An extremely warm weekend greeted all the athletes who had qualified to compete at this years English Schools Track & Field Championships held at the Alexandra Stadium in Birmingham. On Saturday the temperature rose to 33 degrees on the track which clearly had an impact on the athletes – and throughout the two days. Conditions aside, there were still some very good performances not least of which came from Charlie Unsworth in the Senior Boys 200m. In the Heats, Charlie set a new PB of 21.41 in 3rd to qualify for the Final where he ran another superb new PB of 21.07, breaking his own Club record in taking the Bronze Medal. Speaking to the Harriers after having receved his medal, a delighted and happy athlete told us “i saw i was in lane 9 and thought to myself everyone has to run 200 metres and i thought back to when Michael Johnson won gold at the olympics from lane 8 at the 1996 olympics – and just went for it”. Having taken his medal in the 200m, Charlie then lined up with team mate Millee Schofield in the Mixed 4 x 100m Relay and took the win for Lancashire and the Gold medal with a winning time of 44.53 from Durham in 2nd place (44.89). Before taking the Gold Medal, Millee had run in the Senior Girls 200m where she clocked 25.50 in 6th spot in Heat 2 and although not qualifying for the final, she still left the Championships with a relay gold medal. Still on sprints – in the Senior Boys 100m where Charlie Palich clocked his second sub 11.00 second race this season, coming home in 3rd spot in Heat 3 with 10.99. In the Junior Girls 100m there were three Heats – Caris Peter-Thomas going in Heat 3 clocking 12.54 in 3rd spot and just outside the qualification for the Final.
(July 11th Results) — (July 12th Results)
Charlie Unsworth & Millee Schofield – Gold Medalists in Mixed 4 x 100m
The Junior Girls 800m saw Millie Jordan qualify from the heats to the Final by running a new PB of 2.13.19 qualifying as the third fastest time of the five heats. In the Final she ran inside her old personal best again, clocking 2.14.49 to place 7th overall. Following the Final, Millie told the Club “I’ve worked really hard in training, leading up to English Schools, and I think my performance over the 2 days in 32 degrees heat, proved this. I was so pleased to make it to the Final, and I really want to thank my amazing coaches for helping me achieve that”. Agatha Taylor went in Heat 2 of the Inter-Girls 800m clocking 2.19.39 which wasn’t enough to qualify for the Final. In the Field Tamzin Osborne was in the Inter-Girls Pole Vault featuring eleven athletes – Tamzin clearing 2.90m in equal 7th place. Back on the track Jack Baranowski competed in the Junior Boys 800m placing 3rd in Heat 1 in a time of 2.01.86 and 6th fastest qualifier overall. In the Final, unfortunately Jack was disqualified. (reason unknown as we go to print).
Millie Jordan – Photo courtesy of Ann Osborne
Agatha Taylor – Photo courtesy of Ann Osborne
Tamzin Osborne – Photo courtesy of Ann Osborne
Three heats in the Inter-Boys 1500m which saw Sam Aspey go in heat 2 featuring 14 athletes. Sam clocked 4.16.83 in 11th place, missing qualification for the Final. The Senior Boys 1500m also had three heats – Ben Stratton going in heat 2 – clocking 3.55.47 in 6th place and just missing out on qualifcation whilst in the Senior Boys 800m Oliver Gill clocked 1.55.63 and very close to his personal best as he finished 7th place in heat 1.
⇓
Saturday July 12th saw the latest BMC Grand Prix– World Athletics Challenger take place at Watford (RESULTS). Abigail McAndrew is in good form and has recently posted new personal bests at 3000, 1500m and 800m. Abigailraced in the Women’s 1500m A race clocking 4.20.68 in 7th place and stays at 5th in the U23 Women’s National Rankings for 1500m. Isabel Holt was also coming of the back of recent new personal bests at 1500m and 5000m. Taking on the 3000om in the Women’s B race, Isabel won it in a new PB time of 9.29.04 – a massive improvment of 12 seconds and a time which takes her into 7th spot in the National U20 Rankings and breaks her own club record. Speaking to the Club after her race Isabel told us that she was “Really pleased with my run tonight and happy to get some confidence back over the 3k. Excited to head to the nationals now at the end of the month.”
Abigail McAndrew
Isabel Holt⇓
On to the road and it was great to see Blackburn Harriers athletes– Daniel Bebbington and Andy Benson – back out racing at the Lostock Hall Carnival 5K Results on Saturday 5th July 2025 after such a long time out with injuries. Daniel hasn’t raced since December 2024 and Andy October 2024. Just over 200 runners took part in the race won by Joe Monk in 15.13 with Daniel placing 2nd in 15.30 and Andy 3rd in 16.15. (
RESULTS)
And still on the same surface – Sunday July 13th – at the Towneley Park 10k, featuring 262 runners braving the heat, three of whom were Blackburn Harriers –
Vikki Robertshaw,
Mark Almond and
Craig Greenough. (
RESULTS).
Vikki had a fine day, taking 2nd place in the Women’s race and also coming home as the first V45 Woman in a time of 39.11 – followed home by V55
Mark 36th overall and 4th V55 running 41,15 whilst
Craig finished in 73rd place running a time of 45.42. In the Junior races U13
Ryker Hanson ran 6.35 in the U11/U13 race and placing 7th overall as
Jenna McKinlay came home in 9th place in the U13 Girls race running a time of 8.02 followed by
Pippa Blackburn who who was 12th in the U13 Girls race in 8.27.
Liam Bennison and
Liam Frith ran in the U15/U17 Race –
Liam Bennison finishing in 10th spot and 5th in the U17 age category (12.33) whilst
Liam Frith placed 7th in the U15 age category running 13.46.
L-R Craig Greenough – Mark Almond – Vikki Robertshaw
Ryker Hanson – Photo courtsey of David Belshaw
Jenna McKimnlay – Photo courtsey of David Belshaw
Pippa Blackburn – Photo courtsey of David Belshaw
Liam Bennison – Photo courtsey of David Belshaw
Liam Frith – Photo courtsey of David Belshaw♥
