Middlesex Under 13 & 15 County Championships – Report
(Report by Simon Baker)
The County hosted the first part of this year’s Track and Field Championships at Lee Valley on an initially wet and then overcast Lee Valley Athletics Centre on Saturday 24th July 2021 for the U13 and U15 age groups. The impact of the pandemic was still apparent with attendance down on previous years partly due to many Clubs unable to restart training after lockdown, the start of school holidays and many school children being required to self-isolate. However the slightly reduced fields did nothing to dampen the participants enthusiasm especially with many U13’s experiencing their first Championships and the extra pressure that brings. There was one new championship record and several Top 5 nationally ranked performances demonstrating the strength of Athletics in the County at the current time.
U13 Age Group
100m
2021 Champions:- Tyler Thompson (E&H) 12.91s, Angle McLeod (SBH) 12.88s
Championship Best:- Jaiden Aaron (Harrow) 12.22s (2013), Torema Dorsett (E&H) 12.8s (2002)
The sprints are always highly competitive but Middlesex are blessed with a great crop of sprinters at the moment . This year in the Boys race Tyler Thompson (E&H) who went into the race ranked 8th nationally set the 3rd fastest time by an U13B this year in the heats with 12.30s and comfortably won the final by over 0.5s from DeJean Jarrett (Hill) and Harry Pincherle (SBH) the former winning the silver by just 0.01s. Shaftesbury Barnet have a strong crop of U13 Girl sprinters this year, Angel McLeod in her debut season had already broken the 13s barrier and set a new PB in the final with 12.88s, the 2nd fastest in the UK this year. The silver medal went to teammate Moiesha Savage who just beat bronze medallist Suraya Frost (LH) by 0.02s. All but one of the participants set a new PB.
200m
2021 Champions:- Henry Pincherle (SBH) 27.69s, Angel McLeod (SBH) 26.66s NCR
Championship Best:- William Andoh (THYSF) 24.61s (2014), Angel McLeod (SBH) 26.57s (2021)
Angel McLeod completed a sprint double and set a new championship record in the heats with 26.57s, the fastest time by an U13G this year and almost 0.5s off her previous PB. Jorjia March (Barnet) using her strength from middle distance running ran a strong home straight to take silver and split the SBH girls with Moiesha Savage in Bronze and Sienna Corbyn who had run the 2nd fastest time in the heats in 4th place, The Boys race was a straight final with SBH taking all the medals with Harry Pincherle the only athlete to have previously run under 28s finishing 1st with Lani Jaiyeola 2nd and Jimi Adu 3rd..
800m
2021 Champions Koppany Szentes (LH) 2:25.61, Jorjia March (Barnet) 2:28.15
Championship Best:- Max Bishop (TVH) 2:19.07 (2018), , Asmara Abdirahman (Hill) 2:25.5 (2019)
The pre-race favourite in the girls race Jorjia March (Barnet) lived up to the billing, despite being a 1st year U13, being the only competitor to have gone under 2:30. She produced a fine piece of front running to win by 19s with Aliyah Osman (High) and Xanthe Greenfields (TVH) 3rd. With Arthur Phillips (SBH) opting to run 1500m, Koppany Szentes (LH) had the fastest PB of the field which he improved by 3s kicking for home on the final bed with Euan Phillips (SBH) 2nd and Sammy Gibson (Hill) 3rd..
1500m
2021 Champions: Arthur Phillips (SBH) 4:57.60, Tess Noblet (WG&EL) 5:25.43
Championship Best:- Joshua Poncia (St Marys) 4:47.48 (2015), Naomi Toft (Belgrave) 4:54.15 (2016)
Arthur Phillips (SBH), the U11 Met League XC Champion from 2020 went into the race with the fastest PB of 5:03 and produced a commanding run from the start to run under 5 mins for the first time, comfortably ahead of Zak Fellows (VP&TH) in silver. In the girls race unfortunately Shaftesbury’s Posie Shaw who is ranked 7th nationally was unable to attend but Tess Noblet (WG&EL) improved her PB by 2.5s to take gold with silver medalist Minna Williams (St Marys) also setting a PB.
Sprint Hurdles
2021 Champions:- Benn Povey (Kingston) 13.56s, Suraya Frost (LH) 12.00s
Championship Best:- Louis Clow (ESM) 13.12s (2015), Nana Owusuah Quainoo (Hill) 11.34s (2019)
Conditions were less than ideal for the hurdles with standing water on the track. The gold in the 70m Hurdles was won comfortably by Suraya Frost, who ranked 3rd nationally and is trained at Lee Valley by Tony Jarrett, The silver went to Beatrice Robertson-Jones (St Marys). In the 75m Hurdles pre-race favourite Ben Povey of Kingston, ranked 13th nationally with a PB of 13.42 secured gold with Max Wassermann (LH) in silver improving his PB by 0.25s.
