BasMag | Spring 2019 | Issue 6 by BasMag

THE MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO BASILDON ATHLETICS CLUB

BASMAG SPRING 2019 | ISSUE 06

DEFENCE COMPLETE

Basildon’s Senior Women defend their County title

WINNING BIG

Gold for Andrew at Transplant Games

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

What awaits the promoted track squad?

NATIONAL BRONZE Gloucester Park’s girls make the podium in Mansfield

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REGULARS

NEWS

Coverage of the South of England Indoor Championships, the Essex Cross Country County Championships, and all the other news from around the club.

NEWS EXTRA

Stories from the British Transplant Games in Birmingham and the IAUM World Championships in Delft, Netherlands.

WINNING BIG

TALK OF THE TOWN

Medals in the Essex Cross Country Relays, the South of England Under 13 Championships and a look at the new Mini Athletics phenomenon.

FIXTURES

SAVE THE DATES

As we head into the Spring, we have all the dates for your diary for cross country, road, trail and indoor competitions.

CONTENTS Spring 2019

HIGHLIGHTS COVER STORY

02 07

BRINGING IT HOME

Basildonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Under 15 Girls fought onto the podium at the National Cross Country Relay Championships in November, against the best teams in England. SOUTHERN ATHLETICS LEAGUE

RISING TO THE TOP

After finishing the 2018 track season as Division 3 champions, Basildon could be promoted to the top division in 2019. But who stands in their way?

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B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019 1

News

Results / Achievements / Performances / Club Events / Training Updates / Gossip / Developments / Success

SEAA INDOORS '19

ELLIS TOPS THE PODIUM AT SOUTHERN CHAMPS LONG jumper Cameron Ellis became the first Gloucester Park athlete to win an area title this year, when he took the Under 17 Men's Southern Indoor title in January. The former multi-eventer who switched to concentrate on jumps last year has been training at both Gloucester Park and Lee Valley in recent weeks to improve his style. His 6.33m jump was sufficient to take the title on 13 January, but is just shy of his lifetime best of 6.59m (w/a), which he intends to surpass, to qualify for English Schools this summer. English Schools national standard is 6.90m, according to the 2018 standards, but some counties will take athletes close to the mark, at their discretion. Ellis, however, says he is determined to hit the qualification mark to secure his place on the team coach. In 2018, Ellis jumped in excess of 6.40m four times and will be a huge asset to the Basildon senior team in this year's Southern Athletics League. He is also a competent high jumper (1.85m) and sprinter, with a 100m best of 11.5 seconds.

BENNETT RECOGNISED FOR GOLDEN EURO PERFORMANCE EUROPEAN U18 Athletics Champion Sam

Bennett was named Sports Personality of the Year at the Active Basildon Sports Awards in November. The Basildon sprint hurdler received the accolade after his stunning gold medal winning performance at the European U18 Athletics Championships in Hungary last summer. This latest accolade followed the U18 Athlete of the Year award from the Ron Pickering Memorial Fund a month earlier, where he lined up on stage alongside fellow winners Laviai Nielsen and Niamh Emerson. At the November ceremony in Essex, Mayor of Basildon David Dadds and Basildon Council chief executive Scott Logan presented the award. 2 B A SM AG / S P R I N G 2 0 19

“All of the winners have demonstrated their extraordinary commitment to the local community, making an outstanding contribution, either to, or through their sport,” Dadds said in a media statement

following the event. “It was an honour to meet so many rising and accomplished sports people, as well as the unsung heroes who nurture talent or make physical activity accessible to everyone.”

