The track & Field season is gradually coming to an end for athletic clubs as they complete their league committments and participate in a number of opem meetings up and down the country. The World Athletics Champion ships will be on us shortly and all athletic eyes will be on the season finale. This is a time when Clubs review their season, looking at success and failures, learning lessons and preparing for next season by working on the various winter training programmes for all of our events and the athletes who compete in them. For Blackburn Harriers, we could not have a better ending to the season. With our U13/U15 athletes winning their UKYDL Division earning promotion tot he Premier Division, alongside our U17/U20 athletes doing exactly the same in winning their division and promotion to the Premier Division, coupled with our Northern League Senior team winning the West Premier Division, the season could not have gone any better – a clean sweep winning every divisional title we competed in. A massive thankyou to all of our athletes, coaches, officials and team managers for their part in the season long success.
On Sunday August 31st, the final macth in this years West Premier Division of the Northern League took place. Blackburn Harriers went into the fixture after already winning the first three matches and secured the tille after placing 3rd on the day to finish with a ocmbined total of 22 League Point out of a possible 24. The Match was stopped just prior to the 4 x 400m Relays as Blackburn Harriers athletes Agatha Taylor and Logan McCredie were presented with the trophy by David Brown after a nice introduction by Trafford’s Mike Harris.
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Charlie Palich and Jacob Fisher teamed up for the 100 and 200m races – Charlie placing 3rd in both A races in 11.22 and 22.79 whilst Jacob clocked 11.89 (4th) and 24.10 (3rd) in the 200m. Matthew Sharples equaled his best time of 51.9 in the A 400m (4th) alongside team mate Logan McCredie who won the B race in 53.03. Hayden Mercer broke the 2 minute barrier in 2nd place in the A 800m clocking a new PB of 1.59.87 with Isamel Alvarez El Hassany winning the B race in 2.00.70. Matt Ramsden (4.03.60) and Daniel Bebbington (4.04.60) won the A and B races in the 1500m whilst in the 5000m – Daniel again (14.57.56) and Andy Benson (15.47.06) won both A & B races. In the 400m Hurdles George Camara clocked 63.77 in winning the B Race.
Charlie Palich (1)
On the track for the Women’s races – and here we have to highlight the way in which some of our young athletes pitched in at the last moment to take on events for the very first time in the Northern League. Claudia Longton was the sole athlete in the 100m clocking 13.70 in 6th place, followed in the 200m by a 28.04 clocking in the A race alongside team mate Evie Fort running 29.88 in 6th in the B Race. Agatha Taylor was just outside her personal best as she won the A 400m in 59. 81 with team mate Lottie Smith clocking 65.52 in 3rd place in the B. Bella McCredie took on the A 800m and did well as she came home in 3rd spot running 2.34.13 and in the 1500m V40 Rebecca Ward ran 5.13.18 in 3rd spot in the A alongside Freya Neild running 5.24.22 in 2nd in the B. In the 3000m Louisa Powell-Smith took 2nd spot in the A (10.31.04) with Lottie Hesketh in her first ever Northern League race and first ever 3000m stepping up to help the team and finishing in 3rd spot in the B with 11.52.70. Hats off too, to Kiera Booth who voluneteered to do the 2000m Steeplechase and ran 9.53.53 in 4th spot. In the 400m Hurldes there was a new PB for Kiera Booth in the A race of 76.02 in 2nd with her teammate Millie Pilkington winning the B in 79.82.
