MIDDLESEX Track & Field CHAMPIONSHIPS (MAY 2013)
Lee Valley
Although the middle distance events were very depleted there were a few encouraging performances in the field and the sprints. The latter were highly competitive, as usual, in these Championships.Edmond Amaning, at 19, won the senior 100m in a wind assisted best of 10.44 and a legal personal best of 21.09 in the 200.
After the 100 he said " I went alright but my hamstring got tight."The English Championships winner over 200 last year continued "I started running at TVH three years ago" His coach John Powell remarked. "He was a junior last year when he won the English Seniors. He had a year and a half off injured in the Under 17's and he is playing catch up more than anything else. He has made a dramatic improvement" He ran a 22.34 as his best
Non-wind assisted in 2011 and ended up with 21.9 last year. Powell went on to say "He has run 20.8 in training in the States this year, four weeks ago 10.45, wind or no wind to-day, I am more than pleased with. He had a niggle mid-March before we went away and that really interrupted training in the States. He has not got yet as much gas in the tank that I would like him to. We just need to manage things a little bit."
Jack Kirby (16) continued to show why he is ranked as the No 1 outdoors and indoors as an Under 17 at the sprint hurdles with a fluent display of hurdling. His time of 12.81 was wind assisted.
"It was a record for me but it was a shame the wind was illegal I got a 12.8 without electrical timing at Eton. I actually started running just before the beginning of Secondary school four years ago. My coach now is Angela Wilcox"
The Women's pole vault was the most intriguing to watch in the field. Beth Grimsey (18) did a 'Great' Championship Best, that she achieved several times, with a final vault of 3.45 and her competition came from a 14 year old Stephanie Broomhead, the England Under 15 Champion, from North London Collegiate School.
Although she never gave up trying Broomhead finished on 3.20 "I was a bit lost today because my coach Ellie Spain was not here to discuss the poles to use, as I moved up the heights and, my technique was not good. I love training and do better at that. I did do 3.34 at Carshalton this year and I think I can do better but, I was not expecting to do that vault then."
Beth Gimsey remarked "I had been plagued by injury and had to take a year and a half off with stress fractures in my back at the end of 2010. I had the whole of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 away from it.
I am just getting back to it. I did my 3.40 three years ago so I was very pleased with the 3.45."
Roger Skedd did a modest 11.53 in a 100m heat; 4.40 for the pole vault and 40.68 for the discus.
"I had a personal best in the decathlon in Australia in April which meant I qualified for the Commonwealth Games for Scotland with a PB of 7457. My 100m to-day was a training session. I was a little bit off the pace with that but I ran 11.24 over in Australia which was the quickest since 2007.
The long jumps and triple jump were strongly contested and a very composed competitor who looked good to watch was the women's winner of the triple jump, a cool looking Zara Asante, who did her second best ever triple jump of 12.54. Her best was in BUCS Champ's when she did 12.61." My average is much better than it was last year. I am Scottish Champion at the moment. Regarding the Commonwealth Games there are three spots and one is already taken but if I jump the jump I will go."
Stanley Harrison (17) (Highgate Harriers), Once the Boys Middlesex cross country Champion. He won the 'Under 20' 800m in 2:00.58 and was not far short of his personal best achieved this year of 2:00.4 "I had a bug a short while back and they only gave me antibiotics at the end of my illness and I also had shin splints this Winter. I hardly did any training but I felt strong to-day. I have only been jogging in the last couple of weeks and have had my 'A' Levels to contend with so I was surprised with my run!"
Shaka Palmer of Enfield & Haringey, won the 800m iin a tactical race in the time of 1:59.37
Chief Middlesex Championship Organiser, for many years, was Roy Stratton and he was often disappointed in these Championship in recent years because, many people overlooked competing in them because, they did not think it worthwhile doing and remarked "Back in 1984 the Championships were held at Enfield and Seb was preparing himself for the Olympics and he won the 800m Final. Peter Mathews who is announcing to-day was the announcer then. I can hear him now saying 'And the winner of the Senior Men's 800m in a World Leading time of 1:45.2 from Haringey & Southgate is Sebastian Coe."
The Women's Senior 100m Final winner at Lee Valley was Topa Nuga of Newham & Essex Beagles in 11.22 with Torema Thompson of Enfield & Haringey the runner up in 11.86.
Torema Thompson (Enfield & Haringey) had scrapping on her leg because of various injury problems she has had but was the English Schools Champion back in 2003 and the England Under 23 Champion in 2010
"I have had two races so far and I have not really put a race together but that was what I was mainly working on at the first 60. I think I executed it. At the end I lost a bit of rhythm.'
A special result for her:- "Probably the European Youth Olympics (Belgrade 2007) where I got a silver medal and I don't think anybody expected me to do that. I managed to perform on the big stage so that was my first major one. Darlon Clarke is my coach and it is my third year with him. We work together. I have got a lot of injuries.
In 2008 I had stress fractures and I am still dealing with the injuries now but we are trying to manage it. We have to be careful what I do or not do in training. My coach is a great mentor and coach."
Isabel Dye won, what looked to me as the most exciting and tactical middle distance of the day. She is only 15 and won the Under 17' 800m in a personal best time of 2:18.3.
She did well with her clubmates from Thames Valley Harriers in the Winter in the ATW Metropolitan League and she came fifth in the Southern CCC' Under 15'. She explained:-
"To-day was my best time I have done of 2:18.53. I think probably the 800 is my favourite event but not done much of it yet. This is my third."
Adrian Stamp (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) won Men's the long jump with 6.83
"This was my first competition this year. My best ever was 7.01 three years ago. I have been injured for a while. For 4 or 5 years. I am back now. I was coached by Larry Achike when I started."
Nina Anderson (Highgate Harriers) came through the field in the last quarter of the 400m Senior race to come 2nd overall behind Junior (Under 20) Akesha Smith of Enfield & Haringey who ran 57.70. Anderson, the European' Over 40' 400/800 Champion ran 58.20. She claimed the title of first Senior as Smith was the only Junior in the race
Anderson said " All I wanted to-day was a seasons' best and got a win. I felt I ran it quite well. I am really pleased with 58.20. That is fine and I have not done really enough of the really quick stuff yet."
Gabriel Springer (Highgate Harriers) Under 17 race winner of the 400m in 52.43 despite a bit of calf trouble. " My coach Greg Smith (was a good club 400 runner) - told me to go out hard maintain it and finish hard."
Lumar Sylvester (Thames Valley Harriers) won the Senior 400m Final in 48.90 from Lloyd King also of TVH (49.01). Sylvester ran 49.62 to win his heat. "I am a 200m runner (PB 21.07 in 2012 in the British League). I do the 400's to help my 200's so it is going good. I was in the third lane. I finished well but I need to attack the run harder. Clarence Callender is my coach but he won't be happy after that run. I did not run it the way he wanted me to and gone harder. "