European Championships

Nonsuch Park. 

The Belles stole a march on Thames H&H in the Women's Surrey CC League Division One shoot out.  Our ladies pulled back 11 points on their rivals but still need to claw back 40 more to win the title. Can they do it, with two more matches to come in the series.  West 4 Harriers were the surprise package as they also also pipped Thames.

As has become common lately Tish Jones led the field home.

Great to see some youngsters taking part - well done Florence and Yasmin!

Pictured right: Jojo leades Fee.

Full results  |  Report

Having won his age group events at the World Triathlon Championships in New Zealand, Mike Trees moved on to Tokyo where on 17 November he raced to 15:44.98 over 5,000m on the track in the Nippon Sports Science University event. We believe this to be the best in the World in 2012 for his age group.

Back at the same venue on 1 December it was time for a crack at 10,000m and again Mike didn't disappoint. He was aiming for sub-33 - and got it - 5th in his race and an M50 2012 best of 32:54.50. He holds his certificate (left) to prove it!

Mike has been working in Japan to promote Newton running shoes and while there has been doing good work in the tsunami disaster area, working with orphaned kids.  He returns to the UK in a week or so and plans to race in Richmond Park at the South of Thames Championship.

9th SPAR EUROPEAN C.C. CHAMPS.

Sefton Park, Liverpool. If all went smoothly we had a good, but by no means certain, chance of beating the top Scottish and Welsh clubs. As the field set out on the muddy but flat course all seemed to be going well with three in the top 25. It didn't last!  Before the first lap had been completed we lost Matt Graham who slipped in the mud and aggravated a knee problem. He had been hoping to qualify for the UK's U23 team.  From there on we were in deep trouble as Central and Swansea improved their positions throughout and we ended up clearly beaten.

A great run came from Nick Goolab, though, right up with the leaders in the overall race until a stitch troubled him badly for the final 3k and he slipped back to 14th.  But he was second U23 home and therefore will surely earn selection for the European U23 Championships in December.

Full result  |  Report  

Tish wins at Reigate

Reigate Priory Park, South of Thames 5 miles.  We had both men's and women's teams in action for this five miles team race where both genders race together.  Star of the show was undoubtedly Tish Jones who romped home at the head of the women's race - before any of our men hove into sight.

Full result  |  Report  

Two new exciting initiatives

Two new initiatives are starting up in the next few days

RUN ENGLAND Every Sunday from 18 November at 9:30am double Olympian Paskar Owor (above right) will be present to coach and lead novice runners as part of an England Athletics’ “Run England” initiative. Participants are invited to meet at 9.30am on Sunday morning, outside Belgrave Hall in Denmark Road, SW19 4PG, for a free taster session. Up to 20 runners will be accepted on a first come first served basis. You may wish to Email Paskar if you plan to come along.

triathlon england On Wednesday mornings for four weeks starting on 21 November, Roger Pratt will present a friendly introduction to triathlon training. This is suitable for inexperienced cyclists, people lacking confidence on a bike, or just people interested in a short group ride. Meet at 10am after which the group will set out for Richmond Park.  Click here for more information.

Belgrave Hall itself is not in use at the moment due to building works but will be available to members in due course.

Charlie Dickinson - President 2012-2013

At the Club Dinner, held at the Malden Golf Club, Charlie Dickinson was warmly welcomed as our President for 2012-2013. Charlie has been a member of Belgrave Harriers for 25 years this December and it's been a quarter century packed with commitment

Charlie was passionate about athletics from an early age and as a schoolboy went to watch all the meetings at the White City. He captained the schools team at cross country and joined Thames Valley Harriers, where he was coached by Merv Pretty and ran with his son Tony who went to the same school – Chiswick Grammar. He was a member of TVH’s youth team that won silver medals in the South of England Champs at Parliament Hill in 1966.

Charlie ran for a while at University but then became busy with a young family and a demanding teaching career.  He taught in several London comprehensives and became head of Maths and then a Deputy Head at Elliott School, Putney.