Louisa Powell-Smith (1)
In the Relays the team had a DNF in the 4 x 100m due to an injury whilst in the 4 x 400m we took 3rd spot clocking 3.36.40 (Matthew Sharples; Matt Ramsden; Hayden Mercer; Ross Harrison). Thanks to all the female athletes for being able to set up two teams in their relays – 6th in the 4 x 100m in 57.30 (Grace iLunga; Imogen Robinson; Kiera Booth; Evie Fort) and winning the 4 x 400m in 4.21.80 (Agatha Taylor; Lottie Smith; Louisa Powell Smith; Bella McCredie)
Lottie Smith (11) takes over from Agatha Taylor in 4 x 400m
Field events started off with the Men’s Hammer Hammer and Long Jump in not the best of weather it has to be said. Anthony Kent came 2nd in the Hammer A (48.80m) with George Williams stepping into the B and doing well to come 3rd with 32.59m. Loucas Lancashire and Alex Burns-Groves took on the Javelin – Loucas maintaining his 40m+ throws with a 3rd placed 40.03m alongside Alex who placed 4th in the B with 30.83m which was a new PB with the 800g. Anthony and George Whittaker paired up in the Shot Putt and Discus – Anthony placing 3rd in the A Shot Putt (11.89m) and 2nd in the A Discus with 38.70m whilst George took 2nd in the B Shot Putt and 2nd in the B Discus with respective throws of 10.44m and 33.90m. Emma Harrison took 4th place in the Hammer (35.56m) after not having been training for some two months, whilst in the other Throws events Rebecca Awe made her debut in the Shot Putt with a 3rd placed throw of 9.84m and then took 6th spot in the Discus with 20.62m alongside Emma placing 4th in the B with 19.91m whilst Olivia Thomasson came 3rd in the A Javelin (28.75m) alomgside Bella McCredie who took the B on to support the team and also placed 3rd in the B with 11.79m).
Anthony Kent
In the Jumps events – George Whittaker cleared 3.10m to take 2nd spot in the Pole Vault after coming back from injury after his last Decathlon as George Camara and Samuel Mutombo paired up for the Triple Jump – George coming 3rd in the A with 11.50m and Samuel winning the B with 11.46m. Samuel had earlier won the Long Jump with a leap of 5.66m alongside Logan McCredie who jiumped 4.54m and placed 3rd in the B. In the High Jump – Alex Burns-Groves cleared 1.55m in 2nd place in the A whilst Codie Dewhurst jumped 1.60m to wqin the B. Well done to Grace iLunga who was our sole Long Jumper who had to jump in pretty unpleasant conditions and came 4th in the Long Jump with 4.39m. – and there was a return to form for Imogen Robinson in the High Jump as she cleared 1.45m in the A High Jump (5th) with team mate, new member and debutant in any competition Lia Cooper who did well to place 3rd in the B with a clearance of 1.25m. Claudia Longton had an excellent Triple Jump competition placing 2nd overall with a new PB and the first time over 10m as she leapt out to 10.20m.
Grace iLunga
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Blackburn Harriers Isabel Holt had won selection for the England U20 team which raced over 5k in Cardiff on Saturday 30th August. She has had a a good season, setting new personal bests for 800, 1500, 3000m, 5000m and 5k in addition to her winning the National Cross Country U20 Championships, so her selection was very well deserved. Isabel had a fine run, taking a top 10 spot in running a new PB time of 16.24.7 in 9th place and first England U20 across the finishing line. (RESULTS)
Isabel Holt (182)
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On the same day, Charlie Unsworth had been invited to take part in the 100m at the Manchester International, hosted at Sportcity. Charlie has also had a fine season setting new personal best for the 100m at 10.68 and 200m 21.07. At the Manchester event he ran in the A race clocking 10.82 in 6th spot. (RESULTS)
