Hastings AC celebrates year of success

Hastings Athletic Club celebrated a very successful 2016 at an excellent dinner and presentation evening.
Harmony Cooper receives her award from Adam Clarke.Harmony Cooper receives her award from Adam Clarke.
Harmony Cooper receives her award from Adam Clarke.

A host of awards were handed out to the top performers from the last 12 months and the excellent food at The Sussex Exchange was enjoyed by all.

The prizes were handed out by Adam Clarke, a top level athlete whose talent was forged with Hastings AC and who has been on overseas training camps with the great Mo Farah in recent years.

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International multi-eventer Elise Lovell was a prolific winner, while Harmony Cooper’s outstanding 2016 was rewarded with the athlete of the year prize.

Elise Lovell alongside Adam Clarke.Elise Lovell alongside Adam Clarke.
Elise Lovell alongside Adam Clarke.

Lovell began 2016 by coming fifth in the senior women’s pentathlon at the England Indoor Combined Events Championships. The following week she won a silver medal in the senior women’s 60m hurdles at the South of England Indoor Championships.

In the summer she won a bronze medal for England Athletics in the women’s long jump at the Manchester International and became the first Sussex female ever to break the six-metre barrier.

Cooper’s achievements included coming eighth in the under-15 girls’ race at the British Athletics Cross Challenge series event in Milton Keynes.

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Louisa James scooped the female throws award at the end of a year in which she won gold in the women’s hammer at the England Athletics U23 Championships in Bedford.

Louisa James clutches her trophy alongside Adam Clarke.Louisa James clutches her trophy alongside Adam Clarke.
Louisa James clutches her trophy alongside Adam Clarke.

Winners: overall best performance (Luke Veness Memorial Trophy) Elise Lovell; female sprints Delica Pascall; female hurdles Elise Lovell; male sprints Kyrel Wilson; male hurdles Noah Judah; female middle distance Harmony Cooper; male middle distance George Pool; female jumps Elise Lovell; male jumps Josh Williams; female throws Louisa James; male throws Noah Judah; female multi-events Elise Lovell; male multi-events Steve Baldock; female road Stacey Clusker; female cross-country Ellen Crombie; male road Rhys Boorman; male cross-country Isaac Elam; under-13 girls most improved Shannon Hopkins-Parry; under-13 boys most improved Joe Frankham; under-15 girls most improved Maya Ramnarine; under-15 boys most improved Isaac Elam; under-17 girls most improved Molly Gransden; under-17 boys most improved Joe Body/Ryan Morrissy; under-20 women most improved Aine Gransden; senior women most improved Becky Mabon; senior men most improved Rhys Boorman; overall most improved Maya Ramnarine; most improved newcomer under 13 (Reg Wild Memorial Trophy) Jonas Judah; under-13 girls club award Erica Body; under-13 boys club award Adam Morrissy; under-15 girls club award Evie Clements; under-15 boys club award James Crombie; under-17 girls club award Blye Taylor; under-17 boys club award Jack Charnley; under-20 women club award Robyn Mackay; senior women club award Frances Burnham; senior men club award Gary Foster; masters man track Steve Baldock; masters woman track Riz Maslen; masters man road Paul McCleery; masters woman road Karen Murdoch; club athlete of the year Harmony Cooper.

The chairman’s award went to Dain Jenson, of Kiley’s Karpets, a club sponsor for the last five years. The committee award was presented to Dave Palmer, a runner who produces the club newsletter and is an official timekeeper.