A warm bright evening at Alexandra Stadium was the setting ofr this years Engaldn Athletics U20/23 and Senior T&F Championships – the first day being held on Friday July 19th. Good to see that the Officials, responsible for running the Championships were all indentified and highlighted before the start. Blackburn Harriers had a number of athletes in the Championships with most competing on Friday evening and one later on Sunday. (RESULTS)

First race of the evening for the Harriers came in the first Heat of three in the U20 Men’s 800m which featured Ben Stratton – the fastest of the three Heats. Ben went into the Championships with a personal best of 1.53.38 and improved that again with a new PB of 1.52.42 (5th), just missing out on qualifying – the two fastest qualifiers after the automatic first two places, coming from this first Heat. Ben Makin lined up in the U23 Men’s 800m race which was a straight final and ran well to record his fifth straight time of 1.53’s – clocking 1.53.82 in 8th spot. In the 1500m – another straight final – Dexta Thompson made a bid some 200m out and had a huge battle in the home straight with Peterborough’s Harry Hewitt, Dexta taking it by the width of a vest on the line in 3.52.71 to take the Bronze medal. Abigail Stratton ran in the U20 Women’s 1500m Final after a period of injury with little racing, and clocked 4.38.25. The 5000m in which U20, U23 and Senior Men all went in the same race saw U23 Matt Ramsden who had recently run 13.48 for 5000m, showed that form in the race – following a slowish start, the race proceeded to settle down into even paced running before deciding to go with 300m left to lift the pace for home, kicking once and kicking again off the top bend to come away with a time of 14.17.50, the race win and the Gold Medal.

On Sunday afternoon it was the turn of Isabel Holt in the U20 Women’s 3000m Final which was won by Innes Fitzgerald in a new Championship record time of 9.08.96. Isabel ran a new PB time of 9.41.46 in 7th place to continue her fine form this year. Isabel toild the Club that she was “enjoying racing on the bigger stage though and hopefully I can work on these little things and come out stronger!” In the 200m for U20 men, Charlie Unsworth who had recently run 21.71 at the Englaish Schools clocked 24. 23 in 7th, pulling up with a tight hamstring.

Ben Stratton (1)

Ben Makin (537)

Dexta Thompson (581)

Abigail Stratton (608)

Matt Ramsden (685)

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