Rachel Forder became the latest athlete to break a club record when she smashed the Under 13 girls shot record at Biggleswade today. Her 10.23m throw was over one metre better than her previous best and added over half a metre to Caroline Smith's 10-year-old record. It also took Rachel into the top 6 nationally and she added a 27.48m discus effort to jump to third on the club all-time list and sixth best nationally this year. Georgie Taylor ended her fine season with a shot PB throwing 8.94 for third on the club all time rankings but she was nudged off the top of the national discus rankings when the longest throw in the UK caused her to suffer a rare defeat despite all her throws being over 30m  Meanwhile at Bedford Alex Law's final competition as an U13 saw him clinch another gold in the Eastern Counties Minithon thanks to a 4.75m long jump, 12.84s hurdles and 26.58m discus.  added 26/09/09

Josh Olawore's amazing first season ended on a high when his fourth place pentathlon finish at Bedford yesterday earned him an u15 boys' England Schools vest. Josh started strongly with second place in the 80m hurdles in a fast 11.46s, just outside his club record set last week. A shot PB of 12.17m took him into the club all-time top 10 and maintained his runners up spot. Josh equalled his legal long jump PB, placing third in 5.85m to hold onto second position.  A solid high jump of 1.63m and a 800m of around 2:24.6 saw Josh slip out of medal contention but his fourth place finish not only improved his club record & PB to 2813 points and helped Essex to victory but more importantly sealed selection for the English Schools Team in the annual home countries fixture indoors at Glasgow in December. Brad Burr was also in action at Bedford in the Inter Boys' Octathlon finishing a creditable 15^th in a field of 38 in 4450 points, jut 22 points shy of his club record.  Brad set a shot PB with 11.45m and was close to his hurdles best clocking 15.12s, was best javelin thrower on show with 58.13m but could not match his PBs in his other events. added 20/09/09 & updated 21/09/09

Two club records fell as the EYAL team were runners up in the Top 6 final behind the powerful hosts at Chelmsford today. The impressive Georgie Taylor went to the top of the 2009 national rankings when she again added to her club u13 discus record throwing a superb 32.31m - the tenth longest discus throw ever by an u13 girl. Josh Olawore also bettered a club record when he ran 11.4s in the U15 boys 80m Hurdles - but had to settle for second spot behind English Schools medallist Chris Gaddes. The U13 girls placed second, and al other age groups finished third as Chelmsford won four of the six competitions, with St Albans (U15B) and Stevenage (U17M) victorious i n the others.    added 13/09/09 & updated 14/09/09 Pics added 15/09/09 

Harriet Scott was the first club athlete home in Sunday’s adidas Women’s 5k Challenge at Hyde Park. Her 17m 10s run saw her finish 17^th overall and sixth Briton in an all-star International field won in a close finish by Kenya’s World 5000m World Champion Vivian Cheruiyot in 15mins 11secs just one second ahead of her training partner and World 10000m Champion Linet Masai. Evergreen Debbie Appleton was 29^th in 18m 40secs and Sara Luck and Jo Sullivan were among other club female members to take part.  added 8/09/09 

Photo: Gary Howard

Brad Burr won silver and Jack Edgar-Hill bronze for England East at this weekend's prestigious UK Schools Games at Cardiff. Brad's 61.19m third round throw - his longest since April - easily won him silver to make up for his disappointing sixth place at the English schools. Jack finally won a podium place in the 100m hurdles, after fifth places in the English Schools and fourth in the England Athletics champs, for his first national medal. Laurence Goodacre gave a good account of himself in the shot, throwing his best this summer of 13.73m for eighth. Ellie Bounds was run out of a final place in a tactical 800m heat.  added 6/09/09  &  Photos

The women's Southern League squad ended the season in style with victory in their final fixture at Bedford on Saturday. Seven A and seven B victories plus a sprint relay success formed a platform for the squad's first win of the season after second places in the other four fixtures.  But fine efforts from the whole team made all the difference in a tough match against higher placed Luton & Sutton. The team were pushed hard by Luton all the way but victory in the sprint relay & second place ahead of Luton in the 4x400m ensured a winning end to the season, to lift the team from fifth to third in the final league table.  added 6/09/09 

There was a sweet crop of throwing performances at the Tate & Lyle/Tom Morgan Open at Newham today. Georgie Taylor extended her club u13 discus record to 30.92m to go third on the UK rankings. Rachel Forder's 8.83m shot victory was second best ever by a club u13 girl and she also threw the javelin 20.86m for third club all time. Another newcomer Will King won the U13 boys javelin in 34.54m for a new club record, beating Sam Harrison's record from 15 years ago. Alex Law went to number 3 all time with his 9.65m shot & 27.62m javelin throws. Alex was also close to his club discus record. Sophie Baggs & sister Erin won the U17 & U15 discus and Danny Wilson won the U15 shot (PB) and discus. Lewis Middleton won the u13 long jump in a PB of 4.58m.  added 31/08/09 

