of his hamstring.
He had a local anaesthetic for the keyhole surgery on Wednesday and, despite
four stitches, was back training the following day. His time of 27.49 for the
testing over distance course was nearly a minute faster than second placed Scott
McDonald with reigning champion Anthony Draper just three seconds behind in
third.
His reward was to receive the 5 Mile Challenge Cup which
is one of the oldest cross country trophies in the world and was first contested
in 1880. Andrew Rayner was fifth, the first junior home for the second year
running, but showed just how much progress he has been making by running nearly
three minutes faster than in 2000. Matt Hill was second youngster home with
David Griffin third.
It proved a double celebration for the Griffin family as
father Con was leading over 40 runner in eighth place overall with Ken Daniel
first over 50 athlete in tenth, despite a heavy fall in the woods.
Rayner was also the winner of the handicap competition
which was incorporated in the race with Jonathan Murray making a welcome return
to Athletics to take second and McDonald third.
A cold ridden Jennie Butler, who like Smith trains with
the Dave Liston group at Norman Park, Bromley, finished 19th overall taking the
women's title by nearly five minutes from Julia Harrington with Anne Cilia in
third.
Elsewhere on the country, Dave Taylor, competing for his
second claim Club Herne Hill Harriers, had a decisive victory in the first
Surrey League match of the season at Brockwell Park, winning by 16 seconds in
23.44.
The cross country racing continues this weekend at
Tunbridge Wells where the Club will be fielding athletes in eleven age groups in
the first of the Winter's Kent League fixtures.
Scott McDonald was in action again the following day at
the BUPA Great South Run at Portsmouth. In a 10 mile road race which attracted
10,000 entries he finished in 21st place in 53.07.
While the distance runners are starting their winter
racing, the Club's track and field stars are beginning their preparations for
next summer, the highlights of which are the European Championships and the
Commonwealth Games. Four Club members have already achieved performances that
meet the qualifying standards for the European Championships, three of them in
one event!
Dwayne Grant, Jonathan Barbour, and Julian Golding have
all better the 21.10 standard in the 200 metres and Grant and Barbour are also
inside the 100 metre qualifying time of 10.50. Meanwhile Mensah Elliott is one
of eight Britons who have bettered the entry standard of 13.90 for the 110
hurdles.
The Club welcome new members of all ages and abilities.
For further details contact Dave Liston on 01322 663 504 or visit the Club
website where full results of the Club 5 are available together with
pictures from the French Night which took place after the race.
9 October 2001
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley provided two of the
individual winners in the opening races of the Parkwood League series at
Canterbury as the Club won their match against Bexley and Ashford.
The wins came in the younger age groups where Rebecca
Taylor took the under 13 girls race in 7.17 and new member Edward Martin won the
under 11s fun run by nearly half a minute. There was strong support for both
winners with Courtney Miller 2nd in the under 11s and Adam Ginn in 4th. Aimee
Boyle was 4th in the under 13 girls race with Claire McNamara in 14th.
The under 13s race ended in chaos as the field went off
course and the athletes ran way over distance. Richard Bolton, for example timed
43.17 for a race that should have taken around 10 minutes, having gone astray by
nearly two miles, and two other runners were driven back to the finish by a
local farmer. Alex Ginn led the tired runners home in 12th in 30.25 backed by
Robert D'Angelo (13th), Tom Doig (14th) and Bolton (15th).
Bryony Proctor was the highest placed in the under 15's
races. She was 9th in the girls race with Caroline McQuillan 15th, while Tom
Beech led the boys home in 18th with Richard Daniel 20th and Alex Andrews 23rd.
Ray Perkins took 4th in the under 17's race with
some strong support from Dan Snow (7th), Chris Daniel (14th), Michael Leal
(17th) and Peter Moreton (19th).
Meanwhile in the girls race Eve Bugler took the runners up
spot ahead of team mates Hannah Williams and Jools Neeley. It was 2nd again in
the under 20's race where Hazel Barker timed 22.43. Natalie Wiggins finished in
6th.