All this time he kept fit by playing Sunday League football but came back to athletics by running the first London Marathon in 1981 and followed up with three more in the 80's. He was advised by Alex Minyeko who taught at the same school. With more time to train now that his children were older Charlie gave up football in at the age of 39 in 1987 and joined Belgrave Harriers. The following autumn he won the Sunday Times Fun Run in Hyde Park and then the Surrey Veterans Cross Country Champs in Richmond Park.

In 1989, with wife Mary and youngest daughter Rosie a year was spent travelling around the World. On those travels, while in New Zealand, he ran for North Shore Bays. Returning to London in 1990 Charlie started a cabinet making business which he still runs with his son.

At this point he joined up with old friend, coach, and mentor, Arthur Bruce who guided him to a number of National and International Veteran Championship medals. High points were a European M50 5000m win in Finland in 2000 and a year later a bronze medal at the World Vets in Brisbane in the M50 5000m and 10000m. Unknowingly, he broke the M55 British 1500m record in a Rosenheim League match in 2003 (never ratified) and later that year won the M55 Home International Cross Country title by over a minute in Cardiff.

Since then injuries have taken their toll and he has veered more and more into coaching. Initially this was; "Do what I do and you will get better". Much of it the same fartlek sessions he had been doing for years with Arthur.  More recently he was in the first Pilot group to go through the new tough coaching system: “Only three of us completed to become an Athletics Coach out of 29 starting the course!” As well as coaching his senior middle distance group three or four times a week Charlie also helps Vilma Thompson run an after school athletics club at Battersea for children aged 7 to 11.

Footnote: Pam Davies was nominated as Club President at the Annual General Meeting in September but around that time she suffered a fall which will put her out of action for some time and she reluctantly had to stand down. Charlie was delighted and honoured to be asked to become our President and we couldn't wish for a better man to lead us through the year ahead.

International Belles take Enfield Open Walk Spoils

86th Enfield Open 7 Miles Walk. The race was held on a road course at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre and our women were 2nd, Rebecca Crossan 68:44, 3rd, Maureen Noel 69:04 and 4th, Sabina Brown 69:36. The squad was almost as international a team as the cross-country relay squad last week with athletes from New Zealand, London born but with Grenada background, and Argentina. For Rebecca and Sabina it was their first 7 mile race and only Sabina's 3rd ever walking race, having started training just a couple of months ago.

Above: Belgrave at the Enfield Open 7 miles Walk - Mark Culshaw, Rebecca Crossan, Sabina Brown, John Hall and Maureen Noel. Picture by Jason Brown.

More

Paskar and Nick at the Double

2XU Surrey Cross Country League, Petersham.

Away from the 190 strong field and running together, Paskar Owor and Nick Goolab were stride for stride going into lap two ... until Nick thought it was time to push on a bit. Interestingly he ran just one second faster than Phil Wicks' time around this course in 2008. Paskar did not seem too bothered to let his club mate go and currently is on course to retain his individual title. Picture by Alan Mead.

The team was somewhat stronger than for the previous outing so we placed 4th on the day and move up two places to 5th overall.

Results  |  2008 results (for comparison)  | Report

Back from Kenya

Belgrave - National C.C. Relay Champions 2012

Watch the video - Link

Berry Hill Park, Mansfield. What a day!  Of the bronze medal winning team at the recent National 6-Stage Road Relay only Paskar Owor made it into the Belgrave quartet to tackle the National C.C. Relay.  Great joy all round to see Nick Goolab getting back to where he belongs and bringing us home in 3rd after stage 1. Álvaro Lozano de Pedro took us into the lead but then lost out to a charging Bristol & West team that hit the buffers after two stages.  Running better than ever Paskar took us into the lead again and then Alberto not only held off Leeds' ace James Wilkinson - he increased the advantage and ran second fastest of the day.

Now we have the opportunity to race the top Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish clubs at Liverpool on 24 November, and if successful will represent the UK at the European Champions Clubs Cup Cross Country on 3 February at Castellon in Spain.

Full results  |  Race report 

Below: Álvaro and Alberto Lozano de Pedro, James Kelly (reserve), Paskar Owor and Nick Goolab pose with the trophy previously won by Belgrave in 2003 and 2007.

