2021 Annual Review - Part 2

The 2nd part of our review covers the Club’s highly successful Track season before the return, after a year’s break, of cross country and large road races in the autumn.

July

After the absence of a year, Finsbury Park welcomed back Barnet & District’s Golden Stag Mile. On a glorious summer evening Seyfu finished 3rd, Hannah Viner of Highgate set a meeting record, winning the women’s race, Julia Kelk was the fastest female Heathsider with Angela Pollitzer setting a new Club V70 record. Eva Barton (West Suffolk) ran the 5th fastest time ever by a UK U13G.

Michael Kennedy completed the Crawley 12hr track race, finishing 8th with a distance of 61.25m.

The Club held it’s annual handicap race in Ally Pally with Lauren Gee and Lee Connor winners.

The National School Championships were held in Manchester. Trey Corlis (U15B) won a magnificent silver in the 80mH breaking his club record by 0.71s. Thomas Archer also ran in the U20M 1500m.

The 2nd SAL meeting took place at Mile End with outstanding performances from James Hamblin, Cian O’Donnell, Stephanie Kleynhans and Olivia Desborough. The Club were again the highest scoring club, although the 250 pts was below the 280 pts in Meeting 1.

Jacob Howe returned from Scotland to organise a very successful Finsbury Park 5000s. Fastest man was Antonio Silva (TVH) and women new Heathsider Beth Hawling.

Sarah Swinhoe set a new VW50 mark for the 10,000m in Battersea Park.

The Juniors capped a magnificent league season by winning the MYAL for the first time. Although Shaftesbury won the last meeting at their home season it was not enough to overtake us to the title. The U13 and U15 girls won all their meetings this season. There were 19 event wins, 5 new club records set and 4 new meeting bests.

At long last Parkrun returned.

The Juniors repeated their MYAL success with an unprecedented performance at the Middlesex Championships winning 25 medals, 11 of which were gold: Milton Cooper (U15B 300m, Hammer), Trey Corlis (80mH, High Jump), Koppany Szentes (U13B 800m), Max Wasserman (U13B Shot), Edward Metcalf (U13B Javelin), Suraya Frost (U13G 70mH and Long Jump), Ivy Paitoo (U13G Shot) and Elkie Baker (U13G Discus).

Gabriel Edwards set the 2nd fastest time of the year by a U13B in the UK this year.

The Vets secured victory in their meeting at the Bannister Track with Gareth Evans setting a top 10 UK age group time for the 3000m.

August

August brought the Olympic Games in Tokyo and a host of brilliant Heathside performances closer to home.

Rob Shulman finished 2nd and 1st V50 in the Round Reading Ultra-Marathon

Masters Athletes competed at Lee Valley with Adrian Day (V60) producing a lifetime best in the 400m.

At the LICC meeting at the StoneX Helene Kehoe (VW55 Hammer), Jerome Henry (U13B Hammer) and Edward Metcalf (U13B Javelin) set new Club records.

Beth Hawling was the first woman home in the Hasty Hare 5km at Battersea Park.

Imani Quamina competed in both U15G 200m and 75m Hurdles at the English National Championships in Manchester.

Cian O’Donnell won Bronze medals in both 100m and 200m at the Scottish National Championships in Grangemouth.

The Club hosted the third SAL meeting of the season at Finsbury Park. recording 271 pts to come first of the 5 clubs competing. The highest scorers for the Men were James Hamblin and Leon Seale while Brogan Wallace and Beth Hawling were highest female scorers. Beth and James were awarded Athletes of the Match.

Adrian Essex headed to France to compete in the 22 event Ultra Multi-events Championships an effective World Championships for Masters Athletes. He won the V70 age category with a world record 11,633 points to become World Champion.

Suraya Frost won a Silver medal at the South of England Championships in the 70m Hurdles.

At the BMAF British Masters Championships Asha Osei won bronze in the M35 100m. Tony Kililea won silver in the V55 300m steeplechase.

A big contingent of Heathsiders took part in the Vitality Big half Marathon as major road race events returned. Andy Barnes was first Heathsider home with Rebecca Bunting the first woman.

