Chingford League2024-25: Race 4, Olympic Velopark
On Wednesday 11th December nearly 100 Woodford athletes headed to the Olympic Park for the latest Chingford league fixture. This race, held under floodlights, is fast becoming a fan’s favorite with both cross country and track athletes attracted to the location and the firm footing of a tarmac course this late in winter!
The Course
The Velopark is a hilly but smooth tarmac course. U11s and U13s run a loop of 2km. U15-Seniors run 5km. Weather conditions were good.
Senior Men – 5km
282 Senior Men competed. Sam MacAulay (London Heathside) won in 15mins 27s. First home for Woodford was Tom Adolphus (5th) who looked strong and with a good group around him ran an excellent 15mins 57s. Paul Manson (M40, 82nd) made his debut in the league and ran a very good 18mins 38s. Christopher Hogg (130th), Richard Hogg (M60, 207th) and Paul Stockings (M60, 251st) continued their good form in the league, clocking 19mins 52s, 22mins 31s and 24mins 55s respectively. The Men’s team finished 7th (Division 2).
Senior Women – 5km
175 Senior Women competed. Laura Thompson (VPH) won in17mins 52s. Lauren Evans (24th) made a superb debut for Woodford running 20mins 59s and led the team home. Fellow debutant Jenna Sheehy (26th) also had a great run, clocking 21mins 11s finishing just ahead of Winter team Manager Kate Stockings (52nd) who was pleased with her run of 22mins 51s. Gillian Whelan (145th) continued her good form in the league running 27mins 58s. The Women’s team finished 4th (Division 2).
U17 Boys – 5km
William Muffett ran a superb 16mins 34s winning the race ahead of overall leader Sam Lindsall (E&H). William was delighted with his run and pleased to put the ghosts of last year behind him when he inadvertently gave up a winning position entering the finish funnel early on the penultimate lap! Oliver Clifton (4th) continued his progress this winter running 17mins 31s. Oliver is a multi-event athlete, and his running has come on leaps and bounds!
Next in was Joshua Ssempiira (5th) who made his debut running 17mins 33s. Aidan O’Driscoll (10th) followed in 18mins 37s as he continued his comeback from injury with Sid Smith (13th) who has trained well this winter rewarded for his hard work with a personal best of 19mins 50s.
Woodford won the fixture ahead of league leaders Enfield and Haringey. Woodford are 4th in the league. An incomplete team at Trent Park cost them, but it is tight with 2 fixtures to go.
William Muffett (60 points) is second in the individual event behind leader Sam Lindsall (76 points) of E&H with Aidan Buckley (56 points) of Loughton AC in third.
U17 Girls – 5km
Natasha Wynn made a winning return to league action coming home first in 20mins 09s. Natasha was recently crowned WGEL Junior Athlete of the Year (2024) after winning the English Schools 800m in the summer and ended the season ranked 5th in UK over 800m. Anaand Tratt (3rd) was next home running 21mins 04s. Annand has balanced extra travel to and from school in recent weeks which has made training difficult. Once settled she will be back in PB form.
Ella Traynor (4th) ran 22mins 38s and was delighted to be back racing after 3 months of rehab following injury. Matilda Frith (6th) was next home in 24mins 26s, a season’s best which suggests good things ahead. Team-mate Juliet Taylor (7th) also ran a season best 25mins 6s and is starting to find her fitness after a busy school term.
Woodford won the fixture and lead the table ahead of Loughton AC.
Matilda Frith (69 points) leads the individual event and team-mate Juliet Taylor (64 points) is second ahead of Charlotte Palmer (53 points) of Loughton AC in third.
U15 Boys
Daniel Arnold took a fine victory running 16mins 39s and was rightly very pleased with his performance, setting a personal best that was almost a minute quicker than last year. Stephen Ng (2nd) took runner up spot with a tremendous run, a personal best of 18mins 2s improving by over 2mins from last year. Stephen, like Oliver Clifton (U17 Boys) follows a multi-event training program that includes endurance running, sprints and pole vault.
Thomas Nicholls (5th) was next home in 19mins 28s with team-mates Miles Braysher (6th) and Charlie Howes (8th) right behind. These were good runs from the boys who don’t race as much as they’d like but are always a very welcome sight when available. Enzo Sherman (12th) made an excellent debut for the club, running 21mins 23 with Tayo Adetona (13th) hot on his heels. Tayo has really started to adapt to the move up age groups in recent races.
Woodford won the fixture ahead of Orion Harriers and lead the overall table.
Barney Perkins (56 points) of Ilford AC leads the individual event with Toby Long (55 points) of Eton Manor second. WGEL's Miles Braysher (47 points) is third. Reigning champion Stepehen Ng (39 points) is 6th with Thomas Nicholls (34 points) in 7th place. All are still in with a chance of a medal with 2 fixtures to go.
U15 Girls
Jasmine Hall ran a superb 19mins 09s winning the race by over 30s from regular Met League competitor Jagna Falkowski (Trent Park). Jasmine is a top ranked swimmer, and her endurance is never in doubt over these distances! Isla Fulling was third and ran an excellent 20mins 52s. Sophia Parker (4th) was next home in 21mins 34s with Marissa Higgs-Smith (5th) following behind in 22mins 37s. These were both PB times over 5km for the girls. Fiona Yip (6th) continues to build her race experience and was very pleased with her 23mins 06, and hotly pursued by Emillia Kozinska (7th) who ran 23mins 08s.
Next home was multi eventer Isla Barron (8th) who has been training well and ran a PB of 24mins 03s. Behind Isla were Eni Fadahunsi (9th) in 24mins 36s, Anna Jaramillo Obcowska (10th) in 24mins 57s and Alice Padian (11th) in 26mins 07s who all came steaming through the finish for WGEL!
