Havering AC Wins Three Gold Medals at County Relays Chingford 2026

Key Points

• Three County Titles: Havering Athletic Club secured three gold medals and one silver medal at the Essex Cross Country Relays held in Chingford on Saturday, September 19.
• Under-16 Boys Dominance: The Under-16 trio of Jack Rossington, Callum Millard Jennings, and Freddie Scorey-Hall earned gold by finishing over 30 seconds ahead of Woodford.
• Senior Women Upgrade: Upgrading last season’s silver to gold, the senior women’s team (Kate O’Neill, Robyn Matson, and Lydia Smith) finished a minute clear of their rivals, boosted by Kate O’Neill’s fastest female leg of the day (22:07).
• Senior Men Return to Top: Returning to the podium after a two-year absence, the senior men’s quartet (Matthew Blacklock, Kieran O’Hara, James Stewart, and Chander Dhillon) took gold, finishing more than 40 seconds ahead of Chelmsford.
• Under-18 Boys Silver: Aidan Doherty, Oliver Rushworth, and Jake Tregidgo claimed silver behind Chelmsford, narrowly edging out Basildon.
• Combined Events Success: Five young Havering AC athletes also represented Essex Schools at the English Schools Combined Events Championships in Bedford, recording numerous personal bests.

Chingford (East London Times) September 24, 2026 — Havering Athletic Club delivered a winning start to the winter season at the Essex Cross Country Relays in Chingford on Saturday, September 19, claiming three gold medals and a silver medal across multiple age groups.

How Did Havering Athletic Club Perform Across the Age Categories at Chingford?

As reported by journalists at the Romford Recorder and The Havering Daily, the club’s cross-country teams showcased remarkable form across junior and senior divisions alike. The Under-16 boys’ squad, consisting of Jack Rossington, Callum Millard Jennings, and Freddie Scorey-Hall, led the charge by finishing more than 30 seconds clear of their nearest rivals, Woodford, to comfortably take the county title.

In the Under-18 boys’ competition, Aidan Doherty, Oliver Rushworth, and Jake Tregidgo produced a hard-fought performance to capture the silver medal. The trio pushed Chelmsford close for the top spot while successfully holding off a strong challenge from Basildon, who finished third.

How Did the Senior Teams Reclaim County Glory?

As reported by The Havering Daily, the senior women’s trio upgraded their silver medal performance from last year to secure a brilliant gold. Kate O’Neill established a commanding early lead by running the fastest female leg of the day, recording a time of 22 minutes and 7 seconds. Robyn Matson maintained the team’s momentum with a leg of 25:24, before Lydia Smith brought the team home in 25:44, completing the victory nearly two minutes clear of the opposition.

In the senior men’s event, Havering AC returned to the top of the county podium following a two-year absence. Matthew Blacklock opened the race with a leg of 20:58 to place the squad in second position, after which Kieran O’Hara moved the team into the lead. James Stewart extended the advantage by recording the team’s fastest leg of 20:30, and anchor runner Chander Dhillon sealed the gold medal, cross-country finishing over 40 seconds ahead of runners-up Chelmsford.

How Did Havering Athletes Fare at the English Schools Combined Events Championships?

Beyond the relay action in Chingford, five young Havering athletes competed for Essex Schools at the English Schools Combined Events Championships in Bedford.

As detailed by reporting from the Romford Recorder, Abigail Adegite was the highest-placed performer among the local group, finishing 11th in the junior girls’ pentathlon and adding almost 200 points to her personal best tally. Adegite set individual personal bests in both the hurdles and shot put, alongside matching her personal best in the 800-metre event.

In the senior girls’ heptathlon, Amy Mansell finished 13th overall while setting new personal bests in the 100-metre hurdles and shot put. Oma Nwapa placed 16th in the same competition, whereas her sister Ome Nwapa placed 18th in the intermediate girls’ heptathlon, setting a personal best in the javelin. Finally, Josh Buxton finished 20th in the intermediate octathlon, recording new personal bests in the 400-metre and shot put events.

Background of the Particular Development

Havering Athletic Club has long been one of East London and Essex’s staple athletics hubs, consistently developing distance runners, sprinters, and field athletes across age divisions from Under-13 through to veterans. The Essex Cross Country Relays serve annually as the traditional curtain-raiser for the regional winter cross-country campaign.

In previous seasons, Havering AC’s senior women were consistently competitive, claiming silver in the prior campaign before successfully converting that into gold at Chingford. The senior men’s team, meanwhile, had experienced a brief two-year medal drought at the county relay level following squad transitions and scheduling conflicts. Re-establishing dominance across both junior and senior disciplines highlights the depth of coaching and talent within the club’s endurance structure heading into the core winter calendar.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Havering AC Athletes and the Regional Cross-Country Circuit

This impressive four-medal haul at the season opener is poised to set a highly encouraging benchmark for Havering Athletic Club as the competitive cross-country season accelerates.

• Morale and Momentum for the Winter League: Securing three titles early in the season provides critical psychological momentum for senior and junior athletes alike as they prepare for the upcoming Essex Cross Country League fixtures, National Relays, and Championship meets.
• Increased Competition within Squads: High-caliber individual split times—such as Kate O’Neill’s fastest leg and James Stewart’s sub-21-minute effort—will likely foster healthy internal competition for starting places in flagship championship events later in the winter.
• Junior Athlete Development Pipeline: The strong showing by younger competitors both in Chingford and at the English Schools Combined Events in Bedford signals a robust talent pipeline. These performances are likely to boost confidence among junior runners, encouraging higher retention and participation in upcoming regional selection trials.