The month closed with the Senior Middlesex T&F Championships, and Heathside carried on where the Juniors left off to record the Club’s highest ever medal haul, winning 7 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze. Cian O’Donnell who had won two bronze medals at the Scottish National Championships did the sprint double, Charlie Mingoes won the Long Jump title, Joel Hawes the Discus and James Hamblin the Hammer. Brogan Wallace in the 800m and Lily Woolcock 1500m to keep coach Jacob happy. Combining Junior and Senior Medals together Heathside sat at the top of the Middlesex Club Medal Table.

Gabriel Edwards (U11) continued his fine form in his debut season setting the fastest time by a U13B in the UK in the 60m

September

Road race season was in full swing as the countdown to the London Marathon approached, while the month also saw the close of the Track and Field Season with the Club having an unprecedented 5 Juniors on the 10 UK top 10 rankings: Gabriel Edwards (U13B) 60m, Trey Corlis (U15B) 80mH, Suraya Frost (U13G) 70mH, Jerome Henry (U13B) Hammer, Ivy Paitoo (U13G) Hammer.

Tom Foy finished 7th in the Milton Keynes half with Gavin Evans setting a Club V60 record of 1:24. Elsewhere Tom Aldred was 4th in the Paddock Wood half and a number of Heathsiders took part in the rearranged Hampstead Heath Duathalon.

Over 100 Club members took part in the first part of the Club Championships at Finsbury Park.

The Masters Athletes had another successful meeting at the Southern Counties Veterans League at Lee Valley.

The Club made it 4 wins out of 4 in the SAL meeting at Lee Valley however were not able to increase their points total, finishing 42nd overall in the League. James Hamblin and Brogan Wallace were again the Club’s highest scorers. A great effort from all those that competed for the Club and debutant Club captains Jennifer Wing and Mark Jefford.

3 Heathsiders Milton Cooper, David Baah-Okyere and Izzy Watkins competed for Middlesex in the Inter-counties match in Oxford. Izzy Watkins won the 800m in 2:18.29 setting a new U15G Club Record in the process.

The Club had another successful Middlesex Road Relays. All but one of the Junior Teams taking part won a medal, Kiara Corkin (U13G) recorded the 2nd fastest time of all the Junior Women covering the 3,000m course in 11:06. The U13G and U17 men won team Gold with the U13 Boys, U15 Boys and Girls all winning silver

The Crouch End 10km returned, with Heathsiders prominent with the marshalling and organisation. There were 8 Heathsiders in the top 10 with Andy Barnes in 2nd place the first Heathsider over the line. Tanya Addison was the first women home. Fred Beale (U17M) was first home in the 5000m.

The Club held it’s 2nd night of the Club Championships under a full moon at Finsbury Park.

The Club rejoined the Chingford Running League with Pete Crockford and Scarlett Parker taking part in the first race at Hogg Hill. Rory Willis won the U11 race.

Julia Kelk was 6th female and 1st VW40 at the Hampton Court Palace half marathon.

Cross Country returned after a 12 month break with the NWLL meeting at Horsenden Hill.There were team wins for the U11 Boys, U15 Girls and U17Men with the U13 Girls 2nd. Individually debutant Amy Kirk won the U13G race.

Seyfu returned with a 3rd place at the Hackney Half with Andy Barnes 2nd in the 5km race.

Chiara Borg was 2nd woman at the Triffic Trail 10km, Thomas Godec was first male Heathsider home.

October

October saw the return of the London marathon albeit in the Autumn rather than Spring. Thirty-eight Juniors competed for their Boroughs in the Mini-Marathon beforehand, with Izzy Watkins (U15G) best placed at 18th while Kiara Corkin (U13G) finished in the London Team that won silver in the British Road Race Championships. Forty-five declared Heathsiders took place in the main race with Andy Barnes the first Senior home in 151st place with a time of 2:33.38, Sara Black was our first women home with a time of 3:05.56.

The Chingford League offered Seniors their first taste of XC this season with Pete Crockford and Kim Butler taking part.

Tom Aldred ran a speedy Manchester Marathon, finishing 9th with Gavin Evans 3rd V60. There were good representations of Heathsiders at the Royal Parks Half and Ridgeway Trail Run.

Seyfu Jamaal won the Islington 1 Hour race with a distance of 11 miles.