ESSEX XC CHAMPIONSHIPS

BASILDON'S SENIOR WOMEN DEFEND THEIR ESSEX CROSS COUNTRY TITLE BASILDON AC’s ladies team bagged two team titles at this year’s Essex County Cross Country Championships at Writtle College in January, with a host of individual medals to boot. Both the Under 17 and Senior Women’s teams took the coveted trophies back to Gloucester Park after convincing performances from the entire squad. The Senior Women's was arguably the team performance of the day, despite an absence of individual medals. Rachael Wiseman led the team

and Keira Scott ensured the New Towners had done enough to take home the team trophy. The Under 17 Women’s race was held simultaneously with the Under 17 Men’s race and their male counterparts were in a fight of their own. Strong teams from Ilford, Thurrock and Chelmsford meant that Basildon’s youth men’s team would have to fight hard for medals. English Schools international Oliver Lill was running with a minor injury and had to settle for 5th place, followed by

2018/2019 season has been terrific, so far, for the club’s cross country teams. “With another clutch of medals and trophies to add to our collection we are beginning to run out of space,” he joked. “But that isn’t something I will ever complain about. In fact, I couldn’t be happier. “We now have a haul of trophies ranging across the age ranges including individual, relay and team wins, this can only help encourage our hardworking athletes and coaches to continue to

News in brief

Snippets from around the club and country across all disciplines

BROADBENT SETS NEW CLUB RECORD

Jack Broadbent set a new club record for the Indoor Heptathlon in December with a points total of 4,353.

HARDING GOES SUB 7 SECONDS IN JANUARY.

Rising star Joseph Harding ran a 60m time of 6.98 seconds at the beginning of January, a new lifetime best.

home in fourth, followed by Emma Houchell in fifth, Charlotte Bishop in sixth and Kirsty Fitzgibbon a credible eighth. The Senior Women’s win meant they defended their team title from the previous year, despite a change in the team line-up. Under 17 Grace Burrell laid out her intentions early doors to take the individual gold, followed by a gutsy silver medal winning performance from teammate Sophie Wetheridge, who has also been making something of a name of herself on the Essex League circuit. Top ten finishes from Hollie Rex

Jamie Rashbrook in 8th. Daniel Morris and James Wright did enough to ensure they would be rewarded for their efforts, with the team eventually finishing with 59 points. This points score was enough to see off Chelmsford’s tally of 78 points, meaning Basildon had secured bronze. But the bronze was bitter sweet for the team, given how agonisingly close they were to Thurrock in silver, with 55 points. Ilford’s Under 17 Men’s team won this category with 50 points. Steve Reynolds, chairman of Basildon Athletics Club, said the

strive for excellence and take on every challenge we can.” Women’s team manager Mandy Wetheridge noted that the wins for the Under 17 and Senior Women’s teams follows victories for the Under 15 Girl’s squad at the junior age groups’ championships in Colchester, at the start of December. “As usual there have been the traditional colds and coughs that affected the athletes, but they managed to pull off another amazing set of victories,” she added. The teams will be in action again in Gloucester Park on 2 February 2019.

TRACK REPAIRS STILL NOT SCHEDULED

Basildon Council and Everyone Active have failed to agree who will pay for track repairs. The throws cage remains closed.

INTERNATIONAL VESTS UP FOR GRABS

England Athletics is to take a 10K team to the Parelloop 10k in Brunssum (Netherlands). Qualifying times are 30:30 for men and 34:30 for women.

S P R I N G 2 0 19 / B A SM AG 3

We train to win...

Multiple County Track & Field Champions.

Multiple Essex Schools

Track & Field Champions.

Multiple Eastern Counties Track

& Field Champions. Senior Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s County Team Cross Country Champions.

World Masters Tetradecathlon Bronze Medallist Multiple English Schools Champions. National Record

Holder, Pentathlon. The SIAB International Champion.

The Commonwealth + European Youth Champion

Basildon We are

www.basildonathleticsclub.com

NEWS BRITISH TRANSPLANT GAMES

WELLER TAKES 100M GOLD AT BRITISH TRANSPLANT GAMES IN BIRMINGHAM SPRINTER Andrew Weller

took two medals, including one gold, at the British Transplant Games at the end of last year’s track season with a stunning performance in Birmingham. He took the 100m title in the M50 age group in a time of 14.22 seconds, ahead of Gateshead’s Mark Pease (15.19) and Royal Papworth’s Peter de Soissons. (15.71s). He added to his outstanding performance at Alexander Stadium with an age group silver in the 200m. This event was won by Bournemouth AC’s Vince Taylor (27.91). Weller once again held off the challenge of de Soissons who had to settle for bronze once more in a time of 32.71 seconds. Weller trains at Gloucester

