Ashford Athletics Club » Indoors

George sets new high

News Desk — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:12:58 +0000

ASHFORD AC’s Sam Beckett was flying at the London Indoor Games at Lee Valley with victory in the 200m with a season’s best 26.74 seconds.
The following day she notched another season’s best in the 60m with a fine 8.09.
George Huxley continued his hurdling improvement twice breaking the the club’s U20 men’s indoor 60m record with a second in his first race with a personal best 8.68 seconds and then improved that to 8.62 in the second race finishing third.
Both will be aiming for more improvement working on their starts.
The club’s excellent high jumper Debbie Martin has been working on changes to her technique with coach John Bancroft and had to settle for a 1.60m clearance while John also competed as a veteran clearing 1.40m.

Duo in Kent squad

News Desk — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:15:31 +0000

TWO Ashford AC youngsters helped the Kent Under 11 squad to fourth in the Aviva South East Regional Sportshall Festival at Burgess Hill.
Faith Cox produced the best girls performance on the track and Thomas Keaveney shared first place in the speed bounce with 52 bounces.
Ashford had a good day at the Kent competition at White Oak dominating the Under 13 boys group.
Top honours went to Cameron Amadee in a clean sweep with Oliver Marsh second, Giles Manning third and Joseph Whitby fifth.
Cameron also won the vertical jump, shot, standing long jump and two lap race in further clean sweeps while Oliver won the speed bounce with Giles third.
Alex Lynch won the U15 boys crown with victories in the shot, speed bounce and two lap race.
In the U13 girls Jessica Box was fifth, Eve Graham seventh and Alexandra Prickett eighth with Alexandra also taking seconds in the standing long jump and speed bounce.
Thomas Keaveney was back in action in the U11 competition helping the Julie Rose Jaguars to sixth place after a fine third in the speed bounce with 52 and fourth in the vertical jump.
Also in action for the Jaguars were Ewan Wood, Jacqueline Benson and Nathanial Hughes, while in the 10th placed Julie Rose Jets were Grace Pitman, Elizabeth Peacock, Callum Warner and Kate Callow.

Huxley sets indoor club record

News Desk — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:59:42 +0000

TRAINING partners Samantha Beckett and George Huxley were in action at the Lee Valley indoor track for the Metaswitch Games on Sunday, January 8.
Both Ashford AC members were using this meeting as preparation for the coming outdoor season.
Samantha contested the 60 metres and 400 metres. In her first run of two over the 60, she was unfortunately deemed to have false started and as a consequence, dwelt in her blocks at the restart, coming 5th in 8.29s.
However, in her second race, Sam ran much better, overhauling the initial leader, winning the race in a season’s best time of 8.18s. Later in the day, her 400m race proved to be too tough and although leading at the 200m mark with a good split time of 28.5s, Sam tired and finished in third place in 64.15s.
George competed in the 60 metres hurdles and the 400 metres. This was George’s first attempt at the indoor sprint hurdles and started with a win in the first of his two races. His time of 8.91s. totally eclipsed the Under 20 club record of 10.4s, which had stood since 1992.
In his second race he went even quicker, winning in 8.82s.
The efforts in the hurdles resulted in George picking up a niggling groin injury which forced him to take it easy in the 400m race, finishing in 4th. place in 55.35s.
Another Ashford AC athlete, Luke Williams, competed in the pole vault and in a lengthy competition, cleared 3.61 metres and just failed 3.71m on his third attempt.

Alligators growing

News Desk — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:51:08 +0000

ASHFORD Athletic Club has used recent funding to provide new sports equipment for athletes who are members of the Ashford Alligators Athletics group, which provides coaching and competition for disabled youngsters.
Funding has also be secured for coach development activities to help raise awareness and understanding of working with athletes with disabilities/special needs such as attending specific courses and conferences.
“The club has had several success stories with disabled athletes particularly Candy Hawkins, Vicky Silk and Paralympics Medallist Jonathan Ward who attended four Paralympics games,” said Alligators coach Peter Le Rossignol. “This new equipment and funding for coach development will really help us support the next generation of potential Paralympians.”
Ashford Athletic Club is currently the only Kent athletics club with a specialised disability section. The Alligators is open to any young person with a disability aged 9 to 17 years old.
The club offers a fun introduction to sport with a focus on athletes but will include other sports All activities are led by highly experienced and qualified club coaches and offer close supervision to those attending (numbers are limited to 15 participants per session and must be booked in advance.
The Alligators are run Bi-weekly during school terms at the Julie Rose Stadium from 5.30-6.30pm. (All participants must be accompanies by a parent or carer). This facility holds an ‘Inclusive Fitness Initiative Facility’ certificate and has indoor and outdoor facilities which are fully accessible.
If you would like to know more information or would like to try the Alligators please contact Pete Le Rossignol on 07838 122 568 or info@ontrackathletics.co.uk

