A special moment for Blackburn Harriers Isabel Holt at the weekend as she lined up for Leeds Beckett at the BUCS Championships at Charnwood College alongside over 200 athletes. Isabel had a great 2025 winning the Junior Women’s race in the Nationals alongside international honours in Belgium and Spain. 2026 started off with a bang for Isabel as she won the Bucs Cross Country Championships in a time of 29.08 from Emily Parker in 2nd (29.12) and Charlotte Dannatt in 3rd place (29.14). A very happy Isabel spoke to the club following her win, telling us that it was “Such a special moment to take the women’s A race title at the BUCS cross country. I couldn’t quite believe it when I crossed the line. The whole event was such a great experience and the support you got whilst out on course was amazing. I’m now looking forward for the national cross now! “ (RESULTS)

Over seven hundred athletes ran in the Men’s Short Race won by Hamish Reilly in 27.07 from Will Sutcliffe in 2nd (27.18) and Alex Molloy in 3rd (27.32). Blackburn Harriers Dexta Thompson running for the Loughborough B team was the first counter and had a fine run, placing 5th overall in a time of 27.41 – Loughborough A taking the first four places with Loughborough B taking the next four. (RESULTS)

Isabel Holt

L-R Emily Parker – Isabel Holt – Charlotte Dannatt

This weeks report continues with news of performances by Blackburn Harriers athletes in America and what a way to start – three competitions, three wins and three personal bests for Charlotte Williams. Her latest win, school record and new PB came in The Legends of Alachua County Invitational Womens Weight Throw College on Saturday January 31st where she headed a field of 16 throwers in the Weight extending her personal best to 18.04m in taking the win. (RESULTS) — (VIDEO). David Holman was opening his Indoor season over 3000m with his third fastest time having previously run 8.08.11 in 2024, bringing that down to 8.00.68 in 2025. In his first race of the season, David clocked 8.01.21 and looks set up for the Mile race he is targeting in two weeks time.

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The EIS Sheffield Stadium was the venue for Northern Athletics U13 / U15 Indoor Track and Field Championships held on Sunday February 1st. Opening up in the 200m Heat 4, U15 Darcie Belshaw took the win in a new PB time of 27.12 to advance to the semi-final where she clocked 27.42 in 2nd place, just missing out on the final. . U15 James Hastley clocked a new PB time of 27.61 in 5th spot (Heat 3) and in Heat 5 Billy Rowbotton also clocked a new PB of 26.28 in qualifying for the semi-final and ran another new PB there, running 26.17 in 4th spot. Kai Addison made in two Blackburn Harriers advancing to the semi-final as he clocked a seasons best time of 25.39 in 2nd place of Heat 6, following that up with another seasons best time of 25.00 in 3rd place in the semi-final. U13 Harry Mitchell had a very good day as he won a Bronze Medal in the High Jump equaling his personal best height of 1.40m followed by another 3rd place in the B Long Jump Final and a new PB of 4.29m – great day for Harry.

In the 60m Heats U15 Darcie Belshaw backed up her 200m personal best with another new PB as she qualified for the semi-final in a time of 8.59 (4th) – clocking 8.77 in 7th spot to cap a pretty good day for her with two new personal bests. Kai Addison replicated that in Heat 1 of the U15B 60m as he qualified for the semi-final in a new PB time of 7.80 (3rd) as did James Astley from Heat 2, qualifying in a new PB time of 8.25 (4th). Billy Rowbottom made it three Blackburn Harriers in the semi-final as he qualified from Heat 4 in a new PB time of 8.15. In the U15 Boys semi-final (1) Billy Rowbottom equalled his personal best of 8.15 (6th) alongside team mate James Hastley in 7th clocking 8.42 – both lads having had a good day, posting new personal bests. In semi-final (2) Kai Addison equalled his personal best in clocking 7.80 (3rd) and just missing out on the final.

(RESULTS)

Darcie Belshaw

L-R Joshua Leis Mendez – Ethan Jia – Jaxon Marshall – Harry Mitchell 

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Saturday February 1st was the date for the 2026 Lancashire Schools Cross Country Championships which decide selections for the English Schools Championships being held on March 14th at Sefton Park. Lots of young hopefuls took part including quite a number of Blackburn Harriers – 35 in total. The Year 7 girls race was won by Georgina Brambles a confortable winner in (8.21) with Lily Mae-Newton in 2nd (9.03), Lauren Redwood in 4th (9.15), and Sophie Douglas in 8th (9.48), In the Year 7 Boys race Ben Hawksworth placed 9th in 8.36. Thomas Stewart placed 3rd in the Junior Boys race (12.56) alongside team mate Max Unthank in 10th spot (13.29), Edward Russell-Blackburn (20th) in a time of 13.58 and Ryker Hanson running 15.17 in 39th.