Park and is part of the sprint group led by coach Vespa Ellis. The games are exclusively for transplant recipients from across the UK and there were more than 1,000 competitors across all disciplines, supported by a crowd of 2,000 family, friends, sponsors, volunteers and charities. Last summer’s British Transplant Games returned to Birmingham for the first time in 19 years and saw the largest ever number of competitors from over 50 teams across the UK. The competition took place over four days. In a statement, announcing the results, James Neuberger, chair of the British Transplant Games Local Organising Committee, said the

organisers were “blown away” with the number of people competing and showing their support for the championships. He added: “It was an absolute pleasure to host so many amazing athletes from all over the UK in

Birmingham for the first time in so many years and have the opportunity to shout about the benefits of organ donation on a national stage. “All the competitors should be very proud of themselves and everything they have achieved.”

IAUM WORLD CHAMPS

AGE GROUP BRONZE AT WORLD ULTRAS

DAVIES TAKES AQUA SILVER IN HACKNEY

MULTI eventer Joe McGrath

MASTERS endurance athlete Rhys Davies took an age group silver at the London Fields Autumn Aquathlon in September. Competing in the 55-59 years age group, Davies nudged out Walter Rothon by just 12 seconds to secure second spot on the podium and 43rd place across all age groups. In his age group, he was beaten only by rival Simon Williams, a strong competitor who finished some three minutes ahead. In the UK, Aquathlon races consist of a swim and a run element, with ITU rules dictating that standard distances are a 2.5km run followed by a 1k

won an age group bronze at the IAUM World Double Decathlon Championships in Delft, Netherlands at the end of the 2018 track season. Competing over two days, McGrath completed the gruelling programme of 20 track and field disciplines competing against rival ultra athletes from across Europe. The first day of the Double Decathlon – also known as the Icosathlon – consists of 100m, Long Jump, 200m Hurdles, Shot Put, 5,000m, 800m, High Jump, 400m, Hammer and 3,000m Steeplechase. Day two features 110m Hurdles, Discus, 200m, Pole Vault, 3,000m, 400m Hurdles, Javelin, 1500m, Triple Jump and 10K.

At the end of day one, the New Towner sat in bronze position behind Irishman Martin Mooney but ahead of Belgian Dirk Schillewaert. The gruelling schedule meant some tactical use of energy on day two, with coach Vespa Ellis directing that he put greater effort into the events in which Schillewaert appeared to be lacking on paper. The strategy paid off and he returned to the UK with a bronze medal for his efforts. The M35 event was won by Carl McMullen (GBR), ahead of Martin Mooney (IRE), with Basildon’s McGrath in third. The 2019 championships will be held in Finland in August. Registration is currently open for athletes aged Under 20 upwards.

swim and another 2.5km run, or a straight 1K swim and 5K run. Long course distances are twice the length. Davies has been a solid competitor for Basildon in both the summer and winter season, winning vital points for the club during last year’s promotion fight in the Southern Athletics League, finishing third in the 5,000m B race in Hemel Hempstead and fourth in the same race in Ilford. In October, he was part of the winning senior men’s team at the Essex League Cross Country and scored for both vet’s and senior teams at the league match in Chingford. B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019 5

The 2018/2019 season has been one to remember for Basildonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross Country squad. It all started with this medal haul at the Essex County Relay Championships in Gosfield, North Essex, back in Septemberr

TALK OF THE TOWN A brief round up of Basildon athletes in action around the country over the past three months

Indoor success starts early January heralded the beginning of the indoor season for many Basildon athletes: 1/ Under 13 Samson Onilogbo took bronze at the SEAA Indoor Championships, in the 60m with a time of 8.21 seconds, a new best. 2/ Zowie Dodge scored a new best at the London Indoor Games in January, clearing 2.35m. The club record is just 15cm higher. 3/ Gemma Kersey (pictured at the National Cross Relays) opened her indoor season at the BMC Races in Sheffield in January, clocking 4:33.57 for the 1500m.