Nicola Hill produced another PB in Essex colours in the South of England Under 20 match at Watford on Sunday. She further reduced her 100m Hurdles best but just one-hundredth to 14.79s in placing second to rank third on the club all time list and second best U20.  Nicola has another year in the age group to challenge the club u20 record of 14.5s. Paul Adair was just outside his PB clocking 51.27s for third in the 400m. Joe Ramie was fourth in the triple jump for the U20 men’s team with 13.21m and Adam McCarthy was sixth in the 400m hurdles with 58.91s. Lauren Edgar-Hill missed out on a place in the U20 women’s 400m hurdles final, placing fifth in her heat. Annie Adewole was the only club u15 in the Essex squad, placing eighth in the shot with 9.04m. added 31/08/09 .

Mel Harrison, Emma Christmas and Nicola Hill all produced late season PBs in Essex colours in the Eastern Counties match at Ipswich last Sunday. Mel's 41.64m winning discus throw improved her PB set five years ago in June 2004. She also won the B hammer & B shot to produce a winning hat trick. Emma's javelin PB of 43.82m was over a metre beyond her early season career best mark and also won the competition on the day.  Nicola Hill tackled the flat 400m for only the second time this summer and reduced her PB to 57.81s for third on the day & moved her up a place on the club all time list. Also in action for the Essex ladies team were Chloe van Wulven (2nd 100m hurdles & third high jump) Vicky Smith (4th - 3000m) and Zoe Young (3rd B long jump). Sam Harrison & Joe Ramie were both runners up in their respective javelin & triple jump competitions for the Essex men. Four club U17 Men pulled on Essex vests. Jack Edgar-Hill was a comfortable 100m hurdles winner and Laurence Goodacre won the shot. Jamie Buckley-Stanton was close to his best in placing second in the 3000m event and Jake Nelson won the B 400m hurdles. added 29/08/09 

A third place finish in the final British League fixture at Coventry on Saturday left the men's team agonisingly just short of promotion.  They finished one point ahead of second-placed Exeter and ahead of champions Yeovil but they had needed to beat the Devon club by eight points to secure promotion to Division 3 so they were six points shy of their target. In a highly competitive Division only one league point covered four clubs as HMAC ended up third in their first year back on the national stage. There were four individual wins: Luke Stott's A 200m victory was the only A win, while Andy Lewis (400m), Brad Reece (hammer) and Georgie Bean (javelin) provided B string maximum points. added 28/08/09 & updated 29/08/09 

A narrow victory over strong opposition was just enough to clinch the Eastern Young Athletes League title for the second successive year at Stevenage on Sunday. The Havering Mayesbrook youngsters had lined up in second place in the table behind Bedford, level on league points with hosts Stevenage in third and with fourth-placed Chelmsford, with Sunday’s opponents Luton in fifth.  The HMAC squad’s 10 point victory over Luton, who got the better of the hosts Stevenage, along with Chelmsford’s big victory over leaders Bedford in another fixture, meant that the league title went to Havering by just 6.5 match points over Chelmsford, with Bedford third, after the five-round season. The leading six face a rematch at Chelmsford on 13 September in the end of season Top Six Trophy, where the defending hosts will be hard to beat.   added 17/08/09 

Sara Luck won the McCain's UK Challenge Final at Cardiff yesterday, taking six seconds off her club 3000m steeplechase record in her process. Sara's 10m 38.37s PB clocking saw her come home over half a minute clear of the rest to win £400 prize plus another £200 PB bonus. It capped a great debut season at the 'chase which sees Sara rank 25th on the UK all -time list for this relative new event. Harriet Scott also gained a UK Challenge podium place with her second place in the 1500m with 4m 17.61s while Faye Fullerton was two places further back with 4:23.58s. Lucy Sargent ended her superb summer season with third in the 100m (11.89s) and fourth in the 200m (24.33s). Lauren Deadman was close to her best in winning a B British Milers Club 1500m at the same venue in 4m 23.66s.     added 16/08/09 

Josh Olawore completed a full set of national medals when he won bronze in the England Athletics U15 Boys Pentathlon Championships at Birmingham today in a new club record of 2,757 points beating Richard Kindell's 1992 mark. Josh started with a useful 11.86s for 80m hurdles, before winning the long jump with a massive 6.35m effort, surpassing the existing club record but with the benefit of a following wind above the acceptable limit. He also won shot with a PB of 11.58m to hold onto the lead, and set another PB of 1.64m in the high jump. His 800m run of 2m 32.20s was more than enough to hold onto a medal, and his bronze added to his English Schools silver and National Triple jump gold.   added 15/08/09 