Frankfurt. Running to her fastest marathon time ever, Fiona Maycock clocked 2:54:17 to cross the finish line as first W45 and 25th woman overall in the Frankfurt Marathon - a super performance for our popular team member. 

Guildford. With 23 names on the team sheet it was a good afternoon for Belgrave in the Surrey Sportshall competition at Guildford Spectrum. Several races went the way of the Bels but without a doubt they were the noisiest team with chants of BEL-GRAVE, BEL-GRAVE ringing round the hall whenever a claret and gold vest went to the head of the field.  Good work from Sian Goodlad and Chris Husbands for organising our young squad.

Cambridge Winter League 5k Race Walk. We might have expected Alex Wright to head the field at Bexley in Kent - but Belgrave also provided 2nd and 3rd women in Sabine Brown (30:33) and Tabi Gillan (32:54) - both in personal bests. If someone would like to send us the full results we'd love to put them on the web. Congratulations to all.

Video of Etienne Gailly's 1948 Olympic Marathon discovered

Watch the video of  Etienne Gailly's epic struggle to take the bronze medal in the 1948 London Olympics. He wears number 252 on a red vest. The official who waves him on when he stops at the wrong line (8:35 into the video) is none other than our Running Team Manager of the day - Ernie Duffett.  The video was discovered by Ernie's grand daughter - so many thanks to her.

Link to video  |  Etienne Gailly - the story

Flashback!  1967 

Surrey win the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship
Already posted by David North on the Belgrave Facebook page, we thought we'd share it with our non-Facebook members. Team Captain Gerry North (Belgrave H)receives the trophy and other team members are Bob and Dave Holt (Hercules AC), Mick Gowan (Herne Hill), John Thresher (Belgrave H) and John Roberts (South London H).  Video link

A new book from Gabby Collison

Top New Zealand job goes to Graham Seatter

Aussie Bels in form

Good news from Australia where Erwin McRae cracked 2:20 in the Melbourne Marathon to come home 5th (2nd Aussie) in 2:19:50 - a personal best - and the half marathon at the same venue was won by none other than Russell Dessaix-Chin in 65:33.

Graham Seatter, Belgrave's Race Walking superstar from the '70s and '80s, has landed a top job in Athletics New Zealand.  Link

British Marathon Running Legends of the 1980s.  Who can forget our leading female runner of the '80s and '90s, Gabrielle Collison.  Gabby's new book can be previewed here and if you want to buy a copy and email her directly she will give you a discount.

Toronto Marathon. Sam Amend earned another England vest when racing in Toronto where she was 11th woman in the race with 2:48:25.  She'll not be happy with that of course, expecting a pb every time out - but a great run all the same.

Rushmoor Arena. A team of two halves? Well, that's what the Skipper called it, as we fielded three mid to low 18 minute runners and interleaved them with three 20 minute plus men. The result was that all got a good run with plenty of chasing to do, thus drawing out our faster guys. 

In the pouring rain James Kelly was in great nick, bringing the team home in fourth place on stage one - and this the week after his super personal best in the Great North Run - 65:52. ... 13th was our finishing position.

Full results  |  Race report 

They're off for the start of the Women's SEAA 4-Stage Road Relay Championship at the Aldershot Relays, and the Belgrave team set out on a bronze medal winning run. Photo by Sam Amend

Full results  |  Race report

Belgrave Harriers has secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.

Belgrave Harriers will receive £42,000 of National Lottery Funding to upgrade the facilities at their gymnasium at Belgrave Hall in Wimbledon.

Press Release

Hillingdon.

Alex Wright has just won the last three races in a row ... the Aviva AAA Champs 5k at Birmingham, the Inter-Counties Championship 3k at Bedford and now the National Road 10k at Hillingdon.  He is happy because he thinks he may get the UKA MCain Challenge prize ...!

He also gained the style prize for the race in Birmingham (the J.E. Fowler-Dixon prize for style in walking) and he had no cards for the races.

Now back being coached by Ray Hall with input from Italian International and Belgravian Raf Rinaldi, Alex's style is improving al the time.

