The delayed 2020 European Masters Road Running Championships took place in Funchal on the island of Madeira in sunny conditions.

Ilford Recorder: Rob Sargent in action at the European Masters (Pic: Ilford AC)Rob Sargent in action at the European Masters (Pic: Ilford AC) (Image: Archant)

The Championships were postponed in March and the restaging was with a reduced attendance but included a few Ilford Athletics Club members.

The British team totalled just over 30 instead of the normal 150, although the event did attract a good quality field which included the 1995 World Marathon Champion Martin Fiz of Spain who won the M55 half marathon title.

The first event was the 10km road race which was staged on a two-lap course along the seafront and Ilford AC second claim member Edward Skinner ran in the M60 age category where he finished in 54 minutes 19 seconds for 106th place overall and 18th in his group.

As team numbers were reduced Edward was moved down to the M40 team which claimed the bronze team medal in that category – his first international medal.

Rob Sargent of Ilford AC ran in the M65 age category and found the first two 7km laps over the undulating clifftops very tough and at 10km had a time of 58 minutes 52 seconds.

He eventually came in at two hours, five minutes and 16 seconds for 76th overall and eighth in the M65 grouping.

Sargent was also included in the M55 British team who just missed out on the medals in fourth spot

Some of Ilford’s young athletes had one more track race before the shortlived season came to an end at the BFTTA Open Academy Track in Dagenham.

Joseph Grange decided to have a go at the 3,000m distance and ended up in third in a time 10.01.93 – a personal best by six seconds and his third PB of this season.

Rhys Edwards, who recently joined from Woodford, finished fifth in the 1,500m in a time of 4.22.81, a PB by two seconds.

Jordan Hinds also ran in the 1500m and finished in an excellent 5.03.28, knocking six seconds off her previous best.

Former England international Andy Catton headed down to deepest Sussex for the SCVAC Championships, his first race since November last year.

Catton finished in exactly 50 minutes, which placed him just outside the medals, finishing fourth in the M65 category.

Trevor Robinson competed in the first race of the Gravesend Floodlit 5k series last Friday and finished with a time of 23.51.