The strength and depth of running throughout the school is improving each year at William Edwards which is evidenced in the results. Coupled together with the recent success that we have had in the national competition with both our junior boys and inter girls reaching the regional finals, the standard of running from our athletes is amazing.
One of the leading contenders is Gemma Holloway, who will be continuing her campaign to take the under 15 girls title. Among the veterans Eamonn Shelley and Jon Metcalf will strive to defend their 1 and 2 positions in the 50+ age group.
THURROCK'S golden oldies were out in force in the 2nd round of the Essex Cross Country League. The tough course, over the Gloucester Park Hill, didn't deter them from putting in some great performances. Scott Rice finished 16th in the 180 strong field. He was the second 40+ runner being beaten by the reigning county veteran cross country champion Alan Smalls from Colchester.
TWO OF Thurrock's emerging stars have bee nominated for BBC Essex young sports person of the year.
Joshua Olaware from Ormiston Park Academy and Michael...
Thurrock's distance veteran runners are in the middle of preparing for the county cross championships in early December. They will be looking for medals in all age groups. Odds on favourite for the 70+ race is the indefatigable Pat Dobbs who has won all the road championships except the marathon. At this distance he is the current London marathon champion for his age group.
Star of the younger age groups was Gemma Holloway. She has emerged slowly over the Summer to become a leading light in her age group in the County. On Saturday she won the under 15 girls race with considerable ease and has her sights set on regional and national championships. Gemma lives in Grays and attends William Edwards Sports College.
THESE ARE very interesting times for Palmer's College athlete Hayley MacLean. Her sixth in the World Under-17 games in France was achieved on one leg! and Hayley's other achievements in the season show that she is going from strength to strength.
IT'S not often that Thurrock's athletes make a challenge in championship races but at the weekend Thurrock's 50+ veteran's team did just that in the Southern Road Relays. These were held at the picturesque Rushmore Arena Course in Aldershot. The Club's challenge was led by Jon Metcalf. He ran superbly to finish 2nd with a time of 22m 22s. Jon's best distances are the 800 and 1500m but this outing showed that he can excel at the longer distances.
Thrower Sue Lawrence picked up a trio of second places in the A string hammer, discus and javelin before winning the shot. And U17 athlete Amelia Sumun has contested the pole vault all season gaining many valuable points as well as in the 100m hurdles where she has shown great potential despite having another year over the 80m hurdles.
THE funeral of former ten mile record holder Mel Batty takes place at 2pm this Friday at Basildon Crematorium. It is expected that stars from the world of athletics since the sixties will be present to a man who was seen as an athletics trailblazer both on and off the track.
1965 saw him win the National Cross Country Championship in Parliament Hills, London. He won this race by over 300m, an amazing feat considering the field contained the whole of the New Zealand Cross Country team and such running ‘greats’ as Ron Hill and Bruce Tulloch. Competing in the IAAF Cross Country Championships a fortnight later he left 4 Olympic gold medallists in his wake but found the then unknown Frenchman, Jean Fayolle, hanging on to him as if his life depended on it.
On Saturday the senior men’s track and field team rounded off their league season at Woking when they finished in 3rd place behind Highgate Harriers, Poole Runners but in front of Thames Valley Harriers and Metropolitan Police. This result confirms a satisfactory mid-table position. This division remains the strongest league in Britain outside the 5 British league divisions.
AS former Thurrock Harrier Jessica Judd went toe to toe with olympian Jenny Meadows at the Track and Field trials for next months World Athletic Champs it looked at times like she was running with her mum! Sixteen-year-old Judd finished in a respectable sixth in the 800 metres, which may not see her qualify this year but has definitely laid down a marker that this is a major talent arriving.
FORMER Thurrock Harrier Jessica Judd showed her world class potential after winning a bronze medal at the World Youth Championships.
The 16-year-old former Grays Convent athlete came third in the 800 metres clocking a time of 2m 3.43. America’s Ajee Wilson won in a time of 2m 2.64s.
Elle Smith was on top form, achieving a creditable second place in the Under 13 girls 800m but wiping 12 seconds off her personal best. Her team mate for the under 13 girls, Brittany Abbott-Trangmar bagged new PBs in the 200m and long jump. James Pearson went to the UK number one slot with a shot putt 11.20. 1500m runner Gemma Holloway finished first by 300m.
