Weekly Update - 25th June 2025

County Schools Championships (Sat. 14th June)

The weekend of 14-15 June saw the usual club competitions being replaced by County Schools Championships for many of our juniors, writes Mick Bond. London Schools held its event at Battersea Park whilst Kent hosted theirs at Medway Park in Gillingham. With English Schools qualification at stake there were many outstanding performances.

London Schools: Michael Bridge excelled in the field with a big PB of 16.62m to win the Under 17 shot and followed this up with a 41.83m to win the discus. Miya Cook was also a double winner taking the U15 girls shot with a put of 11.35m and javelin with 35.25m. Elijah Olaleye nearly made it a third double winning the 400m flat in 50.6s but having to settle for silver in the 100 hurdles albeit in a new PB of 13.48s. In the same hurdles race Ekene Ogbonna finished third but setting a PB of 13.85s, hopefully enough to make the London team whilst Nia Thomas won the Under 17 women’s equivalent in 11.99s and should also make the team.

Kent Schools: The club’s junior throwers shone with the highlights being a new club record in the Under 15 boys hammer by Stanley Trofimczuk of 47.37m beating the previous record set only two weeks ago by Obinna Aniebo. Samar Plaha beat training partners Obinna and Kendrick Onolememen in both the Under 15 shot and discus securing two silver medals with 12.24m and 41.34m. Meanwhile Under 17 women Brenda Adetunji won the shot with a new PB of 10.83m.

There were wins in the high jump for Daniel Obike (U17) with a first time clearance and new PB of 2 metres whilst Elazar Adejinmi won the Under 15 event with 1.66m.

Hans Nmaju was a comfortable winner of the 100 hurdles and should go to the English Schools Championships as joint favourite for gold.

Bromley Midsummer Evening 10k, Norman Park, Bromley (Wed. 18th June)

Just two club members at this event. David Worden finished 4th in 36:34 and Stephen Hodges 8th (1st M40) in 37:31.

John Clarke Memorial Fell Race, Epping (Fri. 20th June)

A fell race inside the M25? That will have the Northerners snorting in indignation, reports Clem Dixon. And not just any fell race, a category A. To qualify for an A there must be at least 50 metres of ascent per kilometre. How is this possible? The folks at Orion Harriers know a thing or two about course design: Pole Hill in the SE corner of Epping Forest stands at 91m, climb it three times from a variety of directions, and climb the neighbouring Yardley Hill twice, finishing at the obelisk on top of Pole Hill and you have 250m of ascent in 5k, so an A, just. Of course it is more of a trail race but once you have done it the hills of Joydens Wood will never seem quite so steep and with your first beer included in the £5 entry fee it is a very pleasant way of spending a Friday evening.

Eight of us ran it this year of whom Kyle Hurst in 7th place was our first finisher with John O'Mahony and James Macdonald not far behind him. They don't give out a team prize but we would have been up there, probably second to Vicky Park. John was called up to collect the M50 prize but had to fess up to being in his 40s.

7th Kyle Hurst 23:39, 11th John O’Mahoney 24:06, 14th James Macdonald 24:47, 26th Geoff Smith 26:10, 40th Daniel Allinson 27:07, 81st James Floyd 31:41, 106th Graham Maynard 33:48, 118th Clem Dixon 34:45.

BMC Loughborough Grand Prix (Sat. 21st June)

A second place finish in the A race for Holly Dixon in another personal best over 1500m of 4:12.36s.

Southern Athletics League, Woodford (Sun. 22nd June)

The second fixture of the season saw us travel to Woodford in North London, reports Mick Bond. Despite a few mishaps and no shows, we still finished second to the home club which should move us up the division table a bit. Star performance was by Emily Cadman with a 100m win and big PB of 11.88s alongside a 200m win in 24.45s. Doyin Aderinto won the B String 100 in 12.03s and PB'd in the 200 with 25.64s. In hot conditions Amelia Lawrence ran away with the 3000m in 10:35.5s whilst in the field Under 17 Kiki Olaigbe stepped up to throw the heavier shot but still won the event in 9.51m and was well supported in the throws by Natalie Mann.

On the men’s half of the team there were many impressive performances across the board with a welcome return to competition for Orin Vitalis who won the 110 hurdles, was second in the 400 hurdles and long jump and cleared the pole vault for a point.