Woodford won the fixture ahead of Trent Park and are top of the table. Sophia Parker (74 points) leads the individual event ahead of Jagna Falkowski (59 points) of Trent Park. Team-mates Fiona Yip (58), Isla Barron (56), Emilia Kozinska (48) and Marissa Higgs-Smith (45) all remain within reach of medals with 2 fixtures remaining.
U13 Boys
Eric Frith continued his outstanding winter winning the2km race in 7mins 29 ahead of his friend William Godsave (Loughton AC). Woody Qureshi was third in 7mins 37s once again showing his natural ability given limited training and race opportunities. Henry Richards (4th) was next back in 7mins 39s and is coming back nicely after long-term injury. Ashton Jokhiya (7th) had his best run of the season running 8m 09s with team-mates Daniel Hayden (10th), Oscar Langston (11th), Austin Smith (12th) and Harry McNally (14th) packing well behind. Just 60 seconds separated all these boys.
WGEL won the fixture ahead of Ilford AC and lead the table ahead of Loughton AC overall.
Eric Frith (80 points) leads the individual event from William Godsave (70 points) of Loughton with WGEL's Woody Qureshi (66 points), Ashton Jokhiya (52 points), Henry Richards (48 points) and Daniel Hayden (45 points) all still competing for medals with 2 races to go.
U13 Girls
Lottie Oates was first home for WGEL running an excellent 8mins 32s and just behind Blake Upson (E&H) who won the race in 8mins 28s. Chloe Summers was third with her best run of the season and took her first podium place in 8mins 38s. This was just reward for all her efforts in training! Kehanique Lowe (4th), Poppy Barker (5th) and Maia Lalani (6th) were all just behind Chloe. Rosie Muffett (8th) continued her progress over the winter running 9mins 3s with team-mates Aoife Pearce (12th) running 9mins 37s and Sophia Khan (14th) running 9mins 49s.
Woodford won the fixture ahead of Ilford AC and lead the table ahead of Enfield & Haringey.
Lottie Oates (67 points) leads the individual competition ahead of team-mates Poppy Barker (66 points), Chloe Summers (55 points) and Kehanique Lowe (52 points) but it is close with 2 to go!
U11 Boys
Jesse Geller took the tape for his first victory in the league with a terrific run of 7mins 50s. Team-mates Jack Tonge (2nd) and Jax Connor (3rd) continued their fine winters and were in hot pursuit throughout the race. The boys completed a clean sweep of the podium for Woodford!
Just behind this pack was Patrick Langan (5th) who is improving week on week, and it was Leo Ciarlet (6th), our multi-eventer, who followed in next with him and Lukas Sendar (7th) in a great battle for the line with 3 seconds separating these three boys. Zachary Paktsun (8th)was next home in 8mins 36s just ahead of another group of Woodford athletes with George Davies (9th), Albie Ellingham (10th), Luca Cook (11th) and Noah Gavin (12th) coming though in quick succession.
Dylan Williams (14th) led the next pack over the line in 8mins 49s with Luke Foley (15th), James Tattersall (18th) and Charlie Tong (19th) all together in a tightly fought contest with another multi eventer in Idris Bernard (22nd) leading team-mates Arlo Barron-Smith (23rd), William Taylor (24th), Noah Parker (25th) and Jude Oronsaye (28th) into the finish funnel.
It was a great performance by all the boys who won the fixture ahead of Orion Harriers and are top of the league with 2 fixtures remaining. In the individual competition Jack Tonge (78 points) leads from Lukas Vernal (74 points) of Orion with team-mates Jesse Geller (72 points) and Jax Connor (65 points) close behind with George Davies (50 points), Albie Ellingham (41 points), Patrick Langan (41) and Lukas Sendar (40 points) all in with a shout with 2 fixtures remaining.
U11 Girls
Chloe Ward won the race in 8mins 6s and continued her progress this winter. Chloe was 12th in this race last year as a lower age group athlete. Chloe finished ahead of Alice Clements (E&H) who leads the overall individual competition and was unbeaten in the previous 3 fixtures. Rosie Barron was on their heels running a terrific time of 8mins 16s and finishing in third place.
Phoebe Quorn (5th) ran 8mins 37 and was slightly disappointed but has really improved this winter and is showing great potential. Next through the line was Nola Glover-Hammond (6th), who ran 8mins 59s and led a group of fine young Woodford athletes through the line with Emilia Herbert (8th), Adrianna McNally (9th), Angelica Povilaitis (11th), Dulcie Qureshi (13th), Luisa Passerini (14th), Abigail Oronsaye (15th), Lula Qureshi (16th) and Sofia Lalani (20th). It was great to see so many of the girls competing, many of whom are lower age group. Sibling rivalries also added spice to the race with Dulcie, Lula and brother Woody all competing as well as Maia and her younger sister Sofia Lalani who finished with the biggest smile of the night and was very happy to complete her first race!
Woodford won the fixture ahead of Eton Manor and lead the table. Alice Clements (79 points) of E&H heads the individual competition with Chloe Ward (77 points), Rosie Barron (72 points) and Phoebe Quorn (66 points) in hot pursuit with 2 fixtures to go.
Summary
It was a fantastic evening of racing under the floodlights in a spectacular setting within the Olympic Park. The league now enters the business end of the season with just two fixtures to go, firstly in Epping Forest (Saturday 18th January) and finally on the tarmac paths of Victoria Park. As always, many thanks to parents and team managers for organising and getting the athletes to the races. It is set to be an exciting end to the season with medals a-plenty up for grabs!
Next Fixture: Chingford League 5 in Epping Forest on Saturday 18th January 2025