Club senior athletes made a big contribution to the Essex senior team as they contested a Southern Inter-Counties fixture at Chelmsford today. Harriet Scott was a good 800m winner in 2:07.52s and was third in the 400m with 57.08s, while Sara Luck was close to her PB in winning the 1500m with 4:29.65s. Vicky Smith further reduced her four-day old 3000m PB to 10:32.12s, while Mel Harrison's second place shot PB of 12.09s put her second on the club all time list. Mel was also third in the discus with 39.65m.  Emma Christmas was also second in the javelin with 39.75m and Zoe Young placed well in the B with 30.18m. Nicola Hill equalled her 100m hurdles best in clocking 14.80s for third and ran a fast 400m relay split for the winning Essex quartet. Rob Warner flew the flag for the clubmen with a 9:46.45s for fourth in the steeplechase.   added 09/08/09 

There was a full set of medals - gold-silver and bronze - and another new club record as club athletes contested the England Athletics U15 & U17 Championships at Bedford this weekend. Josh Olawore went one better than his English Schools silver when he dominated the Under 15 boys triple jump. He recorded six jumps between his opener 12.70m and his winning 12.92m to win by 47 cms. Kike Oniwinde added almost two metres to her PB and club U17 & U20 javelin records with 45.60m for the fifth longest ever by a UK U17 women. Danny Wilson's last round effort of 40.58m earned him U15 discus bronze and lifted him to second on the club all-time list. Jack Edgar-Hill & Holly Thomas both made hurdles finals, finishing fourth & third respectively.  added 09/08/09 

After twice coming close Georgie Taylor finally erased the club U13 discus record when she threw 29.23m at Biggleswade on Thursday.

Jack Edgar-Hill trimmed a tenth of a second off his club U17 Men's 100m hurdles record, clocking 13.40s in winning for Essex at the Southern Inter Counties meeting at Crawley on Sunday. Three athletes gained runners- up slots. Laurence Goodacre was second in the shot with 13.62m, Kike Oniwinde threw 41.79m for second in the javelin, and Ellie Bounds clocked 2m 15.19s in second in the 800m. Holly Thomas was third in the B 100m in 12.93s on her Essex debut and Katherine Knight was also third in the B discus. Jake Nelson was fifth in both high  jump & 400m hurdles, with Jon Seekings improving his PB in fifth in the B.  Essex won the U17 women's match but had to concede victory to Surrey in the men's contest. added 03/08/09 

The UK Women's team finished just outside the promotion places after placing third in their final Division 3 match at Wigan on Saturday. Faye Fullerton & Lauren Deadman doubled up for 1500m victory and in-form Lauren smashed her three-day-old 800m PB to go into the club all-time top 12. Vicky Smith carved another chunk off her 2000m 'chase best to win the event and Emma Christmas won the javelin. Jess Tappin (Chelmsford) competing for HMAC under Higher Competition rules,  won both B high jump & the 400m hurdles on her debut. Mel Harrison improved her hammer best and Leanne Blaney equalled her pole vault best on her league debut.   added 02/08/09   

The men's BAL bounced back into promotion contention with a fighting victory on home territory at Mayesbrook Park today. The final outcome was always in doubt as the home side's early lead was reined in by Channel Islands and Coventry before a late surge saw them home in front by five points. It was fitting the the only A victory came through teamwork as the sprint relay quartet of Charlie Moss, Leo Barker, Joe Ramie and Luke Stott snatched victory by one-hundredth of a second. B string wins came from Mark Bishop (110mh Hurdles), Anthony Williams (LJ), Leo Barker (SP & DT), Brad Reece (HT) and Sam Harrison (JT).   added 01/08/09   

The women's Southern League squad kept up their run of second places when they finished behind the hosts at Milton Keynes today. The small squad performed brilliantly with an "all hands to the pump" display. Zoe Young showed her injuries are behind her with PBs in 100m & long jump, with a quartet of wins adding long jump A victories to her B hurdles, shot & javelin successes. Mel Harrison (shot), Emma Christmas (javelin) and Hannah Conner (vault) contributed field wins to add to Ingrid Deane's 1500m B victory. Vicky Smith was second in 800m, 1500m & 3000m all in PB or near PB times.  Chloe van Wulven, Karen Baldwin and Nina Brennan also  added to the cause.  added 25/07/09   

The National Young Athletes Team regained their Premiership status at the first time of asking but had to concede the Southern Division 1 East title when they lost by just four points to hosts Herne Hill at Battersea on Sunday. It was a cruel blow as the athletes did everything they could, winning the match on the day by six points, but losing out overall as HMAC did not receive their full quota of officials' points. On a day of many fine performances it was arguably Alex Law who provide the stand out results with a winning hat-trick of PBs in the U13 75m Hurdles (club record), 100m and shot (both 6th best ever by a club U13).  added 20/07/09   

