2025 for Blackburn Harriers Isabel Holt has been a good one to say the least. At the end of 2024 U20 Isabel had taken 4th place in the Cross Challenge in Cardiff, placed 13th at the Sefton Park Cross Challenge followed on January 5th 2025 by selection for the England Team at the Cross International Juan Muguerza de Elgibar in Spain. There, she had a great run to take 3rd place which was followed by another fine run at Leeds on February 8th at the Bucs Championships where she came home in 4th place. So it was in good form and confident, that Isabel approached the National Cross Country Championships on February 22nd at the iconic Parliament Hill Fields in the Junior Women’s race. One hundred and twenty one athletes lined up in the race – on a course which was covered in mud, which did not deter Isabel as she worked hard on the hills to take the lead and never looked back, taking the title in a time of 25.12 from Blackheath’s Eliza Nichoilson in 2nd (25.25) and Bingley’s Rebecca Flaherty in 3rd (25.33). Isabel’s fabulous achievement makes her one of only three winners at the National Cross Country Championhips from Blackburn Harriers – Louisa Powell winning the U13’s in 1991 and Mick Morton who won the Youths race in 1977 at Parliament Hill, then won the Junior national in 1980 at Leicester – in between, winning the World Junior Cross Country Championships in 1978. Isabel now joins this illustrious group. After the race she spoke to the Club about her race telling us that she was “So happy with my race today and to take the win is a dream come true. I felt so strong the whole way and I’m really glad I was able to push on in the final stages. It was definitely tough with the mud and hills, but as always I really enjoyed myself and I love being able to race with all my friends I’ve made through the sport.” (RESULTS)
Isabel Holt
Isabel Holt with the Winners Trophy
L-r Eliza Nicholson – Isabel Holt – Rebecca Flaherty
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At the National Indoor Track & Field Championships held in Birmingham, Blackburn Harriers Abigail McAndrew was competing in the Senior Women’s 1500m. In the build up to the National Championships Abigail had won the BMC in Sheffield on January 19th in 4.26.18 followed by winning her Heat of the 1500m at Bucs before placing 4th in the Final with 4.27.51. On Saturday in Birmingham Abigail clocked a new Indoor PB of 4.24.25 which was close to a two second improvement as she took 7th place in her semi-final. This was her final indoor race for the season as she told the Harriers after her race “Really happy with my race at British champs, I felt strong again whilst racing and ran an indoor pb! A nice way to end the indoor season ahead of outdoors“. (RESULTS) (VIDEO)
Abigail McAndrew
Abigail McAndrew
Abigail with semi-final winner Georgia Bell
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In America Blackburn Harriers Throws athletes – Charlotte Williams and Matthew Heywood – have been involved in competitions in January and February. Charlotte has been involved in five comps – three in January and two in February. At the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular on January 17th she placed 4th in the Weight Throws (9.08kg) with 17.12m and backed that up with 7th placed throw of 16.94m at the TTU Red Raider Invitational on January 24th and a 5th placed throw of 17.14m on January 31st at the DeLoss Dodds Invitational. On 7th February Charlotte was back out again at the Steve Liller Invitational throwing 16.61m (11th) and her latest competition saw her throw a seasons best 17.25m in 5th spot at the Tyson Inviational. Speaking to the Harriers about her season to-date Charlotte told us “Seasons beat in Arkansas in the weight, finally feels like it’s building in the right direction after a few changes in the throw. I’ve got a week off until big 12’s, the conference meet, so hopefully I will execute what I have been doing in training there and finish on a high for my last ever collegiate competition!” (Seasons Best Throw on Video)
Matthew has also been involved in five competitions over the Indoor seson to-date – with three comps in January and two in February. At The Burg Open Matthew took 5th spot in the Weight (15.88kg) with 14.92m and followed that up with throws of 15.59m (5th) at the Finn Pincus IInvitational on January 18th and a 9th place in the VMI Invitational with a throw of 15.07m on January 24th. Moving into February he threw 15.19m (10th) at the Liberty Open on February 7th and followed that up with a seasons best throw of 15.61m at the D1 Pre-national on February 14th.
