The newly developed stadium in Birmingham hosted the Diamond League over the weekend, giving a foretaste of what is to come later in the year as it is the Stadium that host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Jess Judd and Holly Bradshaw were among the array of world class athletes who lined up for the event – Jess in the 5000m and Holly in the Pole Vault. — (RESULTS). Jess had just won the British 10000m Championships with a World Championships qualifying time the week before and was on the start line for this race with a personal best of 15.06.02 set at the USATF Golden Games in May 2021. This time she came home in 6th place after a superb run – chopping close to 10 seconds off her previous best, running a new PB of 14.57.19 to go under the 15 minute barrier for the first time, inside the World Championship A Standard by over 12 seconds taking her to Number 1 in the British Rankings.
One of those days for Pole Vault with less than ideal conditions which saw Holly record no height. Commenting on her social media after the event, she said “The big NH isn’t what any field eventer wants however, as my preparation over the last 4 months has been challenged, it isn’t fully unexpected and undeserving. I currently don’t feel I have yet gained enough full approach confidence / experience and unfortunately today I was exposed as I wasn’t quite ready for the instability the competitive environment offers!What I don’t regret is competing!!! What an absolutely amazing atmosphere and welcome I received from the incredible British fans….for that I am truly grateful!”
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A great day for Blackburn Harriers Ben Makin as he won Senior Age Group at the 2022 British Modern Tetrathlon Championships at the weekend. Speaking to the Harriers after being presented with the winners trophy, Ben told us that he “Had a good day out at Irish nationals, coming 1st on the fencing as the 1st discipline, following that up with winning the swim by 15 seconds, giving me a big 32 second head start going into staggered run start, it was a day of everything that could go right did go right and ended up winning the event by over 2 minutes, placing me the highest ranked senior athlete in Ireland. Looking forward to some international racing to start me up this season!”
Being presented with the Winners Trophy
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Match 2 in this years UKYDL Lower Age Group League was hosted by Blackburn Harriers at Witton Park Arena on a warm, breezy and sometimes sunny day. Match 1 resulted in a win for Liverpool Harriers with Blackbunr Harriers in 2nd place – 161 points behind. This second Match, at Witton park saw the Harriers close the gap to 54 points as they once again finished 2nd to Liverpool. The top two teams get promoted to the Premier Division and if the team continues to perform the way it has been doing in the first two matches, then that is a distinct possibility. A big thank you to the Team managers – Chris and Nicola Thompson and also thanks to the Officials who once again turned out to support the Club. Linzi was at her first fixture starting out on the Officials pathway and thanks also to Lee Thompson who helped set up the Field apparatus and then supported our Field Team. Thanks also to Blackpool’s Stan Taylor and Margaret Crompton who took on the roles of Chief Timekeeper and Field Referee.
L-R Linzi Lancashire – Helen Dawson-Smith – Krista Camara – Grace Bontoft – Kate Taylor – Michelle Teare – Alison Heywood
Where do we start? Perhaps with the news that on the day two new Club Records were set and two U15 athletes went into number 3 in the National Rankings. In winning their Relays the new Club Records were set by our 4 x 100m U13 Boys – the current record being 56.5 posted at Bangor in 2018 by Dewhurst, Butler, Allcock and Olidapo. Yesterday Jayden Dacosta, George Fenton, Theo Robinson and Jack Duxbury chopped nearly a second and a half of that to set a new Club Record time of 55.10. This was followed by our U15 Boys 4 x 100m Relay Team – Daniel Nuttall, Luke Watson, Matthew Smith, Henry Harwood – who won in a time of 48.30 beating the old record by 1.3 seconds set in July 2009 which was 49.6 and run by Dunne, Ryan, Pugh and Grimes.
Jayden Dacosta on Leg 3 U13 Boys 4 x 100m
Daniel Nuttall handing over to Matthew Smith on Leg 3 U15 Boys 4 x 100
Ellie Charnock and Holly Moore set the team off on the track with two 2nd places in the 70m Hurdles of 13.80 and 14.90 respectively – Ellie setting a new PB by close to a second and Holly making her debut in the event. Jack Baranowski also making his debut in the event then won the U13 Boys 75m Hurdles in a time of 15.40. Alisha Lehner who had won silver at the County Championships with a personal best of 12.90 in the 75m Hurdles, lowered that even further – by two tenths – to set a new PB in taking 2nd spot with a time of 12.7. Adding more points to the team total in the Hurdles – George Camara ran 13.30 in the 80m Hurdles A (2nd) alongside team mate Matthew Smith who clocked 13.90 in winning the B.
Matthew Smith (11) – George Camara (1)
First event in the Field saw bottom of age U15 Harry Pilington set a new PB by one cm in the Hammer, throwing 16.54m in 4th place followed by his sister Leila Pilkington who won the A U13 Girls Shot Putt with a throw of 7.59m – a new PB by 18 cms – with Emma Bargh placing 4th in the B (4.84m). On to the Discus and there was another new PB for U15 Jacob Fisher as he added 2.74m to his previous best in placing 2nd with 24.74m. Alisha Lehner and Ellie Wilding took on the U15 Girls Discus which had Alisha placing 2nd in the A with a new PB distance of 15.00m, Ellie also setting a new PB of 9.63m in 3rd position.
