Daniel Sacks Awards and Review of the Year 2015

Two young middle-distance runners have been selected as the winners of the 2015 Daniel Sacks Awards for Outstanding Young Athletic Achievement.

The Girls’ Award winner is Maayan Radus, 11. Until recently Radus was a member of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, but she is now coached by Phillip Kissi as part of the City of London School for Girls running group. Radus was undefeated in the five cross-country races she ran as an Under 11, which included winning the Hertfordshire County Championship. Competing with distinction over 1500m on the track, she took the U13 Middlesex title with a 15 seconds personal best of 5:09.80. Radus was still just 10 years old at the time. Earlier this month Radus led her school to victory in the English Schools Cross Country Cup. "I now know who are the top runners of my age in the country, so my aim is to be up with them next season," Radus declared.

The Boys’ Award winner is Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Judah Yawitch, now 13. Hasmonean pupil Yawitch began his year by placing fourth in the Hertfordshire U13 cross country Championship and fifth in the Middlesex Schools Championship. His achievements during the track season included two victories and three second places over 800m in the Eastern Young Athletes League, and best times of 2:21.8 for 800m and 4:51.04 for 1500m. Yawitch said, "I was pleased to keep improving throughout the season, for which I would like to thank Tony Smith, my very supportive coach."

Athletes within the community gained several other significant titles and medals during 2015.

Eden Davis became the first Jewish athlete for several years to medal in the English Schools Championships, taking bronze in the intermediate 100m. In winning the Bedford International Games 100m in 10.76, Davis lowered a competition record that had stood for nine years. He placed second in the event in the U17 South of England Championships, and took 200m gold and 100m silver in the Hertfordshire Championships.

Pole vaulter Sophie Dowson steadily raised her personal best to 3.62m to rank sixth among the UK Under 17's. Dowson won the South of England U20 title at 3.60m and scaled the same height to place fifth in the England Athletics U20 Championship, placing second amongst the U17 competitors. Dowson placed fourth in the English Schools Championship despite illness preventing training in the week beforehand.

Dowson and fellow vaulter George Grant both took gold medals at the Middlesex Championships. Anna Barnett was another fine field event competitor, winning discus gold and shot-put bronze in the Kent U17 Schools competition. Barnett also placed second in both the shot and discus in the Kent County Championships.

David Stone,13, made a remarkable comeback from a year sidelined with knee problems to win the U13 London Mini Marathon Borough Challenge. He took the Hertfordshire U15 3000m title and won a National U15 Road Relay gold medal as a member of the victorious Shaftesbury Barnet team.

Lia Radus, older sister of Maayan, gained two victories in the Metropolitan Cross Country League and finished third in the Middlesex County Championship. She placed second in the U13 London Mini Marathon Borough Challenge just one second behind the winner, while on the track she took silver in the Middlesex U15 1500m Championship.

The Cheshire and Greater Manchester Championships proved to be a family affair for sisters Ellie, Allana and Orli Edwards. Former Maccabia gold medallist Ellie took the U20 100m title while Allana took bronze in the U17 300m hurdles and Orli secured silver in the U13 javelin. Ellie also gained an English Schools Championship relay gold, as well as several League victories.

The Hertfordshire Championships likewise provided a rich medal haul for Colette Hurley and her children Rebecca, Jessica and Greg. Colette and Jessica each won their age group 300m titles, with Jessica also taking a second gold in the U17 400m. Rebecca took U20 silver in the 400m hurdles while Greg gained bronze in the U15 300m.

Other athletes deserving recognition are Rachel Ayrton, Middlesex Schools silver medallist in the U17 800m and Matti Harris, Hertfordshire Schools silver medallist in the U13 1500m. Brothers Jack and Ben Bloom, 14 and 12 respectively, Tal Pelmont, 15, Sophie Peters, 14, and Phillip Benson, 23, all raced consistently well over the middle distances.

At age 76, Roger Bruck continued to defy both age and gravity. His medal tally of three golds and three silvers in UK Indoor and Outdoor Masters Championships included outdoor golds in both the high jump and long jump.

St Mary’s University student Richard Goodman began the new cross country season this October with five straight victories. Goodman gained selection for the European Under 23 Cross Country Championship in Hyeres, France, in which he ran an excellent race to help Great Britain secure team silver medals. Having learned by experience the dangers of overtraining, Goodman is hoping in the new year for the track breakthrough that will ultimately secure his regular place in the national senior team.

Team silver medal for Richard Goodman in European Under 23 Cross Country Championships

Richard Goodman produced a storming run to help Great Britain secure team silver in the European Under 23 Cross Country Championships in Hyeres, South of France. Goodman placed 11th individually and was third British scorer behind gold medallist Jonathan Davies and fourth place finisher Marc Scott. With the first four runners scoring in each six-man squad, GB finished just two points behind the winning Spanish team.

Always in the leading group until the front runners broke away in the final stages, Goodman led the field for the middle part of the five lap race. He completed the 8.087 km course in a fast 23:53, earning high praise from TV commentator Steve Cram.

"The race was very crowded and it began with a fierce sprint. Early on I got spiked and was thrown a few punches - I have never known such a rough race”, Goodman recounted. “So it was more comfortable to move to the front where I would have a clearer run. I knew going into the last lap that the pace would quicken and I did not have any extra reserves to call on. I could not have run the race any harder. So I'm really pleased for myself and for Jonathan and Marc, and delighted to earn team silver.”  