Youngsters sparkle

News Desk — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:21:24 +0000

FOURTEEN young athletes aged 9 to 11 years of age from the Julie Rose Academy were selected to represent Kent in the Southern Inter Countes indoor sportshall competition at Burgess Hill.
All 14 youngsters performed exceptionally well with the boys team finishing second overall and the girls third.
In the boys team were James Syrett, Giles Manning, George Mayer, Jake Timinns, Joseph Whitby and Kian Crawford and the girls team included Jemma Coales, Alex Prickett, Jaimee Ann Heyes, Milie Issac, Kiera Istead, Hannah Graham, Jessicca Carley and Jessica Box.
The majority of the selected team for Kent came from the Ashford Academy held at the Julie Rose Stadium.
The Academy have 32 representatives in the Kent indoor championships on Sunday and are currently Kent champions for two consecutive years running and will be hoping to defend their title for the third time.
The Academy train on Wednesday and Friday evenings from 5.30 – 6.45 coached by Jacqi Snare.

Duo shine in nationals

News Desk — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:03:56 +0000

Emem and Charlotte at the National Sportshall finals

ASHFORD AC Under 13 girls Emem Umoh and Charlotte Dryland were in action for Kent in the Under 13 girls National Sportshall finals, at the NEC arena Birmingham on Sunday.

The Kent girls came third out of 12 teams, with Emem taking the silver medal in the vertical jump and Charlotte was fifth in the speed bounce with 84 bounces.

The speed bounce was won in 86 bounces with three girls sharing the gold.

The Ashford duo were competing against girls a year older than themselves, as they both are in this age group again next year.

Sportshall squad on form

News Desk — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:20:11 +0000

ASHFORD Athletic Club had a storming time in the Sportshall Inter-Regional finals at Burgess Hill with the 18 youngsters in the medals and all recording personal bests.
Three helped the Under 13 Kent team win the competition and qualify for the UK finals in Birmingham on April 18 after securing two golds and a bronze.
Emem Umoh won the vertical jump with a 63cm leap and gold also went to Charlotte Dryland winning the speed bounce with 83. The bronze was taken by Amber Currie in the four lap race with a best time of 55.3 seconds.
Oliver Williams starred for the Under 13 Kent boys with two silver medals shining in the standing triple jump with 7.84m and runner-up in the four lap race with 23.3. Also in the U13 squad were Alex Lynch, Kieran Regan, Ben Isaac and Ben Phillips.
Nathan Fatola had a super day in the Under 15 boys with two silvers and a bronze in the all-round competition. His silvers came in the triple jump with 7.86m and two lap race in 22.8 seconds.
There was also a bronze for Tom Snare in the shot with a fine 12.14m putt. Also in action from Ashford were Tom Williams and Temi Banwo who helped Kent finished third team in the South East competition.
The Kent Under 15 girls had Caitlin Dock, Kayleigh Miller-Leslie, Abigail Purkis, Lauren Bamford and Sophie Hamlyn in action in a top class competition. Caitlin and Lauren just missed out on medals with equal fourths in the speed bounce competition and Caitlin was the best Kent performer in the all rounder competition on equal ninth. Good news for the club is most of the athletes have another year in their age groups to improve even more.

Indoor delight for club

News Desk — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:17:04 +0000

Sophie Hamlyn, Lauren Bamford and Kayleigh Miller-Leslie

ASHFORD had a brilliant couple of days at the Kent Indoor track and field championships at the Lee Valley Centre winning 10 golds, 12 silver and 10 bronze medals.