6 B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019

Classes launched for tomorrow’s elite athletes, from age of two

The fourth fixture of the Essex Cross Country League saw a strong turnout from Basildon, with Sophie Wetheridge (above) winning the Under 17 Women’s category. The Senior Men had a full team, with six scoring runners, while Louise Douglass (below) carried the flag for the women. Photography: Zach Bridgeland

Basildon sprinter Dan Cousins has launched a local athletics programme for younger children based at Gloucester Park. Mini Athletics promotes a healthy and active lifestyle while developing children’s physical, cognitive and social skills. Cousins runs a local franchise at Basildon’s home ground, and the Thurrock franchise at Woodside School in Grays. “The overarching aim is to increase participation in sport, attacking this head on from a young age,” he told BasMag. “This is why the classes begin from two years old and go through to seven years of age, typically around the age when they will be eligible to join their local athletics club.” Activities for youngsters are tailored into three categories. Children aged between two and three-and-a-half years take part in ‘Didee Athletes’ which introduces kids to athleticsbased movement, confidence building and learning instructions. Between three-and-a-half years and five years of age, children participate in the ‘Little Athletes’ group which emphasises teamwork and competition. By five years of age ‘Mini Athletes’ start to learn the specifics of athletics through game-based activities. Mini Athletics is the brainchild of Kirk Bowyer, a strength and conditioning coach for elite athletes and primary school teacher Clare Bowyer. Parents looking to find out more information on the programme can do so at www.miniathletics.com.

Picture: Peter Ives B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019

ACTION / ECCA National Relays 2018

Bringing it home In what is fast becoming a season to remember, Basildon’s Under 15 Girls fought onto the podium at the National Cross Country Relay Championships in November, against the very best teams in England.

ational medals are hard to come by and many athletes will never know what it feels like to win one, despite hours dedicated to training and competition. But Basildon’s Under 15 Girls’ Cross Country squad were able to enjoy a magical moment in November when they secured an astonishing bronze medal at the Saucony English National Cross Country Relay Championships in Mansfield. Just six seconds behind City of Norwich AC in second space, the team of Megan Harris, Madison Harris and Abigail Ives secured the rarest of feats, a national medal. The victors - Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow - were just eight seconds ahead of the Basildon A team, in what

8 B A SM AG / S P R I N G 2 0 19

was a close finish over the 3 x 2 kilometre course. “We knew that we would be up against the best there is in Nottingham,” said club chairman Steve Reynolds in a statement after the event. “But we also knew that we are producing some of the finest running talent in the country. I’m so very proud to see that they didn’t disappoint. “They rose to the challenge and performed exceptionally. It takes a huge commitment from athletes, parents, coaches and support staff to compete at this level.” Coached by Rick Bullis, the trio have made phenomenal leaps forward over the past two years. But their teammates in the Basildon ‘B’ team were also worthy of note, finishing 29th in a field of 96 teams.

The ‘B’ team of Freya Seymour, Daizy Harris and Chloe Trew were around two minutes behind the bronze medal winning team, finishing ahead of the ‘A’ teams of major clubs such as Rugby, Derby, Stroud and Nene Valley Harriers.

THE IVES HAVE IT

In the first weekend of September, Abigail Ives signed off from the track with a silver medal at the South of England Under 15 Inter County Championships. However, the beginning of autumn would herald a flurry of new podium performances at local, regional and national level. A few weeks after her performance at the Horspath track, Ives kicked off her cross country campaign with a win at the initial Essex League match in Hockley on 27 October 2018. The weeks that followed showed that this was no one-off. November brought the English Schools Cup and the East Anglia Regional Final. Once again, Ives would take top spot, ahead of teammate Megan Harris. Just a week later and she was on the start line again at the London Youth Games in Parliament Hill, lining up against two worthy competitors from

Blackheath & Bromley’s respected Under 15 squad, Lara Mannes and Ellie Dolby. Once again, Ives stormed home to take gold, a good five seconds ahead of her South London rivals, over the twokilometre course. The race, at Woodbridge, proved to be a good warm-up for the English Schools Cup Final in November, where she was to be pushed to her limit. The Suffolk course proved to be a stretch too far for the young Basildonian, however, and she had to settle for silver, behind Hallamshire’s Annie Naylor, who finished some 10 seconds ahead of her over the 3.2k course. December signalled the return of the County Championships for the junior age groups and Ives would have to do battle with local rivals from Havering and Colchester and attempt to fend off a challenge from her teammate Megan Harris. Over the 4K course, it was Harris who would prevail with a convincing win, some nine seconds head of Ives. But the fixtures calendar offered a quick opportunity for a rematch just a week later at the South of England Inter Counties when Ives would take silver for Essex, two places ahead of Harris.