English Schools Cross Country Cup win for Maayan Radus

Maayan Radus led City of London School for Girls to national team victory in the under-13 English Schools Cross Country Cup in Bedford. Having been boxed in during the early stages of the race, Radus fought back to finish seventh out of 145 in the 2.4 km race.

Goodman gains his GB vest

Richard Goodman has secured his GB team place for next weekend’s European Cross Country Championships in Toulon, France. Shaftesbury Barnet star Goodman was third Under 23 finisher in the combined senior / Under 23 selection race at Sefton Park, Liverpool. He completed the muddy 9.8 km three-lap course in 30:49, six seconds behind Under 23 victor Jonathan Davies.

“I was slightly disappointed in that a couple of basic errors may have cost me the race," Goodman explained. ”I did not have enough to eat beforehand, and so my blood sugar levels were probably too low. Also, the early leaders set a furious pace and I made the mistake of going with them. So I really struggled over the last third of the race, and I only lost the Under 23 lead in the last few hundred metres.

“On the other hand, I achieved my main objective of earning my GB vest, and I'm really looking forward to the Championship race next weekend. Training has been going well, with quality taking precedence over quantity, and I'm really happy with where my running is right now."

 

Goodman wins again in the London Colleges League

St Mary's University student Richard Goodman extended his run of victories to five, finishing 59 seconds clear of the field in the London Colleges League at Wimbledon Common. Unbeaten so far this season, Goodman will contest the European Under 23 Cross Country Trials at Liverpool this weekend.

Fine performance in London Youth Games

City of London schoolgirl Lia Radus placed fourth out of 181 competitors in the Under 15 cross-country championship at the London Youth Games at Parliament Hill. Attracting over 100,000 entries in 31 sports, the London Youth Games is Europe’s largest youth sports festival.

Same again for Goodman

Cross Country

Richard Goodman extended his recent winning run with a 19 second victory in the second fixture of the Start Fitness Metropolitan League at Stevenage. Goodman's next major target is the European Under 23 Championship selection race in Liverpool at the end of November.

Goodman's promising season start continues (published in JC on 30 October)

Richard Goodman has maintained his promising start to the cross country season with clear victories in the London Colleges League at Parliament Hill and the North of Thames Championships at Kingsbury. His 78 second victory in the latter race, which he completed in a fast 23:47 for 5 miles, indicates that he is approaching the form that brought him the Inter Counties title last year.

Goodman said, "In both outings I sat in early on and then tested myself by pushing hard on my own. I am now focusing on the European Under 23 Championship selection race in Liverpool at the end of November. 

 

"Looking further ahead to the track season, I have learned that I need to take things a bit more easily in training. Then hopefully I can achieve the breakthrough performances that fatigue and injury have prevented in the last few years."

 

Pleasing performances for Goodman and Kastor

Deena Kastor improved the American Masters Marathon record by almost a minute, recording 2:27:47 at the Chicago Marathon. Kastor, 42, finished seventh woman overall and top American. It was Kastor’s first sub 2:30 clocking since 2006, the year that she won the London Marathon. California-based Kastor said, “I was struggling by mile 23, but still kept up the sub 5:40 miles I needed. Now I’ll take a two week break, and then decide whether to aim for the Olympic Trials”.

Richard Goodman took a 26-second victory in the first Metropolitan Cross Country League race at Claybury Park, Woodford Green. The St Mary’s University student recorded 24:36 for the 8000m course.

Goodman, 22, reflected, “I hadn’t been sure of entering because of a slight injury worry, and then I had a further concern when I put my foot in a pothole half-way round. But I managed to pull away to run the last lap on my own, and it was pleasing start of the season for me”.

World 5K Masters record for Deena Kastor

Deena Kastor, 42, tied the US and World 5K Masters record of 15:48, winning the women’s Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose 5K and placing third overall.

“I felt really good about the race,” said Kastor, “I came out here and gave it my best. There was not one point on the course I could have pushed harder to get a faster time.”

Kastor set the World Masters half marathon record of 1: 09:37 in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia event last year. One of the world’s greatest Jewish athletes, she won the Olympic marathon bronze medal in 2004 and the London Marathon in 2006.

 

World Championships silver medal for Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko

Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko took the triple jump silver medal at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing, for the finest ever success by a female Israeli athlete. Defending champion Caterine Ibarguen of Colombia took gold with a jump of 14.90m, while Knyazyeva-Minenko’s mark of 14.78m beat Kazakhstan’s Olga Rypakova by a single cm. The jump was a personal best and Israeli national record.

Knyazyeva-Minenko, 25, emigrated to Israel from the Ukraine two years ago in order to marry Anatoly Minenko, a former decathlete she had met at a training camp in Yalta. Minenko himself had moved to Israel from Khazakhstan at the age of 10.

Knyazyeva-Minenko, representing the Ukraine, had placed 4th in the Olympics in 2012, while the following year, wearing Israel’s colours, she placed 6th in the last World Championships. Earlier this year she took bronze in the European Indoor Championships.

Reflecting on her decision to change her nationality for love, Knyazyeva-Minenko said, " People in Ukraine said there were lots of problems, it’s dangerous, there’s conflict and war. But when we got married and I came here, I was very surprised to see how different life is in Israel. I’m very happy with Israelis, with Israel, and with our home in Tel Aviv.” After winning the silver medal, she told Israeli President Reuven Rivlin of her determination to stand on top of the rostrum. “I want to hear Hatikva —We’ll get there soon.” 

Whlie locally....

