3:03pm Tuesday 13th May 2008
ENFIELD & Haringey AC produced 39 champions in county championships spreading from the Home Counties to as far as Humberside.
Twenty-six of these gold medals came from the Middlesex championships at Copthall Stadium, Hendon, while nine Hertfordshire titles were won at the Woodside Stadium, Watford.
Five of the EHAC champions also set outstanding championship best performances: 14-year-old Amy Johnston threw the 3.25k implement 46.44 metres in the G15 Hammer at Copthall, a result that places her third on the UK lists; another 14-year-old, Godwin Gyeabour, hurtled over the 84cm high 80m hurdles into a strong headwind (-3.8) to equal the Middlesex B15 championship record and sprint to the top of the UK ranking lists. Sarah Gibson maintained her high standard in the U20 Pole Vault with a winning height and new championship record of 3.00m; third and fourth were clubmates Margaret Akot and Izzy Krassimenou, both clearing 2.40m.
At Watford, in the Hertfordshire U20 championships on Sunday, two EHAC 18-year-olds dominated their hurdle events. In the morning, Zac Saucede dominated the 400m hurdles, setting his third PB in 15 days, running 53.62 and winning by more than four seconds. Zac's time took him to 4th on the UK lists, only half a second off the number 1 spot. Later that afternoon, Saucede took the 110m hurdles title with a run timed at 15.26 into a headwind, with Stephen Barnard second in 16.02.
The last event of the day saw Shaun Collins face the starter of the 2km steeplechase, with the twin targets of the championship record (6:12) and the English Schools qualifying standard (6:07) to beat. Unfazed by being the only competitor in the race, Collins set about his mammoth task with determination and concentration, clearing the barriers in immaculate style, running laps of 69, 72, 72, 72, 70 and covering the remaining metres to the finish line in seven seconds for a final time of 6:02.16, achieving his double aim and going to number two on the UK lists.
Training partner Ben Nagy had earlier burst away from the U20 800m field at the bell to take the title in a PB of 1:58.19. A two man duel at the front of the senior 800m took front running Rhys Fowler to a fast early season time of 1:53.83 in second place.
Enfield & Haringey AC's pool of extremely talented athletes continues to produce outstanding champions. Aaron James ran a UK leading 14.61 in a two-man field to win the Middlesex U20 110m hurdles and was also third in the 100m. Rhion Samuels picked up two golds in the men's under-17 competitions, taking the 100m in 11.05 with Jordan Arthur (11.40 - 11.29 heat) fifth and then, in his number 1 event, producing a scintillating run of 21.78 for the 200m gold. Olu Oyewobi took home the silver medal and Jordan Arthur ran 22.54 in 4th place.
Matt Harris won his first county title with his 50.00 seconds run in the U20 400 and must be just a race away from joining Gavin Eastman in the sub-50 club, the sprint specialist running 47.94 to win the senior one lap title from 800m runner Darren St Clair (48.18).
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