By Alastair Aitken
After quite heavy & persistent rain, ABDI ABDULLEH, followed up his win in the Middlesex 10k road Championship, of the
29th of September, with another decisive victory in the first
Start Fitness Met League of the season.
In what has proved to be one of the most popular cross country events in the UK ‘Thanking Janice Bowman and her team of
dedicated officials...
Coach Idris Hamud, of Hillingdon AC, pointed out “My target this season was for one of my men to win a Metropolitan league
senior race but, I was surprised it was done so soon.”
In the past Abdi did often, rush off quickly, which robbed him of a victory in 2017-18 but this time he went off fast but
never came back. At half way, on the sometimes muddy patches, he was on his own ahead and, in second place, also on his own
was Ahmed Abdulle (20), who puts down his recent good running to being coached by Mick Woods at St Marys. The third place was
not concluded till the last half mile when Ash Harrell came in third, which was his best position in the league races and,
he led the Woodford (1325) team to victory but close on their tail are Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets (1258) and Highgate
Harriers (1227) and so it is all to play for. In eighth place was the first vet over 40’ Tom Aldred (26:09), who had been
running well on the roads lately and, the oldest to run well Stuart Mann (M75) 374 of 442 finishers in 40:00.
Naomi Taschimowitz, who is very experienced on the Claybury course, started to move clear at half way and, never looked back. Naomi
was 6th in the National last year the year which was the year she ran her fastest 5000 on the track of 15:54. However in the
race at Claybury that had 154 finishers, in 2nd place, running her first ever 8k, was Khahisa Mhlanga, the under 20 European
800 Champion in 2017 & who ran in two European Championship cross countries.
“I have been injured for a while since December I am going to do the cross-country season. And, I am coached by Mike Judd,
who is a very good coach and does not give me too much to do and said I am to enjoy it and, that is the main thing which is
important.”
In third place also a bit isolated was Revee Walcott-Nolan “I did 2.1 personal best in a BMC 800 race at Eltham in
July and, use the cross-country as basic work for my track racing’
‘‘I am not that keen on the mud and, people were falling over on the mud, in the race to-day ”
In fourth place was Highgate Harrier Nina Griffith, who improved her last Met League position of 9th to 4th.
Herts Phoenix runner Deborah Rushman, was the first W50 in a good 26th place in 33:20. London heathside lead the points with
368, 2nd Victoria Park 341 and Highgate 287.
Shaftesbury’s Freya Stapleton, is always impressive in Met League races and won the Under 17’s by over a minute but,
had been injured all Summer till late August. She was particularly pleased with running for England and coming 6th in the
SIAB international in Dublin in March and she came 4th in the National too.
John Stow, the Woodford Green coach points out there are three runners he coaches who all wish to gain an English vest in the
future Ben Sloan (16), whose best position before the day was fourth, ran well to lead most of the way in the Under 17‘s
and the first two in the Under 13 girls, Abigail Read who had the courage to go to the front and stay there, and the girl
who was a good second to her Tilly Major, is also a good prospect.”
Alastair Aitken
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