Saturday evening – June 21st – at Loughborough was the venue for the latest BMC Grand Prix – World Athletics Challenger which saw Blackburn Harriers athletes racing over 800m 1500m and 3000m – (RESULTS). U23 Abigail McAndrew was in the Women’s 800m B Race and had a fine run, posting a new PB of 2.06.90 in 4th position whilst U20 Ben Stratton lined up for the Men’s 800m F Race – won by Fife’s Ben Sandilands (1.54.32) – Ben running 1.55.98 in 5th place. David Holman U23 went in the Men’s A Race won by local athlete Biruk Kebede in a time of 3.39.44 with David clocking 3.49.15 in 15th. U23 Dexta Thompson and Senior Ben Makin took on the Men’s 1500m C Race – won by George Wheeler in 3.48.19. Dexta placed 11th in 3.56.36 and Ben 13th in a  time of 3.59.69. It was a very good night for U20 Isabel Holt who ran the second new PB of the evening by three seconds in the Women’s 1500m B race clocking 4.31.93 in 9th position. Final race of the night – the Men’s 3000m B Race – saw Ross Harrison set himself a new PB by eight seconds as he won the race featuring 20 athletes in a time of 8.16.48.

Abigail McAndrew (104)

Ξ

The day after – Sunday June 22nd, Blackburn Harriers Northern League Team were in action in the West Premier Division at Trafford, four of the athletes running at Loughborough, making the trip back to compete for the team on Sunday. It proved to be a successful day for them and for the team taking our seocnd win in the first two macthes of the season with a total of 420 points from Trafford in 2nd place (384); West Cheshire in 3rd (329); Southport in 4th (327); Sale Harriers 5th (326); Team I.O.M 6th (281). A big thankyou to all the athletes and the spirit they showed in contributing to another team win and to all of our Officials who as always contributed with maximum officials points.

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Men’s Team

Charlie Unsworth took a sprint win double clocking 11.00 in the 100m and 21.8 in the 200m in winning mmaximum points for the team. Daniel Nuttall clocked 11.5 (3rd) in the B 100 whilst Jacob Fisher ran 23.,2 in the B 200 (5th). Matthew Sharples and Logan McCredie paired up for the 400m – Matthew clocking 52.3 (4th) in the A race whilst Logan clocked 52.9 for 2nd in the B and a new PB by over a second and half. Ross Harrison – one of the athletes who had raced on saturday evening – didn’t let that stop him winning the 800m A race in 1.56.4 whilst in the B race, there wasn’t much to separate the first three with Hayden Mercer taking 2nd spot in 2.05.2 – the winner posting 2.05.1. Matt Ramsden took 2nd place in the 1500m A race running 3.59.0 whilst Sam Aspey, running his first senior race in the Northern League won the B race in 4.04.5. Ben Makin, another athlete who had raced on saturday evening and Sam Stephens took on the 5000m – Ben placing 3rd in the A (15.50.8) and Sam 2nd in the B race (16.27.3) in his first ever race over the distance on the track. Harvey Holden placed 4th in the 400m Hurdles in 67.5 then cleared 2.10m in the Pole Vault for 4th in the B and clocked 19.8 in 2nd place in the 110m Hurdles alongside team mate George Whittaker clearing 3.40m in 3rd place in the A Pole Vault, followed by 2nd place clocking of 17.2 in the 110m Hurdles A Race. The Long Jump saw Samuel Mutombo come 4th in the A (5.53m) with Logan McCredie jumping 5.16m in 3rd in the B followed in the triple jump by Samuel placing 2nd in the A (11.12m) and Ethan Cutler winning the B with 10.69m. U17 Abdollh Shriha set himself a new PB of 1.70m in the A High Jump (5th) – an improvement of 8cms alongside team mate Alex Burns-Groves clearing 1.60m in 3rd spot in the B. The Throws events produced very good points as Anthony Kent won the A Hammer (51.16m), won the A Discus (40.61m) and took 2nd place in the A Shot (11.54m). More points came from Matthew Heywood winning the B Hammer (46.01m) and came 3rd in the B Discus with 25.36m – also adding to the teams points total were Brandon Zinyemba with a 3rd place in the B Shot Putt (7.97m) and in the Javelin George Whittaker coming 2nd in the A (41.49m) and Alex Burns-Groves 3rd in the B (29.66m) which was a new PB for him with the senior weight.