The Inter-Girls race saw Millie Jordan take 3rd position in 15.43 with team mates Emma Robertshaw in 8th spot (16.49), Lottie Hesketh running 17.21 (13th), Emily Wood (20th) in a time of 18.43, Hetty Green running 18.55 in 21st place and Eleanor Woodford (35th) with a time of 21.45. William Grundy took 2nd spot in the Inter-Boys race (18.11) with team mates Theo Robinson in 6th (18.34), Tom Falencki 7th (18.46), George Holman 15th (20.02), in 27th Liam Bennison (20.58), Elliot Unsworth (29th) running 21.22, Tom Hunt in 37th spot (22.24) and Blake Mcilwaine 38th in 22.34.

Myles Fraser was a confortable winner of the Senior Boys race in 21.56 with team mates Matt Clark in 2nd (22.27), Sam Aspey in 3rd (22.36), Henry Ward in 5th (23.28), Max Winstanley in 8th (24.21), Ethan Cutler 9th running 24.41, Max Belshaw in 10th (25.21), Peter Sagar-Moss 11th running 25.56 and Loucas Lancashire in 17th place (27.45). Holly Moffatt, Lottie Smith and Lily Croasdale went in the Senior Girls race – Holly placing 2nd in 21.03, Lottie 8th in 24.09 and Lily in 9th spot running 26.08).

(RESULTS)

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Thomas Stewart (315)

Back in Blackburn, Sunday February 1st saw the holding of the annual Winter Warmer 10k alongside the Junior 2k run held from Witton Park Arena. One hundred and seventy six youngsters took part in the Junior 2k run and among them nine from Blackburn Harriers. Amelia Pacelli came 3rd overall and 1st in the F13 age group (8.06), Ethan Piprani was 8th overall and 2nd in Male 9yr age category (8.35), Pippa Blackburn 18th overall and 2nd in the F11 age group (9.12), Ava Pearson 31st overall and 1st in the F12 group (9.57), Arthur Siggs 34th overall and 8th in the M9 group (10.01), Scarlett Cothliff 48th overall and 5th F10 group (10.55), Joseph Wright 49th and 2nd M10 in a time of 10.56, Charlotte Vose in 63rd and 3rd F8 (11.27) and Aidan Shannon in 140th place, 6th M10 in 14.30). (RESULTS)

The race was won by Salford’s Callum Davidinson (32.05) from Clayton’s Bradley Walsh in 2nd (33.04).V40 Ben Fish led the Blackburn Harriers team home in 3rd place overall, 1st Vet, running 33.07 and in 4th place, Paul Bradshaw ran 35.08 and 1st in the V35 age group category followed by V45 Chris Davies in 21st spot, running 38.46 and 4th V45. Danny Maynard was next across the finishing line for the Club with a time of 39.33 in 28th place followed by V45 Marco Pacelli in 48th spot running 40.17. Isabella Pacelli was 3rd in the Women’s race running 45.07 in 114th spot with Ellen Sagar-Hesketh in 123rd place and 4th in the Women’s race in a time of 45.49 and V60 Ian Clarkson placing 217th and 12th V60 in a time of 50.13. (RESULTS)

Photo courtesey of David Belshaw

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Over the weekend Blackburn Harriers Josh Holgate took on the Hoofstone Fell Race – January 31st – which is a category BM fell race held in Todmorden in the South/West Pennines. The course distance is 12.9 km (about 8 miles) with climb listed as 425 m. Josh had a great run and took the win in a time of 64.12 from Shaun Livesey in 2nd (66.05) and Declan Tattersall in 3rd (66.10). (RESULTS)

Up in Scotland Helen Leigh started off 2026 with a bang as she won the Scottish Masters Cross Country Championships held on Saturday January at Tollcross Park. Nearly 200 runners lined up and it was Helen who came out with the win by 22 seconds as she took the title. Speaking to the Club after wards, Helen told us that she was “So pleased to retain my Scottish masters v40 title at the XC Champs. I sat in the first lap, felt good so I took off and got a gap which I held for the rest of the race”.

Leah Hoole was out at the Lancaster 5k on January 23rd won by Rohan Finch in a time of 17.09. Leah placed 6th in the Women’s race running 19.18.

Josh Holgate

L-R Yvonne McNairn – Helen Leigh – Sara Green

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