Starting off this week’s report of all things Blackburn Harriers cannot be better, when highlighting new personal best perforamnces on the track and in the field. David Holman over 1500m and Matthew Heywood in the Hammer, were in action in the US over the weekend. David was competing in the Duke Invitational 1500m on Friday April 11th. Going into the race with an outdoor personal best time of 3.44.46, he won his Heat and in the process set a new PB time of 3.43.62 -nearly two seocnds in front of the 2nd place athlete. David told us after his race that he “got put in the 3rd fastest heat. I knew I had to go right behind the pacer and run at the front. I ended up doing that and got the win with a pb of 3:43.62. There’s a lot more there when I’m in a much more competitive race“. (1500m RESULTS)
Matthew meanwhile was competing at the Trojan Relays at Mount Olive on the same night – April 11th – in the hammer competition. After setting a new personal best of 52.55m on Match 28th, he had placed 7th at the Tennessee Invitational a week later with 49.86m. Having thrown six throws all over 51m in his previous comp. Matthew came back with a bang at this latest competition opening up with a new PB of 53.96m and then setting another new PB in his second throw of 54.42m – backing that up with a later throw of 56m which just went outside the lines – finishing 2nd overall behind the winner who threw 55.16m. Speaking to the Club after his event, Matthew told us that it was “Really great to keep getting improvements. The hard work is definitely paying off. I fouled an even bigger throw on my last round and I know more speed is within touching distance so looking forward to seeing where things go.”
(Matthew’s PB Video) – (RESULTS)
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Staying on the Track at Warrington this time where the Open meeting hosted the Northern Athletics 10000m Championships for 2025. Ross Harrison had won the title in 2024 (31.01.7) and this year, the race turned out to be a battle between Rossendale’s Grant Cunliffe and Blackburn Harriers Ross Harrison – Grant looking towards the Manchester Marathon in a couple of weeks and Ross who is training for shorter distances. In the end Grant took the title in a time of 30.02 which was a personal best for him with Ross in second place and the Silver Medal clocking 30.47 which was a 10000m new PB by 14 seconds. After the race Ross commented to the Harriers that his race “wasn’t too bad – got to 5km in 15:00 then at the 7km mark I was suffering . Happy enough with the run considering the lack of 10k specific training I’ve done, my eyes are more focused on getting into 1500/3000 shape currently so didn’t really have any expectations going into it“.
In Paris on Sunday April 13th – Katie Buckingham was looking to set a new personal best in the Marathon having made her debut at the London marathon in 2024 running 3hr 27.26. Focused on setting a new personal best Katie excelled, running a new PB of 3hr 17.41 – just 15 seconds short of a ten minute improvement on her time. Once it had all sunk in Katie spoke to the Harriers about her day telling us “Awesome event, set off feeling good but kept a lid on the pace for the first half knowing there were some hills still to come. Then just kept clock watching and pushing on to battle through to the finish, super happy with how I ran it and how it all panned out! All the hard work paid off, with a result better than anything I anticipated! All tied in with great support from the RT crew and a lovely week away! “
Meanwhile, still abroad, and this time in Milan at the Wizz Air Milano Marathon which saw Chris Marsden make his debut over the marathon distance on Sunday April 6th. After coming off the back of a new personal best in the Half Marathon in late March (86.16), Chris was hopeful of a good performance and that is exactly what he deliverd posting a debut time of 3hr 11.48.
Chris Marsden
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Saturday April 12th was the date, Preston UCLAN was the venue, for the first fixture in this years Mid Lancs T&F League and as always, the first fixture brought out very large numbers of athletes, looking to see how their winter training had gone. The sunshine added to the festive nature of the event too. Blackburn Harriers had quite a number of athletes out on the day which included a number making their competitive debut for the club – and overall, posting 31 new personal best performances. Once again, we are immensely grateful to those Officials who spent the whole day until close to 6.00pm making sure that all those who entered on the day were able to compete. They are too regularly taken for granted, athletes and parents alike, expecting them to go on forever. Those just sitting around and watching, seriously need to think about what contibution they can make in helping out, by becoming officials. Our sport is run by unpaid volunteers, they are indeed the lifeblood of track and field athletics. They cannot go on forever and their stocks need replenishing. It is time to setp forward.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS – (HERE)
ALL PHOTOS ON BLACKBURN HARRIERS FACEBOOK PAGE – (HERE)
In the senior races, featuring a number of Blackburn Harriers – U20 Jacob Fisher led the way by winning Heat 1 of the senior men’s 100m in a new PB time of 11.30 followed by a new PB for U20 Harvey Holden in the senior men’s 400m Heat 2 clocking 57.60 – an improvement by some 3.5 seconds. In the 800m V40 Marcin Barnowski was making his debut for the Club over 800m having clocked 57.31 for 400m the week prior. Marcin placed 4th overall in a time of 2.09.80. In the Senior Women’s 800m V40 Rebecca Ward was agonsingly close to a new personal best as she clocked 2.31.60 in 3rd place whilst V35 Sara Baranowska ran 5.35.20 in 2nd place in the 1500m. In the Field U20 Isabelle Hartley threw 8.20m in the Shot Putt (6th) whilst team mate U20 Kady Thompson placed 3rd in the Javelin with a new PB of 25.73m alongside Isabelle throwing 21.26m in 5th.
