Havering Finish Second in Eastern League Top Six Final, Romford 2026

Key Points:

• The youth section of Havering Athletic Club rounded off their season by claiming the runners-up position in the EYAL Top Six final.
• Local side and league and cup winners Chelmsford notched up a fourth successive league and cup double while Havering, who finished in third place in the league, progressed to claim second position in the championship, beating SS Athletics/Enfield to it.
• The Under-18 Men won their age group division with 15 victories, winning by close to 30 points over the second-placed team.
• Both Havering’s Under-16 Boys and the local side Chelmsford tied for first place in their respective category.
• The Under-14 Boys relay team took the win and topped the national ranking chart for the club Under-14 age group.

Havering (East London Times) September 8, 2026 – Havering’s young athletes rounded off their club season in superb fashion by finishing second in the Eastern Young Athletes League Top Six Final. As reported by Lee Power of the Romford Recorder, league champions Chelmsford completed a fourth successive league and cup double on home soil, but Havering improved on their third-place finish in the regular standings to comfortably secure the runners-up spot ahead of SS Athletics/Enfield. The club’s Under-18 Men topped their category in dominant fashion, while the Under-16 Boys shared first place with the hosts.

How Did Individual Age Groups Perform at the EYAL Top Six Final?

How Did the Under-18 Men Dominate Their Category?

The Under-18 Men were outstanding throughout the competition, collecting 15 victories and finishing almost 30 points clear of their nearest rivals. As detailed by Lee Power of the Romford Recorder, Romel Semper claimed maximum points in both sprint events, while Tobi Bello and Ryan Alexander added victories in the B-string 100m and 200m respectively. Track success continued in the middle-distance events, where Aidan Doherty completed a double in the B-string 400m and 800m, Freddie Rowe won the 800m A race, and Findlay McLaren finished second in the 400m.

In the field events, Ryan Alexander secured victory in the high jump with a personal best, whilst Sam Johnson took the shot title. Harrison Rabess and Reggie Marshall claimed victories in the discus, and Sam Burdett topped the javelin standings. Havering also dominated the relay events, with Semper, Bello, Alexander, and Tobias Samuel combining to secure a comprehensive victory.

How Did the Under-16 Squads Perform?

Havering’s Under-16 Boys matched Chelmsford at the top of their section thanks to a series of strong performances. As reported by Lee Power of the Romford Recorder, national medallist Ameer Salaam won the shot and finished second in the discus, while Zephaniah Smith secured a personal best to win the B-shot. Ethan Johnson recorded a personal best throw to win the javelin, Derin Okubanjo won the triple jump, and Jake Tregidgo claimed success in the B-string 800m.

Havering’s Under-16 Girls also impressed by finishing second in their division. Abigail Adegite won the high jump with a personal best, Esther Olajide matched her best to win the B competition, and Ome Nwapa claimed victory in the B hurdles. Ayla Baker won the javelin and contributed valuable points across the throw events, whilst the relay quartet of Siobhan Etemadi, Adegite, Millie Cook, and Nwapa finished as runners-up.

How Did the Under-14 and Under-18 Women Finish Their Campaigns?

There was further success for the Under-14 Girls, who secured second place overall with victories from Olivia Vaughan in the 100m, Isla Herrera in the high jump, and Emily Johnson in the B javelin.

The Under-14 Boys enjoyed a highly productive outing. George Cowley won the pole vault, Gideon Lee and Euan Cheesewright took both javelin titles, and William Hiles was victorious in the shot. Elijah Lowe added second-place finishes in both sprint events before joining forces with Lee, Lawrence Fearon, and Dre Overare to win the relay, ensuring the quartet ended the season ranked number one in the United Kingdom club Under-14 standings.

The Under-18 Women battled hard throughout their events. Eboni Roach took second place in both the shot and discus, Jess Page finished as runner-up in the javelin, and Jessie Lynes produced a substantial personal best to finish second in the 400m. Jasmine Asmal made a successful return from injury by taking second place in the B-string 800m, helping to round off an excellent fixture for the team.

Background of the Development

The Eastern Young Athletes League (EYAL) is one of the premier track and field competitions for junior athletes across the East of England and surrounding areas. Throughout the summer season, clubs compete across several regional fixtures to earn points towards the overall league standings. The top six clubs from the regular season qualify for the Top Six Final to determine the ultimate league champions.

Chelmsford Athletics Club has established a strong dominance in the competition, entering this fixture seeking to extend a run of league and cup victories. Havering Athletic Club has consistently fielded strong age-group squads in the EYAL, regularly challenging for top-three finishes. Improving from a third-place finish in the regular season to secure second place overall in the final underlines the club’s ongoing development and depth across both track and field disciplines.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Havering Athletic Club and Local Youth Athletics

This second-place finish at the EYAL Top Six Final provides a significant boost for Havering Athletic Club, its young athletes, and the wider athletics community in the region.

For the club’s athletes, the results—particularly the UK number-one ranking achieved by the Under-14 Boys relay team and the 15 victories secured by the Under-18 Men—will serve as a major confidence builder ahead of winter training and the upcoming cross-country and indoor seasons. The strong individual performances and personal bests demonstrate effective coaching structures within the club, which is likely to assist in retaining top talent and attracting new young athletes from the Havering borough and surrounding Essex areas.

For the Eastern Young Athletes League, Havering’s ability to bridge the gap and outperform other top regional clubs keeps the competition highly competitive. While Chelmsford continues to set the benchmark with four consecutive doubles, Havering’s trajectory suggests that future seasons could see a closer battle for the title, raising performance standards across all participating clubs in the region.