A number of the youngsters had been at the Clubhouse the
previous day to receive awards for their exploits last season. Ray Perkins,
Stephen Leach, Rachel Stokes, Bryony Proctor and Tom Beech picked up Colours
awards while Rebecca Taylor received an Excellence Award.
For the Seniors, Roy Smith was awarded the Jack Sims
Salver for his performance and example at cross country with Jennie Butler
receiving the George Cluney Trophy, the equivalent Women's award.
One person who was not celebrating this weekend was Mark
Steinle. He was supposed to be representing Great Britain at the World Half
Marathon Championships in Bristol. However, the Blackheath life member was
forced to withdraw with a swollen knee and now faces a race against time to
recover to run in the New York Marathon at the start of November.
Meanwhile at the Dulwich 10km road race Peter Hamilton won
the over 50's section in 36.33.
The Club welcomes new members of all ages and abilities.
For further details contact Dave Liston on 01322 663504.
2 October 2001
Blackheath Harriers, Bromley's senior men comfortably
qualified for the National 6 Stage Road Relay at the end of the month when they
finished 11th in the Southern Championships at Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot. Twenty
Clubs qualified by right for the Final from a huge field of teams from across
the South Of England from Cornwall to Ipswich.
Fastest legs of the day came from Roy Smith and Joe Mills.
Both timed 18.51 for the 6km course. Smith's clocking came on a very competitive
opening leg where he closed in 14th and Mills time was actually the third
fastest on leg five.
Super veteran Bill Foster moved the team up to 11th on leg
two timing 19.03 followed by Rory Byrne (20.18) and David Moulton (20.08), both
of whom were making their debuts in this event. Jeremy Bradley anchored the team
home in 19.47 and a finishing time of 1 hr 55.27 over a minute and a half faster
than last year when they finished 8th.
The women's race the next day was of a similar high
standard with athletes such as Paula Radcliffe turning out for their Clubs. The
opening leg was particularly strong with a host of internationals on parade and
so Jennie Butler's 11th place in 13.52 was particularly noteworthy.
Karyn O Mahoney, had another good run after missing most
of the summer, timing 15.19 as she slipped to 15th before Zoe Morrell moved the
team back up 12th with 15.48. New member Sarah Cummings, (17.08), showed that
she is fast becoming a valued member of the team as she brought the Club home in
16th. Significantly both men's and women's teams were the top Kent Clubs.
The Club also had teams in the youngsters and veterans age
groups. Ray Perkins, Dan Snow, Chris Daniel and David Griffin finished in 18th
in the under 17's age group and the under 13's team of Michael Thorpe, Robert
D'Angelo, Tom Corbett and Danny Brewer finished in 13th.Brewer was third fastest
on leg four with 11.04 which was actually the 9th fastest overall on the day.
The over 50's team of Joe Clare, Ken Daniel, Peter
Hamilton and Jim Phelan finished in 10th with Daniel's 21.12 the fastest on his
leg and 6th fastest of the day.
Meanwhile a number of Heathens were in action in the North
Downs 30km Cross Country. The wet weather militated against fast times and the
first home for the Club was Mark Ellison in 16th in 2 hrs 9 minutes and 56
seconds. Further down the field two members took veteran awards. Peter Lovell
was first over 60 in 2.37.31 and Terry Brightwell was third in the over 50s in
2.18.50.
Back on the road the Club provided both winners in the St
Albans Half Marathon. Scott McDonald took the men's title by over half a
minute in 72.03 while in the women's race Julia Harrington was an equally
convincing winner timing 92.06.
Another Harrier will be in half marathon action this
weekend as Mark Steinle travels to Bristol as part of the Great Britain team who
compete in the World Half Marathon Championships. This will be his first race
since the National 12 Stage road relays in April and will be a key part of his
build up for the New York Marathon in November which has been confirmed will go
ahead despite the recent terrorist strikes. Steinle would have raced a half
marathon in Turin, Italy a couple of weeks ago but was not allowed to compete by
UK Athletics who felt that it was too close to the World Championships. "I
had my bags ready to go but then I got the call", said the 26 year old.