Samuel Mutombo

Charlie Unsworth (1)

Harvey Holden

Anthony Kent

Women’s Team

Claudia Longton and Sienna Wareing paired up for the 100m – Claudia clocking 13.7 (5th) in the A and Sienna 3rd in the B with 13.3 which was followed by Sienna running the A 200m in 27.9 (6th) alongside Alisha Lehner clocking 28.7 in the B (5th). Millie Schofield clocked 58.2 in 3rd place in the A 400 with team mate Poppi Watson taking 2nd in the B (61.8) which was a new PB by a tenth. Poppi was out again in the 800m alongside team mate Keira Haxton – Poppi running 4th in the A with 2.26.7 as Keira won the B race in 2.25.8. Isabel Holt was another athlete who ran a new PB for 1500m in Loughborough the night before and won the A 1500m in a time of 4.39.1 with Evie Taylor taking 2nd in the B race (5.08.0). Abigail McAndrew also ran an 800m PB in Loughborough the previous night and came up with a massive new PB in the 3000m winning the A race in 9.45.0 with team mate Lousia Powell-Smith also running a new PB by eight seconds as she won the B race in 10.51.7. Kiera Booth and Millie Pilkington took on the 400m Hurdles – Keira clocking a new PB by a second of 76.8 (B) alongside Millie placing 2nd in the B race with 77.9 – and in the 100m Hurdles – there was a new PB for Alisha Lehner by 1.2 seconds taking 3rd place in 17.1. In the Jumps events – Tamzin Osborne won the Pole Vault with a clearance of 2.80m after calling a halt to the competition because of issues with the stands whilst in the Long Jump Holly Moore leapt out to 4.50m (6th) and Grace iLunga 4.22m (6th) in the B. Tamzin and Holly teamed up for the High Jump with Tamzin 5th in the A (1.30m) and Holly 4th in the B (1.25m). The Throws started with a double win for the Harriers – Ava Leigh winning the A with a throw of 53.86m and Charlotte Willams winning the B with 50.51m. Ava and Isabelle Hartley then added more points in the Shot Putt – Ava 5th in the A (8.91m) and Isabelle 4th in the B (7.84m). Charlotte and Kady Thompson teamed up in the Discus – Charlotte throwing 25.80m for 4th in the A and Kady 16.65m fpor 4th place in the B. Final event in the field was the Javelin which saw Isabelle Hartley take 2nd spot in the A (26.87m) with team mate Kady Thompson also 2nd in the B with 24.35m.

Alisha Lehner (1)

Isabel Holt (1)

Ava Leigh

Relays

A great start from the Women’s 4 x 100m team which saw Alisha Lehner, Millee Schofield, Sienna Wareing and Claudia Longton combine to win in a time of 50.80 just 4 tenths outside the Club’s senior women’s record. In the 4 x 400m, Isabel Holt, Poppi Watson, Keira Haxton, Evie Taylor came 4th. In the Men’s 4 x 100m Daniel Nuttall, Jacob Fisher, Charlie Unsworth, Brandon Zintemba placed 2nd in 44.50 whilst in the 4 x 400 relay Matthew Sharples, George Whittaker, Hayden Mercer, Logan McCredie came 3rd.

L-R Alisha Lehner – Millee Schofield – Claudia Longton – Sienna Wareing

L-R Matthew Sharples – Hayden Mercer – Logan McCredie – George Whittaker

L-R Poppi Watson – Evie Taylor – Keira Haxton – Isabel Holt

Ξ

On to the road and this time – the Freckleton Half-Marathon – run on Sunday June 22nd and featuring three Blackburn Harriers – Vikki Robertshaw, Ella Green and Gina Preston-Kelly lining up amongst the 478 runners at the start. Vikki was the first of the trio home in a new PB of 1hr 27.21 bettering her previous best by 23 seconds and 3rd in the Women’s race and 5th V40. Next home was V35 Ella Green – 3rd V35 Woman and 20th in the Women’s race with a time of 1hr 48.06 in her debut over the distance. Gina was next across the line and again, someone else who had never run a Half-Marathon previously, finished 21st in the Women’s race running 1hr 48.04. (RESULTS)

L-R Vikki Robertsahw – Rebecca Ward – Gina Preaton-Kelly

Ella Green (297)

Ξ

Gary Pearse and V55 Jonathan Bridge have been out racing recently. First up was the Wharfedale Trail Half-Marathon on Saturday June 7th – the race being won by Dark Peak’s Andfrew Heyes in 1hr 20.39. In this race, Gary placed 75th overall out of a field of 212 runners with a time of 2hr 09.15 with Jonathan in 149th place running 2hr 35.20 along with Claire 2hr 35.19. (RESULTS).

That was followed up by the Ediburgh Seven Hills Race won by Corstorphine athlete Jack Eykelbosch in 1hr 39.04 – Gary coming home in 160th place running 2hr 40.25 (RESULTS). Rounding this trio of races off Gary took on the Standard Aquathon on Sunday June 22nd where he finished 5th overall with a time of 1hr 22.16 which consisted of a 800m swim in 16.53 and a run of 63.52 emnbracing several loops of Darwen Tower. (RESULTS)

Gary Pearse – enjoying the moment

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