2011 Club Awards, presented by Rabah Yousif Bkheit
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It starts with a dream develops into a desire then becomes a life. The dream to be the best you can be, the desire to showcase your ability to the world and the life is both the dream and the desire shared with your nearest and dearest. At 15 years of age Rabah Yousif Bkheit had a dream.
I was introduced to Rabah at Clairville stadium where his dream was to 'play high jump'. He was young, from a different culture and determined to work to fulfil a long held ambition. There was no shadow of a doubt that he had experienced athletics in his home country of Sudan and he displayed a maturity beyond his years. Having worked together for a few months at the end of season 2003 it was time to create the foundation that would lead to the success that Rabah was looking to achieve.
Nine years on and Rabah has developed nicely into a 400m runner!! Yes a change of direction created the dream to reality scenario. That change in direction was his journey and settling in Middlesbrough.
He is a happily married man with a fantastic family structure. A wife whose support has enabled him to grow and develop into the athlete he is today, two beautiful children and extended family and friends who have cheered and celebrated his successes whilst supporting and carrying him when times got tough.
With the help of both facilities and staff at Clairville Stadium (his home track) he has been able to train intensely enough to have competed at two outdoor World Championships and one Indoor World Championship. Every journey he makes he takes the well wishes of every person involved in Clairville Stadium. He feels that when he competes he is not only competing as a Sudanese athlete but also as a Teessider.
He is a silver medallist from the 2010 African Championships, Gold medallist at the All Africa Games in 2011 and he narrowly missed out in the final of the 2011 World Championships.
His dream to stand on the line at the 2012 Olympic Games was finally fulfilled when he qualified with an A standard time in early 2011. With an overall World Ranking of 9th in the 400m Rabah will stand on the starting line of the 2012 Olympic Games with a realistic chance of reaching the final.
Thank you Teesside, thank you Middlesbrough and thank you to Clairville Stadium for all the support you have shown. It is respect and enthusiasm from others that enhances performance.
Arab Champion in both 2009 and 2011, African Championships 2010 Silver Medallist which qualified him to compete for Africa in the Continental Cup where he was 5th All African Games Champion 2011
Rabah's overall World ranking for 400m in 2011 is 9th.
He will be competing in the All Arab Games in December 2011 then comes home to prepare for the Olympic Games in London. He has qualified with an A standard qualifying time.
By Carol Williams Mentor and Coach of Rabah Yousif Bkheit
Club Award Recipients
Cross Country 2010-2011
U13 Girls Philippa Stone
U13 Boys Charlie Race
U15 Girls Emma Wortley
U15 Boys Liam Watson
U17 Women Jessica Wilkinson
Vet/Senior Men Paul Kitson.
Track & Field 2011
U11 Girls Courtney Johnson,
U11 Boy Ben Palmer,
U11 Most improved athlete Plamedi Mukendi
U13 Girls Track Francesca O'Connor, Field Bethany Dowson LJ G4
U13 Boys Track Dominic Cuff 75H G1, Aaron Jeal Shot Put G2
U15 Girls Track Emma Wortley 200m G1, Field Hayley Cooke HT G1
U15 Boy Track Jason Blackburn 800m G1, Field Charlie Myers PV G1
U17 Women Track Hannah Segrave 300m G2, Field Charlotte Kessell LJ G2
U17 Men Track Jack Crosby 200m G1, Field Jack Crosby HJ G1
McCain YAL
Female Club Athlete of 2011 Jess Welburn & Beth Crosby
Male Club Athlete of 2011 Jack Mitchinson
U20 Women Track Rachel Mitchinson, 400H G2, Field Charlotte McEwan HT G3
U20 Men Track Ben Stephenson 200m G1, Field Ben Daly HJ G2
Junior League Women Club Athlete of 2011 Heather Johnson
Juniot League Men Club Athlete of 2011 Joe Cox
Snr Women Track Kirsty Legg 800m G1, In USA Indianapolis. Field Kayleigh Sullivan HT G3
Snr Men Field Ade Babatunde TJ G1
Snr Women Club Athlete of 2011 Senior Womens was Faye Winspear .
Outstanding Club Athlete Award
Ade Babatunde for his triple Jump PB medal position in the UK World Championship Trials.
Other outstanding performers are:-
Jack Crosby ESAA Bronze Medal 200m plus massive PB in 200m 21.83s in UK School Games.
Charlie Myers ESAA Silver Medal pole Vault with PB of 3.55m
Lee Hunter Ranked UK 3rd World 6th t36 400m
Closing the evenings event, a presentation was made to Jean Simmons on her retirement as an athletics coach from the club.
Jean has devoted her life to athletics, she worked in the AAA Head Offices in London and onto local athletics in clairville as a Coach, Official and team manager she will be missed.
Her athletes won 8 ESAA Gold medals, several Silver and Bronze, two went on to represent the UK in three Olympics whilst others competed for England.
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