BRITISH CHAMPION

Claire is British Champion.

Claire Martin is the newly crowned British and Irish Masters cross country champion. Selected for the England Masters team, 36 year old Claire from Aqueduct travelled to Dublin to represent her country in the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International held at Santry Park, Dublin, the venue for last years European Cross Country Championships. On a muddy but flat 4 lap 6 kilometre course, the Telford AC athlete was content to run with the leading group for the first two laps then sensing a gap she made her break at the beginning of the third lap. She extended her lead to 80 metre by the finish as she came home in 22.07 ahead of her nearest rival fellow England runner Emma Stallard in 22.21 with Scotland's Melissa Whyte third in 22.26. England were second in the over 35's team race to Ireland but won the overall womens race whilst Ireland were second with wales third, Scotland 4th and Northern Ireland 5th. Claire who was the winner of the opening North Wales Cross Country League and 3rd in the first Midland Womens League so far this season plans to race at Wrexham in the next North Wales League, before focussing on the cross country championships after Christmas.

Paul Sanderson

Anderson Sportsperson of The Year

Revenue & Customs Sports Leisure (West Midlands)

The first recipient of RCSL West Midlands Sportsperson of the Year is for the year to 31 October 2009 and has been awarded to Jamie Anderson.

Jamie is a fully committed runner who has during this year competed in regional events, represented our region at national events and represented HMRC at national level. Somehow he also finds the time to compete for Telford Harriers & Telford Athletic Club, where does he find the time?

Here is a list of his many achievements that has earned him this recognition:

RCSL & Civil Service Events

• Finished 3rd in the Half Marathon Championships at Stafford and was part of the HMRC team that won the team competition.

• Finished 6th in the RCSL Cross Country Championships and was part of the West Midlands team that won the team competition.

• Finished 15th in the Civil Service Cross Country Championships and was part of the HMRC team that won the team competition.

• Represented the West Midlands team at the RCSL Sports Day running in the 800m (3rd), 1500m (5th) and 5,000m (3rd) and scoring 19 points for the region.

• Represented the HMRC team at the Civil Service Sports Day running in the 800m (4th), 1500m (3rd) and 5,000m (7th).

• Helped the HMRC team finish 2nd in the 5,000m team competition at the Civil Service Sports Day.

• Finished 22nd in the Civil Service 10K Championships at Battersea Park.

• Finished 5th in the RCSL 10K Championships.

• Represented the HMRC team at the Civil Service Road Relays in Finsbury Park.

• Regularly represented the Civil Service Team in the Midlands Police & Services Cross Country League, with several top 5 finishes and top team scorer.

Telford Harriers & Telford Athletic Club

• Achieved a personal best at the London Marathon finishing in a time of 2:45:48 in 308th place. The time was just under 10 minutes faster than his previous year’s time.

• Ran the Edinburgh Marathon five weeks after the London Marathon finishing in a time of 2:46:48 in 40th place out of over 13,000 entrants.

• Won the ‘Best Male Runner’ at the Telford Harriers presentation evening.

• Won the Telford Harriers ‘Club Race League’.

• Finished 5th in the Shropshire Cross Country Championships.

• Selected and ran for Shropshire in the Intercounties Cross Country Championships at Nottingham.

• After moving to Telford Athletic Club finished 3rd Senior Male in the local six race summer series in which teams from Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands and further a field take part.

• Was leading scorer for Telford Harriers in all four races as the team finished 3rd in the North Staffordshire Cross Country League Division 2.

• Finished 7th in the individual standings in the North Staffordshire Cross Country League.

• Top three finishes in the Shifnal Half Marathon and Stourbridge Stagger 10 mile races.

• Top ten finishes at The Badger Bite, Suicide Six(ish), Wheaton Aston 10K, Sleaford Half Marathon, Rhayader 20 Miles, Lilleshall 10K, Culbin Forest Run, Shropshire 4 Miles, Welsh Castles Relay Stage 11, Ironbridge 4 Miles.

• Achieved personal bests at numerous distances including Marathon (2:45:48), 20 Miles (2:08:45), Half Marathon (1:16:41), 10km (35:10), 5km (16:51).

There is a trophy that goes with this award and it will be formally presented to Jamie at the RCSL West Midlands Summer Sports Day on 9 June 2009.

