Harriers’ fab four show devastating form in youth athletes’ league

FAB four Hakeem Aderibigbe, Eric Guei, Jessie Mendes and Frankie Lee-Farmer were in devastating form for Highgate Harriers on Sunday when the Young Athletes’ League continued at Parliament Hill Fields, writes Melvyn Shearer.
Competing in the under-17s division, Haverstock School boy Hakeem, who lives in Chalk Farm, started the winning streak as he ran to victory in his 100m and 200m ‘A’ race competitions with respective times of 11.6 and 23.8 seconds.
In the ‘B’ division teammate Eric Guei won the 100m in 11.7secs, while Jessie Mendes hit home first in the 200m with a time of 24.4secs.
The victorious run continued as Hakeem, Eric and Jessie then joined forces with Frankie Lee-Farmer to win the 4x100m relay with an impressive time of 46secs flat.
Another star performer for Highgate was Acland Burghley pupil Samara Williams. Despite having only been running for just over a year, the talented 13-year-old showed great maturity as she won the under-15s 1500m with a strong time of 5:03.4.
In the under-17s category, there was double delight for Zahar Akinpeju, who hit a new personal best to win the discus before going on to claim victory in the shot putt.
Another star in the making was Parliament Hill School pupil Marion Mills. The triumphant 12-year-old won the 75m ‘A’ race and the under-13s 150m ‘B’ event, before helping Highgate finish second in the 4x100m relay.
Staying in the under-13s group, Alex Easman won the high jump with a distance of 1.28.
There was also a string of impressive second place finishes for Highgate, with William Evans taking the runners-up spot in the under-15s 400m race, and Stanley Harrison taking second spot in the under-13s 1500m.
Under-13s athlete Michael Gallagher, who only started athletics this year, continues to impress as he won the ‘B’ long jump competition and finished second in the 200m.
Elsewhere Hadi Ahmadzadeh was second in the ‘A’ long jump, while Eucalypta Bradley came second in the shot putt and third in the 100m Under-15s ‘A’ race. Meanwhile club mate Amy Jane Cotter overcame injury to finish second in the under-15s ‘A’ javelin and the ‘B’ discus.