Additional News from May 2007

James Grant

16-year-old Edgware schoolboy James Grant took time off from his GCSE revision to set a personal best of 3.80 metres in the pole vault at the UK Athletics Young Athletes League meeting at Windsor on Sunday May 20th. This achievement means that Grant, a student at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree, has achieved the qualifying standard for the England Schools Championships, and is eligible for selection by Hertfordshire Schools.

In vaulting almost the full height of a double-decker bus, Grant won the competition by 70 cm. Multi-eventer Grant also won valuable points for his club Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers by winning the 'B' 100 metres hurdles event and competing in the Hammer and the 4 x 100 metres relay.

This all completed a successful fortnight for Grant, who on the previous weekend had won the Middlesex Under-17 pole vault title with a height of 3.70 metres.
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Edgware all-rounder James Grant, 16, continues to fit in fine athletic performances between GCSE exams and revision. On Sunday 27^th May, Grant won a bronze medal in the pole vault in the South of England Athletic Association Under-17 Championships at Ashford, equalling his personal best of 3.80 metres. He also came 5th in the 100m hurdles, with a new personal best of 15.20 seconds, and told JC Sport: "It was good to get a result over the hurdles because I've only been training for the event in the last few months."

Last Sunday Grant was in action again in the Young Athletes League meeting in Hendon, running the 400 metres hurdles in 61 seconds in his first attempt at the event. "It's a difficult event because you have to be able to take the hurdles with either leading leg, and I stuttered a bit out there. But my time was just a couple of seconds outside the English Schools' standard, and I am sure I can improve both my technique and my overall speed".

This weekend Grant competes in the pole vault in the Hertfordshire Schools' championships, and the following weekend he represents Hertfordshire in the Regional Multi Event (Octathlon) Championships.

Greater Manchester Athletics Championships

Two Jewish youngsters achieved fine victories in the Greater Manchester Athletics Championships on May 13th. Jennifer Simmons of Sale Harriers won the Under-17 300 metre Hurdles competition in 47.34 seconds, while in the Under-11 age group, Ellie Edwards of Bury AC won the 75 metres in 11.35 seconds and came second in the Long Jump with 3.32 metres.

A week after her Manchester victory, Simmons reduced her 300 metres hurdles best to 46.0, in winning a Young Athletes' League Northern Premier Division race in Hull. Then on the last weekend of May she came fifth in the North of England championships in 46.98 seconds.

Benaim races to new Personal Best

London-based Israeli Sagie Benaim, 16, sliced ten seconds off his personal best in his first race of the season over 1500 metres. Competing against older athletes in the Under-20 age group, Benaim came fourth in the Young Athletes League Premier Division race at Hendon on May 27th, in a time of 4:05.69. His performance helped his club Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers to victory against the other seven athletic clubs in the match.

Benaim told JC Sport: "I was very pleased to improve so much and I feel that there is still more to come. Another six seconds off my time would give me the Israeli Under-18 record, so that's quite a target for me."

On the other side of the Atlantic...

Adam Goucher, 32, has started a track season in which he hopes to gain a place in the American team for this summer's World Athletics Championships in Osaka. A fortnight ago he recorded a time of 3:37.13 in the 1500 metres at the Adidas Classic meeting in Carson, California, in placing fifth, just one second behind winner Nick Willis of New Zealand. The following week he moved up to his preferred distance of 5000 metres, coming 3rd in the "Road to Eugene" meeting in Oregon. Leading the field through the halfway point in 6:39, he finished in a time of 13:33.05, 13 seconds behind winner Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico.

Soaring high

The two truly world-class Jewish pole vaulters were both were in action over the last weekend in May. Jillian Schwartz, who represented the USA at the 2004 Olympics, recorded a height of 4.20 metres, coming 8^th in the "Road to Eugene" meeting in Oregon. Israeli vaulter Aleksandr Averbukh, gold medallist at the last two European Championships, achieved a 5.50 metres clearance in coming 5^th at the "World Athletics Tour" meeting at Hengelo in Holland, 20 cm behind American winner Jeff Hartwig.

