It was a warm night at Trafford for the latest Grand Prix Series on Tuesday August 12th as athletes, coaches and spectators rolled up for the final fixture in this years series. Hydration was not something to be taken for granted on nights like these – 29 degrees as cars parked up at 5.30pm. A number of Blackburn Harriers athletes all decided to compete on the night, for some, the last race before well earned summer holidays and others just taking advantage of it being the last meeting – and there were some very good results – including eleven new personal bests.
U20 Oliver Gill and V45 Louisa Powell Smith got proceedings off for the Harriers in the 3000m, both of them running personal bests – Oliver going in the A race having last run an outdoor 3000m in 2023- set himself a new PB of 8.58.06 (18th) whilst Louisa came home in 2nd place in the final Heat 4 with a new PB of 10.27.08, a time which puts her at number 3 in the V45 National Rankings. The 3000m heats were followed by 800m races – 16 Heats in total. Heat 1 had Ben Stratton and Dexta Thompson in a very good field resulting in a new PB for Ben of 1.52.22 (6th) and a seasons best for Dexta in 7th place (1.52.35). Heat 2 saw another personal best for the Harriers as senior Ismael Alvarez El Hassany clocked a new PB time of 1.56.1 in 6th place. Heat 5 saw Hayden Mercer and Max Winstanley line up in what turned out to be a very close fought contest – just 7 tenths splitting the first five athletes. Hayden finished with a new PB of 2.00.07 and agonisingly close to breaking the 2 minute barrier, whilst new member Max, in his second race for the Harriers, also clocked a new PB of 2.01.08 in 6th spot. U20 Logan McCredie was next up in Heat 8 of the 800m races running 2.09.43 in 6th place. In the penultimate Heat 15 V40 Rebecca Ward and U17 Bella McCredie both ran personal bests as Rebecca placed 2nd in a new PB time of 2.25.84 whilst Bella came home in 3rd spot with a new PB of 2.28.65 – Rebecca’s 2.25.84 puts her in the top 10 in the V40 National Rankings. On to the 1500m’s totaling 8 Heats and in the first race Dexta Thompson – doubling up on the night with the 800m earlier – took the win with a time of 3.52.38. Heat 3 saw U20 Jack Lamb clock a new PB by a second and a half (4.06.74) in 7th position. U17 Henry Ward started off the evening with a personal best of 4.14.68 and ended with a new PB by nearly five seconds of 4.09.45 in 2nd place (Heat 4). U20 Ethan Cutler ran in Heat 5, coming home in 7th place with a time of 4.32.31 whilst bottom of age U17 Tom Falencki won Heat 7 in a new PB time of 4.38.12 – an improvement of over two and half seconds in only his second track race of the year. The final race of the night saw U17 Isabelle Perry run 5.15.20 in 8th place (Heat 8).
Ben Stratton (87) Dexta Thompson (165)
Louisa Powell-Smith
Bella McCredie (82) – Rebecca Ward (425)
Henry Ward (262)
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What a comeback for Rachel Wood at the Windmill Half-Marathon on Sunday August 10th – a race described as a ‘fast and flat course around the coastal front of Lytham St Annes and Fairhaven. The route is a three lap course based from Lytham Windmill on the Green and is great for runners of all abilities and ages‘. Having a family, Rachel last raced in 2022 at the Harriers Ribble Valley 10k (42.09). Just short of 500 runners finished this race won by Thomas Chadwick from St Helen’s Striders in 77.45. Rachel won the Women’s race as well as finishing inside the top 20 overall (18th) in a time of 86.53. (RESULTS)
Rachel Wood
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Back on Track & Field and this time at the Northern Masters Championship & Track Open held at Trafford on Sunday August 10th. (RESULTS). V60 and Throws Coach – Tony Balko – was out in this one, competing in Shot Putt (5kg) and Discus (1kg). It turned out to be a good championship for him – winning the Shot Putt with 10.69m and placing 2nd in the Discus with a throw of 37.71m which was a seasons best. (RESULTS). Commenting on the Championships afterwards Tony said that he “Had a good days masters athletics at the Northern Masters Athletics Championships (NMAC) at Trafford, Manchester. After an injury ravaged start to the year, it was pleasing to win gold in Shot Put (10.69m) and silver in Discus (37.71m). Modest distances, but good to be back out there competing and something to build upon“.
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On the Fells over the weekend – 10th August – the Boulsworth Junior Fell Races took place at Trawden coveing U9’s; U11/U13’s; U15/U17’s age groups. Four young Blackburn Harriers took part in the U11/U13 race – U13 Edward Russell-Blackburn placing 5th overall out of a field of 40 with a time of 7.14, followed by U13 Ryker Hanson in 8th place overall with a time of 7.28, U11 Harry Russel-Blackburn in 17th place, running 7.55 and 6th in the U11 race and U13 Pippa Blackburn 5th in the U13 Girls Race with a time of 9.06. Another good run by U17 Liam Bennison saw him place 3rd overall and 2nd U17, running 17.35 in the U15/U17 race.
Edward Russell-Blackburn 247 (Photo courtesy of David Belshaw)
Ryker Hanson 228 (Photo courtesy of David Belshaw)
Harry Russell-Blackburn 248 (Photo courtesy of David Belshaw)
Pippa Blackburn 220 (Photo courtesy of David Belshaw)
Liam Bennison 258 (Photo courtesy of David Belshaw)
Finally and on the road this time, Blackburn Harriers Katie Buckingham and Kiera Booth ran in the Run Media City 10K on July 31st, a result we missed in previous website reports. (RESULTS). Four hundred and fifty four finishers in this race won by Matt Scarsbrook in 31.57 – the Women’s race being won by Alicia Barczak in 39.03. Katie ran a time of 44.51 in 14th spot in the Women’s Race whilst Kiera ran a time of 51.23 and 1st U20 female.
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