Sport No need to sit on the sidelines There are many ways you can take part in sport and improve your fitness in Tower Hamlets. Our listings include everything from cricket to yoga and aerobics to taekwondo. see page 33 Tell the East End Do you have a sports club you would like to be included in our listings? If so email the details to... eastendlife.news@towerhamlets.gov.uk Brogan, left, with two other medal winners from her club – Samanta Katkevica (level 2) and China Mattis (level 3) Gymnastics Brogan gets silver in first competition BROGAN Sweeney-McIntosh used to love doing handstands whether it was in her garden or in the street. Now the eight-year-old is making an impression in competitive gymnastics. In her first ever competition – a level 4 compulsory event at Heathrow Gymnastics Club – she walked away with a silver medal, just three years after taking up the sport. That impressive performance now means she will compete for London in the national development squad in Stoke at the end of April, where she will face the cream of talent in her age group. Brogan, who trains up to 30 hours a week in a bid to be the best, started gymnastics when she was only five, training at Mile End Leisure Centre. She was then spotted by a squad scout and, although her roots are in Tower Hamlets, she now trains in neighbouring Newham at the East London Gymnastics Club. Rugby THE Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford has been chosen as one of the free fanzones where you can enjoy the Rugby World Cup when it begins in September. Fanzones, which will be free to enter, will be open on match days and at varying times across the six-week tournament providing fans, residents and visitors with the opportunity to enjoy the build-up to matches and join in with the nationwide celebration of rugby. Each fanzone will include a big screen, with some showing live Rugby World Cup 2015 matches, rugby activities, food and drink, and entertainment. Squash NICK Matthewmade it a record fifth Canary Wharf squash title when he beat Simon Rosner 11- 4, 11-9, 11-7 in a superb contest at the East Wintergarden. Rosner may have been ranked lower, but he performed exceptionally having beaten James Willstrop and Peter Barker on his way to the final. Matthew said: “It’s amazing to win this title for the fifth time. “I feel a bit guilty because two years in a row I’ve been the only person in the building that doesn’t want it to go to a five-set match. So apologies for that.” Basketball THE London Lions showed their claws again at the WISE Basketball Arena, beating Bristol Flyers 85-63. With fourth place now out of their reach, Lions are aiming to end the season on a high note – and they are doing just that. Lovell Cook top scored with 23 points followed by Andrew Sullivan, 19, and Joseph Ikhinmwin on 16. Panathlon STUDENTS from Tower Hamlets finished fourth in the plate tournament at the East London Panathlon finals. The borough, represented by students from Phoenix and Beatrice Tate Schools, took silver in boccia and bronze in table cricket. Added to this were fourthplace finishes in the kurling, polybat, field athletics and athletics relays. Harrison retires after injuries take their toll BY PETER FAULKNER AUDLEY Harrison, the former Repton amateur heavyweight champion, is hanging up his boxing gloves because of brain injuries and sight problems sustained during his 38- fight professional career. Harrison, who became a millionaire overnight after winning Olympic gold in 2000 and signing a lucrative televison deal, admits he is now also facing bankruptcy. Announcing his retirement, Harrison said: “After years of denial and sticking to my guns, I’m finally getting out of my own way. “I’ve suffered a few traumatic brain injuries and will have to work hard to reverse some of the effects taking punches to the head has brought about to my overall health. “I have vision problems, vestibular issues that lead to balance disturbances, and have serious bouts of irritability and moodiness that comes with TBI recovery. “I’ve also made many mistakes financially and learned some tough lessons. I made tons of money and splurged lots of it away with reckless money management, immaturity and a desire to build my empire like Tony Montana. “Without my boxing income, I will not be able to pay the huge tax bill I pay each year to satisfy the film partnership I invested into in 2004 – so it’s still likely I will have to file for bankruptcy in the UK.” Harrison won his first 17 fights against moderate opposition, but his performances were so far below expectations that fight fans turned against him and his marketability suffered. He won the Matchroom Prizefighter competition twice and was European champion, but was booed out of the ring after being knocked out by David Haye challenging for the WBA title. In his last fight he was knocked out in 70 seconds by American Deontay Wilder. Harrison threatened a comeback as recently as January at the age of 43. But those knockouts and the toll they have taken mean retirement is surely the only sensible option. ■ BACK at Audley’s former Repton base, club hopes of a national champion crashed when both Jamie Branch and Michael Bedaco were both beaten in the London championships. In the North East Division final Branch was outpointed by Lawrence Okoie of Dagenham – the man he beat at the same stage last season and also a former Repton boxer. Okoie had bad luck too because he had to quit before the next round with injury. Bedaco won his first contest by outpointing C Paulio (Peacock), but then lost in the final to Charlie Driscoll (Lynn). Repton officials cannot remember the last time they failed to have a boxer in the next stage of the event. ■ BOW-born Andy Lee is to defend his WBO middleweight title against Peter Quillen in New York on Saturday, April 11. Lee became champion in Las Vegas last year when he stopped Russian Matt Korobov in six rounds. Victory could set up a clash with Billy Joe Saunders, trained by Jimmy and Mark Tibbs. Taekwondo STEPNEY’S Dragon Taekwondo, formed less than a year ago, won three medals at the English Open Championship. Hamza Uddin, 16, and Shahariyar Joy, 13, both won silver medals and Burhan Uddin, 15, earned a bronze at the event in Guildford, a good return from what was the club’s first competition. “Tournaments can prove invaluable to our students in developing their taekwondo skills and self control,” said Sufi Miah, a third-degree black belt instructor. The club hold classes on Tuesdays at the Osmani Centre, 58 Underwood Road, E1 for children and adults of all abilities. For further information call 07931 213259. 6 – 12 APRIL 2015 N E W S F ROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 35
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