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Back on the road and it was the Mid Cheshire 5k on Friday August 29th which had `Blackburn Harriers Ross Harrison, Matthew Smith and Millie Jordan all competing. Ross took on the race after entering even though he had started to come down with an illness and had a very good run, psoting a time of 14.30 in 9th place overall and just seven seconds outside his personal best time – it says something about his tenacith that he was still prepared to turn up and compete for the Harriers in the Northern League two days later. After the Mid Cheshire Race Ross spoke to the Club telling us “unfortunately I woke up with a cold so to run 7seconds off my pb with a feeling pretty rough I can’t complain too much. Wasn’t feeling great warming up so set off abit more conservative and worked my way through to finish in 9th and also a course pb for myself so fairly happy considering“. Next home came U20 Matthew in 210th spot running 16.31. U15 Millie had a a very fine run indeed. Having only ever run the distance once previously at the Northen U15/U17 5k Road Championships (18.58), this was her first experience of an individual 5k race and what a run she had, setting a new PB of 17.41 and a time that puts her in at number 14 in the National Rankings. Millie was happy with her run as she explained to the Club afterwards commenting “This was only my second 5K race after Redcar in April, so my aim was to get a PB. It was such a fast race, but I started quite steady. I managed to pick up speed and make the most of the downhill, getting a sub 18 time. Looking forward to the relays now“. (RESULTS)
Millie Jordan (1860)
Stayng on the road and this time at the RunThrough Run Media City 5k & 10k on 28th August in which Blackburn Harriers Paul Bradshaw and Chris Davies took part. (RESULTS). Two hiundred and twenty nine runners completed the 5k race with Paul and Chis finishing in the top 5 places – V35 Paul coming home in 2nd place in a time of 16.22 alongside V45 Chris who took 5th place in 17.39.
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The final fixture in this years Mid Lancs Track & Field League was hosted as usual, at Stanley Park in Blackpool with a day that gave wind and lots of it, rain and even some sunshine. (Provisonal Results). — (PHOTOS HERE).
In the Sprints where the wind didn’t give any help whatsoever in running personal bests U17 Keir Michie placed 2nd in Heat 1 of the 100m (11.7), with team mate Jack Duxbury in 4th (12.3) alongside team mates Ernie Hobson in Heat 2 (4th in 12.5), Harvey Kinder 5th (12.9) and Jack Thompson placing 5th in Heat 3 (12.7). The U15’s saw Ollie Haworth clock 14.1 in Heat 1 (4th) with team mates Tomi Birch winning Heat 2 (12.6) and Oliver North placing 2nd in Heat 3 (13.2). Three Heats in the U13 Boys 100m which saw Xuanqiao Llang clock 13.8 in 2nd (Heat 1), Harry Mitchell 3rd in Heat 2 with a new PB of 14.8, and Noah Brisco winning Heat 3 in 14.1 equaling his personal best. The U15 Girls 100m races had Niamh Boland taking 3rd in Heat 1 (13.3) and Dana Juma clocking 14.3 in 4th (Heat 2). Four U13 Girls went in their 100m races – Ella Taylor (4th in 14.6) and Ava Shannon 5th in 15.3 (Heat 1), Mia Logan 4th in Heat 2 (16.4) and Amelia Carrier 4th in heat 3 (16.4).
Niamh Boland (6)
Six U17M took part in the 200m Heats – Matthew Sharples 2nd in Heat 1 (23.8), Keir Michie winning Heat 2 in 23.9 and Heat 3 featuring all Blackburn Harriers athletes resulting in Ernie Hobson winning in 25.1, Jack Duxbury 2nd in 25.2, Jack Thompson 3rd in 25.8 and Harvey Kinder 4th clocking 25.9. U15 Joseph Mckay placed 4th in Heat 1, clocking 27.5 in his his debut over the distance, whilst in the U13 Boys Xuanqiao Llang won the race in 28.3 with team mate Noah Briscoe in 3rd with a new PB time of 28.7. Niamh Boland won her Heat of the U15G 200m in 28.2 and was 2nd overall in the Heats. Two athletes in the U13G 200m – Ella Taylor running 32.6 in 4th (Heat 1) and Amelia Carrier 6th in Heat 2 (34.5). Max Belshaw came 3rd in the U17 Men’s 400m (55.1) and in the U15 Girls 300m, Imogen Boardman placed 2nd in 44.2 with Darcie Belshaw in 3rd (45.1).