Eden Davis placed second in the 100m in the South of the England U17 Championships at Ashford, recording 10.94. Matti Harris, 12, set an 800m PB of 2:27.09 in taking victory in the Eastern Young Athletes’ League at Hendon.

Youngsters trimming their PBs

Jessica Hurley, 15, made a fine contribution to the Shaftesbury Barnet Team performance in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Hendon. Hurley took victory in the 300m (42.62), placed second in the 800m (2:23.23) and third in the triple jump (9.49m, PB). Maayan Radus, 11, also helped the side with victory in the Under 13 1500m in 5:22.03. Older sister Lia Radus, 13, took three seconds off her 1500m best, recording 4:52.92 in winning her heat at the Blackheath & Bromley Open Meeting. David Stone, 13, cut his 800m best to 2:17.50 in the Watford Open Graded Meeting.

Personal bests at Watford and Bromley

Judah Yawitch, 12, and Jessica Hurley, 15, achieved 1500m PBs of 4:51.04 and 5:05.40 respectively at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. Rebecca Hurley, 17, also gained a personal best in placing second in the 400m hurdles in 69.40 in the Youth Development League at Bromley.

Colette Hurley placed second in the 200m at the Southern Counties Veterans League at Hemel Hempstead in a season's best of 32.2. Her Shaftesbury Barnet team-mate Rosalind Zeffertt also gained a season’s best with a long jump of 3.70m in the London Inter-Club Challenge at Hendon. Both performances stand high in the National V50 rankings.

Two golds and two silvers for Roger Bruck in the British Masters Championships

Roger Bruck, at age 76, enjoyed his most successful national competition ever, winning two golds and two silvers in British Masters Athletics Federation Championships in Birmingham. Competing in the M75 age category, Bruck took gold in the long jump (3.36m) and high jump (1.21m), and earned silver in the 100m (16.03) and 200m (34.38). All four performances were season's bests, despite wind and rain making conditions difficult for both the high jump and the 200m.

Eden Davis ran close to his personal bests in both sprints in the Southern Counties U17 Inter County match at Little Marlow. Davis took victory in the 100m in 10.81 and placed fifth in the 200m in 22.41. Jessica Hurley gained an "electronic timing" 300m personal best in the same match, recording 42.16. Four days previously, Hurley lowered her 800m best to 2:18.25 in the latest Watford Open Meeting. Highgate Harrier Tal Pelmont, 14, cut his 800m time to 2:10.32 while David Stone, 13, recorded 2:19.28.  

Jessica Hurley, Greg Hurley, Jack Bloom, Emma Taylor and Maayan Radus all gained event wins that contributed towards Shaftesbury Barnet’s overall team victory in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Sandy, Bedfordshire.

Former Maccabia gold medallist Jennifer Simmons gained a 400m hurdles win in the North of England League at Preston, recording 66.4. She also cleared 1.50m for her best high jump performance since 2008.

Ashleigh Trupp, 14, enjoyed a successful start her athletics career with a pole vault clearance of 2.0m in the Youth Development League at Croydon.

More Watford Open Meeting personal bests

Siblings Rebecca, Jessica and Greg Hurley each set personal bests in the latest Watford Open Graded Meeting. Rebecca, 17, and Greg, 14, contested the 400m, recording 61.80 and 57.65 respectively, while Jessica, 15, raced 800m in 2:18.25. Highgate Harrier Tal Pelmont, 14, cut his 800m time to 2:10.32 while David Stone, 13, recorded 2:19.28.  Four days later, Stone took the Hertfordshire U15 3000m title in 9:46.5.

Jessica Hurley, Greg Hurley, Jack Bloom, Emma Taylor and Maayan Radus all gained event wins that contributed towards Shaftesbury Barnet’s overall team victory in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Sandy, Bedfordshire.

2009 Macabia gold medallist Jennifer Simmons ran her fastest 400m hurdles for two years with victory in the North of England League at Preston in 66.4.

English Schools Athletics Championships medal for Eden Davis

Eden Davis,16, has become the first Jewish athlete for five years to win an individual medal at the English Schools Championships. Davis, representing Hertfordshire, took the Intermediate 100m bronze in 10.79 at last week’s Championships in Gateshead.  "I am delighted to have achieved my ambition for the season,” Davis said. "I am now on the reserve list to represent England in the Home Nations International in Glasgow next week."

Sophie Dowson gained an excellent fourth place in the intermediate pole vault with a clearance of 3.55m, despite being ill and unable to train throughout the previous week. Dowson, competing for Middlesex, commented, "I should feel proud, but actually I was annoyed not to have cleared 3.65m, which would have earned me the silver medal.”

Ellie Edwards reached the semi-finals of the senior 100m, recording 12.69 against a headwind, and took gold as part of the winning Greater Manchester 4x100m relay team.

Zac Shaw's International Paralympic debut

Visually impaired athlete Zac Shaw, 19, enjoyed a successful England debut at the International Paralympic Grand Prix in Berlin. Battling a strong headwind in both events, Shaw took the 100m bronze medal in a personal best time of 11.63 and placed fourth in the 200m in 23.68. Cleethorpes AC sprinter Shaw is the country’s fastest runner in his Paralympic category over both distances.

Record-breaking temperatures did not prevent Tal Pelmont, 15, from setting his own personal record at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. He sliced over three seconds off his 1500m PB with a time of 4:36.16. At the same meeting Rosalind Zeffertt improved her 100m and long jump season’s bests to 15.35 and 3.64m. Both performances are within the UK V50 top 20 for the events.

Rachel Ayrton, 15, improved her 800m best by more than four seconds in recording 2:30.1 in the Southern League at Winchester.