Pictures: Peter Ives. Top: Bronze medallists Abigail Ives, Megan Harris and Madison Harris . Left: The leading pack of the Under 15 Women’s race. Right: Abigail Ives (c804) looks strong on her way to the podium.

THE MEGAN MARVEL

Distance athletes often have a preferred terrain. And, if Megan Harris was still weighing up her preference, the 2018/19 winter season may well prove to be influential. In October, she kicked off her cross season with a second place at the first Essex League fixture in Hockley before heading to Mansfield for the National Cross Country Relay Championships a week later. In Nottinghamshire, she was a

key member of the bronze medal winning team and the fifth fastest of all athletes on her leg. November was a cracking month for Megan, who finished second at the East Anglian Regional Final in the English Schools Cup, beaten only by teammate Abigail Ives. The following week she would go one better, topping the podium at the Eastern Counties Area Championships in Ipswich on 17th November. S P R I N G 2 0 19 / B A SM AG 9

ACTION / ECCA National Relays 2018

The medal winning run would continue into December, with gold at the Essex County Championships in Colchester. It was also an opportunity to settle a score with teammate Ives who had beaten her at the English Schools Cup a month before. This time around, Ives would have to settle for silver, nine seconds behind her training partner. Wearing an Essex vest at the South of England Inter Counties match in Oxford, she was a cruel four seconds off the

10 B A SM AG / S P R I N G 2 0 19

podium, with Norfolk’s Hattie Reynolds, holding off a challenge for third place. Despite the disappointment, Harris was back to winning ways the following week with the Essex League match at Horseheath, Cambridgeshire offering an opportunity for a marauding victory, nearly 20 seconds ahead of her nearest rival, Thurrock’s Demi Eves.

DON’T CALL ME BABY

Like her sister Megan, Madison had a short track season in 2018, wrapping up

her summer season with an 800m win at the Eastern Young Athletes League in Bedford on 5th August. The decision to turn her attention to the winter season early was a good one, but she was already showing great form away from the track as early as August. Three days after her win in Bedford, she tackled the local Crown to Crown race and shaved a massive 45 seconds off of her season’s best over the 5K course. By the team the local cross country leagues were underway in October, she was again in the leading group, bagging valuable points for the Basildon U15 team at Hockley, with a 6th placed finish from a field of 45. This race was to be the start of a busy couple of months for Harris, who would immediately turn her attention to the National Cross Country Relay Championships one week later in Mansfield, where she was one third of the bronze medal-winning Basildon squad. She continued to clock up the miles in November with two trips to Suffolk. On her first trip up the A12 on 10 November, she was to be reminded of the strength of the Basildon Under 15, with a real tussle between teammates Abigail Ives, sister Megan and Holly Freegard. Despite a commendable seventh-placed finish, she was, incredibly, the fourth Basildon athlete home in Woodbridge. A week later paired her against an impressive field from the some of the best in the region at the Eastern Counties Championships, including a strong challenge from the City of Norwich club. This time, she clocked a top five finish, and a good half a minute ahead of the sixth-placed athlete from Ipswich. The lead up to Christmas offered further opportunities to challenge some of the best in the County and region with two more championships. At the Essex County Championships on 1st December, she finished 5th to solidify the team performance so the Under 15 team won the team trophy. As a result, she was invited to join the County team which travelled to Oxford for the Southern Inter Counties a week later, wearing the sought after red vest of Essex. She wrapped up her pre-Christmas competitions with a third place finish at the freezing Horseheath course in Cambridgeshire for the Essex Cross Country League match on the 15th December.

