Track & Field News
Several Woodford athletes competed in the combined Inter-Counties and England Championships held at Bedford last weekend. There was also news of other performances, including a further improvement of his own Club 1500m record from Jon Cook.
Racing at the Memorial Rasschaert meeting at Ninove, Belgium Jon Cook had a fine run over 1500m, placing 5th in a good quality international field improving his personal best and Woodford club record by over one second as he recorded 3m38.64 secs, a mark which takes Jon to 7th on this season's UK rankings.
At Bedford, Woodford's leading performances came in the field events, with Anthony Oshodi placing 2nd in the shot with 16.12m, ahead of Youcef Zatat 3rd with 15.67m. Also winning a silver medal was Lucy Marshall who was 2nd in the hammer with 60.31m, whilst in the men's discus Chris LInque was 7th with 50.83m ahead of Devon Douglas with 48.45m in 8th. In the triple jump Thalosang Tshireletso was 4th with 15.26m, and Peter Kirabo 10th with 13.80m (+0.8), whilst in the women's event Chanel Hemmings was 12th with 11.01m (+2.0).
On the track, over 100m Eugene Ayanful made it through to the final where he placed 8th with 10.52 secs (+2.0), having recorded 10.43 secs (+1.8) in his semi-final. Omololu Abiodun raced over 200m, although not progressing from his heat where he placed 5th with 22.30 secs (+0.5 )it was another step on his return from a serious hamstring injury.. In the women's 100m Sarah Busby just missed out on a place in the final as she finished 5th in her semi with 11.99 secs (+1.6). Over 800m, Paul Scanlan was close to his best ever with 1m53.96 in his heat and Andrew Mariani recorded 1m57.38 sec. In the women's 1500m, HCA member Chloe Bradley was 4th with 4m27.08 secs, and in the 3km s/ch Tomaz Plibersek was 10th with 9m 46.10 secs.
At Watford during last week a number of Woodford athletes raced in the Open meeting. James Stockings competed over 3000m where he recorded 8m31.65 secs, and V45 Bernadine Prirchett recorded 5m01.62 secs over 1500m, and over the same distance there was a personal best for Bradley Wattleworth with 3m59.24 secs. A number of younger athletes also competed. Over 1500m Rohan Arnold-Fincher (U/13) recorded a personal best of 5m28.14 secs, and another U/13 Hollie McArdell also recorded a pb of 5m20.06 secs, as did U/15 Wren Jackson with 5m10.16 secs. Hayden Malerary, also an U/15 recorded 4m51.31 secs, with Todd Maleary in 4m53.35 secs another p.b., whilst U/17 Louise Gilbert recorded 4m53.45 secs. There was also a p.b. for U/15 Joseph Geller with 4m24.78 secs.
At Lee Valley yesterday evening, following winds were a little too strong in most races, but there were notable performances from 20 year old Olumide Ogunseitan, who won over 100m with 10.61 secs w (+2.5) and then placed 2nd over 200m with 21 81 secs w (+2.3). IT was also pleasing to see Nick Leavey back in action, wiih the former 400m international placing 2nd in his 200m race with 21.89 secs w (+3.2). In the women's 100m Sarah Busby was 2nd in her race with 11.99 secs w (+3.6). Stefan Redmond recorded 23.53 secs w (+2.3) and U/15 Zacheria Islam Moore 24.21 secs w (+2.3).
At Newham on the same evening Vivek Joshi recorded 54.61 secs over 400m and HCA member Jo Ryan 58.27 secs