Runners-up spot again in South Essex Cross-Country League

Barking and Dagenham Post: Dagenham 88 Runners at the Essex 20Dagenham 88 Runners at the Essex 20 (Image: Archant)

Dagenham 88 Runners had to settle for the runners-up spot in Division Two of the South Essex Cross-Country League for the third year running at the weekend.

A group of 24 took on a fantastic 4.3-mile course at Hadleigh, which had a great view of the Thames Estuary, hilly and flat sections, as well as a water jump that almost accounted for Beverley Eagles.

Gary Coombes was the first Dagenham member home in 19th place, with Jeff Webster (53rd), Trevor Robinson (123rd), Gary Cardnell, Ian Cummins (136th) and Steve Whitfield (143rd) completing the scoring six.

Mick Pegnall (155th), Leigh Moring (165th) and Sam Veerasamy (175th) were also in action, while the women were led home by in-form Caroline Tuck in 15th place.

Rahana Islam (34th) and Hannah Sheikh (65th) were next across the line, with their large contingent completed by Jenny Akroyd (66th), Louise Chappell (79th), Suzanne Castle (81st), Emma O’Shea (93rd), Caroline Cummins (96th), Sara Prior (109th), Kelly Dee-Tee (111th), Bev Eagles (113rd), Jane Swanson-Sprent (119th), Christine Lardner (123rd), Carol Moring (124th) and Julie Cardnell (135th).

But while Dagenham had been on level pegging with Rochford after four races, they were pipped to the title by their rivals after the final results were collated.

n Dagenham sent two mixed teams of four to the Chingford League Relays for the traditional season-ending race on a chilly afternoon.

And Gary Coombes ran twice, taking the first leg for Team 39 (11.49), as Mick Pegnall (17.26), Jenny Akroyd (16.56) and Richard Dudman (13.53) helped bring them home in 60.04, and the anchor leg for Team 40 (12.07), after Ian Cummins (15.51), Trevor Robinson (15.00) and Rahana Islam (16.07) had combined to help record a winning time of 59.05.

Dagenham’s Thomas Dudman ran a juniors race as part of the first wave of runners in a time of 14.39.

n Nigel Swinburne led Dagenham home at the Essex 20 in Langham, clocking 2:19.59.

Athletes tackled three laps of the North East Essex countryside, featuring Sky Hall and Greyhound Hills, in the race for honours and as part of their marathon training, with Peter Salmon following Swinburne home in 2:19.17.

Emma Dudman clocked 3:17.44 and Timi Veerasamy 3:31.32, as Rosina Salmon and Debbie Vince both completed two of the three laps.

n Dagenham’s Thomas Dudman was first to finish the latest Barking & Dagenham Junior parkrun at Central Park on Sunday.

Dudman clocked 8.53 for the 2k course to finish well clear of Alfie Ridgeon (10.34) and Zakaria Rahman (10.49).

Clubmates Jack Palmer (12.35), Krishan Chowdhury (13.06), Freddie Palmer (15.22) and Annika Chowdhury (15.24) also took part, as Jia Ladhar set a new best of 17.14.

Others: Yasin Rahman 10.51; Lewis Bridges 10.58; Luke Matthews 11.25; Matthew Line 11.27; Zach Bridges 12.49; Nicholas Matthews 13.19; Rhys Ridgeon 14.27; Alice Carter 14.38; Victor Menezes 15.02; Ansh Thomas 16.22; Amelia Beazeley 17.14; Karina Ladhar 19.28.

Latest parkrun results, Ashford; Suzanne Easley 28.29; Stephen Easley 35.54.

Barking: Louise Chappell 27.01; Emma O’Shea 27.42; Abigail O’Shea 34.21; Lorraine Moor 34.35.

Harrow Lodge: John Phillips 21.29; Caroline Tuck 23.03.

Hockley Woods: Bill Metcalfe 42.27.

Raphael: Paul Eagles 26.06; Luke Summers 29.24; Jamie Austin 29.27; Timi Veerasamy 30.38; Sam Veerasamy 33.56; Kelly Drake-Tapscott 33.57; Sharon Robinson 36.17.

Roding Valley: Vennisa Chowdhury 33.33; Ingrid Dias 37.10.

Valentines: Nigel Swinburne 19.50; Nils Hollman 23.12; Manji Gami 27.12; Jennifer Akroyd 27.59; Ryder Islam 30.03; Rahana Islam 30.51; Aimee Dudman 31.20; Hannah Sheikh 31.47; Beverley Eagles 32.15; Debbie Vince 34.09; Rosina Salmon 34.16.