May 2007

Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - May 4, 2007

Kastor suffers in the Boston winds

In cool, wet and windy conditions, last year's London Marathon winner Deena Kastor came a disappointing fifth in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Kastor was part of the leading group of runners at the half-way point, reached in a slow 1 hour 17 minutes. However, shortly after this point Kastor began to suffer from stomach cramps and was forced to take a short rest-room break. She finished in 2:35:09, almost six minutes behind the Russian winner Lidiya Grigoryeva.

"It's hard to deal with a disappointing performance when you've prepared for so much better than you did out there," said Kastor. Nevertheless, Kastor's performance won her the United States Marathon title and a bonus of $25,000 (£12,570).

Jo Ankier at South of England Road Relay Championships, 1st April 2007

Jo Ankier was the fastest competitor on the third 5.4 kilometre stage of the 6-stage South of England Road Relay Championships at Milton Keynes on 1st April. Her storming run took her team, Shaftesbury Barnet 'A', from fourth position into a one minute lead. Shaftesbury eventually finished third out of 25 teams.

Benaim starts track season

16-year-old Sagie Benaim opened his track season last weekend with a 2 minutes 4 seconds 800 metres in the London Inter-Club Challenge event at Hendon's Copthall Stadium. Benaim is due to contest the same event, again at Copthall Stadium, in the Middlesex Championships on 12th May.

Gush Etzion 10 km Championships

Ex-Londoner Daniel Felsenstein, 49, was first veteran, and sixth overall, in the Gush Etzion 10 km Championships in Israel. Felsenstein recorded 38:42 over a hilly and stony course. The race was won by Israeli traithlon champion and Olympic contender Ron Alterman.

Jewish Chronicle “Sport in Brief” - May 11, 2007

Adam Goucher of America, the world's fastest Jewish miler, came second in the One Mile at the Oregon Twilight Meeting in 4 minutes 2.45 seconds last weekend. The race was won by Canadian Ryan McKenzie in 4minutes 1 second.

Jewish Chronicle Athletics Profile - May 18th, 2007

Track stalwart extends his run

In his 50th year of involvement in the administration of athletics, Manchester solicitor Walter Nicholls has been re-elected as Secretary of the Amateur Athletic Association. "We are the oldest governing body for athletics in the world, and my role is really to be the point of contact for the Association".

Walter and his wife Marlene are members of the Sha'arei Hayim congregation of Didsbury, South Manchester. Looking forward to celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary next month, the couple have four children (two boys, two girls) and nine grandchildren.

Nicholls' long career in the service of his sport began in 1958 with his election to the committee of Salford Harriers and with officiating and timekeeping at athletics meetings. While living in Israel for three years in the late 1960's, Nicholls officiated in the 1969 Maccabia Games, and he returned to the Maccabia in 1985 as GB Athletics Team Manager. "When we arrived I found that South Africa had also sent a team, and I realised that our own athletes could be banned if they competed against them, owing to the international boycott that was in place at the time. I persuaded the South African team to have their own competition away from the others, but though the athletes thanked me, it did not make me popular with the Maccabia organisation. Nonetheless, the Israeli Sports Association invited me back as Chief Timekeeper for the following Maccabia in 1989."

Over the last 30 years, Nicholls has served Northern and National athletics in many roles, including Great Britain and England team selection, team management and anti-drugs enforcement. He is a Director of the British Association for Sport and Law, and sits on the UK Sports Dispute Resolution Panel. He represented the English athletics delegation at last year's Commonwealth Games.

A lifetime's service in the running of the sport has not prevented Nicholls from competing as well. "In my fifties I won medals in Northern and National veterans' championships in the discus. I'm 71 now and I've had a hip operation, but I'm still competing."

“Sport in Brief” items

16-year-old London-based Israeli Sagie Benaim came 5th in the Middlesex Under-20 800 metres championships in Hendon last weekend. Benaim recorded a time of 2:02 in a tactical race won in 1:58.