Alex won the National 10k by over three and a half minutes, clocking 44:06. That's a one minute and twenty seconds reduction on his best time.  The club record stands to Graham Seatter - 42:59 set in 1984

Photo left by Mark Easton

Kilrane, Ireland. In a 5 miles road race organised by our own Leo Coy on behalf of St. Paul's AC, a super Belgrave team ran out winners with Dan Mulhare (centre) 1st, Jason Fahy (right) 3rd and Andrew Connick (left) 4th. Photo by Leo Coy.

That's all folks. The 2012 Track & Field Season is over.  Our men and women placed third in their final Southern Athletic League match, at Perivale, where the highlight of the day's competition was Matthew Richards' SAL record throw of 61.80m in the hammer. Not that Matt was desperately pleased as he was sure he had a 65 metre throw in him. The spectators didn't doubt it, having seen one of his 'no throws' depart through the netting whereupon it kept on going!

Late news in is that elsewhere in the SAL, on the same day, there was a 72 metre plus throw. So Matthew's time as record holder was short lived.

Matthew Richards in action at the preceding BAL match.  Photo by Alan Mead.

The Olympic Flame reaches South London

Above: Veteran runner Alan Lane's 'Chariots of Fire' moment came as he took on responsibility for carrying the Olympic Flame through Catford. Photograph by Wendy Gasperazzo ©.

Below: Belgrave Committee Chairman John Powell (below) also did a stint - on familiar territory around Crystal Palace. He described the experience as "Awesome". Today John sets out for Portugal where in his other life as a sprints coach he'll be at TeamGB's pre-Olympics holding camp.

Crystal Palace. Goldie Sayers couldn't have timed things better: a 42 cm improvement on her own British Record for the javelin on the second day of the Aviva London Grand Prix with the Olympic Games just around the corner.

If she can repeat her throw of 66.17m, which won competition, she must have a great chance of getting into the medals in the Olympic Stadium.

“It’s been a long time coming and it’s very good timing but as all athletes say, there’s definitely a lot more left in there so I just need to find how to get it out at the (Olympic) Games when it matters.”

Full results

Battersea Park. Phil Wicks chalked up his third consecutive JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge win and his fifth win in the event all told, clocking 17:13 for the 5.6k course.  Not only that, the Mrs didn't do too badly either. Emily strode to victory in the women's race in 20:05 for her fourth victory. Photo above by Steve Wicks with Emily and Phil flanked by Steve Cram and Emilio Sarach, Head of Investment Banking.

The following evening it was another Wicks double as Phil and Em cleaned up at the Standard Chartered Great City 5k in London - 14:54 and 16:55 were their times.

UKA announced today a further 71 names of those who will join the six marathon runners already nominated for London Olympic Games.

Belgrave selections are Goldie Sayers - javelin, Dwain Chambers - 100  metres and 4 x 100 metres relay, Phillips Idowu - triple jump.

Full team and UKA announcement

Bill Lucas, otherwise Squadron Leader W. E. Lucas, DFC, was interviewed by ITV at the unveiling, by Her Majesty The Queen in Green Park last Thursday, of the memorial to the 55,573 members of Bomber Command who lost their lives during the 1939-45 World War.

With TV documentary makers having already beaten a path to his door to ask him about his experiences as an athlete at the 1948 Olympic Games, Bill appeared in ITV's programme, Bomber Command, aired on ITV1 on Tuesday 3rd July at 9pm.

Link to ITV News item and to a Daily Telegraph interview.

Sadly we bid farewell to our oldest member, Denis Brickwood, who passed away on Friday 22 June.  He had fairly recently undergone the fitting of a heart pacemaker but was in good health and in the hours before his death he had enjoyed a spot of gardening.

Denis joined Belgrave Harriers in 1950 but he was already well known to the Bels, for in 1937 he was involved in probably the closest ever finish in what was virtually the National Road Relay Championship - the London to Brighton Relay.  Unfortunately in those days he ran for Mitcham AC and Belgrave were on the receiving end of his sprint finish on the Brighton sea front.

