Track & Field News

Woodford athletes have been in action in various meetings at home and overseas over the last week or so. Highlights include a Club Long Jump record for Ezekiel Ewulo and a World Championship qualifying mark for Tosin Oke, whilst competing in the Nigerian Championships. Several others were in action in the combined Inter-Counties and AAA's Championships held at Bedford over the weekend.

Ezekiel Ewulo, who this season has switched allegiance form GB & NI to Nigeria, competed in his first Nigerian Championships at Warri, where he placed 2nd in the long jump with a personal best of 7.85m (+1.2), improving his Woodford Club record from 7.75m (i), although he does have a windy (+2.9) 7.90m to his credit this season. Tosin Oke the former Commonwealth Games Champion again won the Nigerian title in the triple jump with a season's best, and World Championship qualifying mark of 16.98m (+1.4). 

Bedford hosted the Inter-Counties Championships, which this season resurrected the AAA Championships which were held in conjunction. In the 100m, Eugene Ayanful progressed to the final where he placed 4th with 10.69 secs (-0.4), having qualified from his semi-final with a season's best of 10.46 secs (+1.7). Also making the semi-final was U/20 Joseph Dewar where unfortunately the European Junior silver medalist was disqualified for a false start, having looked very comfortable in his heat where he recorded 10.39 secs (+1.0). The following day, Joseph competed in his first long jump competition of the season and qualified from his Pool with 7.04m, but despite a very long marginal foul in the final could only manage 6.75m (+0.1) for 9th. In the women's 100m Sarah Busby progressed through to the semi-final where she recorded 11.98 secs (-0.7), but just missed out on a place in the final. In the men's 200m, Omololu Abiodun placed 5th in the final with 21.74 secs (w?) after a 21.44 secs (+0.3) to qualify. In the 3000m s/ch Ryan McKinlay, although still some way from his best, showed encouraging improved form as he placed 10th in the final with 9m36.13 secs. In the heats of the 800m Paul Scanlan recorded 1m57.08 secs. 

Best placed in the field events was Youcef Zatat who was 2nd in the shot with 16.52m, ahead of Anthony Oshodi who was 3rd with 16.23m. Lucy Marshall continued her fine season and was 5th in the women's hammer with 57.78m, as was Hollie Redman in the discus with 45.17m. In the men's discus both Devon Douglas and Chris Linque made the final, with Devon placing 9th with 43.47m, having qualified with 43.97m, and Chris was 11th with 41.55m after 44.16m to qualify. In the javelin Simon Bennett placed 9th with 58.66m. 

Competing at Ninove in Belgium, Jon Cook was only just outside his personal best as he placed 5th in the "B" 1500m with 3m42.85 secs. Not reported last week were Woodford athletes in action at the Anniversary Games where in the women's 100mH Tiffany Porter was 4th with 12.67 secs (-1.2) with sister Cindy Ofili 6th with 12.90 secs (-1.2). In a "club athlete" mile held before the start of the Friday evening's Diamond League action, Omar Mansour enjoyed his outing in the Olympic Stadium, winning with 4m44.84 secs. In last weekend's British Masters Championships at Birmingham Bernadine Pritchett, a W45, placed 5th in both the 800m and 1500m against younger athletes in the W35 age group, recording 2m28.58 secs and 4m58.20 secs. During that same week several younger athletes competed at the Watford Open Meeting and there were 8 personal bests over 1500m from Hannah Page (U/13) with 5m40.50 secs; Bradley Jay (U/13) with 5m42.24 secs; Julia Sokol (U/15) with 5m46.37 secs; Olivia Corbett (U/15) with 5m23.83 secs; Louise Gilbert (U/15) with 4m53.28 secs; Owen Armstrong (U/17) with 4m28.75 secs, and Canaan Soloman (U/17) with a fine 3m58.34 secs. Others also in action were Georgina Handful (U/13) 5m51.46 secs, Liam Waldron (U/13) 5m22.28 secs, Bernadine Pritchett (W45) with 4m56.75 secs, and Bradley Wattleworth (U/20) 4m03.68 secs. Over 3000m there was a personal best for Tony Russell with 9m10.63 secs, and Joe Everitt recorded 9m36.58 secs to win his race.