Lucy Sargent completed an excellent few days at the European Under 23 Championships held in Lithuania when she was won gold as member of Great Britain's winning 4x100m relay team. Lucy opened her account at these championships on Saturday morning with a superb 200m personal best and club record of 23.57s to finish third in her semi-final and grab a fastest loser spot in the final, where she finished eighth.  Today she joined Annabelle Lewis, Joey Duck and Elaine O'Neill in the 4x100m relay squad who placed second in their semi final before edging out Poland by the narrowest margin one-hundredth of a second to win gold. It was a great championships for the GB team which won their best -ever 18 medals, finishing second in the medal table and second equal (with Germany) in the points table.    added 19/07/09 

The U17 Men's sprint relay quartet equalled the club 4x100m relay mark of 44.7s which has stood since 1991 at Tuesday's county relay championships at Braintree. The foursome of Jordan Brown, Jack Edgar-Hill, Adam Samuel and Terry Hughes were beaten to gold by a strong Chelmsford squad in blustery conditions. The U13 boys 4x100m squad of Harvey Ransome, Jordan Fox, Chris Gell and Alex Law posted their fastest time of the summer to win gold in 53.7s, two seconds clear of the rest. Charles Hammond, Sean Wilson and Jordan Fox just missed a medal in the U13 boys' 3x800m relay   added 17/07/09 

The Eastern Young Athletes team's league title hopes were dented when they were well beaten by Chelmsford, who hosted the round four fixture at Braintree on Sunday. There were four age group wins but it was heavy defeats by Chelmsford in the depleted U13 and U15 age groups which clinched the overall result for the hosts. added 17/07/09 

Nicola Hill signed off her English Schools' career with a silver medal and Josh Olawore also won silver and Kike Oniwinde bronze as club athletes performed well at this weekend's English School's Championships.  Nicola posted another fine performance of 60.94s to place second to her Essex teammate Lauren Bouchard in the senior girls' 400m hurdles event and the pair joined with sprinter Kirsty Shepherd and long jumper Alesha Kiddle to win another silver for Essex in the 4x100m relay. Triple Jumper Josh Olawore performed well in his first national competition to place second in the junior boys' event with 12.81m.  Kike Oniwinde added to her school's medal tally with another bronze medal with 42.76m in the Inter Girls javelin - her second longest throw. Jack Edgar-Hill was fifth in the Inter Boys hurdles, as was debutant Danny Wilson in the junior boys' discus. Intermediates Brad Burr were sixth in the javelin, Holly Thomas seventh in the 80m hurdles and Jimi Tele eight in the triple jump. Ellie Bounds won her 800m heat to make the semis but just missed out on a final place.  added 12/07/09  & pics

Nine club athletes will be going for gold at the English Schools Championships on Friday & Saturday at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield. Nicola Hill hopes to sign off her fifth and final appearance at these championships by adding to her Intermediate Girls 300m hurdles gold in 2007. Three other former medallists hope to repeat earlier podium places. Kike Oniwinde won the junior girls’ event two years ago, and was third in the Inter Girls’ last year, faces a tough battle for gold. Jimi Tele, who represents Somerset as he is now at Millfield School, won the Junior boys triple jump last year and could again challenge for Inter medals. Brad Burr won junior boys’ silver in 2007 and could strike gold if he can again find his early season form.  Hurdler Jack Edgar-Hill was a fraction away from a medal in 2007 and will be in contention in the Inter Boys’ 100m hurdles event. Holly Thomas has made massive strides forward this summer and is ranked fifth in her first appearance on the national stage. Three other club members make their ESAA debuts. Ellie Bounds contests the two lap Inter Girls' 800m event, Danny Wilson is in the Junior boys’ discus and new member Josh Olawore, who has yet to compete in club colours, could well follow in the footsteps of last year’s club junior boys' triple jump winner Jimi Tele. added 6/07/09 

Holly Thomas and Jack Edgar-Hill tuned up for this week's English Schools Championships with gold medals at today's Eastern Counties Championships at Cambridge University. Holly's U17 80m hurdles win was in a new CBP and personal best of 11.59s. Jack's comfortable victory in the U17 Men's 100m hurdles race in 13.61s improved on his silver medal from last year. Alex Law won three medals - 200m gold in a swift 26.54s and long jump gold (4.80m) took silver in the U13 boys 75m hurdles with 12.90s. Rylie Trott again improved her PB to clock a fine 11.92s to win bronze in the U15 Girl's hurdles. Freddy Keefe won U13 800m gold with 2:22.68s and there were six other medals: Charlie Moss won silver in the U20 100m, and Sophie Baggs added another silver in the U17 discus. Laurence Goodacre was edged into bronze in the U17 shot and added two more bronze medals in discus & javelin. Nicola Peachey long jumped to a PB of 4.89m for U17 bronze. Nicola was also fourth in the 300m hurdles and sixth in 80m hurdles Becky O'Neill's 800m clocking of 2:21.14s also claimed third place. added 5/07/09 