Jim Tipper

Jim Tipper
Masters V35
Event:200m, PB:21.52, UK Ranking 2009:2
About Jim

Jim is an outstanding 200m athlete who holds the Masters World Record for the 4x100m. He started the season very strong indeed and looked set to run a very fast time but crashed out of the Midlands Champs due to injury and couldn’t race or train again until the World Masters Champs 6 weeks later. Through sheer determination he progressed through each round of the World Championships to the final, where he came a momentous sixth place, far ahead of anyone’s expectations. He went on to win two gold medals with the Great Britain relay team, snatching the British Record for the 4x400m. For next year he is aiming to go much faster than in 2009, if he stays uninjured he hopes to dip below 22 seconds for the 200m. He looks to become British Masters Champion at 100m and 200m and win a medal at the European Masters Champs in Hungary in 2010.

Chris Carter National Champion

By Paul Sanderson
31-Mar-09

The eighteen year old athlete from St Georges, opened his indoor season representing Birmingham in the indoor city challenge where he ran the 1500m in a new pesonal best by one second in 4.03.

Chris Carter has just finished an outstanding indoor athletics season. After spending mosts of the winter racing cross country for Telford Athletic Club and Adams Grammar School, Newport has spent a few weeks concentrating on 800m and 1500m indoors. The eighteen year old athlete from St Georges, opened his indoor season representing Birmingham in the indoor city challenge where he ran the 1500m in a new pesonal best by one second in 4.03. He followed that up with a 2 second personal best for the 800m in 2 minutes exactly.

Then the highlight of his career to date as he won the National Indoor Under 20's 1500m. he entered with an outside chance of a medal as he was ranked outside the top 6. He surprised everyone winning the race on the tight National Indoor Areana 200m track in 3.56.9, his first time under 4 minutes and a new personal best by 6 seconds. He beat the Welsh and Irish Champions in the process and put himself on top of the national rankings.

He then went onto set a new personal best over 800m in 1.58 before finishing his seasaon in a race at Cardiff where he won in another personal best of 3.55,beating one of the finalists from the British University Champs.

Chris,who won the Shropshire Schools Cross Country Championships at Bridgnorth in February,is in his final year at Adams Grammar after 5 years at Wrockwardine Wood School., He is now preparing for the outdoor season and his target of qualifying for the English Schools Track and Field Championships to be held in Sheffield in July.

Richard Rubenis

Richard Rubenis

V35 Masters

Event:400m PB:47.40 UK Ranking 2009:2

Event:100m PB:10.50 UK Ranking 2009:6

About Rich

Due to niggling injuries when training for the 100m, Richard decided to move up distances to the 400m in 2009, his first year in the over 35's age group. Winning the Midland Masters Champs in 50.8 seconds, Richard realised he still had big improvements to come. He continued to grab season's bests until the British Masters Championships where he took the lead coming off the final bend and smashed the Championship Record in 49.87. Richard went to the World Masters Champs and stormed to the bronze medal, with a new season's best of 49.43. In the next week he went in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, the Great Britain team winning both. Richard has high hopes for next season, wanting to break 49 seconds, his own British Champs record, and perhaps even win the European Championships.

Ed Dawes

Ed Dawes

Event:High Jump PB:1.85m UK Ranking 2009:Unranked

Event:400m PB:53.3 UK Ranking 2009:373

About Ed

Ed was a very good high jumper in 2008, but ruptured his ACL at the end of the season, stopping him going to English School's. In 2009 he only competed in throws, winning the Shropshire School's Championships at shot and discus. At the end of 2009, he ran in the 4x400m in the junior league, his first time on the track in almost a year. He ran a good leg and entered the Telford Games 400m where he came fourth. Next year he hopes to be fit enough to compete properly again and qualify for English School's.

Mike Dickens

Mike Dickens

Event:400m PB:52.5

Event:200m PB:23.2

About Mike

Formerly a 400m runner, in 2009 Mike decided to step down distances to 200m, with great success. Though he didn't quite match his PB of 400m this year, he ran a very impressive 200m PB of 23.2, making him one of the best 200m runners at the club. He is also a member of the 4x400m senior team and still a very good 400m runner. For someone so new to 200m, Mike shows great promise for the future. Next year, he is looking to move down again to do the 100m and 200m, and is hoping for big PB's in both distances.