Last week's Israeli 10,000 metre track championship was won by Israeli marathon champion and 2-time Olympian Ayala Satiin in 30:37.5. Runner-up in 30:44.7 was Assaf Mamo, an up-and-coming young Ethiopian from Jerusalem. The Women's race was won in 36:29.7 by Nili Abramski, who will be competing in the marathon at the World Championships in Osaka this summer. It was the tenth time she has won the Israeli 10,000 metre championships.

Ex-Hendoners Daniel Felsenstein and Mindy Ebrahimoff acquitted themselves well at the Gaash cross-country race near Tel-Aviv last Friday. Felsenstein was 10th overall and first over-50's veteran, behind overall winner Tzachi Cohen, an Israeli international 1500m runner. Ebrahimoff, a marathon-runner and mother of four, took second place in the womens over-50's race.

London Marathon April 22

Jewish Chronicle, April 27, 2007

A slog, but worth it in the long run

Warm sunshine made last Sunday a fine day for spectating the 27th London Marathon, but a difficult day for running it. As always, Jewish runners were out in force, raising funds for many worthy causes. The fastest known to the JC was Thea Gudgeon, a fitness instructor from Watford, who clocked an outstanding 3 hours 17 minutes. The most successful fundraiser was Paul Cohen, 40, of Golders Green, who recorded 4:14 and raised £28,351 in aid of Jewish Blind & Disabled. The most senior Jewish runner was Maurice Raynor, 68, who ran his 7th Marathon in 4:38.

Solicitor Philip Hertz, 39, raised nearly £10,000 for Norwood, running 4:39 despite injury having disrupted his last month's preparation. Medical student Joe Nathan, 20, also overcame a knee injury in the final weeks of training to run his first Marathon in 4:26. "My right knee was aching after 16 miles and I was wondering how I could finish. But somehow my mind took over." He raised around £2500 for Norwood.

Another medical student running his first marathon, James Goodman, 21, ran a fast 3:44, raising in excess of £5000 for the National Autistic Society. "I was going well for the first 2 hours but then my calves and thighs gave in. But it was an amazing experience."

Solicitor Yossi Miller, 32, finished in 4:11, raising over £3500 for Norwood and the Gavriel Meir Muscular Dystrophy Trust. "My legs gave out on me with four miles to go, but I just had to beat my wife Danielle's 4:20 time from 2003. Next year we'll run it together, in under four hours!"

Debbie Zimmerman, in her second London Marathon, completed some unfinished business from her previous outing. "In 2002 I ran 5 hours and 1 minute, and that minute has always niggled me." This time she ran 4:54.

Team Norwood training partners Nigel Henry (3:46), Daniel Hertz (4:28) and David Rosenfeld (4:31) each found the heat gruelling, and suffered leg cramps due to salt loss. It was a fifth successive London for Mr. Rosenfeld, whose sister Carol lives at one of Norwood’s residential homes for adults with learning disabilities.

Spencer Goodman finished in high spirits in 5:02. "The first half was a doddle, but my legs packed in at about 21 miles. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I have fought in a boxing ring in my time. But it was fantastic – the atmosphere was amazing." Both Philip Kendall and Gary Rokenson told a similar story of running out of energy at 21 miles, but of being helped through to the finish by the support of the crowd.

History Professor David Cesarani, 50, running his second successive London Marathon, raised more than £2000 for Help the Hospices. Unlike others, he preferred this year's warmth to last year's rain, and was delighted to record 4:55. "It was hard going for the first two hours before it got cooler, but the support from the crowd was tremendous. I had to walk a bit at 17 miles, but I was determined to beat 5 hours and that got me running again."

Running Rabbinical couple Brian and Terry Rubenstein were pleased to finish together in 4:42, raising £25,000 for Aish and Shelter in the process. Terry, running her first Marathon, showed her fortitude by overcoming constant hamstring and knee pain. "Also," said Rabbi Rubenstein, "she egged me on over the difficult last five miles. I've run four Londons, and this was my best time. We're both very proud of each other."

