HHH Update – Jan 17/18 2015

Sprinter Marvin Popoola made a lightning-fast start to his 2015 track season, clocking a personal best over 60m as the 19-year-old became South of England champion.

Popoola – who holds a Herne Hill Harriers’ 100m club record of 10.51 seconds – ran a 60m best of 6.78 in the semi-final, before clocking 6.81 in the final at Lee Valley to be crowned indoor champion for the South of England.

Elsewhere, Vic Maughn and Sarah Allen stormed to victory in the M50 age categories at the Veterans Athletic Club cross country championship. Maughn was fourth overall but first M50 at Wimbledon Common, while Allen was a further winner in the W50 category.

Lewis Lloyd was another winner as the Cambridge University student was victorious in a college league fixture at Coldham’s Common.

Keith Newton was also in fine fettle as he won the M50 category at the Sussex Master’s cross country championship at Lancing. Newton – who lost his footing and fell on the first of two laps – won his ninth Sussex veterans title in the process.

Racing at the Capital Runners Bushy Park 10k, Simon Messenger was third in 36 minutes, 56 seconds, and Mark Blee fifth in 37.39, with both running healthy personal bests. Robin Jones was the standout parkrun athlete of the weekend, clocking 16.39 for second place at Dulwich.

Further Herne Hill athletes competing at Lee Valley included Philip Thomas (sixth in the U20M triple jump with 13.02m) and Raheem Strude-McLean (fifth in his U20M 400m heat in 54.25). A string of 60m athletes also raced, with semi-finalists Byron Robinson and Idris Ojuriye both running 7.02. Daryl Thomas clocked 7.30 in his heat.

In the U20M competition, Mackanaki Williams ran a personal best of 7.20. Michelle Watson was another finalist in the SW 60m event, clocking 8.15, following an earlier 8.05. U20 Michelle Obijiaku, meanwhile, posted a time of 8.09 in her semi-final after an 8.03 heat. Esther Fuja, another U20, clocked 8.23 in her heat.