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PREVIEW / Southern Athletics League 2019

Rising to the top After finishing the 2018 track season as Division 3 champions, Basildon now have an opportunity to secure promotion the top division of the Southern Athletics League. But who stands in their way? BasMag looks at this year’s challengers...

asildon were crowned champions of Division 3 North at the conclusion of last season’s Southern Athletics League, ensuring automatic promotion to the second tier for the summer 2019 campaign. During the winter, the squad have had time to enjoy the trophy-winning performance, and the prospect of a higher standard of competition in the year ahead. However, the new season promises some tough and tantalising fixtures against clubs boasting national squads in the UK Women’s League and British League. In addition to a new line-up of clubs, Basildon will also have to contend with some new rules, which permit up to five second claim squad members and the introduction of a new mixed sex 4 x 400m relay for the very first time. The second tier of the league is split with 16 teams competing in the East division and 16 teams in the West division. Basildon will compete in the East division. The top two teams in each division will be promoted to Division 1.

having taken the third spot in Basildon’s division last year. Newly promoted Brighton & Hove will be looking to make their mark as will Kent AC, who both arrive in the division from Division 3SW and Division 3SE respectively. Brighton’s men’s squad includes U23 200m specialist Jeol Harvey, who clocked 22.43 seconds last year and 800m runner Thomas Niner, who boasts a best of 1:53.98. In the field, they have high jumper Harry Rienecker-Found, who jumped 2.02m last year and pole vaulter John Price who has a best of 3.83m.

“Newly promoted Brighton & Hove will be looking to make their mark, as will Kent AC”

Brighton’s women include multi-eventer Katie Garland, who finished last year with a new best of 14.30 seconds in the sprint hurdles and a wind-assisted long jump best of 6.10m THE CHALLENGERS Kent AC have a strong men’s sprint Vying for one of the top spots will be old force. They ended the 2018 season with rivals Ashford, Bexley, Cambridge, no less than five sprinters running sub 11 Havering, London Heathside, Ryston seconds for the 100m, including Nathan Runners and Victoria Park & Tower Brown (10.61), masters athletes Hamlets – all of which the club previously Jonathan Browne (10.72) and Conrad faced when they were last in Division 2. Williams (10.88), Gift McLaren (10.90) Elsewhere, Woodford Green & Essex and Calum Fraser (10.95). The club’s Ladies find themselves in the same strength in the sprints is not mirrored in its competition as Basildon once more, middle distance squad, however, with 12 B A SM AG / S P R I N G 2 0 19

only one athlete capable of running 800m in less than 2 minutes. Kent’s weaknesses are even more exposed in their women’s team. While they have excellent distance runners in Amy Clements (34:41 for 10k) and Katie Rowland (38:08 for 10k), they have no pole vaulters, no steeplechasers and only two 400m Hurdlers.

BEWARE THE TRAPDOOR

Dropping down from Division 1 are Dartford Harriers and Stevenage & North Herts who endured miserable seasons last year and fell through the league trapdoor. However, 2018 shouldn’t act as a guide for the coming season as both teams have strength and depth in their squads on paper. Dartford’s women will be led in the field by Claire Capon, a seasoned hammer thrower with a best of 40.94m and on the track by Chloe Sharp, a 1500m specialist and Under 20 with a best of 4:27.74. Dartford’s men’s strengths include Andrew Smitherman, a 400m specialist with a best of 48.64 and the Taylor-Costin brothers, both of whom have sub 1:59 times in the 800m. Henry Taylor-Costin also doubles up to the 1500m, with a best of 4:13.88,

matched only by his teammate Thomas Manning, who is marginally quicker at 4:11.62. The club also benefits from two talented decathletes in Matthew Rushden and Max Hall. As you might expect from a team that spent last season in the top division, Stevenage and North Herts have a strong team across most disciplines. Their men’s team have five long jumpers with a mark in excess of six metres in 2018 and a UK top 12 Javelin thrower in 40 year old Neil McLellan, who threw beyond 67 metres last year. The club also has notable strength in the pole vault with Nathan Gardner (4.86m), Daniel Gardner (4.85m), Dylan Baines (4.42m) and Basildon coach Mitch Etheridge (4.40m) among their top vaulters. The Stevenage women’s team have a wide selection of hurdlers, led by multi-eventer Moe Sasegbon in the 100m Hurdles. Sasegbon clocked 14.56 last year, slightly slower than her lifetime best of 14.1 seconds. In the 400m Hurdles, Rebecca Pickard leads the club’s rankings. Pickard was Stevenage’s fastest women over the one lap event last year with a time of 62.8 seconds.