Age is no barrier!

Sophie Dowson, 16, edged her personal best up to 3.62m in winning the pole vault at the London Inter-Club Challenge at Hendon. Rosalind Zeffertt recorded 15.64 and 33.68 for 100m and 200m to improve her UK V50 ranking at both distances. Zeffertt comprehensively beat Olympic athlete Eric Shirley in the latter event. However it must be admitted that, although he is the country's leading V85 age group athlete, Shirley has slowed somewhat since he partnered gold medallist Chris Brasher in the 1956 Olympic steeplechase final.

Anna Barnett, 16, took discus victory (33.81m) at the UK Youth Development League at Hendon. Rebecca Hurley, 17, took almost 2 seconds off her 400m hurdles best in placing third in 69.90, while George Grant won the pole vault ‘B’ event with 3.80m.

Eden Davis gained a double victory in the Southern League at Welwyn, taking the 100m in 11.2 and 200m in 23.2. Highgate Harrier Tal Pelmont, 15, set two new personal bests in winning the 800m (2:11.9) and placing third in the 1500m (4:39.9) in the Southern Athletics League at Parliament Hill. Ben Bloom, 11, lowered his  800m best to 2:29.56 at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. Lia Radus recorded 4:56.15 for 1500m at the British Milers Club at Eltham, missing her PB by just 0.01s.

The Personal Bests keep coming

Star pole vaulter Sophie Dowson equalled her best of 3.60m in placing fifth in the England Athletics U20 Championship at Bedford. Dowson was beaten by just one U17 competitor, who also scaled 3.60m

The fortnightly Watford Open Graded Meetings provide excellent opportunities for athletes to target their personal bests in competition with runners of a similar standard. Brothers Jack and Ben Bloom both lowered their 800m times in the latest meeting, with Jack, 14, recording 2:15.57 and Ben, 11, achieving 2:29.56. Sophie Peters, 13, improved her best to 2:41.69.  Jack Bloom reduced his time further to 2:14.22 in the Barnet Schools Championships the following day, while Peters gained a new 1500m PB of 5:29.6 in the Youth Development League at Reading.

Three Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers took victories in the Eastern Young Athletes League at Peterborough. Jessica Hurley took the U17 in 42.2 while Judah Yawitch (2:21.8, PB) and Matti Harris (2:27.5, PB) took the U13 800m A and B races respectively.

Highgate Harrier Tal Pelmont, 15, set two new personal bests in winning the 800m (2:11.9) and placing third in the 1500m (4:39.9) in the Southern Athletics League at Parliament Hill.

South of England gold for Sophie Dowson; several schools' county medals; and world class Israeli performances

Harrow AC pole vault specialist Sophie Dowson, 16, gained her most significant victory to date at the South of England U20 Championships at Lee Valley. Her winning clearance of 3.60m matched her personal best, which positions her fifth in the UK U17 rankings.

The various Schools County Championships saw several medal winning performances by Jewish athletes. Eden Davis took 200m gold (22.4) and 100m silver (11.2) in the Hertfordshire U17 Championships, while Anna Barnett took discus gold (34.41m) and shot put bronze (9.40m) in the Kent U17 competition. Both of her performances were personal bests. Jessica Hurley (Herts U17 300m), Rachel Ayrton (Middlesex U17 800m) and Matti Harris (Herts U13 1500m) all gained silver medals, while Lia Radus (London U15 1500m) and Emma Taylor (Middlesex U15 javelin) took bronzes. Greg Hurley took fourth in the Herts U15 300m. All of these performances were close to or exceeded the athletes’ personal bests.

Two Israeli women, both originally from the Ukraine, have been producing world class performances on the international stage. Marharyta Dorozhon, 27, set an Israeli javelin record of 64.56m at the Oslo Diamond League on June 11. In winning the event she beat the European and double Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova, as well as the current and previous world champions Christina Obergfoll and Mariya Abakumova, and the current world leader Sunette Viljoen. Her performance ranks eighth on this year's world list.

Hanna Minenko, 25, moved to fifth in the world rankings and set a national triple jump record of 14.61m when finishing second in Prague on June 8. Minenko also holds the Israeli long jump record of 6.52m, which she set last year.

More PBs at the Watford Open Graded Meeting

David Stone, 13, ran a well-judged race to take victory in his 1500m heat at the Watford Open Graded Meeting in a new PB of 4:36.44. Fellow Shaftesbury Barnet runner Richard Goodman, 22, contested his first 1500m in four years in the elite race, placing fifth in 3:51.28. Rosalind Zeffert moved to 17th in the UK V50 100m list with a time of 15.73, while Gabe Yawitch, 14, set a new best time of 13.10 over the same distance.

Ellie Edwards, 18, gained a double victory in the North of England League at Bury, winning the U20 100m (12.8) and 200m (26.1). Her sister Orli took the U13 javelin silver medal in the Cheshire & Greater Manchester Championships with a throw of 20.20m.

Philip Benson, 22 set a new PB of 4:06.11 competing for Harrow AC in the British Athletics League at Watford.

Personal Bests galore

Eden Davis broke a competition record that had stood since 2006 to take the U17 100m title at the prestigious Bedford International Games. His time of 10.76 was a new personal best that moved him to fifth in the national age-group rankings.

At 10 years of age, Maayan Radus beat older rivals to win the Middlesex U13 1500m championship at Mile End. Her time of 5:09.80 sliced more than 15 seconds off her previous best. Her sister Lia, 13, also cut her PB substantially in taking the U15 1500m silver medal in 4:56.14.

