Herne Hill Harriers' annual presentation evening was held at St Boniface Social Club with Jade Johnson - Commonwealth and European silver medallist - distributing the awards and taking part in a question and answer session with 130 guests.

Johnson, who has an allergy to sand despite her long jump discipline, spoke of her passion for athletics from the age of eight when she told her mum she wanted to compete in the Olympics.

Living in Liverpool at the time, Johnson was confronted by racism, and saw the black American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner as an example of someone who could be accepted on the world stage for her athletic prowess.

It was this stage that Johnson aspired to, and her dreams were realised when she was selected for the British team for the 2004 Olympics, and made the Olympic final.

This achievement was followed by another Olympic final in 2008. When asked who her heroes were, Johnson cited Harriers' coach Ivor Northey who had introduced her to long jumping and coached her through her teens, and her subsequent coach John Herbert, himself an Olympian.

Tributes were also paid to Stan Allen, a club member for 62 years who died on New Year's Day aged 79.

Age group award winners were:

Katy Ann McDonald (Ron Gobey Trophy for U13G and Joan Allen Cup for U15G);
Michella Obijiaku (D. H. Jacobs Trophy for U17W);
Katie Snowden ( W.W. Hine Trophy for U20 women);
Oscar Millard (Bert Smyth Cup for U13B);
Kishon Allen (Smyth Cup for U15B);
Fawwaz Okunola (Heywood Shield for U17M);
Marvin Popoola (Warman Cup for U20M).

The Northumberland Cup for the best performance by a senior woman went to Aisha Naibe-Wey, while the Edgar Lloyd Trophy recognising the best performance by a veteran woman went to Penel Cummings.

The Founders Cup went to Blade Ashby, and the E.W. Haley Trophy for best performance by a veteran male to Ben Paviour.

McDonald was a winner again as she scooped the Parsons Trophy that recognises the outstanding achievements of junior cross-country runners, while Ed Olsen won the Don Taylor Cup – recognising the same feat as McDonald but for boys.

The Bert Jones Trophy for the best 5000m senior men’s performance went to Jorge Raso Gea, while Snowden was honoured for a second time as the club’s fastest female 800m runner with the Vicky Norris Trophy.

The final four awards were:

Michael Dyer (the Boomerang Trophy for the fastest male 800m runner); 
Lewis Lloyd (the Mike Maynard Trophy for best male performance in cross-country); 
Dejean Marshall Brown and Michella Obijiaku (the David Wheeler Memorial Awards to best young throwers); 
Ade Adeniran (the Akplara Trophy to the young athlete displaying strong club spirit and sportsmanship).