Of course, the fight for the promotion spots will not be purely among those clubs which have dropped down from the higher division.

MERGER OF TALENT

There is likely to be a strong challenge from Ipswich Harriers, who missed promotion by one league point last year. They are further bolstered by their merger with Colchester & Tendring to become a composite team for the 2019 season. Ipswich’s men’s team includes three 800m runners with sub two minute times, including John Bird, coached by Rob Denmark. Bird ran a season’s best of 1:49.64 in 2018, but has gone two seconds quicker previously and boasts a lifetime best of 1:47.79. The club also has three 1500m athletes that have run times quicker than 4:06 in the past year. Under 23 John Millar leads this pack, with a time of 3:54.1. Their depth in the middle distance events are bolstered further by their partnership with Colchester, who have 800m specialist Thomas Gifford (1:51.16) and metric miler Freddy Richardson (4:10.90). Ipswich also has strength in the throws, with two athletes throwing the Javelin in

excess of 50 metres in 2018. The women’s team boasts hammer thrower Lana Fulcher who clocked her personal best of 51.43m in 2018. Finally, there are two other teams worth watching in 2019. Eastbourne Rovers AC missed out on promotion top the top tier on match difference points in 2018, despite having the required number of league points and have talents across all events. Similarly, there is Tonbridge AC, who boast several talented multi-eventers and a long line of fast middle distance runners. Names to watch out for on the scoring sheet include Lewis Church, bronze medallist at the national combined event championships in 2018 and Alex Hookway, a major contributor to the club’s points tally in both the Southern and British leagues last year. It’s also worth noting that Tonbridge saw their men’s team promoted to Division 3 of the British League in 2018 as Division 4 champions. This year’s campaign kicks off on Saturday 13 April. The league secretary is scheduled to confirm the venue in the coming days. Other matches will take place on 19 May, 15 June, 13 July and 17 August. S P R I N G 2 0 19 / B A SM AG 13

FIXTURES

INDOOR

2/3 February 2019 Essex County Championships Lee Valley 2/3 February 2019 Eastern Counties Championships Lee Valley 13 February 2019 Newham & Essex Beagles 60m Sprint Series Newham 15-17 February 2019 BUCS Indoor Championships Sheffield 16 February 2019 Enfield & Haringey presents London Metaswitch Games Lee Valley 20 February 2019 Middle Distance Open Lee Valley 23 February 2019 Lee Valley Minithon Lee Valley 27 February 2019 Newham & Essex Beagles 60m Sprint Series Newham 2 March 2019 Lee Valley U15 Open Lee Valley 3 March 2019 Sutcliffe Indoor Sprints Open Eltham 1 4 B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019

ROAD RUNNING

9/10 March 2019 England Athletics Youth Combined Events Championships Sheffield

27 February 2019 London Universities and Colleges League Wormwood Scrubs

16/17 March 2019 Midland Counties Indoor Open Birmingham

9 March 2019 British Athletics Cross Challenge Loughborough

24 March 2019 Southern U13/U15 Pentathlon Open Lee Valley

9 March 2019 CAU Inter Counties Championships Loughborough

24-30 March 2019 World Masters Indoor Championships Torun, Poland

9 March 2019 British Masters Cross Country Championships 2019 Belfast

13-14 April 2019 European Indoor Ultra Multi Event Championships Helsinki, Finland

10 March 2019 Blackheath and Bromley Closing 5 Handicap Hayes

CROSS COUNTRY

2 February 2019 BUCS Championships Exeter 2 February 2019 Essex XC League Basildon 10 February 2019 Ryston Runners Cross Country Open Series Shouldham Warren 23 February 2019 ECCA Saucony English National Championships Leeds