A youthful British Athletics League men's team - including seven Under 20s, survived another difficult away fixture when they placed fourth at Exeter on Saturday. Andy Lewis had an excellent 400m A race win in a new career best of 49.40s and Anthony Williams also set new personal marks to win the 110m hurdles in 16.08s. There were five B string points maximums. Joe Ramie, although not at full fitness after a hamstring pull, won both B long & triple jumps, Jason Lendon won the B 'chase, and there were B throws wins for Leo Barker (shot) and Sam Harrison (javelin).  The team are fourth in the six-team table at the half way stage, with a home meeting next time out.      added 5/07/09

After bronze medals in 2007 & 2008 Mat Bland won National Vets gold at the third time of asking when he took the British Master M40 1500m title at Birmingham yesterday in 4:08.83s.

A short-handed senior women's team are still in the promotion hunt after finishing fifth in their second round Division 3 fixture at Bedford today. Emma Christmas's important win in the final event, the javelin, and Lucy Sargent's sprint double provided A string victories, while Claire Brennan's 100m Hurdles B race win added another. Nicola Hill was runner up in the A 100m hurdles, Sara Luck was second in the 1500m and Lucy Sargent added another second spot in the long jump. Third placings went to Hill (again) in the B 200m, Vicky Smith (800m B), debutant Gemma Phillips (1500m B) and Hannah Connor (PV B).   added 4/07/09  

Harriet Scott placed fourth against international opposition in the 1500m at the Cork City Games with 4:20.27.

There were silver medals for both Nicola Hill and Lucy Sargent at this weekend's England Athletics U20 & U23 Championships at Bedford. Lucy Sargent continues to improve and on Saturday she lowered her 100m season's best to first 11.74s, in winning her heat, the trimmed it further to 11.71s in winning silver behind Elaine O'Neill. She added a second silver in the 200m and her time of 21.76s was a new PB and club record. Nicola Hill ran well to place second in the U20 400m hurdles on Sunday, clocking a fast 60.21s, just short of her best of 60.14s. She was also just short of the UK Athletics selection standard for the European Junior Championships of 60.00s. Also in action at Bedford were Luke Stott 11.10s heat in 100m and clocked a legal best of 21.97s to make the 200m final. Emma Christmas was fifth in the javelin, and Anthony Williams 11th in the long jump (6.47m).   added 28/06/09  

The Southern Women's League team recorded their third runners up spot of the season behind hosts Enfield & Haringey at sweltering Lee Valley today. There were thirteen victories, eight A and five B but it was the gaps in five B string events that badly affected the final points tally. Middle distance success came from Vicky Smith who won both 800m and 3000m and the 1500m duo of Ingrid Deane and Gemma Phillips. Claire Brennan set a season's best in winning the sprint hurdles. There were maximum points in seven of the eight throwing events. Mel Harrison led the way with a shot-hammer-discus trio, and Zoe Young (shot) and Lauren Clark (discus) added B string wins. Emma Christmas & Kike Oniwinde took the javelin honours. Karen Baldwin & Leanne Blayney both cleared new career bests for pole vault second and first places. Holly Thomas, Chekube Onwuka and Nina Brennan completed the line up.  added 27/06/09  

The Young Athletes’ squad saw off a strong challenge from hosts St Albans to make it four straight wins and strengthen their promotion chances on Sunday. The U15 girls produced their best form this year. There were sprint maximum points thanks to Ricarda Chapman and Lucy Allen (100m) and Allen again and Annie Adewole (200m). Amanda Blaxland and Avril Loynes impressed with a 1500m double and Jess Fazakerley won the B 800 and the B high jump. Becky Lawrence won the A high jump and Annie Adewole took the A shot, and Avril Loynes the B discus. The relay squad of Ricarda, Annie, Lucy and Rylie Trott were victorious.  added 22/06/09    & pics

Three more medals, and one club record were the haul from the second day of the South of England Senior & U20 Champs at Watford today. Lucy Sargent's fine form continued as she added 200m silver with a fine season's best 23.99s run, her fastest time since early 2005. Nicola Hill recorded the second fastest 400m hurdles time of her career when she took U20 silver in 61.05s. Bronze came from Harriet Scott who was very close to her PB with 2:06.61s. Kike Oniwinde broke her week-old U17 & U20 javelin record when she launched the 600kg spear 43.73m to finish fourth in the U20 event.    added 21/06/09   Photo: Peter Luck

Sara Luck won gold in the 2000m steeplechase and Lucy Sargent won 100m silver at Day 1 of the South of England U20 and senior champs at Watford yesterday. Sara's win in a new CBP added to her impressive debut year while Lucy's 100m silver was in 11.78s - one of her fastest ever clockings. Georgie Bean added U20 javelin bronze with 52.67m throw. Brad Reece was 6th in the u20 hammer & Emma Christmas 6th in senior javelin.  Nicola Hill won her 400m Hurdles heat to look good for a medal today & Harriet Scott qualified for the 800m final  added 21/06/09  Photo: Peter Luck

