Bob Smith - Newham and Essex Beagles

Newham & Essex Beagles have had their best season ever?
" I would say so!' was Bob's reply
What particular victory has given him most pleasure?
' Everyone of those competitions have had a different flavour to them.' To think in the last year the one that gave me the most pleasure was the National 12 Stage road relay because we were a long way from full strength. Mo Farah & Lee Merrien were long distance absentees and, we had a very young team. They went out and acquitted themselves very well'
'I think one of the hardest races to win is the National cross-country relay at Mansfield because it is such an open race and it is always very tight, very competitive.You have got to get 4 good one's out there. Winning that in 2006 that was special!
Regarding the British Track & Field League that Newham & EB won again he had obviously got to be strong in all departments?
" I think overall we have got good strength in all the events. We have strength in depth'
'The club has to look after the development of the young athletes so with that in mind, I found the 3000 steeplechase the most satisfying result in our league matches. We have got good chasers in Rory Chesser and Sam Farah
but we had two teenagers from the local Newham area Harun Abdi & Nakola Iddirisu .They picked up points for us in all the matches they did'
'When you are successful as a club, athletes will gravitate towards your club anyway. It is self-sustaining but if there is a chink in your armour you just begin to lose your way and lose a few athletes. That is where you need juniors and the young athletes set up in the club. Barry Saunders, the long established Thames Valley Harrier, said to me " Enjoy it while you can !"
' I want to keep winning as I am passionate about athletics.'
'Newham & Essex Beagles are in a very good place, especially as the Olympics are going to be up the road from our Terrance Macmillan Stadium in Plaistow.There is a lot of activity in the club. It is getting stronger and stronger"