Ellie Edwards won the Cheshire & Greater Manchester U20 100m title in 12.46 while her sister Allana placed third in the U17 300m hurdles in 49.31. Both performances were PBs.

Multiple Medals at the County Championships

The three younger members of the Hurley family each won medals and set personal bests in the Hertfordshire Championships at Watford. Jessica took gold in the U17 400m in 59.29, which moved her to ninth in the UK U17 rankings. Rebecca won silver in the U20 400m hurdles in 71.64 while Greg took bronze in the U15 300m in 41.39. Eden Davis, 16, gained silver medals in two events, recording 10.99 in the 100m and a personal best of 22.37 in the 200m. Davis is now in the UK U17 Top 10 for both distances.

David Stone, 13, achieved a personal best 800m of 2:20.37 at the Watford Open Graded Meeting, despite being boxed in for much of the second lap. In the 400m event at the same meeting, Colette Hurley recorded 70.51 to move to 12th in the UK V50 rankings.

George Grant, 16 and Sophie Dowson, 16, each won their age group pole vault titles at the Middlesex Championships at Lee Valley. Their winning heights were 3.80m and 3.51m respectively. Tal Pelmont, 15, cut his 800m best to 2:14.18.

Anna Barnett placed second in both the shot and discus at the Kent U17 championships, recording distances of 9.22 m and 32.29 m respectively.

JFS student Emma Taylor,14, threw the javelin 26.64m in the Eastern Young Athletes’ League at Braintree, to enter the national U15 rankings.

UK Athletics News 2015

For comprehensive UK Jewish athletics news from 2007 onwards, see www.briansacks.com and http://www.thejc.com/sport/topics/athletics

News reports so far in 2015: 

May 22

Trafford sprinter Ellie Edwards, 18, set lifetime bests for both 100m and 200m in the Youth Development League at Doncaster. 2013 Maccabia gold medallist Edwards placed second in both events, in 12.5 and 25.7 respectively.

Maayan Radus, 10, and Jack Bloom, 14, also achieved personal bests while earning useful points for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers in the Eastern Young Athletes’League at Braintree. Radus placed second in the ‘A’ 1500m in 5:25.1 while Bloom won the 800m ‘B’ event in 2:17.1.

Anna Barnett, 16, tossed the discus 31.11m for victory in the Youth Development League at Lee Valley, while Rachel Ayrton achieved a season's best 800m of 2:34.69 in winning the ‘B’ event in the Youth Development League at Reading.

Nathaniel Lane recorded 16:30 for a 21 second victory in the Cardiff 5K parkrun.

 May 15

David Stone has again demonstrated that he is one of this country’s top young athletes by recording 9:39.67 for 3000m at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. This remarkable run means that Stone, 13, now heads the National rankings for his year group by almost half a minute.

Mother and daughter team Colette and Jessica Hurley both took age-group victories for 300m in the Hertfordshire County Championships at Stevenage. Jessica recorded 42.71 while Colette's 48.92 performance places her second in this year's V50 national list.

Two Shaftesbury Barnet youngsters have improved their 1500m bests in recent meetings. Judah Yawitch recorded 4:55.25 in the Watford Open Graded Meeting, while Matti Harris, also 12, placed 2^nd in the Eastern Young Athletes’ League at Grays in a time of 5:04.3.

Allana Edwards, 15, lowered her 300m hurdles best to 49.3 in winning the B event for Trafford AC in the Youth Development League at Darlington.

May 8

David Stone fought back after a difficult start to take a convincing victory in the Under 13 London Mini Marathon Borough Challenge. Completing the measured 3-mile course in 16:12, Stone was 28 seconds clear of his nearest rival in the 240-strong field. Stone’s achievement was all the more remarkable considering that knee problems had confined him to a wheelchair for much of last year. Lia Radus recorded 18:08 to place second in the girls’ Under 13 Borough Challenge, just one second behind winner Yasmin Marchini of Westminster. Stone and Radus led their Barnet teams to finish third and second respectively in the Borough Team Challenge.  Other noteworthy Borough performers were: Judah Yawitch, 17th in U13 boys, 17:41; Jack Bloom, 28th in U15 boys, 17:00; Nathan Bloom, 16th in U17 men, 16:04; Jessica Hurley, 29th in U17 Women, 19:53; Rebecca Hurley, 42nd in U17 Women, 20:31.

Allana Edwards, 15, lowered her 300m hurdles best to 49.3 in winning the B event for Trafford AC in the Youth Development League at Darlington.

Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Matti Harris, 12, cut 10 seconds from his 1500m best, recording 5:04.3 for 2^nd place in the Eastern Young Athletes’ League at Grays.

 May 1

Sophie Dowson, of Harrow AC, cleared 3.60m to win the Under 17 pole vault event in the Southern League at Eton. This new PB moves Dowson to fourth in the UK Under 17 rankings.

 April 24

On the first of the four weekends comprising the Southern Youth Development League calendar, Eden Davis, Sophie Dowson and Anna Barnett each secured Under17 ‘A’ event victories. Herts Phoenix sprinter Davis won both the 100m and 200m races at Ashford, in times of 10.95 and 22.44 respectively. He was only deprived of an official PB in the longer event by the marginally high wind reading of 2.2 m/s. Harrow AC pole vaulter Dowson cleared 3.20m for victory at her home track, while Anna Barnett, of Blackheath & Bromley, tossed the discus 29.63m to win at Stevenage. Jessica Hurley placed second in the 300m at Stevenage in 42.29, while Rachel Ayrton won the ‘B’ 800m at Harrow in 2:36.6.