10 March 2019 Ryston Runners Cross Country Open Series Shouldham Warren 16 March 2019 New Balance English Schools’ Championships Chelmsford 30 March 2019 Orion 15 Open Chingford 10 April 2019 Police Service UK Championships Lancaster

2 February 2019 QEOP Winter 10K Series Stratford, London 3 February 2019 Great Bentley Half Marathon North Essex 3 February 2019 Mornington Chasers Regent’s Park 10K Regents Park 10 February 2019 Deal Half Marathon Sholden 10 February 2019 Greenwich Park Winter 5K and 10K Series London 10 February 2019 Worthing Festival 10K West Sussex 10 February 2019 Worthing Festival Half Marathon West Sussex 13 February 2019 RunThrough Chase the Moon Olympic Park 5/10k Stratford, London 17 February 2019 Hampton Court Half Marathon Thames Ditton 17 February 2019 Richmond Half Marathon Richmond

FIXTURES 17 February 2019 Royal Parks Winter 10K Series London Hyde Park 20 February 2019 Medway Park 5K/10K series Gillingham 23 February 2019 Lee Valley VeloPark Races Lee Valley 2 March 2019 QEOP Winter 10K Series Stratford, London 10 March 2019 Surrey Half Marathon Woking 13 March 2019 RunThrough Chase the Moon 5K and 10K Stratford, London 17 March 2019 Colchester 15 Essex 27 March 2019 Medway Park 5K/10K Series Gillingham 6 April 2019 English Road Running Association National Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 Stage Relays Sutton Coldfield 6 April 2019 English Road Running Association National Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6 Stage Relays Sutton Coldfield 14 April 2019 Little Bromley 10K North Essex 20 April 2019 RunThrough Battersea Park 5K/10K London 28 April 2019 Wimbledon Half Marathon London MULTI TERRAIN

17 February 2019 Rayne 6-Hour Challenge Braintree

22 February 2019 Phoenix Challenger Two 6-Hour Walton on Thames 23 February 2019 Phoenix Jaw Dropper 6-Hour Walton on Thames 24 February 2019 Richmond Park Half Marathon Richmond 9 March 2019 Thames Meander Marathon Kingston Upon Thames 17 March 2019 Hampton Court Palace Half Marathon Thames Ditton 31 March 2019 Blackwater Marathon & Ultra Chelmsford 7 April 2019 Wimbledon Common Half Marathon Wimbledon 28 April 2019 Longhorn Ultra 60K Ollerton TRACK AND FIELD

2 March 2019 Thetford AC Winter Throws Open Bury St Edmunds 6 April 2019 Thetford AC Winter Throws Open Bury St Edmunds 13 April 2019 Southern Athletics League Venue TBC

English Southern Athletics League 2019 Division Two East

Saturday 13 April (Venue TBC) Competing clubs:

Ashford Basildon Bexley Tonbridge

Sunday 19 May @ Brighton Competing clubs:

Bexley Brighton & Hove Eastbourne Ipswich with Colchester & Tendring

Saturday 15 June @ Eastbourne Competing clubs:

Basildon Eastbourne Kent Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets

Saturday 13 July @ Woodford Green Competing clubs:

Basildon Havering Ipswich with Colchester & Tendring Woodford Green & Essex Ladies

Saturday 17 August @ Dartford Competing clubs

Basildon Brighton & Hove Cambridge & Coleridge Dartford

3 April 2019 Watford AC Graded Open Meeting Watford 7 April 2019 Hercules Wimbledon Young Athletes Open Wimbledon 25 April 2019 Haywards Heath Open Crawley B A S M A G / S P R I N G 2 019 15

England Athletics National Championships Programme 2019 23 February 2019 U15/U17/U20 Indoor Championships Sheffield 9-10 March 2019 U15/U17/Indoor Combined Events Championships Sheffield 25-26 May 2019 U20/Senior Combined Events Championships Bedford 7 June 2019 England 10,000m Championships Walthamstow 22-23 June 2019 England U20/U23 Championships Bedford 27-28 July 2019 England Senior Championships Manchester 31 August - 1 September 2019 U15/U17 Championships Bedford www.englandathletics.org

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