A NUMBER of top Woodford Green athletes were honoured at the club's AGM on Friday, as both current stars and stars of the future picked up awards.

Top of the tree was the senior mens, 'Best Performance of the Year', won by Kemmel Thompson, who was ranked 17th in the world with his performance of 48.57sec for the 400m hurdles.

Jo Fenn received the award for the 'Best Female Performance' of the Year for her 800m in 1min 59sec and her fifth place in the World Indoor Championships at Birmingham.

There were also awards for the most improved athletes and the mens' went to Anthony Sawyer, who is ranked fourth in the UK in the decathlon and stood in for the injured Dean Macey in the Commonwealth Games.

The most improved female went to Julie Pratt, who is the UK's number two in the 100m hurdles.

Meanwhile the Clubman and Clubwoman of the year awards went to John Franklin and Esther Augee, while the long distance runners weren't forgotten with Kevin Murphy picking up the Ken Bray Trophy and Diana Kennedy winning the Brenda Bray Trophy.

In the junior section national cross country champion Mark Burgess secured the under-15 award, while English Schools winner at 300m and leader of the UK rankings at both shot and discus, Finnesse Thompson secured the women's award.

Andrae Davis, ranked number one in combined events in the UK, secured the U17 title and was an obvious choice for club athlete of the year in that age group.

On the female side Tara Bird for her English Schools title in the 300m in 39.19sec, which is a European best for age 14 also scooped an award.

Chris Reynolds secured the U20 for his impressive 800m awards, while the female equivalent went to Jeanette Kwakye, who made the team for the World Junior Championships.

Meanwhile a great team effort in the first National Junior League match of the season put junior girls in fourth place just missing out on third by two points.

There were excellent performances all round capped with a new club record in the 400m relay, where the team of Lauren Newman, Tahlia Gray, Linzi Snow and Tara Bird came home in a time of 4min 05sec.

May 1, 2003 10:30