Long Jump
2021 Champions:- Benn Povey (Kingston) 4.42m, Suraya Frost (LH) 4.42m
Championship Best:- William Andoh (THYSF) 5.32m, Zuriel Owolana (Hill) 4.90m (2014)
Benn Povey set a new PB by 19cm to take gold ahead of pre competition favourite Arthur Shaw (Highgate) who is ranked 7th nationally having jumped 4.68m this season however as a 1st year U13 Arhtur will get the chance again for gold again next year. Henry Scott (Hill) also produced a PB to take bronze. The girls competition followed the form book with a shoot out between two Heathside athletes; Suraya Frost ranked 9th nationally and who had just broken the MYAL meeting record last week took the gold medal ahead of club mate Milli Bridgeman-Athanasatos. None of the other girls competing had jumped over 4m but Charlotte Parsons (Barnet) set a new PB of 3.67m taking bronze.
High Jump
2021 Champions:- Arthur Shaw (SBH) 1.45m, No U13G Competitors
Championship Best:- Aydan Tyrell (Harrow) 1.41m (2017), Loui se Bradley (Hill) 1.43m (2016)
Arthur Shaw (High) was clear favourite having jumped over 1.40m and improved his PB by 3cm to take gold ahead of Samuel Gibson who improved his PB by 10cm.
Shot Put
2019 Champions:- Max Wassermann (LH) 5.73m, Ivy Paitoo (LH) 6.67m
Championship Best:- Ismail Mustaphe (BGA) 9.18m (2013), Chanel Lovelock (Slough) 9,28m (2018)
With Elizabeth Boissiere (ESM) who had thrown 8m in the MYAL this season absent the competition was a shoot out between Heathsides Ivy Paitoo and club mate Elkie Baker with Ivy taking gold by just 3cm. Another Heathsider Max Wassermann took gold in the Boys competition improving his PB by 19cm. .
Discus
2021 Champions:- No Boys Champion, Elkie Baker (LH) 20.24m
Championship Best:- Rahul Gohill (Harrow) 33.37m (2012), Precious Hamilton (VPH&TH) 26.65m (2014)
Pre meeting favourite had been Elizabeth Boissiere (ESM) who is ranked 3rd nationally in this event and who had set a new MYAL meeting record of over 23m earlier in the season. In her absence Elkie Baker set a new PB throwing over 20m, a PB by 1.16m to take gold and Charlotte Parsons (Barnet) won silver improving her PB by 39cm.
Javelin
2019 Champions:- Edward Metcalf (LH) 28.43m, Millie Roxburgh (SBH) 23.95m
Championship Best:- Aryam Paduruth (Hill) 33.91m (2017), Lucy Wilcock (Hill) 26.23m (2017)
Millie Roxburgh of SBH lived up to her favourite tag taking gold having also set a new MYAL record of 26m in her first ever event earlier this season. Charlotte Parsons (Barnet) improved her PB by 70cm to take silver with Elkie Baker (LH) in bronze, In the boys event Edward Metcalf who had also broken the MYAL meeting record earlier this season set a new PB here by 1.9m to take gold.
U15 Age Group
100m
2021 Champions:- Zico Jones (TVH) 11.21s, Ann Oerlemans (E&H) 11.95s
Championship Best:- Kesi Oludoyi (Harrow) 11.06s (2013), Nia Wedderburn-Goodison (Harrow) 11.84s (2019)
The classic blue riband event of the championships proved to be as competitive as ever. Former U13 county champion Zico Jones (SBH) who is ranked 5th in the UK took the U15 title with a time just 0.01 outside his PB. The race for the other medals went to the wire with Trey Corlis (LH) just piping out Zico’s club mate Sangut Pan in the dip on the line. The UK No.1 Ann Oerlemanns (E&H) produced the 11th fastest time ever by a UK U15G to take gold ahead of the UK No.2 ranked Nana Owusuah Quainoo (Hill), the reigning County U13 Champion and who had been crowned English Schools Champion earlier in the month. Juanita Kyere Aidoo (Hill), the only other athlete with a PB below 13s, finished 3rd with a new PB.