Alana Edwards, 15, recorded 50.8 to win the 300m hurdles at the Wigan Harriers Spring Open Meeting, while her sister Ellie, 18, took the 200 m event in 27.2.

Rosalind Zeffert jumped to fourth in the UK V50 100 m rankings, recording 15.96 at the Highgate Harriers Open Meeting at Parliament Hill. Her son Simon, 19, a student at Durham University, has returned to the sport after two years’ absence to record personal bests of 11.74 for 100m and 23.76 for 200m.

 April 17

With the outdoor track season now underway, Eden Davis, 16, and David Stone, 13, have lost no time in establishing their places near the top of the national rankings.

Herts Phoenix sprinter Davis recorded 10.97 for 100m in the Lee Valley Open Meeting, for third place in the UK U17 list. This followed a 100m victory and 200m second place in the Herts Phoenix Open Graded Meeting.

Middle distance specialist Stone led all the way to a clear victory in his 3000m heat at the Watford Open Graded Meeting. His 9:55.73 clocking places him seventh in the UK U15 division, and top amongst those who will still be in the division next year. Having now overcome serious knee problems and cold-weather asthma, his race was ideal preparation for the London Mini-marathon at the end of the month.

Also at the Watford Open Graded Meeting, Jack Bloom, 14, and Judah Yawitch, 12, set 1500m personal bests of 4:42.32 and 4:55.36 respectively. Lia Radus, 13, recorded 5:05.65 for a solid season opener.

Anna Barnett gained a discus victory and shot put second place in the Tonbridge AC Open Meeting, with marks of 27.23m and 9.40m respectively, while Philip Benson recorded 16:57 for a runaway victory in the Barnstaple 5K Parkrun.

 April 10

Rebecca Hurley has won the borough-wide Welwyn & Hatfield School Pupil of the Year Award 2015, to add to the ever-growing trophy collection of a remarkable sporting family. Rebecca, 16, and her siblings Jessica, 15, and Greg, 14, are unusually talented in several sports, while their mother Colette is a national standard middle-distance runner. Proud husband and father Philip, himself a fine sportsman, tragically died last year.

Rebecca and Jessica both compete over sprints and middle distances for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, under the guidance of coach Jeremy Sothcott. Both girls are Sports Scholars at Queenswood School in Hertfordshire, where Rebecca also won the Sports Scholar Ambassador Award last year. Of her latest award, Rebecca explained, “I was nominated by my school for services and achievements in sport. These included representing Herts in cross-country in the National Inter-Counties and the English Schools Championships, and helping the school to win the County hockey Championship.”

Jessica, like her sister, has attained county standard in each of gymnastics, hockey, swimming and cross-country. Particularly strong over the 300m track distance, Jessica is the U15 Herts County Champion and record holder as well as Shaftesbury Barnet U15 record holder. Her ambition is to compete at the English Schools’ Track & Field Championships.

Greg, unsurprisingly, also competes for Shaftesbury Barnet, his events including sprints, javelin and cross-country. The St Albans School pupil also enjoys football, cricket, rugby, tennis and swimming. Some years ago, Greg won the Herts U9 25m freestyle championship. “However”, he says, “my favourite sport is golf. I won the Herts County U14 Championship and the Bishops Stortford Junior Open 2013, and my ambition is to turn professional.”

Like her children, PE teacher Colette is deeply committed to athletics, as both a competitor and a mentor. As a senior, she represented Hertfordshire many times and competed in qualifying championships for World, Olympic, European and Commonwealth Games as well as in two Maccabiah Games. Her lifetime best 800m was 2:08.6. She was the UK top ranked V40 Master over 400m in 2005 and was British Masters 400m Indoor Champion, as well as placing third in the European Masters and eighth in the World Masters Indoor Championships. She is now the U17 & U20 Shaftesbury Barnet Women’s Team Manager for the Youth Development League. “I came back into competitive athletics last year and reached a UK V50 ranking of seventh for 400m”, she says. “I am still with my coach Bryan Smith with whom I have been training since I was nine years old and I can’t thank him enough for all his support over the years.”

Three weeks ago, almost every pupil of Queenswood School participated in the first ever Hurley Cup for Inter-House Cross-Country, instituted in memory of Philip. Rebecca and Jessica set the fastest times. Colette says, “Phil was an extremely proud father and husband and went to watch us at as many sports events as possible. In his teens he was a national swimmer and was ranked second in the UK for U17 Butterfly. He was an ardent golfer and during his lifetime he achieved a handicap of 5.7. He was waiting for Greg to dip below this – but it was something that Greg achieved soon after Phil died.”

April 3

Richard Goodman led Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers to a two minute victory in the Southern Men's 12-stage Road Relays at Milton Keynes. Goodman’s time of 23:19 for the 7664 m "long" leg was the second fastest of the day amongst almost 300 competitors, and only beaten by the 23:18 clocking of fellow St Mary's University student John McDonnell.

Previously, Goodman had finished second to international 1500 metre specialist Charlie Grice in the Richmond Elite Mile, contested over a rather unusual grass course featuring several 360 degree turns.

Maayan Radus gained a clear victory in the final race of the season of the Under 11 North West London Cross Country League at Wormwood Scrubs.