Back on the Track and it was the 150m resulting in Agatha Taylor clocking a new PB by half a second with 21.00 in 3rd place alongside Holly Moore running the distance for the first time taking 5th spot in the B with a time of 23.40. In the U13 Boys 150m George Fenton was making his debut for the Club on the track and did really well running 20.10 in 2nd place – a tenth behind the winner from Liverpool. Team mate Jayden Dacosta was also making his debut for the Club and had a great start finishing 2nd in the B with 21.30. The 200m had just a tenth separating first and second as Millie Schofield took 2nd in a new PB time of 26.50 whilst Hannah Davies came 5th in the B race with 29.70, a new PB by half a second.
Leila Pilkington and Charlotte Smith teamed up in the U13 Girls 75m resulting in a 2nd place for Leila (10.50) which was a new PB by over half a second and Charlotte running 11.80 in 5th spot – also a new PB by a tenth. George Fenton carried on with his impressive debut as he won the U13 Boys 75m in 10.00 along side Jayden Dacosta also having an impressive debut coming 2nd in the B with 10.60. On to the 100m where it was a 3rd spot for Millee Schofield in the A race with 12.80 alongside Alisha Lehner in the B running 13.70 in 2nd spot. Another fine run from Daniel Nuttall in the U15 Boys 100m A Race as he won comfortably in 11.30 which equaled his personal best and also a good run from Luke Watson who clocked 12.50 in 2nd spot in the B – a new PB by four tenths. Moving up to the 200m races Daniel Nuttall set a big new PB by close to three tenths as he won the A race clocking 23.00 moving him in to No.3 in the National Rankings with team mate Luke Watson – running his first ever 200m race – placing 2nd in the B with an very good time of 25.50.
Daniel Nuttall 100m (3rd from right)
Meanwhile, back in the Field events, the U15 Boys Shot had Harry Pilkington and Daniel Bretherton teaming up with Harry placing 4th (7.12m) and Daniel making his debut for the Club throwing 5.94m in 3rd place. Felix Thompson placed 3rd in the U15 Boys Javelin with 18.42m and well done to Loucas Lancashire who had come to compete after cutting his knee and did standing throws to support the team – coming 3rd in the B with 14.17m. In winning the U15 Girls Javelin A – Hannah Davies set a new PB distance of 21.87m alongside Tamzin Osborne who took 2nd spot in the B with 13.83m, also a new PB. Liam Bennison took on the Shot Putt for the U13 Boys and did well to place 3rd with 4.63m, only the seond time he has done the event. Team spirit is very important on these match days with athletes often being asked to do events for the first time – Maimuna Muinos and Lily Green – showed that spirit as they took on the U15 Girls Shot Putt placing 6th and 4th with respective distances of 5.11m and 4.35m. So too with the U13 Boys – George Holman and Tom Hunt finishing 5th and 4th respectively in the Javelin with throws of 8.93m and 4.12m to help the team with the points total. Alexa Hunt then threw Javelin in the U13 Girls coming 5th with 8.53m.
Theo Robinson and George Holman paired up in the U13 Boys Long Jump coming 5th with 3.61m for Theo and 3rd in the B for George with 3.30m – a new PB by 10cms. Millee Schofield and Imogen Robinson took on the U15 Girls Long Jump – Millee leaping out to 4.45m for 2nd in the A with Imogen (3.32m) 4th in the B. Leila Pilkington and Charlotte Smith carried on with adding really good points to the team score as Leila jumped 3.87m in 2nd in the A alongside Charlotte winning the B with a distance of 3.33m – Charlotte then went on to clear 1.10m in 5th place in the U13 Girls High Jump. It was first and second in the U15 Boys Long Jump for the Harriers as Daniel Nuttall leapt out to 5.33m to win the A and Matthew Smith jumped 4.43m to place 2nd in the B. After the Long Jump Imogen Robinson went on to come 2nd in the U15 Girls High Jump with a clearance of 1.40m as brother Theo cleared 1.34m to win the U13 Boys High Jump. A great debut for U15 Tamzin Osborne who has just recently taken up the Pole Vault and making her debut she won with a clearance of 1.90m. Matthew Smith and George Camara were the Harriers pairing in the U15 Boys High Jump resulting in Matthew winning the A with a clerance of 1.60m and George placing 2nd in the B with 1.40m.