200m
2021 Champions:- Zico Jones (SBH) 23.04s, Nana Owusuah Quainoo (Hill) 25.78s
Championship Best:- Myron Rhule-Alexander 22.88s (2015), Desiree Henry (E&H) 25.0 (2008)
In the Boys race which was a straight final with Zico Jones, ranked No 1 nationally with a PB of 22.30s, living up to his billing taking gold ahead of club mate Saugat Pun (SBH) and Samuel Jagroop (Hill). In the girls competition English Schools Champion Ann Oerlemans (E&H) who was the only girl to have run under 25s this season opted not to run and Nana Owusuah Quainoo (Hill) took gold in what was a Hillingdon 123 with Juanita Kyere Aidoo in silver and Hebe Evans 3rd.
300m
2021 Champions:- Milton Cooper (LH) 39.22s, Cassie Southgate (Hill) 41.93s
Championship Best:- Paul Henry Hegba-Mbaye (VPH&TH) 37.48s (2019), Kiah Dubarry-Gay (VPH&TH) 41.17m (2016)
Zico Jones, who is ranked No 1 in the UK, is National Schools Champion having run 35.29s opted not to run in this event. In his absence the only two athletes to have run under 40s Milton Cooper (LH) and Dylan Robert (Harrow) took gold and silver respectively Austin Ward (SBH) took the bronze medal. In the girls race Cassie Southgate (Hill) who had the best PB of 41.54s and is ranked 11th nationally secured gold with Ella Burridge (LH) in silver and Lucy Ferguson (St Marys) in bronze.
800m
2021 Champions:- Jacob Clement (SBH) 2:08.9, Dina Silverman (SBH) 2:19.1
Championship Best:- Lee Bowron (ESM) 2:00.1 (1999), Ava White (Blackheath) 2:15.75 (2017)
In the girls race Dina Silverman (SBH) who finished 4th in the National Schools lived up to favourite status despite a battling performance from Issy Watkins (LH) to take the gold with Mya Mairs Ingram (SBH) winning bronze in a new PB. In the boys race Jacob Clement (SBH) lowered his PB by 3.5s to take gold ahead of David Baah-Okyere (LH), who had the previous fastest time in the field. Edward Powell (Barnet) secured the bronze medal.
1500m
2021 Champions:- Alex Mulvihill (Highgate) 4:41.58, Lyra Macdonald (VP&TH) 4:52.45
Championship Best:- Richard Charles (ESM) 4:17.8 (2008), Georgia Bell (ESM)/Naomi Todt (Blackheath) 4:42.8 (2008)
Alex Mulvihill having run 4:45 this year, 10s faster than the next fastest Ryan Stoddart (Hill), duly won gold with a new PB. Ryan won silver with Thom MacDonald (VP&TH) in bronze. The Girls race featured two athletes who have run under 5 minutes this year with Lyra McDonald (VPH&TH) having run 4:51 and Emilia Watkins (LH) 4:58. They duly battled it out before Lyra pulled away on the last lap. Kayla Saunders (Harrow) took the bronze.
Sprint Hurdles
2021 Champions:- Trey Corlis (LH) 14.40s, Ava John (WS&E) 11.50s
Championship Best:- Chris Musa (TH)/ Godwyn Gyeabor (E&H) 11.6 (2001/2008), Symone Belle (TH) 11.4s (1999)
English Schools silver medallist Trey Corlis, ranked 2nd nationally with a best of 11.22s, produced a measured performance to take gold but was run close by Sonny Blackburn (Kingston) in only his 2nd race with Thomas Wassermann (LH) 3rd. In the Girls race Ava John, who is ranked 3rd nationally, took gold ahead of Imani Quamina (LH) in silver and Eva Chalisey (SBH).
Long Jump
2021 Champions:- Luca Kaye (WG&EL) 5.32m, Ava John (WSE&H) 5.07m
Championship Best:- Luke Thomas (E&H) 6.39m, Joanne Gardner (Twickenham) 5.66m (1977)
Samuel Okolie (Hill), ranked 10th nationally with 5.84m won gold with the next closest jump by Luca Kaye (WG&EL) and Cameron Knight (SBH) 3rd with a jump 50cm shorter. In the girls competition Ava John (WG&EL),who won silver in the National Schools Competition was the only athlete to have jumped over 5m before and won gold. Clara Brooke (TVH) secured silver ahead of Magdeline Paitoo (LH) in bronze.