 March 27

David Stone, 13, signalled his return to near-full fitness with two victories over measured 5 km courses. Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Stone recorded 18:06 in the Starfish Breakfast Run at Clapham Common and 18:12 in the Windsor, Eton and Slough "Hot Chocolate" race, completing both events around a minute clear of the field. The races mark Stone’s return to competition after more than one year sidelined by severe knee problems.

Philip Benson placed third in the senior 1500m (4:08.88) and Daniel Gubbay took bronze in the Under 20 400m (56.82) in the Middlesex Indoor Championships at Lee Valley.

March 20

Eden Davis was a double medallist in the Hertfordshire Under 17 Indoor Championships at Lee Valley, taking gold in the 200m (23.15) and silver in the 60m (7.10). The Yavneh College student’s performances would in fact have won gold in both events in any other age group. Jessica Hurley secured bronze in the Girls’ Under 17 400m (61.05).

Rachel Ayrton placed second in the Under 17 800m (2:36.82) in the Middlesex Indoor Championships, likewise held at Lee Valley. George Grant also took silver, in the Under 20 pole vault (3.60 m). Philip Benson placed third in the senior 1500m (4:08.88) and Daniel Gubbay took bronze in the Under 20 400m (56.82).

March 13

Barnet and District veteran Roger Bruck struck gold in the 200m and silver in the 60m in the British Masters Indoor Athletics Championships at Lee Valley. His times were 34.63 and 10.13 respectively. It was a remarkable return to competition for Bruck, still badly bruised from a fall four weeks previously which had resulted in a night in hospital suffering from concussion.

Sophie Dowson, representing Harrow AC, placed sixth in the pole vault at the Under 17 Indoor English Athletics Championships at Sheffield. Just three vaulters bettered Dowson’s 3.50m clearance.

Shaftesbury Barnet runner Lia Radus placed 48^th out of 305 competitors in the Under 13’s Inter Counties Cross Country Championships in Birmingham.

 March 6

Richard Goodman placed 31st out of the 2005 finishers in the Senior Men's English Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill, recording 41:20 for the hilly and muddy 12 km course. Jewish competitors in other age groups included Lia Radus, 113th, and Sophie Peters, 220th,  out of 433 finishers in the Under 13 girls’ race, Tal Pelmont, 180th in the Boys’ Under 15s, and Rachel Ayrton, 202nd in the Girls’ Under 17’s.

Lia Radus, 13, was the fastest female competitor in the Oak Hill 5km Parkrun. She recorded 19:38 while her sister Maayan, 10, set a personal best of 21:00.

Eden Davis placed fifth in the 60m in the England Under 17 Indoor Championships at Sheffield, one day before his 16th birthday. His time of 6.98 also places him fifth in the UK Under 17 rankings. Ellie Edwards, 18, set a personal best of 8.06 over 60m in the Sale Harriers Open Meeting at Sportcity.

Sophie Dowson moved to fourth in the UK Under 17 pole vault rankings with a lifetime best of 3.53m in the Vault London event at Carshalton.

February 20

Harrow AC pole vault specialist Sophie Dowson added a massive 16 cm to her lifetime best by scaling 3.52m for victory at the Brunel Jumps and Throws Festival. Dowson is now third in the UK Under 17 rankings for this year, and her mark was beaten by only five girls in the age group throughout 2014. Dowson trains with the West London Pole Vault group, along with George Grant, the country’s leading Jewish male vaulter. Both are coached by England Athletics National Coach Ellie Spain.

"I was delighted to achieve that height," Dowson said. "It boosts my confidence for the National Championships in Sheffield at the end of this month."

February 13

Lia Radus took her second successive Under 13 victory in the Metropolitan Cross Country League at Wormwood Scrubs. Also for the second successive time, her younger sister and Shaftesbury Barnet club-mate Maayan Radus was fastest girl in the Under 11 race. Maayan also took victory in the Under 11 race of the North West London Young Athletes League at Harrow, while Sophie Peters (Harrow AC) placed second in the Under 13 event. Both girls led their clubs to team victory.

Richard Goodman placed fifth in the third race of this year’s British Athletics Cross Challenge, held in Milton Keynes. The final race of the series, taking place in Birmingham next month, will also serve as the Inter-Counties Championship, a title that Goodman won last year.

February 6

Richard Goodman expressed his satisfaction with his fourth place finish in the British Universities Cross Country Championships at Brighton. Staying with the leading group until the last 500m, Goodman finished 12 seconds behind winner Jonathan Hay. Goodman won the event last year, with Hay in second place.

"I wasn't expecting to run well", Goodman said. "By December I recognised that I was suffering from fatigue brought on by overtraining. I now know that ultra high mileage does not suit me and that my focus should be on quality instead. I took some time off over the New Year period and resumed training three weeks ago. I now feel in a good position for the National Championships later this month."

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Harrow AC pole vault specialist Sophie Dowson, 16, added 5 cm to her personal best by clearing 3.36m in the London Indoor Games at Lee Valley. Competing for Shaftesbury Barnet in the same competition, George Grant, 16, set a set a season's best vault of 3.86m.

January 30

Harrow AC pole vault specialist Sophie Dowson, 16, equalled her personal best by scaling 3.31m in the Vault Cardiff competition.

Lia Radus placed 20th in the South of England Under 13 cross country championships at Brighton.

 January 23

Sisters Maayan and Lia Radus won the Under 11 and Under 13 races respectively in the Metropolitan Cross Country League at Horsenden Hill, Perivale. Maayan also beat all but one of the boys in what was a combined race.

George Grant, 16, began his season placing eighth in the South of England indoor pole vault championship at Lee Valley, with a clearance of 3.80m.