There were medals galore at yesterday's Essex Schools' Champs at Chelmsford. Gold medal performances came from Jack Edgar-Hill (Inter Boys' 100mH - 13.50 heat - U17M club record), Kike Oniwinde (Inter JT - 42.??m club U17 record), Katherine Knight (Inter DT), Ellie Bounds (Inter Girls 800m) and Freddy Keefe (Y7 - 800m). Silvers went to Jamie Buckley Stanton (Inter 1500m - PB), Holly Thomas (Inter 80mH), Rylie Trott (Junior 75mH PB), Deb Knight - (junior JT),  Annie Adewole (Junior Shot PB), Alex Law (Y7 - 75mH), Nathan Jackson (Y7 - 100m), and Bronze - Ryan O'Mahoney (Junior 1500m), Shelley Wilson (Inter DT - PB).   added 14/06/09 & updated 18/06  

The U20 team registered tier best result this summer when they finished third at Braintree in their Thames Division fixture today. Andy Lewis and Nicola Hill provided the only wins but their were many PBs. Lewis won the 400m and was also second in the 200m and third in the 100m as well as running both relays. Nicola won the 100m Hurdles, was third in the 100m sprint and B shot, as well as running the 4x100m relay. Runners up spots went to throwers Amy Cox (HT), Katherine Knight (DT - PB) and Kike Oniwinde (JT), Holly Thomas (LJ - PB)  and Ingrid Deane (3000m). For the A string men second places went to Bradley Reece (HT - PB) and Adam McCarthy (400mH).     added 14/06/09

The senior men's team returned to British League action after a six year gap placing fifth in a tight finish in their first round match at Pitreavie on Saturday. Veteran skipper Mark Bishop inspired with a seven-event effort and contributed one of only three wins, in the B javelin. U20 Bradley Reece provided another in the B discus and Jason Lendon ran well to win the B 'chase. Luke Stott (200m) and Andy Lewis (400m) claimed good runners up track spots, and Matt Bland's fine form continued with a 1500m best since joining the vets ranks. Other A string third places came from Anthony Williams (110m H PB), Adam McCarthy (400mH) and Sam Harrison (JT), and David Nefs was second in the 400m B.     added 07/06/09    Full results

Two great Harriet Scott individual victories were among many fine performances as the UK Women's team finished runners up in their Division 3 fixture at a showery  Mayesbrook today. After a convincing 800m win Harriet clawed back a massive margin to win the 400m in a new PB and also ran a fast relay split too. Lucy Sargent added a 100/200m double (and long jumped to a PB) and Faye Fullerton bagged another track double in the 1500m A & 800m B. Sara Luck impressed with her steeplechase victory and other wins over the barriers came from Nicola Hill (A 400m hurdles) and Claire Brennan (100mH B).    added 07/06/09    Full results

Sara Luck smashed the club 2000m steeplechase record at the St Mary's Classic at Twickenham on Wednesday. Her 6m 51.57s clocking was a 20 seconds improvement on her debut time from the British Universities Champs. Harriet Scott set a 1500m season's best of 4:22.30 at the same meeting. Lauren Deadman made her 5000m debut at the BMC meeting at Manchester on Saturday, with 16:32.37 for fourth on the club all time list. At the same meeting Alexa Joel made her come back from injury with a 4:28.37s clocking for 1500m. Also on the way back from injury was Faye Fullerton who opened her season with a 9:28.16s run for 3000m at Watford on Wednesday, with Alexa 11 seconds behind her in 9:39.81s added 05/06/09    

Nicola Hill took time out from her A Level revision to post yet another impressive personal best at the Bedford International Games (BIG) on Sunday. She came from behind to take victory in her 400m Hurdles race in 60.14s, just a stride short of the UK Athletics qualifying time of 60.0 secs for the European Junior Championships, and the long-standing club record of 59.9s.set by Denise Kiernan in 1978. Lucy Sargent was also in action. She was close to her season’s best clocking 12.04s in finishing second in her 100m heat, and reduced her 2009 best in the 200m to 24.12s for sixth, her fastest clocking since 2005.  She also ran for the GB U23 relay squad later. Luke Stott was fifth in his 200m race – a few days earlier he had equaled his fastest ever 200m time with a 21.8 sec run for Loughborough. added 1/6/09    

The Young athletes squad made it three wins in three fixtures but lost their top of the table slot as they shrugged off key absences to win a tricky fixture at Lewes on Sunday. The U17 women were badly hit by exams and other absence and just five athletes made the trip but they contributed seven wins and four of the five combined for a new club relay record as Jess Seekings, Nicola Peachey,  Becky O’Neill and Holly Thomas set new club marks in the 4x 300m event.     added 31/6/09    

