Ilford Athletic Club members have plenty to celebrate

The club sent nine three-strong teams to the county event, with U15s Aron Berhe, Ryder Islam and Sam Horsley finishing fifth.

U17s Aaron Hick, Samuel Crane and James Thake ran well to place seventh, while Carlie Qirem (29.51), Joanne Reeves (32.02) and Jordan Hinds (27.21) led the senior women to a respectable ninth over difficult terrain.

Dianne Crisp (37.50), Alison Sale (32.49) and late call-up Mandy Reid (38.25) brought the V50 team home in fourth, while Tom Gardener (21.50), Malcolm Muir (23.53) and Berekhet Berakhy (23.34) claimed a well-deserved bronze for the V40 men.

Meanwhile, Seb Parris (27.05), Danny Holeyman (27.44) and Joel Denning (28.01) were 15th, as Steve Crane (28.45), Dennis Briggs (29.24) and Tariq Qirem (32.31) placed 19th out of 24 teams.

The V50 team were led off by Richard Woolterton (26.55), before Fabrizio Stefani (24.08) ran a very fast second leg and Diarmuid Mac Donnell (26.14) brought them home just outside the bronze-medal position in fourth.

Ilford were represented by three club legends in the V60 event and saw Terry Knightly (28.15), Ray Dzikowski (28.16) and Neil Crisp – who ran a superb 26.48 final leg – combine to claim gold.

Valentines Park was the stage for the eighth and final ELVIS race on Sunday, with Ilford entering 29 runners for the 5k event.

Gardner was first home in 15.58, with Sam Horsley (16.32) third and Samuel Crane (17.31) sixth ahead of Berekhy (17.40) in seventh.

Muir (17.48) was 10th and Joshua Adler (18.01) completed the scoring for the victorious squad in 12th, as Ilford finished third in the final standings.

Stephen Philcox (18.13) was 13th and first M50 athlete, while Neil Crisp (19.52) came home in 35th overall as first M60.

There was very little between Aaron Hick (23rd, 19.05), Rhys Edwards (24th, 19.06) and James Thake (25th, 19.08), as Steve Chissell (43rd, 20.26) also made the top 50.

Tarik Qirem (60th, 21.06), Steven Horsley (66th, 21.24), Adam Coals (71st, 21.31), Gary Floate (78th, 21.47), Craig Livermore (89th, 22.27), Sean Costello (99th, 22.58) and Ramen (151st, 26.03) completed the men’s squad.

Meanwhile, Ilford’s women finished second on the day and runners-up for the season, after Jordan Hinds (18.42) led them home in 17th.

Carlie Qirem (63rd, 21.12) and Joanne Reeves (70th, 21.30) were not far apart, while Breege Nordin (22.56) was 98th overall and firt F60 athlete home.

Leila Lauder (105th, 23.17) and Alison Sale (108th, 23.26) completed the scoring, with Anika Sharma (125th, 24.41), Pauline Tester (149th, 25.50), Dianne Crisp (164th, 27.42) and Julia Galea (185th, 30.24) also running.

Ilford finished first in the mixed team category, with Muir (M40), Philcox (M50) and Crisp (M60) champions of their age groups.

*Ilford’s Rob Sargent competed at the European Masters Championships in Pescara, Italy on Sunday.

Sargent (M65) finished the 8k race in 44.35 for 20th place overall, despite heavy rain with a lot of standing water, and second scorer as Great Britain finished fourth.