Another husband and wife team, Lauren and Neil Hamburger, were cheered on around the course by a supporters club of family and friends who had come down from Manchester. Altogether they raised £10,000 for Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association and for Nightingale House. Lauren said "It was really hot, and that made it harder to run, but it was a fantastic day." Neil ran 4:31 and Lauren 5:37.

Brothers Robin and Joel Clark (29 and 25 respectively) ran the course together, finishing in 4:23. For both of them, it was their first marathon. "It was a fantastic day out - the support from the crowds was incredible, not to mention the camaraderie among the runners." Together they have raised almost £8000 for children's charity ChildLine.

Jeremy Miller flew in from Israel to run for British Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem, and raised over £2,600 for the charity. He set aside his own aspirations in order to remain with his father Stephen who developed heatstroke, so that they could cross the line together. Within sight of the finish Jeremy snapped a tendon in his foot, but despite his pain he was determined to receive his medal.

Melvyn Carter, 52, and his son Joel, 27, raised funds for North London Hospice, while his younger son Adam, 25, raised almost £4000 for Chai Cancer Care. Their times were respectively 5:28, 3:56 and 3:36. Belinda Lewis ran 4:01, raising £1000 for her four year old niece Grace, who has cerebral palsy. Michael Goldman raised £10,000 for the Sarcoma Department of Christie's Hospital in Manchester, where his brother in-law is currently under supervision.

Edgware grandmother Flora Frank completed her 11th London Marathon, and 15th marathon in total for Norwood, in 6:05. She raised around £11,500, with the majority going to Norwood. She said: “It was very difficult in the heat, considering that I dressed for Rabbinic modesty rather than for comfort. But it was amazing and please G-d I’ll be there next year too.” The most prolific marathon runner among the men was Martin Fine, who completed his 13th marathon in 4:07.

A suitable post-script to the day was provided by Bat-Zion Sacks, wife of the JC Marathon correspondent. Despite entering the event without training, she ran 5:50 and reported "The only thing swollen at the end was my heart."

British Emunah: Martin Fine 4:07; Flora Frank 6:05; Ben Hadi 6:06; Daniel Rose 3:54; Bat-Zion Sacks 5:50 (Total raised: £20,000)

Chai Cancer Care: Glenda Aussenberg 7:41; Adam Carter 3:36; Craig Gottlieb 5:51; Michael Patterson 6:09;
David Wise 4:03 (Total raised: £15,000)

Jewish Care: Nat Abenaim 4:13; Zak Braham 6:11; Lorett Bredenkamp 6:28; Gary Rokenson 4:46; David Specterman 5:20. Jonny Goldstone retired at 20 miles due to knee injury (Total raised: over £11,000)

Maccabi GB: Ariel Leon 5:13; Jeremy Schwartz 4:04; Antony Silverberg 3:40

Magen David Adom: David Allen 6:06; Nicola Cane 5:17

Nightingale House: Daniel Caplan: 4:33; Paul Carter: 4:29; Mark Felix: 3:49; Lauren Hamburger: 5:37; Amanda Raphael: 4:25

Norwood: Eldon Beinart 4:40; Neil Benardout 4:59; Sarah Dembitz 6:17; Adam Fine 4:59; Flora Frank 6:05; David Freeder 5:14; Spencer Goodman 5:02; Thea Gudgeon 3:17; Nigel Henry 3:46; Daniel Hertz 4:28; Philip Hertz 4:39; Philip Kendall 4:03; Andrew Mccormick 3:29; Yossi Miller 4:11; Elliott Mullish 3:33; Joseph Nathan 4:26; Lisa Pomeranc 4:15; David Rosenfeld 4:31; Yann Solakian 4:06; Adam Velleman 4:49; Debbie Zimmerman 4:54 (Total raised: £75,000)

One to One: Daniel Astaire 4:21; Lee Ballen 3:58; Lucy Crystal 5:20; Roger Crystal 4:21; Francis Fitzgibbon 4:03; Elayne Mattey 4:50; Suzanne Werth 4:56 (Total raised: £25,000)