Belgrave Harriers had won for the previous three years and were looking for a fourth victory when Arthur Allum (A1) took over in the lead on the last stage - 9 seconds up on Birchfield and 11 seconds ahead of Mitcham. Claret & gold colours were still in front at the Aquarium but a supreme effort took Denis (D10) into the lead in the final strides of the race.

The progress of the torch

Our old friend and one time British 10,000m record holder Mike Freary takes the Olympic Torch through the streets of Bolton - and in true road relay fashion the guy due to take over wasn't there on time so Mike had to do two legs - much to the delight of grand daughter Lauren. It was amazing; thousands turned out; so many of his friends from over the years; really emotional stuff.  Mike said he didn't sleep that night as he was still on a high from it. Pictures by Paul Freary

In the ancient stadium, amid the grey ruins of the Temples of Zeus and Hera, the Olympic Flame was lit and borne away on the first stage of its 2,000-mile journey to Wembley Stadium.  After the reading of messages of greetings and good will it was announced that the ancient lamp from which the Olympic Flame had been lit was to be sent as a gift to Princess Elizabeth.  It was also announced that a bag of soil from the Olympia Stadium was being sent to London for mixing with the earth of Wembley Stadium

Pictured with the 1948 torch is Alan Bishop, proudly wearing his Belgrave vest as he carried the torch in the Dorking area of Surrey.

Some terrific individual performances and clear wins came at Lee Valley in the National Division One match but we failed to contest some events and paid the penalty. Greg Cackett set a personal record of 10.43 to win the 100m while Wade Bennett-Jackson took care of the B race. Álberto Lozano de Pedro and Paskar Owor scored heavily in the middle distances races but our only field maximum came from pole vaulter Daniel Gardner. 

Above: Álberto Lozano de Pedro heads for home having taken care of the 5000m field at Lee Valley. Picture by Bill Laws.

Dwain Chambers ran to a second place 15.27 in the Great City Games 150m at Manchester, beaten by USA's Wallace Spearmon's 14.87 but keeping Marlon Devonish at bay.  Will Sharman was 4th in the sprint hurdles at the Loughborough International.

At Sport City Manchester in the BMC Meeting, Steve Davies clocked 3:43.95 for 1500m with Dan and Michael Mulhare also in action over three and three quarter laps while Mark Pollard opted for the 5000m.

On the roads, Getenesh Tamirat won the Bristol 10k in 33:26 but for various reasons the men's team didn't make an appearance to defend their National 10k team title.  In Manchester Louise Blizzard (26th 37:12) and Sam Amend (16th 35:43) took part in the Women's Elite race section of the Great Manchester 10k. In the Tewkesbury Half Marathon Fiona Maycock was 2nd in 84:31

Track results  |  Road Results

Battersea. A good day's competition saw the combined men's and women's team place second to Hillingdon AC. As a result the Bels move up to 8th in the league.  Man of the match was Greg Cackett with 10.6 in the 100 metres.

Full Results  |  Belgrave Results  |  Pictures

Saransk, Russia. No less than 67 countries took part in the IAAF World Cup of Race Walking at the weekend. Finishing a very creditable 55th in the 20k event Alex Wright moved a little closer to the Olympic Qualifying B Standard with 1:26:38.  His next attempt at achieving the required 1:24:30 will come in three weeks at La Coruna in the World Cup Final.

The sun might be with us for the first time this summer but already some are turning their thoughts to the road running and cross country season that lies some four months ahead!

After a few seasons of not having a team captain, the Belles road and country squad are delighted to announce that Tilly Heaton will lead the team for the 2012-13 and will be there as an extra port of call for runners to contact for wisdom, advice, strategy, injury concerns etc.  Tilly's strong and incredibly consistent running has seen her compete in nine consecutive A team National 4-stage relays, collect a stack of London Marathon medals (incl. gold in 2004), and she was of course a key cog in our SEAA cross bronze medal winning team. Excitement is already building for the season to come, and with Tilly at our helm on the field of play, we couldn't wish for a more loyal or reliable pair of fleet feet to lead the way.