Jacob Fisher (60)
In the U17 age group events – Jack Thompson set himself a new PB in the 100m Heats with 12.30 (4th) followed by Harvey Kinder making his debut for the club over 100m running 12.7 in 6th. Harvey then ran a new PB of 25.60 in the 200m Heats (6th) with George Camara clocking a new PB time of 24.50 (3rd) in his 200m. U17 Matthew Sharples ran 54.80 in the 400m Heats followed in the next heat by Daniel Bretherton clocking 54.70 in taking the win with team mate George Camara in 2nd spot (55.00) – his first time over 400m. Max Belshaw opened his season over 800m running 2.09.10 in 6th place whilst Henry Ward ropened his season in the 1500m clocking a new PB of 4.18.10 in 3rd spot. In the field – Loucas Lancashire was very close to his personal best, throwing 37.40m in 2nd place in the U17 mens Javelin.
Five U17 Women lined up in the Heats of the 100m – Evie Fort clocking 13.90 in 5th in Heat 1 followed in Heat 2 by Holly Moore running a new PB of 13.60 in 2nd and Grace Ilunga also clocking a new PB of 13.90 in 5th in Heat 2, new member and debutant Lucy Hayhurst running 13.70 in 2nd place and another new member Annabelle Partridge in the same Heat 3 running 14.30 in 5th. Four Harriers went in the 200m – Grace iLunga placing 4th in Heat 1 with a new PB of 29.00, Evie Fort 4th in 28.50 (Heat 2), Holly Moore with another new PB of 29.10 in Heat 3 (2nd) and Annabelle Partridge placing 3rd in Heat 4 (29.60). In the 1500m Lyra Krige and Bella McCredie – both in their first year in this age category – saw Lyra run 5.13.10 in 4th and team mate Bella running a new PB of 5.30.80 in 7th. In the Field events Grace iLunga placed 3rd in the Long Jump (4.09m) and Holly Moore 6th with her third PB of the day jumping 4.08m
L-R Lucy Hayhurst – Evie Fort – Grace iLunga – Holly Moore
Eight Blackburn Harriers sprinters took part in the U15 100m events – producing four new personal bests and two wins – led by Tomi Birch winning his Heat and the competition overall in a new PB time of 11.80 with debutant for the Club – Emmanuel Adewunni in 2nd place (12.00) alongside Oliver North winning Heat 2 in a new PB of 12.80 and Robert Ward, making his debut for the Club – 5th in 13,.60. Heat 3 saw another debutant – Ollie Haworth clock 13.30 in 5th whilst in Heat 4 – Kai Addison set a new PB in 2nd spot (12.50), James Acton-Grieves also set a new PB in 3rd (13.40) as team mate Joshua Carrier making his debut for the Club clocked 13.90 in 4th place. In the 200m Tomi Birch set his second new PB of the day as he clocked 24.20 in 2nd spot in his Heat, Ollie Haworth running 29.50 (5th) in Heat 2, Kai Addison taking 2nd spot in Heat 3 with a new PB of 25.70 and Emmanuel Adewunni winning Heat 4 in 24.70.
Jack Baranowski won the U15 Boys 400m in a new PB time of 54.70 which puts him a number one in the national rankings whilst in the 800m Oliver North took 5th place in a new PB time of 2.26.30. In the Field James Acton-Grieves set himself another new PB in winning the U15 Boys High Jump with a clearance of 1.47m. Liam Duxbury was the only competitior in the U13 Boys Discus in which he threw 14.97m. In the U15 Girls 100m – six Blackburn harriers took part – Seren Gooden 5th in Heat 3 in 14.50, Caris Peter-Thomas winning Heat 4 in 12.70 with Niamh Boland in 2nd running a new PB time of 13.00. In Heat 5 there was a win for Dana Juma clocking 13.70 alongside team mate Isabelle Pawson in 3rd equaling her personal best of 13.10 and in Heat 6 there a win for Anvitha Reddy running 13.70 which was yet another new PB on the day.
