A pleasant but breezy setting was a change to the continuous rain that athletes have had to suffer over the last months, as this years Trafford Grand Prix Series got under way on Tuesday April 30th (RESULTS) and it turned out to be a successful night for Blackburn Harriers middle distance athletes. U15 Jack Baranowski was the first off in the 800m just failing to catch the winner of his race Caleb Still, but posted himself a new PB of 2.03.18 which at this early stage of the season places him 4th in the National Rankings. The five U15 800m races were followed by three Heats of the 3000m featuring 59 athletes in total. Twenty four lined up for the first Heat which was won by Matt Ramsden – his first track race of the season in a time of 8.25.80 with V40 Ben Fish in 9th place clocking 8.55.73, Ben’s time taking him straight to the top of the National Rankings. There was another fine run from first year U17 Sam Aspey who clocked a new PB time of 9.17.54 – an improvement of some 20 seocnds. Isabel Holt went in Heat 2 and knocked 12 seconds off her previous best to set a new PB of 9.47.43 and first female athlete in the race taking her to number 8 in the National Rankings. Evie Taylor went in the final Heat and came home in 5th spot in the Women’s race clocking 10.44.17, just four seconds outside her best.

Jack Baranowski (150)

Ben Fish (29) – Matt Ramsden (220)

Sam Aspey (284)

Isabel Holt (139)

Evie Taylor (94)

Back on to the 800m races – twelve in all – which saw Ben Makin in the first Heat take the bell at 400m in 55 seconds before going on to narrowly miss out on the win in 2nd place but posting himself a new PB of 1.53.98. Heat four saw Hayden Mercer run a good race despite being boxed in placing 4th in a time of 2.01.20 and in Heat 8 it was first year U17 Alex Rothwell’s turn to set a new PB, running 2.16.90 in 6th spot. Another first year U17 – Jack Wood – had never run an 800m previously and made a good start as he clocked 2.12.18 in 2nd position (Heat 9). U17 Charlotte Robertshaw was the Club’s final athlete in the 800m Heats running a time of 2.29.79 in 7th place. Four Blackburn Harriers took on the 1500m – U17’s Oliver Gill and George Ramsden, U20 Jack Lamb and U23 Sam Hodkinson. Oliver chopped a huge ten seconds off his previous best in clocking a new PB time of 4.04.82 in 5th place in Heat 3. First year U20 Jack Lamb took 5th place in Heat 4 running 4.16.52 in 5th spot in his first track race since July 2023. Heat 5 had Sam and George in the race with Sam placing 3rd in a time of 4.22.27 in his first track race since June 2023 and George setting himself a new PB by eight seconds with his time of 4.38.82.