For the men, Richard Ward was delighted to be asked to continue as Captain and far from hanging up his road racing shoes, a thought that had initially been on his mind at the end of the last season, he is now thinking about the months ahead and scheming to get us into those Sutton Park medals again.  Hanging up his shoes!  For goodness sake the man's only just 30.  It just seems that he's been around for ever, having run in Rosenheim League matches shortly after he learned to crawl and becoming an international 1500m runner while still a teenager.  There's not another man that comes close to abusing the troops like Wardy and we look forward to plenty more of his wicked banter.

Alex Wright has been named as a member of a strong team to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the IAAF World Race Walking Cup to be held in Saransk, Russia on 12-13 May. The team of ten is the largest to be selected for the event since 1999. Now coached by our own Ray Hall again, Alex will compete in the 20 kilometre event.

Qualification for the World Cup was achieved when Alex beat the required 89:00 by clocking 86:54 recently in Portugal where he placed 17th overall and received just the one warning.  This represented a huge advance in his technical progress after a disqualification in Lugano a month earlier and was the result of technical work done with physio Raphael Rinaldi. Raphael (pictured above with Alex) believes that the young Belgravian can achieve an Olympic B qualification standard.

Alex is returning from Leeds to work with Ray Hall in the run up to the World Cup.

Above left: Two miles to go and Samantha Amend is on her way to a 2:44:19 timing to lead home a Belgrave trio that won the Women's Team Competition and the English National Marathon Championship. With Fiona Maycock (2:55:57) and Louise Blizzard (2:58:10) their cumulative time was 8:38:26.  Serpentine Runners had been announced as winners but apparently some of their runners were ineligible.

Above right: First scorer for Belgrave in the men's race was James Kelly with 2:22:22, just ahead of Erwin McRae 2:23:44. A game but unwell Will Cockerell came out of the race at 7 miles and we went back to Kevin Gadd's 2:47:43 to close in the team. Not scoring was Marty Dent who ran 2:17:32 in his New Balance sponsor's kit.

More pictures  |  Results

After six months of near perfect training and running a 63:14 course record in the Wokingham Half Marathon Phil has had to announce today that an injury sustained just over a week ago has now ruled him out of the Virgin London Marathon. Gone now is his hope of qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Marathon and of course he is devastated. 

Tightness in a hamstring in his penultimate session before the big day developed into a sharp pain in the upper hamstring/glute area.  In spite of rest, heat, eye-watering massage and physio treatment, there has been no sign of any improvement and Phil, his coach Matt Whiting and agent Eric Shirley have regretfully had to come to the conclusion that his chance for a shot at a place in the Olympic Team for the marathon this year is over.

We wish Phil all the best for a speedy recovery and very much hope to see him tearing up the roads again before too long.

Press Release

Sadly we must say farewell to another Past President of Belgrave Harriers. Ted Pallant died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Friday 13 April at the care home where he had been for the last few years.

Ted grew up in Battersea and remembered first competing on the old three laps to the mile track as an eight year-old.  After being evacuated to Reading during the war and billeted with the British Long Jump Champion W.E.N. Breach who later became President of Reading AC, Ted returned to London and from 1947 did National Service with the Royal West Kent Infantry.  He had been an electrician by trade but decided to 'do the knowledge' and became a London cab driver.  A house move resulted in him living next door but one to Dennis Jones and his father Bill - two life long Belgravians - and in 1957 Ted also became a member.

He was a familiar figure in our club road races but also competed at cross country and on the track.  Ted was our Social Secretary in the early '60s, organising among other things our Annual Dinner & Dance. In 1990 after retirement he returned wholeheartedly to committee work and was the long time seller of our club kit and Secretary of our Membership Services Committee. For a time he served on the SEAA Committee and he at one time travelled to Africa where he forged links with several African athletic organisations.

Always immensely proud of his club and often attending BAL Meetings to support the team, Ted was elected President in 1996.

