Fine runs by Goodman and Viner in the Middlesex cross-country Championships

Richard Goodman, 23, and Hannah Viner, 20, faced tough opposition in the Middlesex senior cross-country Championships at Hillingdon. But they came away from hard-fought races with gold and silver medals respectively.

"I was nervous going into the race because I had spent a week in bed with flu during the holiday period," said Goodman. "Chris Smith of Thames Valley Harriers made it tough from the start; he is a world-class mountain runner. It was a struggle to break away on the second lap and made for a good workout," Goodman reflected. He had stretched his lead to 22s by the end of the 12 km course.

Viner's opposition in the 8 km women's race included the UK's fourth-ranked marathon runner, Tracy Barlow, also from Thames Valley. “I decided to take the race on from the start so I hit the front straight away,” Highgate Harrier Viner reported. “I felt good going up the first hill so I tried to build up a lead. By the time we came down the hill again I was 30m ahead of Barlow. But I have been nursing a slight hamstring niggle and it started to trouble me so I relaxed a bit. Barlow caught me on the steep incline on the second lap and then gradually built a lead. I just tried to keep her in sight to the finish.”

Other community placings in the Middlesex Championships included Maayan Radus, fourth in the U13’s; Rachel Ayrton, fifth in the U20’s; Matti Harris, 16^th in the U15's; and Tal Pelmont, 18th in the U17's. Jessica Hurley placed sixth in the U17 event of the Hertfordshire County Championships.

Ellie Edwards, 20, began her season with a 60m heat victory in the Sale Harriers Open Meeting at Sportcity, recording 8.02 seconds.

Fine start to year by Rachel Ayrton and Eden Davis

Rachel Ayrton and Eden Davis, both 17, began their year by setting indoor PB's at Lee Valley. Ayrton kept her footing through an overcrowded 800m to record 2:31.89 in the New Year Open, while Davis raced 60m in 6.94 at the Metaswitch Games.

At the end of last year, Lucie Wolfenden, 15, set indoor bests of 9.13 for 60m and 3.97m in the long jump in the Sale Harriers Open at Sportcity. Highgate Harrier Hannah Viner, 20, placed 13th in the Inter-counties Cross Country Championships at Oxford.

Daniel Sacks Awards and Review of the Year

(Published in JC December 30)

The winners of the 2016 Daniel Sacks Awards for Outstanding Young Athletic Achievement are middle-distance specialist Gilad Nachshen, 13, and pole vaulter Lucie Wolfenden, 15.

Immanuel College student Nachshen returned to competition in June after an extended injury lay-off, and within two months had risen to third in the UK Under 13 800m rankings. In competition he twice scored double victories over 200m and 800m in the Eastern Young Athletes League.

"I am really happy with how the season went, in particular setting my 800m personal best of 2:13.69 at Watford”, Nachshen reflected. “I would particularly like to thank my coaches Colin Godfrey and Tony Smith."

After the track season ended he extended his competitive distance to 3 km in inter-club road relays. By setting fastest stage times of the day Nachshen helped Shaftesbury Barnet to win the Middlesex Young Athletes’ Championships and to medal in the Southern Counties event.

Sale Harrier Lucie Wolfenden also progressively improved during the season, vaulting 2.80m for fourth place in the Northern Championships and 15th in the UK U15 rankings. Her finest victory was a 2.75m clearance in the Mason Trophy Inter Counties Schools' Championships at Birmingham, while she also achieved three wins in the Youth Development League.

King David Manchester pupil Wolfenden said, "I feel honoured to win this award. I am training hard to improve further next year, when I will be competing in the Maccabiah in Israel."

Several past winners of the Award also featured amongst the community athletes who won medals and titles during the season. Eden Davis, in his first year in the U20 division, repeated his success of last year in winning 100m bronze in the English Schools Championships. He also took 200m silver and 100m bronze at the South of England Championships, as well as 100m silver in the Hertfordshire Championships.

Pole vaulter Sophie Dowson, 17, was delighted to win silver in the English Schools Championships. Her year’s best clearance of 3.76m placed her sixth in the UK U20 rankings.

Javelin thrower James Bongart, 20, took silver in the England Athletics U23 Championships. His personal best throw of 58.34m moved him to fourth place on the national U23 list.

Lia Radus’ excellent competitive season included winning gold medals for U15 1500m at the Middlesex, London Schools and South of England Championships. Her best 3000m time of 10:03.68 placed her third in the UK U15 rankings. Younger sister Maayan, 12, also performed well, winning the Middlesex U13 cross country title and taking bronze in the county 1500m championship.

In his first attempt over the distance, David Stone, 14, took the Under 16 trophy in the Jerusalem 10K, finishing 68 seconds ahead of the 531-strong field. He enjoyed success over cross country, road relay and track 1500m, despite being hampered on occasion by breathing problems.

Highgate Harrier Hannah Viner, 20, recorded 35:20 in the Vitality London 10,000 to finish top in the UK U20 10 km road race rankings. She also recorded 36:03.87 for the distance on the track.

Three members of the Hurley family each won medals in the Hertfordshire Championships. Rebecca won silver in the U20 400m hurdles, Greg also took silver in the U17 400m, while Jessica achieved bronze in the U17 400m. Anna Barnett, 17, gained silver in the Kent U20 discus championship while Ellie Edwards, 20, also struck silver in the Greater Manchester & Cheshire senior 100m.

Brothers Bini (13), Jack (15) and Nathan Bloom (18) all competed well over the middle distances. Bini was the most active, recording an excellent 10:15.41 for 3000m.

Roger Bruck’s gold medal haul in British Masters M75 competition included four each in the National Indoor and Southern Outdoor Championships. In both contests his victories were over the two sprints, high jump and long jump. Bruck, 77, won the high jump in the British Masters Championships outdoors with an extraordinary clearance of 1.27m. This leap added 4 cm to his own M75 Southern Counties record and would have tied for gold in the recent World Masters Championships.

Richard Goodman, 23, took the North of the Thames cross country title as well as three victories in the Metropolitan cross country league. He was the year's most televised Jewish athlete, featuring in coverage of the Great Edinburgh Cross Country and the 10 km Manchester Great Run. On that latter occasion he finished as top Briton and earned high praise from Steve Cram. ”Running side by side with Kenenisa Bekele, one of the all-time great distance runners, was an absolute privilege”, Goodman reflected. “Experiences like that are part and parcel of why I love running."