Matthew Sharples (170)
Turning to the Throws events – Anthony Kent took a hat-trick of wins in the Senior Mens Hammer (48.53m), Shot Putt (12.33m) and Discus (36.52m). Loucas Lancashire (U17) set himself a new PB by 2 metres when he placed 2nd in the Senior Men’s Javelin (800g), throwing 42.10m – and – in the U13 Boys – Henry Iddon won the Javelin with a throw of 28.68m as well as taking 3rd spot in the Discus with 15.11m. One of the performances of the day came in the Shot Putt in which U15G Dana Juma won with a new PB distance of 9.72m followed in 2nd place by another new PB set by Madeline Partridge as she threw 9.19m. Madeline had already won the Hammer with 33.97m and took 2nd place in the Discus with 21.98m. Isabelle Hartley was in the Senior Womens Shot Putt and Javelin – placing 7th in Shot Putt (7.29m) and 27.04m in the Javelin (4th).
Henry Iddon
James Acton-Grieves equaled his personal best in the U15 Boys High Jump with a clerance of 1.55m (3rd) and in the Long Jump went one better finishing 2nd with a new PB distance of 5.14m – a 12cm improvement – after which he went into the 80m Hurdles clocking 13.6 in 2nd place alongside team mate Joseph McKay in 3rd (14.2). Harry Mitchell won the U13 Boys High Jump with a clearance of 1.37m which was his first ever attempt in competition and foillowed that up with a leap of 4.22m – just 1 cm shy of his best in 2nd place in the U13 Boys Long Jump which was won by team mate Noah Briscoe with 4.44m and a new PB by 24cm. Hannah Moore cleared 1.25m in the U13 Girls High Jump followed by a 4th place in the Long Jump leaping out to 3.88m with team mates Ella Taylor in 7th (3.74m) and Amelia Carrier in 12th (3.01m). Ava Shannon came home in 4th position in the 70m Hurdles with a new PB (13.5). In the Longer track races U17 Liam Bennison clocked 4.57.6 in 3rd spot in the 1500m as William Fairwood ran 3.00.5 in the U13 Boys 800m (8th) and U13 Pippa Blackburn ran 3.10.0 in the U13 Girls 800m (4th). In the Relays our U15 Girls took the win in the 4 x 100m in 53.4.
Hannah Moore
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Monday August 25th was another warm day as athletes gathered for the Bank Holiday Medcal Meeting at Trafford on Monday August 25th. (RESULTS). The meeting featured a large number of sprint events which a number of Blackburn Harriers entered, producing some fine performances, including wins and personal best times. Not withstanding the weather, over 30 Blackburn Harriers athletes competed throughout the day. (Provisional Results)
First up in the 100m was U20 Charlie Unsworth who ran 11.09 in 3rd place in Heat 6 of 19 Heats in total. Heat 11 saw U17 Ernie Hobson place 3rd clocking 11.98 which was a new PB by a tenth. On to the 200m races – 18 in total – and in Heat 5 Charlie Unsworth ran 21.6 for 2nd spot followed by U20 Daniel Nuttall clocking 24.13 in 4th spot (Heat 6). Heat 7 had U17 Keir Michie running 23.76 in 4th and in Heat 10, U17 Ernie Hobson set his second new PB of the day in winning the Heat in 24.39 – just over a tenth improvement. U17 Jack Thompson kept the wins and personal bests going as he won Heat 11 in a new PB time of 25.19 alongside Harvey Kinder in the same race clocking 26.16 in 4th place. U20 Charlie Palich and U17 Matthew Sharples lined up for the 400m in Heat 3 – Charlie making his debut over the distance. The race was won in 51.46 with Charlie close behind in 2nd running a fine 51.84 in his first ever race over the distance and Matthew placing 3rd in 52.60 – just outside his personal best of 51.9. U17 Harvey Kinder also ran the 400m in Heat 5, finishing 6th in a time of 61.41.