Callum Rubery

Callum Rubery

Under 15 men

Event:Discus, PB:40.37m, UK Ranking 2009: 10

Event: Hammer, PB: 27.72m, UK Ranking 2009: 109

About Callum

Callum achieved tremendous PBs in 2009, smashing the English School's standard. At the English Championships he threw his PB of 40.37, and was in second place until the two last throws of the competition, where he went down to fourth in the last seconds. Moving up to the under 17s age group next year, Callum wants to train even harder through the winter to post the biggest PBs he is capable of next year.

Tino Dummett

Tino Dummett
Under 20 men

Event:100m, PB:10.8, UK Ranking 2009:31
Event:200, PB:22.5, UK Ranking 2009:89

About Tino

Tino has improved his PB from 11.2 to 10.8 in 2009, and won a medal in the Welsh Junior Champs. Next year he aims to run sub-11 much more consistently, and hopes to further his PB to 10.7.

Becca Fagan

Becca Fagan
Under 17 women
Event: Shotput, PB:10.57m, UK Ranking 2009:21

About Becca

Becca is new to athletics, with 2009 being her first true season. Despite being new, she went to English School’s and came 10th in the shot. Next year she hopes to throw beyond 11m, the national standard for her age group.

Laura Gibbons

Laura Gibbons
Under 17 women
Event:100m, PB:13.1, UK Ranking 2009:162
Event: Long Jump, PB:4.85m, UK Ranking 2009:162
About Laura

Laura is a frequent competitor for Telford AC in both young athletes leagues, the junior league, and the senior league. Next year she is looking to run 12.6 in the 100m and jump 5.30 in the long jump, both of which are the English School’s qualifying standards.

Mitchell Jenderko

Mitchell Jenderko
Under 17 men

Event: Long Jump, PB:6.21m, UK Ranking 2009:80
Event:100m, PB:11.4, UK Ranking 2009:126
Event:200m, PB:23.4, UK Ranking 2009:179

About Mitchell

The 2009 season was Mitchell’s first in the under 17’s age group, and he still did very well in competitions, winning a medal at the Midland Championships and being picked for the senior team. In the 08/09 winter, he trained for the long jump at Shrewsbury and vastly improved his PB in the 09 season, reaching the English School’s qualifying standard. Next year he looks to again improve all his PBs, on both track and field, and compete to a higher standard in his final year in the under 17s age group.

Bethan Partridge

Bethan Partridge

Under 20 women

Event: High Jump, PB:1.80m, UK Ranking 2009: 1
Event: Triple Jump, PB:11.92m, UK Ranking 2009: 5

About Bethan

Bethan is a member of the England Senior High Jump squad. Next year, she hopes to jump a new PB of 1.85. Bethan missed out on the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2008 by 1cm, and in 2009 missed the European Juniors by 2cm. This year she is moving to Manchester to attend university, and hopes she can use the good facilities there to improve her already substantial PBs.

Ben Simons

Ben Simons

Event:100m, PB:10.7, UK Ranking 2009:73
Event: Long Jump, PB:7.16m, UK Ranking 2009:34

About Ben

In 2009, Ben was plagued by injury and couldn’t improve on his long jump as much as he wanted to. However, he tried out the 100m, winning a silver medal at the Midland Championships. He jumped 7m+ with a short run-up in 2009, and in 2010 will be fitter and able to jump what he is capable of. He trains with several GB triple jumpers including a European u23 champion, and next year wants to move up to triple jump, hoping to get to 15.50m, and improve in the long jump, 60m and 100m.

Malcolm Dawes, Jnr.

Malcolm Dawes Jnr.

Under 20 men

Event:High Jump, PB:1.80m, UK Ranking 2009:106

Event:400mH, PB:61.1, UK Ranking 2009:103

About Malcolm

Malcolm is also a very good decathlete, ranked 62nd in the UK in 2009 for the decathlon. He has had a few niggling injuries in 2009, preventing him from reaching his full potential, but is still ranked second in the club at both high jump and the hurdles. He reached the English Schoool's qualifying standard for decathlon, and next year hopes to have PB's in all the decathlon events.

