We send our congratulations (1) to Donna Fraser (Croydon Harriers) who was awarded an OBE for services to equality, inclusion and diversity in the workplace and (2) to Susan Deaves (Woking AC) who was awarded an MBE for services to athletics.
(2) PEGGY BURCHELL 1923 - 2021
It is with sadness that we report the death on New Years Day of Peggy Burchell a Life Member of the County Association. Peggy was for many years the person who issued the competitors numbers to the male athletes at the County Track & Field Championships. She stopped doing this when she became unsteady on her feet and was concerned that she would be a liability. On being made a Patron of the County and subsequently a Life Member she was entitled to attend County Committee meetings. When she started to attend these meetings she achieved a rare distinction in that she was the third generation of her family to be a member of the Surrey committee - her father, W H Child, represented Mitcham AC in the 1920s; her son Keith has been a committe member since the 1970s and she joined in the 1990s. Peggy gave tremendous service to Croydon Harriers and was their treasurer for many years and was a leading fundraiser for the project that saw the club build its own headquarters at Croydon Sports Arena
(3) IDRIS OJURIYE 1984 - 2021
Herne Hill Harriers are saddened and shocked to advise that Idris Ojuriye, their popular and talented sprinter, sadly passed away suddenly on Monday 4th January. Idris was an valuable member of their BAL national league team for over fifteen years competing over 100m and 200m and sprint relays and was a regular competitor in indoor and outdoor championships ranging from Surrey to National champs. He represented Surrey on a number of occasions including competing at the Inter Counties championships and won medals at the Surrey outdoor and indoor championships. Idris was a popular, inspiring competitor and team member who was heavily involved in coaching in schools and local South London tracks where he inspired many youngsters to start athletics.
Bill Nankeville died on 8th January 2021 aged 95. Bill, a member of Walton AC, was one of the leading middle-distance runners in Britain in the 10 years following the Second World War. He was 6th in the 1500m Final at the 1948 Olympics and was a semi-finalist four years later at Helsinki. In 1950 he set a British record when finishing 3rd in the 1500m Final at the European Championships in Brussels. From 1947 - 1953 he was a medallist every year in the Mile at the AAA Championships, finishing first on 4 occasions. After retiring from competition he maintained his links with Walton AC and regularly attended club functions until recently.
Gordon Biscoe died in Epsom Hospital on 12th February 2021 aged 88. Gordon had been a member of Belgrave Harriers for 68 years. In addition to being a staunch Belgravian he regularly attended Surrey Championships and volunteered as an official on many occasions.
(7) SURREY COUNTY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AGM, 26TH MARCH 2021
The AGM was held as a Zoom meeting. The following officials were elected: President - Jeff Manson; Chairman - Frances Ratchford; Vice-Chairman - David Clarke; Treasurer - Gordon Campbell and Secretary - Lynne Reed.
(8) SURREY COUNTY RECORD UNDER-15 GIRLS SHOT, 25TH APRIL 2021
Competing in the Hercules Wimbledon meeting held at Wimbledon Park on the the 25th April 2021 Victoria Alicante-King (Herne Hill Harriers) set a new record for the U15 Girls 3kg Shot with a put of 12.63m. This beat the previous County record of 12.45m for the 3kg shot which was set by Je'nae James (Herne Hill Harriers) in September 2018.
(9) WORLD ATHLETICS RELAYS, CHORZOW, POLAND, 1ST/2ND MAY 2021
Jessie Knight (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) and Dwayne Cowan (Hercules Wimbledon AC) are members of the 4x400m squads selected to represent Great Britain & Northern Ireland. The heats were held on Saturday.
In the Women's 4x400m heat 3 Jessie Knight ran the third leg for the team which won in 3:28.83 to qualify for Sunday's final. In the Men's 4x400m heat 3 Dwayne Cowan ran the final leg for the team which finished 5th in 3:10.63 following a fall by the runner on the second leg.
In the Women's 4x400m final held on Sunday Jessie Knight ran the last leg for the team which finished third in 3:29.27.
(10) SURREY COUNTY BEST PERFORMANCE UNDER-20 WOMEN 1500M STEEPLECHASE, 8TH MAY 2021
Martha Collings (Woking AC) set the fastest time by an U20 Woman for the 1500m Steeplechase when she finished second with a time of 5:00.80 at the Yeovil Open Meeting on 8th May. Unfortunately, because the organisers included some Under-15 Boys in the race it was a mixed gender event and so Martha's time does not qualify as a County record. The County record remains as the performance of 5:07.07 set by Zoe Tompkins in 2018.
(11) SURREY COUNTY RECORD UNDER-15 GIRLS SHOT, 16TH MAY 2021
Competing in the SLAN meeting held at Carshalton on the the 16th May 2021 Victoria Alicante-King (Herne Hill Harriers) set a new record for the U15 Girls 3kg Shot with a put of 12.99m. This beat the previous County record of 12.63m which she set in April 2021. It also bettered the record for the 3.25kg Shot of 12.76m set by Michella Obijiaku (Herne Jill Harriers) in 2012.
(12) LOUGHBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL, SUNDAY 23RD MAY 2021
Pippa Roessler (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC) represented GB Juniors in the 3000m where she finished 10th in 9:46.72.
(13) EUROPEAN ATHLETICS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS SUPER LEAGUE, SILESIA, POLAND, SATURDAY/SUNDAY 29TH/30TH MAY 2021
Representing GB & NI were:-
Lawrence Okoye (Croydon H) who won the Discus with a throw of 64.22m
and Imani Lansiquot (Sutton & District) who was 3rd in 100m with a time of 11.27/+1.3 and ran the 2nd leg in the 4x100m relay which they won in 43.36.
(14) SURREY COUNTY RECORD UNDER-20 WOMEN 1500M STEEPLECHASE, 5TH JUNE 2021
Running in the BMC meeting held at Milton Keynes on the the 5th June 2021 Martha Collings (Woking AC) set a new record for the U20 Women 1500m Steeplechase when winning the race in a time of 5:01.86. This beat the previous County record of 5:02.51 which sheset as an under-17 in July 2019.
It is with sadness that we report the death on 19th June 2021 of Clive Shippen. Clive was President of the Surrey County AAA in 1981. He represented Surrey in the Inter-Counties Cross-Country in 1962 after finishing 11th in the Surrey County Championship. In 1969 he became the co-editor of SCAN. He died in Australia where he lived.
(18) SURREY COUNTY RECORD SENIOR & UNDER-20 WOMEN 1500M STEEPLECHASE, 9TH JULY 2021
Running in the English Schools Championships held at Sportcity, Manchester on the the 9th July 2021 Martha Collings (Woking AC) set a new record for the Senior & U20 Women 1500m Steeplechase when winning the race in a time of 4:54.54. This beat the previous County record of 5:01.86 which she set in June.
(19) EUROPEAN UNDER-23 CHAMPIONSHIPS, TALLINN, ESTONIA, 8TH - 11TH JULY 2021
Congratulations to Kristal Awuah (HHH) on winning a bronze medal for the GB & NI Team in the 100m. She was a member of the 4x100m squad where she ran the 4th leg.
In the 100m Kristal won both her heat (11.36/+1.4) and her semi-final (11.33/+1.3) on Thursday to qualify for Friday's final. In the final she finished third with a time of 11.44/-1.3.
In the relay the team won their heat in 43.62 but in the final the second leg runner pulled up injured so they did not finish.