L-R Caris Peter-Thomas – Darcie Belshaw – Niamh Boland – Seren Gooden
Moving to the 200m Dana Juma ran another new PB in 2nd place (Heat 1) with 28.40, Isabelle Pawson clocked a new PB of 28.6 in 3rd spot (Heat 2) and Anvitha Reddy placed 2nd in Heat 4 with a big new PB of 28.90. The PB’s kept flowing and the next one was run by Darcie Belshaw in the U15 Girls 300m finishing in 3rd position with a new PB time of 44.20 followed by Charlotte Smith running a new PB of 2.26.30 in winning the 800m with a surging spreint from 100m out and Hetty Green running a massive new PB in the 800m Heat 2 of 2.50.40 – 26 seconds better than her previous best (6th). Millie Jordan won the U15 Girls 1500m in a time of 4.47.90 having taken an early lead over Blackpool’s Polly Kershaw then being passed by Polly, she then had to regain the lead and came away in the home straight for the win. In the field events Mimi iLunga jumped a new PB distance of 3.71m in the Long Jump, placing 9th out of a pool of 19. The Shot Putt resulted in a win for Dana Juma with a distance of 8.99m with team mate and new member and debutant Madeeline Partridge in 2nd place with 8.28m. Madeline then went on to complete a fine first day of competition for the Club winning the Hammer with a throw of 26.30m and the Discus with a distance of 21.58m.
Four U13 Girls went in the 100m – Hannah Moore equaling her best time in Heat 1 running 15.00 in 3rd, new member Ella Taylor finishing 3rd in Heat 2 (14.00), new member Amelia Carrier in 3rd (Heat 4) running 15.70 in 3rd and Mia Logan 6th in Heat 5 (16.00). Amelia ran 33.20 (4th) in Heat 1 of the 200m as Mia ran 38.10 in 6th in Heat 2 and Ella 30.80 in Heat 4 (3rd). Amelia Pacelli ran 2.58.10 in the U13 Girls 800m (18th) whilst in the Field events Hannah Moore cleared 1.15m in the High Jump (2nd) and India Gooden placed 4th clearing 1.10m in her first ever attempt at the event. In the Long Jump featuring 22 athletes Hannah Moore jumped out to 3.55m in 11th place. Blackburn Harriers U15 Women won the 4 x 100m Relay in a time of 51.50 and also placed 3rd with another team in 56.30 and in the U13 Girls the Harriers placed 3rd in 62.90.
L-R India Gooden – Ella Taylor – Hannah Moore – Amelia Carrier
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On the road and there seems to be no stoping V45 James Bretherton at the moment. Having recently set a new personal best for 5k of 16.09 and 33,52 for 10k, James was out at the York 5k last week where he came home in 16th spot, posting another new PB of 16.06 for the 5k – a time which moves him to joint 10th in the National rankings. (RESULTS)
Marc Hartley lined up at the Brun Valley 10k Trail Race on Sunday April 6th in a race won by unattached Bradley Walsh in 34.58 – a one minute winning margin over Clayton’s Adam Wale in 2nd (36.09. Marc had a fine run taking a top five place with a time of 37.53 in 4th spot – some 264 rrunners finishing the race. (RESULTS).
On to the Fells and on Wednesday Aopril 9th V55 Craig Greenough was out at the Ossy Moors Fell race in Oswaldtwistle – the race being won by Rossendale’s Joe Ormerod in 30.52 . Craig came home in 34th place running 40.01 and was 5th V55 on the night. (RESULTS)
Craig Greenhough
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On to Triathlon competition and a number of Blackburn Harriers all out at West Lancs Spring Triathlon at the weekend – Sunday April 13th. First year U20 for the track – Matthew Smith competed at his first adult distance sprint triathlon yesterday (400m swim (4.44), 21km bike (34.58) and 5km run 16.57). Out of the 464 finishers, Matthew finished 3rd overall with a time of 58m28s, one of only 5 competitors to get under the hour. He had the fastest swim, was 10th on the bike and 8th on the 5km run with a 16m 57s run. First year U17 William Grundy on the track – finished in 11th place overall with a time of 1h 01m 39s taking a time of 4.59 on the Swim, 36.21 on the Bike and 18.33 on the run, and was awarded 1st U20 prize, due to Matthew being 3rd overall. Anton Krige got 61st overall, with times of 8.01 for the Swim, 39.14 for the Bike and 19.56 for the run and came 7th in his age category and followed in by Danny Maynard who posted times of 7.36 for the Swim, 44.48 for the Bike and 17.59 for the Run in 74th position. Leah Hoole who is doing a full Ironman shortly posted times of 7.00 for the Swim, 41.18 for the Bike and 19.51 for the run – placed 76th overall and 9th woman in her age category. – commenting afterwards that she felt “really good, improved loads since last year so excited for this year – doing Lanzarote full ironman in 4 weeks.” Andrew Knowles was 92nd overall with times of 7.19 for the Swim, 40.10 for the Bike and 22.41 on the run, taking 4th place in his age category. Sarah Krige was also competing in the aquathlon (swim/run) and came 3rd in her age catehory and 12th overall taking 8.21 for the Swim and 23.14 for the run. (RESULTS)
Matthew Smith
Leah Hoole