Others: Steven Berkman 4:35; Melvyn Carter 5:28; Joel Carter 3:56; David Cesarani 4:55; Robin Clark 4:23; Joel Clark 4:23; Paul Cohen 4:14; Michael Goldman 6:13; James Goodman 3:44; Neil Hamburger 4:31; Belinda Lewis 4:01; Jeremy Miller 7:11; Stephen Miller 7:11; Marc Paydon 4:12; David Pinnick 4:16; Maurice Raynor 4:38; Brian Rubenstein 4:42; Terry Rubenstein 4:42; David Specterman 5:20;

News Reports April 2007

Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - April 6, 2007

Medal hat-trick in March for Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor, of Liverpool Pembroke Sefton Athletic Club, struck gold in his first international appearance, as part of Great Britain's victorious 4 x 400m relay team at the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham on 4th March. Running the third stage of the relay, 22-year-old Taylor advanced the British team from third to second spot, a position they maintained to the finish. The team were awarded their gold medals after the first-placed German team were disqualified for pushing.

Taylor followed up this achievement one week later with another gold medal in the same event at the British Universities Indoor Championships at Sheffield, this time running as part of the Loughborough University relay team. He completed a medal hat-trick with a bronze in the 200m individual event, where he ran a personal best time of 21.72 seconds.

Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - April 13, 2007

Benaim ends the season on a high

Israeli-born Londoner Sagie Benaim achieved a fine 37th place finish out of more than 300 athletes in last weekend's England Schools Cross Country Championships at Leeds. Competing against runners up to two years his senior, 16-year-old Benaim completed the 6.6 km course in 23 minutes and was second scorer for the London Team.

"The race brings my cross-country season to a close. I am very happy with how it has gone, especially this race because I was competing against older runners. The course suited me because there were four laps and two big hills per lap. I gained a few places on the hills and also on the final run in.

"My three all-England races this past month have taken me up and down the country. I have run on courses where I could see for miles over green fields and hills. Coming from Israel, I have been struck by the competitiveness and tension amongst the runners before the start, which turns itself into a frantic sprint once the race begins.

"I am sure that this winter's running will have built up my strength for the track season which is now beginning."

Former Londoners shine in the Jerusalem ten kilometre championships

Former Hendon resident Daniel Felsenstein came first in the 50-54 age group category and 12th overall out of 850 competitors in the Jerusalem 10k last week. Fellow ex-North Londoner Ian Cohen came second in the 45-49 age group.

Felsenstein told JC Sports, "I was happy with my time of 38 minutes 45 seconds because it was a very hilly course. On the other hand, weather conditions were ideal and the Jerusalem scenery is spectacular."

The race was held in conjunction with the Jerusalem Half Marathon. In both the men's and women's events of this longer race, an Ethiopian runner led an Israeli home. In the men's race, Naile Admasu finished almost a minute clear of Asaf Bimro in 1 hour 9 minutes 24 seconds. Dagne Kalkidan was the first woman across the line in 1 hour 19minutes 12 seconds, followed 75 seconds later by Nili Abramski.

News reports March 2007

Jewish Chronicle "Sport in Brief" items - March 2, 2007

London based Israeli schoolboy Sagie Benaim was second scorer for Middlesex in the Under 17's age group in the Inter-Counties cross-country championships at Nottingham last weekend. Overall, Benaim came 66th out of 300 entrants. "It was a very muddy, three lap course with a tough hill at the beginning of each lap, so conditions were pretty difficult." Benaim's next big test is the National Cross-Country Championships in Sunderland next weekend.

Former Hendon resident Daniel Felsenstein, aged 49, came second in his age group, and 27th overall, in the Israeli National Cross-Country Championships on 23rd February, completing the 10.45 km course in 38 min 16 seconds.

Last year's London Marathon winner Deena Kastor demonstrated strong form in the Yokohama Women's Ekiden on Sunday. Running as part of the USA team in this road relay over the full Marathon distance, she broke the previous course record for her 10 km stage, completing it in 31 minutes and nine seconds.

Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - March 16, 2007

Kastor in a class of her own

London Marathon winner Deena Kastor, 34, earned her fifth American 15 km title in Jacksonville, Florida last weekend, in a race that she described as "playful and fun". Her time of 47 min 20 seconds in the Gate River Run was just five seconds shy of her own American record for the distance, and earned her a prize of $12,000. She beat the second placed lady, Jen Rhines, by almost two minutes.

The fun element of the race was an 'equaliser' challenge in which the women started five minutes before the men, to give them an equal chance of breaking the tape first. Kastor became the first woman to ever win this challenge, and thereby boosted her prize money by a further $5000.

In warm and humid conditions, Kastor set a fast early pace and led from start to finish. The quality of her victory can be judged from her winning margin of 1 minute 20 seconds over Meg Keflezighi, the current Men's Olympic Marathon silver medallist, in a race where men and women competed on an equal footing.

Kastor's main rivals in the race, both male and female, were also her training partners in California. "It was like another day of hard practice, really.... I kept waiting to hear breathing or footsteps". But no other runner managed to even come close to Kastor.

Fine cross country performance by Benaim

One of the most spectacular sights in sport is the start of the National Cross-country Championship. Several hundred competitors assemble along a start-line that stretches a furlong wide. When the starting claxon sounds, all charge off in an attempt to be in a good position when the course narrows down to a bottleneck. The sound is like distant thunder.

Last weekend at Sunderland, 16 year old Sagie Benaim was a part of that charge, and he acquitted himself with honour. Benaim came 34th out of 188 finishers in the Under-17 event, and helped his club, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, to a fine third place finish nationally. Benaim completed the 6.2 km event in 22 minutes 16 seconds.

Benaim told JC Sport: "The course consisted of one short lap and one long lap through up-and-down parkland. I pushed hard for a good position at the start, and was placed in the top twenty on the first lap, but then I lost a few places later on. Although the course was hilly the main problem was the very strong wind. But our team did well and I am very pleased with my performance."

Benaim's next test is the Inter-schools Cross Country Championship in Leeds on 24th March, after which he will turn his attention towards preparing for the summer track season.

Young Israeli on course for UK track success

Publication: The Jewish Chronicle
Date: February 23, 2007

Rising star of the running track Sagie Benaim will be representing Middlesex in the Under-17's UK Inter-Counties Cross-country Championships at Nottingham this weekend. Sixteen year old Sagie earned his place in this four mile race by coming second in the Middlesex championships in January, leading his club Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers to team victory. Over a rain-sodden course in Wembley, Sagie was just beaten in the final sprint for the line.

Much-travelled Sagie was born in Israel and has also lived in France, Germany and Belgium. He has been based in England for the last two years, and is currently studying for the International Baccalaureate Diploma at the Southbank International School in Central London. For the last year he has been running for Hendon-based Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, under the guidance of coach Geoffrey Williams. But Sagie also attributes much of his ability and success to his mother Mazal, a former Israeli 3000 metres, marathon and cross-country champion. Equally at home over cross-country or on the athletics track, Sagie is a hard worker in the style of Paula Radcliffe.

Sagie has been enjoying a very successful winter season. In November he became Israeli National Under-17 champion in the Eyal Cross-country race, and later spent a week training with the Israeli National squad in Tel Aviv. He also won a Gold medal in the Under-17 Southern Road Relays and came ninth in the "Lotto Cup" International Meeting in Brussels.

Sagie's cross-country programme will continue with the National Championships at Sunderland on 10th March, and then the Inter-schools Championships at Leeds two weeks later. Then in April he will begin his track season, concentrating on the 800 metres and 1500 metres. Last year, at age 15, Sagie recorded the very impressive times of 2 minutes 1 seconds for 800 metres, 4 minutes 15 seconds for 1500 metres, and 4 minutes 35 seconds for one mile. He hopes to improve those times significantly this year. In July he will compete in the Israeli Senior National Championships, and he hopes to qualify for this year's English Schools and World Youth Championships.

Looking further ahead, Sagie has many options open to him, both in the UK and in Israel, when he finishes school next year. The one thing he is certain of is that he would like to follow his mother in earning and wearing the International Athletics vest of the country of his birth, Israel.