Race Walkers in the medals again

Redbridge. For the second consecutive month Belgrave race walkers have been on the podium as a team in championship events. At the UKA/RWA 20 kilometre Championship Stuart Kollmorgen again led home the Bels, picking up bronze medal with his 99:54.  With Mark Culshaw 18th and Paul King 19th, silver team medals were in the bag.  Maureen Noel was 5th in the women's race.

Meanwhile, Alex Wright was taking steps towards a place on the Olympic team as he was timed at 86:54 in Rio Maior, Portugal, where he was also competing over 20k in the IAAF Race Walking Challenge.  He has a chance of clipping the Olympic Qualifying time at a forthcoming race in Russia.

Bels move back up the field

ERRA National Women's 6 & Men's 12 Stage Road Relays, Sutton Coldfield

With the women's team placing 11th and the men's team 6th, after an epic chase through the field, it was a successful day all round at Sutton Park.  There had been a hope that we might get back into the medals in the men's race but even if things had gone smoothly, hindsight shows that it would have been beyond us on this occasion.  What is evident though is that the will to succeed is there and medals will come again before long.

Women: full results  |  race report  |  Pictures

Men:  full results  |  race report  |  Pictures

Special agent 007 Russell Dessaix-Chin flies in to join forces with agent 006 Paskar Owor. The pair linked up at the Victoria Park 5 miles where in cold conditions Paskar ran to 4th place while Russell gently blew away a few cobwebs with in 6th.

SEAA Women's 6 & Men's 12 Stage Road Relays

Having already been unbeaten in VAC and SCVAC Indoor Championships where she went from 10.20 to 10.59 with the 3k shot, W60 Vilma Thompson moved right up through the gears at the BMAF Championships on 17-18 March to win everything in sight - Weight throw (12.23), Hammer (30.52), Javelin (23.90), Discus (25.11) and Shot (10.40). All off these competitions were held at Lee Valley.

Waterford. There was a blast from the past as John Coghlan, son of the famous Eamon Coghlan but now a four minute miler in his own right, ran off with the title. Michael Mulhare did well, coming back from niggles. He was lying 5th with 600 metres to go but a strong finish saw him get up to 3rd.  Andrew Connick also ran well for 17th - assisting his team to silver medals - and he'd had a very busy time, being the main organiser of the event.

Below left: Jason Fahey leads Michael Mulhare. Right Andrew Connick - team medallist and race organiser! Pictures by Leo Coy

Sadly we must report the death yesterday, 21 February, of a Past President of Belgrave Harriers, Charlie Manning.  Charlie, who was 84 in January, succumbed to influenza and passed away at 9:30pm at his nursing home near Huddersfield. He was in his 62nd year of membership and was President during 1973-74.

A proud winner of a Surrey County Standard for 20 miles on the road and organiser of the Belgrave '20' when it was one of the most important races on the road running calendar, Charlie nevertheless competed over all events from 100 yards to the marathon and would not baulk at the odd long jump. His contribution to Belgrave social activities was immense.  He could organise anything, no matter how extravagant or outrageous, and would never take 'no' for an answer. Our club magazine benefitted from his irreverent and satirical wit and even the Editors would not know what his contribution would be until two pages of art work were presented for the centre pages just before time to go to print.

A talented man in many ways, Charlie also painted, drew and dabbled with writing.

Our condolences go to Jean and their daughters Anne and Linda and son Christopher.

After the SEAA CC Champs we wrote: "the general opinion was: 'Wicksy’s back!' " 

Of that there can now be no doubt whatsoever as Phil Wicks ran his second fastest time ever for the half marathon over the none too easy Wokingham course.  With his 63:14 timing, yet again improving the course record, he won by a full two minutes from Phil Nicholls of Tipton Harriers and then there was a further minute before other rivals crossed the finish line.

Phil's best ever run was at Reading in 2009 when he was involved in an epic finish with Kimutai, losing out to the Kenyan by five seconds but running 62:51.

Third in the women's race was Sam Amend in 77:48.

A little less frenetic but clocking up his 150th half marathon down at Brighton, was Belgrave Treasurer Dave McMillan.  The 64 year-old was 15th in his M60 category with 1:51:50.