The Met League returned after a year’s break with the traditional first race at Claybury. It didn’t disappoint, with Beth Hawling delivering the Club’s first Senior individual win for over 10 years. The Club also started their defence of their Senior Women’s title with a win, while a weakened men’s team finished 5th. The juniors continued their fine track form with 6 top 10 places and Kiara Corkin winner of the U13 Girls race.

The Sunday League also returned and with 395 runners, remains as popular as ever.

Alysia Sawicka came 4th in the Autumn 100 Mile race missing the podium by only 6s.

The Senior Women (Hawling, Punton, Wallace) produced a stunning performance in the Southern XC Relays just being pipped for gold in the closing stages of the 3 leg race.

More Senior Women success in the North London Championships with Eva Divetain winning the race.

The NWLL was moved to Uxbridge as Fryent Park was not available. There were team wins for the U13 and U15 Girls and an individual win for Izzy Watkins (U15G).

November

Kelly Thorneycroft won bronze for GB in the V30 World Duathalon Championships in Valencia with Karina Kaufmann 4th in the V40 category.

Jamie Morris was 7th and first Vet home in the Victoria Park 10km.

The 2nd Met League race saw Beth Hawling again victorious over the grass at Welwyn with the Senior Women having 3 runners in the top 10 to comfortably win the team competition The Senior Men improved one place from Claybury with 4th. The Juniors consolidated 2nd place in the overall club title with a 2nd place for the U13 Girls and 3rd places for U11 Boys, U13 Boys and Junior Women.

The Senior Women were just not able to retain their title at the London XC Championships on Hampstead Heath but the team led home by Brogan Wallace won bronze. Thomas Archer was the first U20 man home. Forty-one Juniors took place in the London Youth Games XC with the highest placed Izzy Watkin’s 4th place in the U15G race who, with Millie Watkins and Hattie Munday won a Team Silver for Haringey.

Beth Hawling finished 20th at the British Athletics Cross Challenge and European XC Trials in Liverpool.

A contingent of hardy Heathsiders ran the Sonority/Fraternity Cup in an arctic Trent Park. In the NWLL meeting beforehand, the U13 and U15 Girls won their races with the U17 men 2nd. Izzy Watkins (U15G) was 2nd and Koppany Szentes (U13B) 3rd.

Adam Kirk Smith finished 3rd in the Malcolm Cup Cross Country in Belfast.

December

The last Met League of the year took place at Uxbridge featuring the infamous river crossing and ex-ski slope. Beth Hawling came through victorious after a duel with Highgate Hannah Viner to make it 3 Senior Women’s wins in a row. The team could only secure 3rd place but still comfortably lead the overall competition. Thomas Archer was 1st Heathsider home in the Men’s race with the Men’s Team also securing 3rd place. Kiara Corkin in 3rd led the U13 Girls to a dominant victory in their race the first Junior team win this year.

Josie Hinton was the 19th woman home in the Valencia Marathon with Steven Pennington the first man. Julia Kelk went even further competing at the California International Marathon in Sacramento. Closer to home Hannah Yip was the only Heathsider at the Perivale 5.

Indoor Athletics returned at Lee Valley with a host of Club records falling including Gabriel Edwards who setting a U13B UK age group leading time in the 60m.

The V60-69 and V50-59 Teams finished 5th and 7th places respectively at the Southern Masters Cross Country Championships in Croydon.

7 juniors represented Middlesex at the Southern Inter-counties Cross Country Championships with Hattie Munday part of the 2nd placed U15 Girls team.

Ismail Abukr was first man and Karina Kaufmann first woman in the Sunday League XC at Trent Park.

Martha Jolly set a new U15G Club record in the 60m and the 10th fastest time this year at the BFTA Open at Lee Valley.

Seyfu Jamaal was 3rd in the Milton Keynes Half Marathon at Milton Keynes as his asylum case made the National Newspapers. Kieran Morris was first in the RunThrough Battersea race. Filipe Cardoso finished 4th in the Dawn to Dusk Ultra-Marathon.

And with the last Sunday League XC at Trent Park the year came to a close again with the threat of Lockdown. However we optimistically look forward to 2022 being even more successful for everyone competing in the Blue, Gold and Red with a busy January including County and Southern Championships as well as Met League and Southern Indoor competitions.

Thank you for reading

COYH