Judah Yawitch placed fourth in the Under 13’s and Rebecca Hurley 8th in the Under 17’s in the Hertfordshire cross country championships.

 January 16

In the absence of a Middlesex race for the appropriate age group, Finchley resident Maayan Radus ran as a guest, and broke the tape to win, the Hertfordshire Under 11 cross country championship. It was the second successive victory in this event for the City of London schoolgirl. “The course was hilly, muddy and icy, and run in cold and foggy conditions,” Radus reported. “I ran from the front and used the first hill to open up a gap. The next hill was harder but I felt comfortable and I was able to attack the downhill finish to secure the race win.”

Meanwhile older sister Lia Radus, who also attends City of London School, placed third in the Middlesex Under 13 race. She likewise faced testing conditions. “It was a very wet day and the Alexandra Park course was muddy and water-logged,” she said. “Four of us were together in the front on the first lap but two broke away from me one lap later. Around 300m from the finish I was able to forge ahead of the girl who had been running with me to finish third quite comfortably”.

Judah Yawitch, fourth in the Under 13 race, and Rebecca Hurley, 8th in the Under 17’s, were also notable performers in the Hertfordshire cross country championships.

January 2: Annual Roundup for 2014

Young athletic talent was in such plentiful evidence this year that four athletes have been chosen to receive the 2014 Daniel Sacks Award for Outstanding Young Athletic Achievement. These winners are Herts Phoenix sprinter Eden Davis, Shaftesbury Barnet middle-distance runner Lia Radus and pole vaulters Sophie Dowson (Harrow) and George Grant (Shaftesbury Barnet).

In his first ever competitive outing outside of school sports days, Yavneh College student Davis, 15, placed third in the Hertfordshire Under 17 indoor 60m Championship. Three months later he placed second in both the 100m and 200m in the county outdoor championships, recording the excellent times of 10.9 and 22.5 respectively. Selected to represent Hertfordshire in the 100m in the English Schools Championships, Davis progressed to place seventh in the final.

"My first year as an athlete went pretty well despite some injuries along the way", reflected Davis. “To compete in the English Schools at Birmingham, on one of the greatest tracks in the country, was like a dream come true."

Placing second in the Middlesex Under 13 1500m Championship in May, Lia Radus continued to improve over 800m and 1500m over the course of the summer. Radus set significant personal bests in both events in her final races of the season. Her 1500m time of 4:59.5, set in winning the Eastern Young Athletes League Plate Final, promoted her to 12th in the UK Under 13 rankings. Radus also gave outstanding service to her club during the road relay and cross country seasons.

Radus said, "I am pleased and honoured to receive the award. I was really happy with my season, and ending it on a high with a club 1500m record has given me confidence for the cross country races ahead."

George Grant, 16, started the year with a pole vault best of 3.51m and an ambition to qualify for the English Schools Championships. He achieved qualification with a clearance of 3.95m just hours before the deadline and then raised his best to 4.00m in the English Schools Final. His season’s highlights also included winning the Middlesex Under 17 title and the Youth Development League National Final.

Grant reflected, "I had a fantastic experience in the English Schools Championships as part of the high calibre Hertfordshire team. I will continue working on my technique in the coming year and aim to qualify for the AAA Junior Championships."

Sophie Dowson,15, also took the Middlesex Under 17 pole vault title and reached the final of the English Schools Championships, where she cleared 3.10m. She ended the season ranked 13th among UK Under 17 vaulters, with a best of 3.31m.

Dowson said, "This has been my first year competing seriously and I am surprised and honoured to win the Award. I am so grateful to have represented Middlesex at the English Schools finals and I hope to compete there again next year."

It was a year of solid progress for most of the community’s established young athletes. James Bongart (javelin), Jessica Hurley (300 m) and Ellie Edwards (200 m) all won county titles in their respective age groups. Judah Yawitch took silver in the Middlesex Under 13 1500m while still in primary school, while Anna Barnett placed third in the Kent Under 17 discus and fourth in the hammer. Ellie Edwards took 200m gold, Jessica Hurley 200m silver and Rachel Ayrton 800m bronze in their respective Schools County Championships.

Visually impaired athlete Zac Shaw, 18, enjoyed a successful debut in national level competition by placing second in both the 100m and 200m at the Sainsbury's UK School Games in Manchester.

Richard Goodman’s track season was blighted by a niggling ankle injury. Earlier in the year, however, the Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier enjoyed a spectacular season over cross country. In his first four races of the year, Goodman, 21, won the South of England and the British Universities Championships, placed a close second in the English National Championships and won the Inter-Counties Championship. In his return to competition in November, Goodman was again representing England in an international cross country competition in Spain.

Another athlete whose season was blighted by injury was last year’s Award winner David Stone, 12. After narrowly losing out to the country's fastest young distance runner in the Middlesex cross country championships in January, Stone lost the entire season to a serious knee injury. Stone has now resumed a gradual training programme under orthopaedic supervision.

Demonstrating that athletics is a sport for all ages, Maayan Radus, 10, and Roger Bruck, 75, were both prolific and successful competitors. Radus took victory in the Hertfordshire Under 11 cross country championships and was positioned third in the UK Under 11 1500m rankings. Bruck, within weeks of entering the M75 age group, was already Southern Counties M75 record holder in the high jump and long jump. He went on to take one gold and two silver medals in the M75 British Masters Championships.

Where to look now?

For comprehensive UK Jewish athletics news from 2007 onwards, see www.briansacks.com and http://www.thejc.com/sport/topics/athletics