Back on to the Track with some non-scoring events which saw U13’s Dana Juma run 11.10 in the 75m, Ellie Charnock running 12.00 also in the 75m; Jack Duxbury 10.60 in the 75m – and in the 100m non-scoring races – Maimuna Muinos clocked 14.90; Lily Green 15.50; Henry Harwood 12.70 and Daniel Bretherton 13.90. The U13 Girls 800m non-scoring had Emma Bargh run 3.15; Hetty Green 3.16; Tom Neild ran 2.48 and Tom Hunt 2.48.2; Freya Neild ran 3.03; George Ramsden obliterated his previous 800m best by 24 seconds as he ran a new PB of 2.18 with Ethan Cutler also setting a big new PB by eight seconds clocking 2.23.
Maimuna Muinos (on far side) – Lily Green (near side)
Daniel Bretherton (outside) – Henry Harwood) inside)
George Ramsden (11) – Ethan Cutler (1)
Imogen Robinson clocked 49.40 in 5th in the U15 Girls 300m A race alongside team mate Isabella Pacelli who came 3rd in the B with 48.80 and a new PB by a tenth as Henry Harwood and Matt Haxton took on the Boys 300m – Henry clocking 44.00 in 4th in the A and his first time over the distance with Matt running 44.70 also in 4th spot in the B and again, his first time over the 300m. Well done to U13’s Alexa Hunt and Emily Short who ran the U13 Girls 800m with respective times of 3.06 (6th in the A) and 3.16 (5th in the B) alongside Theo Robinson (2.28) and 2nd in the U13 Boys 800m with George Holman also 2nd in the B with 2.44. Our U15 Girls 800m pair saw Isabella Pacelli run a new PB by three seconds of 2.36 in 3rd spot in the A with Ellie Wilding placing 4th in the B with a six second new PB of 2.46.
U15 Oliver Gill last ran an 800m in 2019 (2.34.3) and showed he is good form with a 20 second improvement in his 1500m times over the last 12 months – continuing in the same vein with a new PB of 2.07 in winning the A race as Matt Haxton equaled his personal best in coming 2nd in the B with 2.24. Agatha Taylor ran a very well judged race in the U13 Girls 1200m, running a conservative first 300m and then gradually coming through to take the lead 300m out and stayed there, winning the A race in 3.56.90 – currently 4th in the National Rankings. Emma Robertshaw ran well too in the B race picking up another new PB by 9 seconds as she placed 4th in the B with 4.23.5. In the U13 Boys 1200m Jack Baranowski jumped straight into 3rd place in the National Rankings with his time of 3.40.20 in winning the A – his first time over the distance – with Liam Bennison making it a double by winning the B in 4.07.50 which was a massive new PB by over 12 seconds. The final middle distance race of the day was the U15 1500m races for Boys and Girls. Charlotte Robertshaw clocked 5.21 in 4th place in the A and a massive new PB by some some 19 seconds – with Lily Green taking this on for the very first time running 5.58.50 (4th) in the B. It was another new PB for Sam Aspey in the A 1500, where he came 2nd in 4.32.30 alongside team mate Kieran Hamilton winning the B in 4.38 who was running this distance for the first time and only his second time on the track for the Club.
Charlotte Robertshaw (1) – Lily Green (11)
Sam Aspey (1) – Kieran Hamilton (11)
Alwaya a great finish to the day with the Relays which saw the Harriers win three of the races including setting new U13 and U15 Boys Club Records in the 4 x 100m in winning their respective relays in 55.10 (U13 Boys) and 48.30 (U15 Boys). Our U13 Girls 4 x 100m team (Agatha Taylor, Leila Pilkington, Ellie Charnock, Charlotte Smith) finished 3rd; U15 Girls 4 x 100m team (Millee Schofield, Alisha Lehner, Hannah Davies, Freya Neild) placed 4th; U15 Girls 4 x 300m (Imogen Robinson, Charlotte Robertshaw, Isabella Pacelli, Tamzin Osborne) came 4th; U15 Boys team (Sam Aspey, Lieran Hamilton, Oliver Gill, Matt Haxton) won the 4 x 300m relay.
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Four members of Blackburn Harriers Senior Men’s Endurance Squad were out on the track on Tuesday May 17th at Trafford. Daniel Bebbington was out again racing just three days after competing in the Night of the 10000m PB’s and this time in the 1500m. (BMC Gold Standard RESULTS). It turned out to be a good night for him as he won his race – his seasons opener over the distance – with a time of 3.47.83 with Wakefield’s Mark Bostock in 2nd (3.49.25) and Liverpool’s Luke Johnston in 3rd (3.49.65) both of whom ran new personal bests.
Callum Davidson, Tim Raynes and Luke Betts all ran in the Trafford Grand Prix – (Trafford Grand Prix RESULTS) – choosing the 3000m after Callum and Tim had run the 1500m over the weekend at the Birmingham BMC. Theire race was won by Jacob Cann in 8.20.28 with Blackburn Harriers taking 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots. Callum came 2nd clocking 8.28.68 in his opener for the season alongside team mates Tim Raynes in 3rd posting a time of 8.35.71 and Luke Betts in 4th place running 8.35.88).