A haul of 11 golds puts Havering AC head and shoulders above the rest
Havering AC had an amazing night at the Essex Relay Championships on Friday night in Chelmsford with 11 gold medals, five other podium places and four club records in the process.
In the 4x100m sprint relays, Havering almost had a clean sweep of the titles, winning five of the six on offer, with the other team losing out due to a disqualification.
The under-15 boys' quartet started things going in style winning gold and also breaking the club record which had stood since 2000.
They posted the second fastest time by a UK club team this summer as Charlie Black, Jacob Blanc, Jack Botha and Denzel Achi held off a strong Newham challenge to clock 46.41 seconds, over half a second inside the old club mark.
Hot on their heels, the under-17 women's squad of Shalom Gbadebo, Mali Grant, Bella Smith and Tayllah Barton-Conde posted their fastest time of the season, and the fastest by a club under-17 squad for over 10 years to win gold.
They were soon followed by gold from the under-15 girls' quartet of Rhys Cole, Paige Robinson, Steph Okoro and Uche Okpalauko who had recorded the third fastest time ever by a club under-15 team in their heat and look to improve the club record this year.
The under-13 girls' quartet survived a scare with a fumbled change, but recovered for gold and the team of Brianna Ofori, Beth Jarret, Ruby Tillson and Cassie Campbell also came close to the club record in their heat.
The fifth sprint relay gold went to the under-13 boys' team who clocked the third fastest time in the UK this year.
Al-Ameen Salaam brought home gold after legs from Seb Alexandru, Teddy Matthews and Daniel Lammas.
Club teams also won all three 4x300m relays, all three in club record marks.
Steph Okoro, Lucy Nattrass, Uche Okpalauko, and Olivia Boachie combined for under-15 gold in the fastest time by a UK club team this season.
They carved a second and a half off the club best, and Ruby Higgins, Natalie Sewell, Cynthia Asiegbu and Tilly Canty showed the club's strength in depth by winning bronze.
Charlie Howell, Patrick McLean-Tattan, Charlie Black and Jacob Blanc broke their own club under-15 record and UK lead, and Matthew Blacklock, Shane Hart, Oliver Yexley and Denzel Achi were runners-up.
The under-17 women's record fell as Alice Brown, Alice Atkins, Sydney Foley and Mali Grant added to the gold tally, and the under 17 4x400m team of Somto Okpalauko, Kimathi Christie, Sam Sanusi and Daragh Thomas added silver.
Club teams won three golds and two other medals in the 3x800m relay events.
Nathan Hart, Al-Ameen Salaam and Daniel Lammas won under-13 gold, while the B squad of Michael Tesi, Zack Higgins and Oliver Taylor-Bush won bronze.
Charlie Howell, Shane Hart and Matthew Blacklock completed the under-15 boys' medal haul with victory, and Natalie Sewell, Ruby Higgins and Steph Okoro led the under-15 race from the start for gold.
The under-13 girls' trio of Charlotte Evans, Hannah Evans and Ruby Tillson took silver to round off a great night.
Club Chairman Tony Benton said "This amazing evening's achievements by our athletes was the most successful county competition for club relay teams that I can recall, and possibly the best ever.
"Some of our teams are pretty untouchable at county level and three of our sprint relay squads will get the chance to take on the best at the Club:Connect Relays at the Anniversary Games Diamond League meeting on Sunday July 21 at the Olympic Stadium."
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