What a way to start the latest report on the activities of Blackburn Harriers athletes, highlighting a personal best performance and a new Club Record. On Friday April 18th David Holman lined up at the start of the 1500m with a personal best time of 3.43.62 posted on April 11th this year. David was competing in Heat 5 at the Bryan Clay Invitational and headed the field by chopping off a further two seconds in taking the win in a new PB time of 3.41.51. The current Club Record for 1500m was held by Daniel Bebbington – 3.41.62 – set at a BMC meeting in Watford, June 2022. David’s time now means that he holds both indoor and outdoor 1500m Club Records. Speaking to the Club after his race , a very happy athlete told us that he was “So happy to come away with another pb and the win. Also very nice to get the club record for the outdoor 1500m now. Perfect conditions and very pleased to make the most out of it. Time to start chasing more times and focus on future races.”
The outdoor track & field season is well and truly open now and at the Loughborough Outdoor Open – held on Saturday April 19th – Blackburn Harriers Abigail McAndrew and Dexta Thompson made their early season debuts over 1500m. (RESULTS). Abigail lined up in the Senior Women’s 1500m race, placing 3rd in a time of 4.23.30 behind the winner Emily Parker (4.17.46) and Emily Simpson (4.18.71) and told us following her race that she was ‘Really happy to have opened my season up with a strong run and good time, especially considering the really windy conditions! Looking forward to the rest of the season“. Dexta went in the Senior Mens 1500m first race – also placing 3rd in a time of 3.57.78 behind the winner David Race (3.55.30) and Tom Waterworth in 2nd (3.57.36). Dexta told the Club about his race “Race was very slow, no body fancying taking it out for the first 800m. Additionally there was a very strong head wind on the top 200. At 800, i decided it had to pick up so took a move to the front and held for a while till the last 150, having taken all the wind, a couple really strong 800m guys kicked past me. Slow result, but happy to be back on the track and feeling very confident going ahead“.
Abigail McAndrew
Dexta Thompson
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Out on the road – at the traditional Good Friday Salford 10k – where Blackburtn Harriers James Bretherton, Paul Guinan, David Almond and Craig Greenough were among the 559 finishers in the race. (RESULTS). The race was won by Swansea Harrier Josh Griffith in 30.28 with Halifax athlete Harry Johnson in 2nd (30.41) and Sale’s Nicolas Barry in 3rd (31.08). The Women’s race winner was Luisa Candioli in 35.22. James is having a great run of form currently – the V45 recently setting his personal best of 33.52 in March and his 5k PB (16.06) in April just a week ago. At Salford James smashed his personal best by over a minute as he set a new PB of 32.45 in 14th place overall which puts him in the top 5 of the National Age Group Rankings. Next home for the Club in 177th came V55 Paul in 40.27 followed by V55 David in a time of 41.02 (185th) and our third V55 – Craig – in a time of 43.31 (229th).
James Bretherton