Aviva Grand Prix, Birmingham, Greg Cackett found himself starting his second year in athletics lining up against Asafa Powell, Kim Collins and other luminaries of the sprint world.  Greg yet again equalled his best ever 60 metre timing of 6.69 and although unable to progress to the final, was equal best Brit in the event.

UKA Champs & World Indoor Trials, Sheffield, 11-12 February. Running better than ever, a superb 7:58.78 timing from Stephen Davies on Saturday saw him race to the silver medal in the 3000 metres. Meanwhile, Kris Gauson progressed comfortably to the final of the 1500m, winning his heat by leading through 800 and 1200m to clock 3:49.51.  But come the final on the Sunday and although twice going to the front, Kris was unable to race as he'd have liked and placed 4th.

Robbie Grabarz had the edge in the high jump until he decided to pass at 2.26m while Samson Oni took that height cleanly with his first attempt.  Neither athlete could surmount 2.29m and Samson took the UK Indoor title to add to his recent Olympic Qualifying height of 2.31m.

Although winning his heat and semi-final, 33 year-old Dwain Chambers had not put all his cards on the table.  Even in the final, which he won in a season's best of 6.58,  he did not seem to have his foot to the floor and was chased hard by the field.  There could well be another tenth of a second to be found in the upcoming World Championships in Istanbul. It was the fifth time Dwain has taken this title.  Greg Cackett was 6th, having equalled his best of 6.69 when placing second in his semi-final.

Paskar takes individual League title

Senior/U20 Individuals  |  Senior/U20 Teams 

Young Athletes Individuals  |  U17/U15 Teams  |  U13 Teams 

Race report 

Promotion for the Belles

West End Common, Esher. They sailed close to the wind in this final league outing of 2011/2012 but by narrowly getting together a full team on the day and led home by Fee Maycock, the Belles placed 3rd and maintained their top of Division Two position, thus clinching promotion.

League result: 1 Belgrave H 277; 2 Epsom Oddballs 408; 3 Runnymede R 529; 4 Walton 634; 5 Epsom &E 699

Full results  |  Race report 

Race report  |  Full results  |  Cross Country Plate 

The men's 15k event saw Phil Wicks in the leading bunch from the very first. After 5k the group had been whittled down and by half way our man had dramatically broken clear by about 40 metres leaving the initially splintered chasers to slowly coalesce into a chasing bunch of five. Surely he was heading for a historic third win. But racing down the final hill Wells City's Ben Tickner had broken clear of the cluster, was now only 20 metres down and using the slope like a fell runner was absolutely flying.  By the time Phil was aware of the danger, Tickner was on him and such was his momentum as the turn was made into the finish stretch that no amount of gear changing by the Belgravian could match his rival's pace. Silver medal was no consolation whatsoever for a man who was left fuming at the way he had lost.

Great running from James Kelly to place 16th - but sadly no team on this occasion.

Race report  |  Full results  | Cross Country Plate

At Nottingham in the Midland Counties Championship, Stephen Sharp was 11th.

Spectrum, Guildford. Back row - Coach Bob Bridges, Manon, Flo, Julia, Daniel, Jean Claude, Carla, Coach Chris Husbands. Front row - Margot, Mila, Coach Andrea Lynch, Evie, India, Paris and Teddy. Apologies to Cordell who is missing from photo as he had already left to catch the train. The Surrey selectors have decided to take a closer look at Julia, Carla and Mila. We wait with crossed fingers to see if they've been selected to compete for Surrey.

Farthing Downs, Coulsdon. With a very thin team the Bels crashed at Coulsdon, placing seventh of the nine teams in Division One.  Nevertheless, a league place of third was maintained with a near 100 point margin over fourth, and with the last match of the series being on our home course of Wimbledon Common in four weeks time that's where we should end up at the close of the series.

Richard Ward (pictured left by Leo Coy) ran an amazing race to place 5th.  Struggling badly with his hamstring problem during the week after his outing in the County Champs, he held up brilliantly on the Downs to place 5th; typical Wardy, he'd actually led the field at one point on the first lap. 

Men's individual results  |  Men's team positions  | Young athletes  |  Report