Breaking forur minutes for a mile is still one of the most exciting ambitions and achievments for many athletes. Blackburn Harriers Club Record for the mile is held by Jason Lobo set at an Invitational meeting held in Cork, Ireland in July 1991 – Jason’s time was 4.00.39 when he finished 5th in the race. He had also clocked times of 4.01.60 (October 1989) and 4.01.36 (July 1990). Some 32 years later, Daniel Bebbington came very close to the record – starting off with a 4.07.79 in May 2023, followed by a 4.01.56 a week later in May and capped by running a personal best 4.00.84 at the Monument Mile Classic in August. First year U23 David Holman last ran a mile – indoors – in February 2024 clocking 4.11.44, his personal best of 4.11.09 being set in December 2023. Recently David blasted through to a new personal best in the 3000m (indoors) of 8.08.11 (December 7th) which proved he was in extremely goodshape. On Friday December 13th, David lined up in the Early Bird Mile at Indiana University Bloomington – 19 athletes on the start line. (RESULTS)
The first four all clocked under 4.01 for the mile and David ran brilliantly to come home in second place in a massive new PB of 4.00.40 which was an agonising 0.001 outside Blackburn Harriers Club Record. Speaking to the Club after his new personal best for the Mile, David told us that he was “So happy with the time and race today. Pacer went a bit to slow and I went through in 2:03 which isn’t ideal, but I kept calm and started moving up, managed to close in a low 57 to run 4:00.40. That time should be safe for Division 2 Indoor nationals in March and that sub 4 will come. Excited to fly home tomorrow and see everyone.” David now has his name on the list of Club record holders – for the Indoor Mile and the way he is running, how long before he holds both Indoor and Outdoor mile records.
David Holman – Archive Photo
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Carrying on with the Indoor season and this time at the EIS in Sheffield on Saturday December 7th with the second of Northern Athletics indoor meetings. (RESULTS). U15 James Acton-Grieves got off to a good start with his first ever attempt at the 60m indoors, clocking 8.71 in 2nd place in his Heat. Following this, James took on the High Jump and Long Jump where he equaled his outdoor personal best of 1.45m in the High Jump (4th) and took 6th place in the Long Jump out of his Pool of 11 leaping out to a new PB of 4.63m. U23 Decathlete George Whittaker also had a good day opeing up with a new PB of 7.34 in his 60m Heat (6th) and then set a second new PB of the day in the 60m Hurdles with 9.23 (5th).
New member of the Club – U20 Matthew Fairbrother – was making his debut for the Club posting a time of 7.64 in his 60mm Heat (7th) followed by the 300m, resulting in a clocking of 38.62 in 3rd place in his Heat. Bottom of age U20 Alisha Lehner took on the 60m posting 8.87 in 7th followed by a time of 47.61 (6th) in her 300m Heat. Over the longer distance U20 Ben Stratton ran his first ever indoor race over 600m, clocking 1.25.78 in 6th place.
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On the road meanwhile Joanne Nelson was pounding the concrete at the Longbridge 7 – featuring 178 finishers – the race being won by Patrick Browne in 39.04 with Tom Bamber in 2nd place (41.40) and Tom Blackburn in 3rd (41.59). Joanne came home in 2nd place in the Women’s race in a time of 51.57, the winner being Melissa Metcalf in 51.10. (RESULTS)
Joanne Nelson – Archive Photo