The southern Women's squad put up a strong performance against league leaders Portsmouth in their second round fixture at Mayesbrook today. There were 15 victories, 8 A and 7 B. The throws saw only one point dropped out of 32 and Mel Harrison notched up a hat trick of A wins, Kike Oniwinde & Emma Christmas cleaned up in the javelin, Lauren Clark won the B discus and Amy Cox improved her hammer PB for B victory. Sara Luck impressed with a front running 3k victory and Ingrid Deane & Zoey Littlechild added a 1500m double.  Claire Brennan and Chloe van Wulven won both strings of the 400m Hurdles and Chloe won the A high jump & Claire the B 100m hurdles. Karen Baldwin took the B vault with Dani Ross equaling her PB in the A event. Nicola Hill added yet another PB in the 400m as did Leanne Blaney in the non scoring vault.     added 30/5/09 & updated 31/5    

Sara Luck and Harriet Scott won gold for Essex at this weekend’s Inter Counties Championships at Bedford.  Harriet turned the tables on Essex rival Jess Sparke who had beaten her to the County title to cross the line in 4:27.42, over two seconds clear. Sara came up trumps in the women’s 3000m steeplechase to take the title with 11:06.74s, a shade outside her week-old best.Lucy Sargent set a 200m season’s best of 24.21s on her way to a final place, where she was a fine fourth. Nicola Hill achieved her best result against senior opposition when she placed fifth in the 400m Hurdles.  She set a new best of 61.23s in her heat, and equaled her old best of 61.32s in the final. Rob Warner was the only club man in Essex colours improving his 3000m steeplechase best this summer to 9m 39.39s in placing a fine fifth. Emma Christmas was 15^th in the javelin with 36.11m and Mel Harrison threw 37.86m in the discus.    added 26/5/09     Lauren Deadman made an excellent start to her track season when she won a BMC 1500m race in a new PB of 4:27.04 at Lee Valley on Saturday.

The U20 team slipped to fifth after holding onto third place for most of the day at heat-soaked Luton on Sunday. Nicola Hill won the female athlete of the match for her 62.0s 400m hurdles win and equalled her 100m hurdles & 100m sprint. There was a glut of other PBs in the fine conditions. Andy Lewis won the 400m in a PB of 49.6s and added a 200m PB later. Joe Ramie went close to 14m in setting a winning triple jump PB of 13.98m and equalled his 100m PB, but pulled a hamstring in the relay. Laurence Goodacre set PBs in both shot & javelin with the junior implements, and Callum Sutton also improved his 1500m best in a competitive race.   added 25/5/09  

Two silvers, one bronze was the medal tally from HMAC U17 athletes at this weekend's South of England age group championships, held at Ashford.  Holly Thomas (U17W) and Jack Edgar-Hill (U17m) both won hurdles silvers in personal best times. Holly smashed her previous best for 80m Hurdles in winning her heat in a win aided 11.67s and repeated the time when claiming runners up spot in the final - this time with the wind within the allowable limit. Jack Edgar-Hill broke the 14 secs barrier for the first time in style when placing second in the 100n Hurdles clocking 13.50s - but was denied a club record due to wind assistance. Kike Oniwinde threw a season's best of 40.51m when winning bronze in the U17W javelin.    added 25/5/09  

Havering Mayesbrook Young Athletes squad are in pole position as they head the South 1E Division of the National Young Athletes League with another runaway win at wet and windy Erith on Sunday. The Under 13 boys go from strength to strength as Alex Law again won three events, as did Jordan Fox while Freddy Keefe, Lewis Middleton and Charles Hammond each added a pair of wins. The Under 17 men were again dominant with almost a clean sweep in the throwing events & pics added 18/5/09  

Photo - Jo Law

A trio of club steeplechasers all won gold in the fourth day of the Essex Championships at Woodford on Saturday. Sara Luck had in some ways the hardest task - she had to run the seven and a half lap 3000m steeplechase event on her own in cold and blustery weather and her excellent clocking of 11m 06.61m is not only a club best but takes her into the UK all-time top 50. Rob Warner added the men's gold with a good time and season's best of 9m 49.4s while Grant Twist was just outside his PB in taking the U20 2000m 'chase title with 6m 25.6s.  Angela James added a silver in the U18 county heptathlon competition scoring a new PB total of 3495 points.  added 17/5/09   Full results to follow  Photo - Peter Luck

The men's Southern League side ran out easy winners ion their Div 3N fixture "hosted" at Newham today. The throwers made it a clean sweep as Bradley Reece, Darron Keevil, Sam Harrison, Georgie Bean and Arron Boning were unrivalled. Bonning added high jump, pole vault & hurdles victories. Joe Ramie had a hat-trick of wins in the 100m, long & triple jump.  The 800 & 1500 also yielded full points as Neill Collins, Anthony Soar, Callum Sutton and Peter Coates got top billing. Vince Lazaro and Stuart Tufton added long jump and pole vault wins and Kieron Nelson took the 110m hurdles B honours. added 16/5/09   Full results