Hayley Rubery

Hayley Rubery

Under 17 women

Event: Discus, PB: 36.07m, UK Ranking 2009:10

Event: Pole Vault, PB:3.00m, UK Ranking 2009:17

About Hayley

In the 2009 Shropshire School's Championships, Hayley broke the Championships Record in the discus with a throw of 36.07m, breaking the national standard. She has also reached the English School's standard in the pole vault, despite 2009 being her first season in the event. She won two medals at the Midlands Championships, and came sixth in discus and eight in the pole vault at the English Athletics Championships 2009 in Bedford. She was also picked for the UK School Games on her 15th birthday and equalled her PB in the pole vault, coming seventh. Next year she looks forward to more PB's, and looks to take advantage of her final year in the under 17s age group.

Peter Arnold

Pete Arnold

Event:400m, PB:52.2, UK Ranking 2009:904

Event:200m, PB:23.2, UK Ranking 2009:Unranked

About Pete

Pete is one of the more charistmatic members of the athletics club, and can be seen at most senior league meetings. He was a very gifted 200m runner, but missed the 2008 season with a broken foot. He decided to concentrate on the 400m in 2009 and finished with a season's best of 52.5 seconds, making him joint third in the club rankings. His best races are in the 4x400m relay team, which has had great success this year. He plans to do more 400m and some 200m races early in 2010 to increase his speed, and hopes to go sub-52 seconds in the 400m.

Colin Mattock MV60

A very Happy Birthday to Collin Mattock TAC and Wales who moves into the next Vet category today.




Colin started his running career at an early age as a member of Bristol AC, now Bristol and West. He went onto to represent Madeley College, Staffordshire where he trained as a teacher.

After qualifying as a teacher he moved to work in the Midlands and joined Wolverhampton and Bilston. At that time Wolves were one of the top clubs in the country and won the British Track and Field League on many occasions as well as having strong teams on the road and country. During his time with Wolves Colin represented them on the track in the British League and as league champions they often qualified for the European Clubs Track and Field Championships. Colin ran for them on the track in these championships in Lisbon, Madrid, Belgrade, Paris and Verona. His best performance was in Madrid in 1980 when he placed 6th in the 5000m in 14.23.4.
His other track pbs are

800m 2.01.2 - 1975.
1500m 3.58.5 - 1976
3000m 8.17.8 - 1980
3000m S/C 9.43.8 - 1979
10,000m 30.10.2 - 1979

Colin has represented Wales on the track, road and cross country, most recently at the Vets International in Belfast. He is hoping to get selected in the over 60’s age group for this seasons international.

On the road he won a bronze medal with Wolves in the National 12 Stage Relay in 1978. In 1980 he won the first leg of the Midland and then the National 12 Stage Relays. His short leg in the Midlands was 14.20 and his long leg in the National was 25.47. He went onto win a gold medal with Telford AC’s over 50 Masters Team in the British Road Relay Championships in 2007.

He has run a sub 50 minutes 10 mile race on 14 occasions between 1975 and 1984, his personal best for 10 miles coming when he won the Tipton 10 in 48.16 in 1981. His other 10 mile victories were

Michelin 10 ( Stoke ) - 48.29 in 1980
Burnsall 10 ( Yorkshire Dales ) - 51.00 in 1980
Wrekin 10 - 51.05 in 1981
Telford 10 - 51.33 in 1982
Bromsgrove 10 - 51.12 in 1982.



Colin won the Lake Vyrnwy in 1980 and 1981, in 1980 it was an 11.4 mile race just around the lake shoreline in 55.56 and then became a half marathon in 1981 when he race 68.19. ( A time that would have given him 2nd place this year )

He won the Much Wenlock 7 race held in conjunction with the Wenlock Olympian Games in 1980, 1981 and 1982 his fastest time came in 1981 when he ran 34.27.

His other road distance personal bests make mouth watering reading as

5 miles - 23.43 at the Sparkhill 5 in 1978
10k - 29.42 in the Harry Lapworth 10k in Coventry in 1979
Half Marathon – 64.08 in the Wimbush Half, Birmingham 1982
25 K – 78.13 in the LRRC International in 1982
Marathon – 2.26.19 in the Sandwell Marathon in 1981.

Since joining Telford AC, he has represented the club in various cross country, road races and relays. Colin also organised his own race in Broseley for many years. Until recently he has coached a large group of boy and girl teenage athletes, at the Telford Stadium, who are all at least county standard, including many county champions. He also coached a large group of senior men for many years. He is currently a team manager for the Shropshire Schools Track and Field and Cross country teams.

Colin keeps himself very fit and as well as running he trains at swimming and cycling and has competed in many triathlons including the original Tinman Triathlon based on Madeley Court in 1987.