THERE were medals galore for Ilford s athletes on day three of the Essex County Championships. Rachel Giwa was dominant in the under-20 women s 200m, winning by almost half a second in 24.85 seconds, while Simeon Stuart and Healson Ihuoma represented a st

THERE were medals galore for Ilford's athletes on day three of the Essex County Championships.

Rachel Giwa was dominant in the under-20 women's 200m, winning by almost half a second in 24.85 seconds, while Simeon Stuart and Healson Ihuoma represented a strong brace of Ilford athletes in the under-20 men's long jump.

Stuart comfortably won the event in a season's best performance of 6.51m, while Ihuoma was a little below form, but still bagged a bronze with 6.10m.

George Hadler is also a year below the maximum age in the under-15 boys' event, but was far from overwhelmed in the 400m, adding a fine bronze in 57.10 to his bronze in the hurdles the previous day.

Jamie Smith has only recently returned to athletics, but quickly found her form, collecting a silver medal in the under-20 women's hammer with

32.63m.

Nadia Gervaise has continued from last year's success of Tamara

Chambers in the under-13 girls' 75m, although her time of 10.48 was narrowly

squeezed out of the medals into fourth place.

Chambers herself has improved considerably over the last year and was highly-competitive in the 200m in the under-15 girls despite being a year below most of her competitors.

Her time of 28.30 achieved a fine fifth place in the final, marginally slower than her time in the semi-final of 28.05.

Melodie Ihuoma's long jump of 4.28m was enough for eighth place in a highly

competitive under-17 girls, while Ashley Joseph (3.96m in the under-15

girls) and Trinity St Lewis (2.87m in the under-13 girls) also competed well

for 11th and 16th respectively. Trinity also putt the shot 4.59m for 10th

place.

The senior men were represented by Craig Burrow in the discus and Malcolm

Muir and David Dickinson in the 1,500m.

The 1,500m was possibly the race of the day, with Ross Clarke leading a highly talented field of runners in his wake.

Dickinson led Muir early on in the race, but Muir's strength came through in the last lap to record 4.17.43 for 13th, ahead of Dickinson in 4.22.20 in 14th. Burrow was only a fraction away from a medal with a fine 36.76m in the discus for fourth place.