One of the star performers was young Oliver Williams who took a full house of medals in the Under 15 age group with gold in a tight high jump contest with 1.50m, silver in the 60m hurdles with 9.73 holding off teammate Max Reeves and two bronze medals.
Oliver was third in the 200m with 26.19 and also in the 60m sprint (7.91) which was won by teammate Nathan Fatola who powered to a superb club record 7.77. Reeves was fifth in the sprint final.
Kara Gibbs took gold and silver in the senior women winning the high jump with 1.40m and second in the pole vault with 2.80m with teammate Emmeline Rendell in third with 2.70m as did Rachel Hanagan.
Rachel is ranked 9th in the country in the U20 triple jump after winning the Kent title with 11.14m and added the silver in the long jump with with 4.87m. Sister Laura leapt to a new indoor personal best of 10.21m in taking gold in the U17 triple jump.
Lauren Bamford won gold and silver taking the U15 county title in the 300m with a personal best 45.28 but was just edged out by clubmate Kayleigh Miller-Leslie in the 60m hurdles dash. Kayleigh took gold with 10.33 and Lauren clocked 10.45.
Also in the U15 girls Sophie Hamlyn claimed the county title in the long jump with 4.04m while at the other end of the age range Gary Macdonald won the M50 1km walk with 9:32.85.
Pete Davey and James Bridges secured senior men’s silver medals in the 60m hurdles and 200m respectively with 9.21 and 23.47 times while veteran Jon Ward took silver in the men’s shot 12.39 with Chris Kingland just missing a medal in fourth with 11.03m.
In the U20 men Tom Chambers held off teammate Hadley Pressley to take the 200m silver with 23.49 to Pressley’s 24.58 and Sam Beckett had a good weekend second in the U20 women’s 800m and third in the 400m. Sam was also fifth in the 60m sprint.
Amelia Jones was a fine second in the U17W 800 while Abigail Purkis set a personal best 28.15 in taking the bronze in the U15 200m with first year teammate Amber Currie making both the 60m and 200m finals.
Tom Williams took silver in the U17 triple jump with 11.73 and just missed another medal in the 60m hurdles fourth in 9.53 as well as a fifth in the 200m.
Jack Huxley took bronze in the U15 boys pole vault with a fine 2m vault and there were 200m personal bests for Caitlin Dock and Steve Walder. Others to go close to medals were Luke Williams fourth in the men’s pole vault (3.30m), Erin Maxwell fourth in the U15G high jump and fifth in the long jump and Lucy Holmes was fifth in the U17W shot.

Golden day for Cochran

News Desk — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:44:15 +0000

Ashley Cochran had a superb weekend

Three students from the Harvey Grammar School enjoyed success in the Kent Indoor Track and Field championships.

The two day competition took place at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Enfield and the Ashford AC trio of Tom Chambers, Ashley Cochran and Blake Robinson secured between them one gold medal, two silvers and one bronze.

In the Under 20 men Ashley contested the 400 metres on the Saturday and despite being heavily impeded off the final bend, managed to keep on his feet and secure the bronze medal in a new indoor personal best time of 53.66 seconds.

On Sunday Ashley ran a brilliant tactical race in the 800 metre final, sprinting the last 60 metres to take the gold medal and Kent title. His time of 2:5.28 seconds was a massive 10 seconds off his indoor best and two seconds off his outdoor best time.

Tom took the silver medal in the Under 20 men’s 200m final, equalling his indoor personal best time of 23.49 seconds and because of random lane draw selection, Tom had to overcome the disadvantage of the inside lane.

The third of the Harvey trio, Blake, competed in the Under 17 men’s shot, putting the 5 kilo weight out to a personal best distance of 10.08 metres for the silver medal, only five centimetres short of the gold medal distance.

Gareth on track

News Desk — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:45:50 +0000

Garth Morris in action indoors

ASHFORD’S Gareth Morris competed in the Welsh senior indoor championships running a superb personal best over 800m of 1:59.15.
This was an improvement of over seven seconds by Gareth who was stepping up in distance as he is a very good 400m hurdler and competes internationally for Wales.
Said Gareth: “I was very pleased to run this fast over 800m and to break 2mins for the first time is icing on the cake. It shows that my winter training is going well and I may look to do another race over 800m this winter as my race tactics need to improve.”