High Jump
2021 Champions:- Trey Corlis (LH) 1.55m, Ava John (WSE&H) 1.45m
Championship Best:- Dominic Ogbechie (Highgate) 1.89m (2016), Paula Davidge (Hill) 1.63m (1982)
In a well matched competition between Trey Corlis (LH) and Theo Povey (Kingston), with both having PB’s around 1.60m ,Trey came out the victor. In the girls event Ava John again fulfilled her role as favourite jumping just 5cm less than her 1.50m PB. Clara Brooke (TVH) who finished with silver was the only other athlete to have previously jumped 1.40m with Charlotte Bull (Hill) jumping a PB to win bronze on count back from Alette Ganyushin (High)
Triple Jump
2021 Champions:- Samuel Okolie (Hill) 12.06m, Alana Thomas (Harrow) 9.66m
Championship Best:- Latif Muhidin (ESM) 12.83m (2008), Ruth-Ann Otaruoh (TVH) 10.15m (2017)
After no competition in 2019 Alana Thomas (Harrow) set a new PB by 16cm to take the girls gold and in the boys both Samuel Okolie (Hill) and Lewis Sorhaindo (Harrow) set new PB’s with Samuel taking gold.
Shot Putt
2021 Champions:- Lincoln Ramdhanny (Hill) 12.09m, Phoebe Music (SBH) 3.78m
Championship Best:- Rio Andrew (TVH) 13.00m, Simona Vaselinova (E&H) 10.08m (2015)
Lincoln Ramdhanny left it until Round 4 of the shot to take the lead and gold medal ahead of Thomas Wassermann (LH) in silver and Kaiden Greening (St Mary’s) who set a PB taking bronze. Phoebe Music (SBH) took gold in the girls event.
Hammer
2021 Champions:- Milton Cooper (LH) 24.14m, No Girl Competitor
Championship Best:- Rafal Morawski (ESM) 54.77m (2010), Franceska Williams (WSE&H) 47.70m (2017)
Milton Cooper (LH) who has thrown over 25m this year took gold, his throw was 7m further than the 2019 championship winning throw.
Discus
2021 Champions:- Lincoln Ramdhanny (Hill) 40.12m, No female Competitor
Championship Best:- Felice Male (Haringey) 41.06m (1996), Tasha Saint-Smith (Enfield) 38.96m (1980)
Lincoln Ramdhanny (Hill) improved his PB by over 2m to win the gold medal.
Javelin
2021 Champions:- Kaiden Greening (St Mary’s) 47.73m, Alette Ganyushin (High) 14.99m
Championship Best:- Anthony Bryant (WSE&H) 52.99m (2005), Simona Vaselinova (E&H) 35.67m (2015)
Gold in the Boys competition went to Kaiden Greening who finished 4th in the National Schools and was the only competitor to have previously thrown over 45m. His 47.73m throw to win was a PB and 5th furthest nationally this year. Theo Povey (Kingston) was in silver and Ben Andrusier (High) in bronze. Alette Ganyushin (Highgate) in her first ever javelin competition took gold with Bethany Hardy (Hill) in silver
Pole Vault
2021 Champions: No Boy Competitors, Celine Silverman (SBH) 2.15m
Championship Best:- Martin Densley (ESM)/ Jonathan Rugg (E&H) 3.20m (1995/2017), Jade Spencer-Smith (Harrow) 3.31m (2015)
Both Celine Silverman (SBH) and Emily Mann (E&H) set new PB’s in the Pole Vault with Celine taking Gold with 2.15m
The final Club medal table stands at:-
1st Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers (12 Gold, 5 Silver, 5 Bronze)
2nd London Heathside (11 Gold, 10 Silver, 4 Bronze)
3rd Hillingdon (5 Gold, Six Silver, 6 Bronze)
4th Highgate Harriers (3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze)
5th Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow (3 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze)
6th Kingston & Poly (2 Gold, 3 Silver, 0 Bronze)
7th Enfield & Haringey (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 0 Bronze)
8th Woodford Green & Essex Ladies (2 Gold, 0 Silver, 0 Bronze)
9th Harrow (1 Gold, 4 Silver 1 Bronze)
10th Barnet & District (1 Gold, 3 Silver, 2 Bronze)
11th St Mary’s Richmond (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze)
12th Victoria Park Harriers &Tower Hamlets (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
13th Thames Valley Harriers (0 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze)
The day also included County President Tim Hannah presenting an award to John Terry who has produced the results for the Championships for the last 25 years
Many thanks to the organising committee and officials who helped put the Championships on so well.
The next County event is the Senior Track and Field Championships which will again be at Lee Valley on Monday 30th August.