Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - April 6, 2007

Medal hat-trick in March for Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor, of Liverpool Pembroke Sefton Athletic Club, struck gold in his first international appearance, as part of Great Britain's victorious 4 x 400m relay team at the European Indoor Championships in Birmingham on 4th March. Running the third stage of the relay, 22-year-old Taylor advanced the British team from third to second spot, a position they maintained to the finish. The team were awarded their gold medals after the first-placed German team were disqualified for pushing.

Taylor followed up this achievement one week later with another gold medal in the same event at the British Universities Indoor Championships at Sheffield, this time running as part of the Loughborough University relay team. He completed a medal hat-trick with a bronze in the 200m individual event, where he ran a personal best time of 21.72 seconds.
 

Jewish Chronicle Athletics News - April 13, 2007

Benaim ends the season on a high

Israeli-born Londoner Sagie Benaim achieved a fine 37th place finish out of more than 300 athletes in last weekend's England Schools Cross Country Championships at Leeds. Competing against runners up to two years his senior, 16-year-old Benaim completed the 6.6 km course in 23 minutes and was second scorer for the London Team.

"The race brings my cross-country season to a close. I am very happy with how it has gone, especially this race because I was competing against older runners. The course suited me because there were four laps and two big hills per lap. I gained a few places on the hills and also on the final run in.

"My three all-England races this past month have taken me up and down the country. I have run on courses where I could see for miles over green fields and hills. Coming from Israel, I have been struck by the competitiveness and tension amongst the runners before the start, which turns itself into a frantic sprint once the race begins.

"I am sure that this winter's running will have built up my strength for the track season which is now beginning."

Former Londoners shine in the Jerusalem ten kilometre championships
 
Former Hendon resident Daniel Felsenstein came first in the 50-54 age group category and 12th overall out of 850 competitors in the Jerusalem 10k last week. Fellow ex-North Londoner Ian Cohen came second in the 45-49 age group.

Felsenstein told JC Sports, "I was happy with my time of 38 minutes 45 seconds because it was a very hilly course. On the other hand, weather conditions were ideal and the Jerusalem scenery is spectacular."

The race was held in conjunction with the Jerusalem Half Marathon. In both the men's and women's events of this longer race, an Ethiopian runner led an Israeli home. In the men's race, Naile Admasu finished almost a minute clear of Asaf Bimro in 1 hour 9 minutes 24 seconds. Dagne Kalkidan was the first woman across the line in 1 hour 19minutes 12 seconds, followed 75 seconds later by Nili Abramski.