News

Photo: Anne Wafula-Strike

An Athletics Event for people with disabilities was held on Saturday 24 April 2010 at Mark Hall Athletics Track, Harlow. The teams taking part were from Harlow Athletics Club All Ability Section, Harlow Fields School, Epping Sportability, Uttlesford, and Orwell Panthers( Ipswich). The day with 50 competitors, were split into 5 groups, and they took part in events such as turbo javelin, grip ball, long jump, shot put, distance club, 60m, 100m, and 200m races. Plus wheelchair racing involving some great hopefuls training to be considered for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Dean Harvey, Ellie Parish, Hanna Stibe, Jordon Wright, Richard Chiassaro, Adam Goldspink- Burgess, and Essex County Council's Team Essex Ambassador Anne Wafula-Strike.

In the senior men’s category Oliver Minns from (Panthers) came 1st, Dean Harvey (Harlow) 2nd place, and 3rd place Andrew Davis (Panthers). The Women’s category was won by Jessica Lake (Panthers), 2nd place Isobel Stevenson (Uttlesford) and 3rd place was Charmain Thorpe (Harlow). In the Junior category 1st place was Andrew Davis (Panthers), Mike Hayes (Epping) and Matthew Foulger (Panthers) joint 2nd and Jordan Wright came 4th from Harlow, In the Girls events Isobel Stevenson (Uttlesford) 1st place, Charmain Thorpe (Harlow) 2nd place and Amy Howkins (Harlow) came 3rd. In the team events The Challenge Cup Harlow was won by Orwell Panthers with Epping Sportability 2nd and Harlow Athletics Club All Ability 3rd Gold Silver and bronze medals and participant certificates were presented to the athletes by Anne Wafula-Strike, a Great Britain Paralympian racing wheelchair athlete who has been been regognised by her National Governing body of sport to have potential to compete at London 2012. 

The partners were Children and Young People Strategic Services, sportessex and Boshier-Hinton foundation, Harlow Athletics Club.  The competition was organised by Sports Development Harlow Council with officials helping from Harlow Athletics Club, Epping Sportability and Leisure Staff from Harlow Council.   

The event was a great opportunity for people with a disability to show their potential and help athletes find out their own personal potential that could ultimately lead to competing at  the London 2012 Paralympic Games. 

28 of the athletes from Harlow will be taking part in the Eastern Regional Athletics Championships taking place in Chelmsford’s Melbourne Park Athletics Track on 15th May 10.

Then successful athletes will be hoping to represent the Eastern Region in the DSA National Junior Athletics Championships 3 to 4 July taking place at Blackpool, and the Mencap Championships in Manchester 26 June and the London Disability Challenge at Crystal Place 15  August and the Cerebral Palsy Sport National Athletics Championships on 18  September at Nottingham.

For more information about training with Harlow Athletics Club’s All Ability section, contact:  Helen Offord Sports Development Officer for Harlow Council on:

01279 446417 Email: Helen.offord@harlow.gov.uk

www.harlow.gov.uk

Winners in individual sports were:

Distance Club Men’s 1st Luke Lowe (Harlow), 2nd Stephen Burks (Harlow) 3rd Alex Patterson (Harlow) Ladies 1st Lucy Howkins (Harlow) Rosa Huntington ((Harlow) 3rd Sadie Hobbs (Harlow)

Javelin Men’s 1st Place Stephen Burks (Harlow) and Luke Lowe (Harlow), 3rd Place Michael Davis (Panthers) 4th Place Alex Patterson (Harlow) Ladies 1st Place Rosa Huntington (Harlow), 2nd Place Emily Maskell (Harlow Fields) 3rd Place Chloe Donovan (Harlow)

Shot Putt Men’s 1st Alex Patterson (Harlow), 2nd Huseyin Besgullar, (Epping) 3rd Mike Hayes (Epping), Ladies 1st Place Charmain Thorpe (Harlow), 2nd Place Emily Maskell (Fields) 3rd Place Lucy Howkins (Harlow)

Long Jump Men’s 1st Dean Harvey (Harlow), 2nd Michael Davis (Panthers) 3rd Place Andrew Davis (Panthers) Ladies 1st Place Charmain Thorpe (Harlow), 2nd Place Amy Howkins (Harlow) 3rd Place Emily Maskell (Fields).

60m Men’s 1st Place Oliver Minns (Panthers) 2nd Place Andrew Davis (Panthers) 3rd Place Ritesh Rajcoomar (Harlow) Ladies 1st Place Isobel Stevenson (Uttlesford) 2nd Place Charmain Thorpe (Harlow) 3rd Place Rosa Huntington (Harlow)

100m Men’s 1st Place Oliver Minns (Panthers), 2nd Place Max Lake (Panthers), 3rd Place Dean Harvey (Harlow) Ladies 1st Place Jessica Lake (Panthers) 2nd Place Isobel Stevenson (Uttlesford) 3rd Place Imogen Walbanke (Uttlesford)

200m Men’s 1st Place Oliver Minns (Panthers) 2nd Place Dean Harvey (Harlow) 3rd Place Andrew Davis (Panthers Ladies 1st Place Isobel Stevenson (Uttlesford) 2nd Place Charmain Thorpe (Harlow) 3rd Place Jessica Lake (Panthers).

For more information contact Helen Offord, Sports Development Officer, Harlow Council

Tel: 01279 446417  Email: helen.offord@harlow.gov.uk