Youth and experience brought more gold medals and podium places kept rolling as the main Essex Championships concluded at sunny Chelmsford today.  Veterans Mat Bland (1500) and Mark Bishop (400) struck gold in the oldest category while in the youngest age group Alex Law (100) and Freddy Keefe (800) added to their titles from Day 1 last week, as did Ellie Bounds (U17W - 800). The senior women were in great form as Lucy Sargent (200), Harriet Scott (800) and Karen Baldwin (Pole vault) were all victorious. Adam McCarthy (U20) and Jack Edgar-Hill (U17) won 400m hurdles gold, while Vince Lazaro (SM - LJ and Joe Ramie (U20 - TJ) leapt to glory. Brad Burr (U17M) and Angela James (U20W) both speared javelin golds      added 10/5/09  

At least 14 medals were won by club athletes at today's Essex Championships Day 2 at Chelmsford. Two gold came by virtue of hurdles pair Jack Edgar-Hill (U17M - 100mH - 14.03s - PB) and Nicola Hill (U20M - 100mH) and field events golds were added by Mel Harrison (DT) and Annie Adewole (U15 - shot). Holly Thomas (U17W -80H), Lauren Edgar-Hill (U20W -100H) and Claire Brennan (SW - 100mH) all added hurdles silvers while Harriet Scott won SW 1500 silver.. Katherine Knight got the better of Sophie Bags as they won U17W discus silver & bronze, while Georgie Bean was U20 javelin runner up. Three shot bronzes came from Mel Harrison (SW), Emmanuel Quarshie (U20M) and Debbie Knight (U15G) and  Andy Lewis added an U20 400m bronze.  added 9/5/09

Lucy Sargent struck double bronze in the sprints on a busy weekend’s action at the British Universities & Colleges Championships at Bedford. On Saturday after winning both her heat and semi final with 12.01s and 12.05s, Brunel student Lucy placed third in the final with 12.05s She won her 200m heat and semi-final before winning her second bronze medal with 25.00. Sara Luck (London) made an impressive steeplechase debut finishing fourth in the 200m event 7m 11.21s, while  Harriet Scott (London) placed fifth in the final with a useful 4:28.94s.  Chloe van Wulven was seventh in the 100m Hurdles with 14.73s. Laura Bealey was close to her 400m hurdles best with 66.59s, placing fifth in her heat, and later ran 59.95s in the flat 400m. Also in 400m action was David Nefs (Cambridge) whose 51.04s clocking just failed to progress as did Loughborough student Anthony Williams who was a few places short of a long jump final top 12 place after his 6.48m effort. Luke Stott tore a calf muscle as he progressed comfortably to the 200m semi finals with his 22.17s runners up heat but did not line up for the semi final. added 2/5/09 & updated 4/5/09   

The National Junior League team depleted by lack of middle distance athletes finished fourth in their opening fixture at Basildon on Sunday. The men had four winners and a winning relay squad. Adam McCarthy demolished his 400m hurdles PB in the opening track event, leading from start to finish to win in 56.9s. Grant Twist also won from the front to set new 2000m steeplechase career marks while Joseph Ramie’s triple jump victory ended the field events on a high and Laurence Goodacre stepped up an age group to win the B shot. Joe Ramie storming sprint relay anchor leg after legs from Gabriel Makinwa, Marlon Moseley and Jack Edgar-Hill, brought maximum points. Just seven women made up the ladies squad.  Kike Oniwinde provided the only A string maximum with a narrow javelin victory and the hurdles trio of Nicola Hill, Angela James and Lauren Edgar-Hill scored well. added 27/4/09   Full results

The newly promoted Southern Women’s League squad were pipped at the post by Team Southampton in their opening Seniors Division 1 fixture at Kingston on Saturday.  The track highlights came from Lucy Sargent  with a sprint double, while on the field high spots included Mel Harrison's winning shot PB and rookie vaulter Karen Baldwin's 2.70m clearance in only her second competition to win the pole vault and place second on the club all time list and Danielle Ross equalled her best for B string victory and added  B high jump victory. The sprint relay team took the honours thanks to Chloe van Wulven, Claire Brennan, Zoë Young and Chekube Onwuka. Claire Brennan who posted a B string hurdles double. added 27/4/09   Full results

added 5/4/09  

Emma Christmas improved her javelin PB to 42.45m win the Lee Valley open, with U17 Kike Oniwinde third with 40.52m. Sheffield-based student Laura Bealey smashed her 400m hurdles best by almost two seconds to 66.2s at the Mansfield open.