Matt Ramsden was invited to compete for the Adidas A team in the Podium 5k  held in Cardiff on Saturday August 24th featuring Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and International athletes among the entries. His only road 5k this year so far saw him run 14.30 at the Leicester Podium 5k but since then has clocked 13.48.12 for 5000m in 2nd place at the Sportcity BMC Grand Prix (May 25th) and won the England Athletics 5000m Championships in Birmingham in 14.17.50 (July 19th). Looking forward to the Cardiff race, Matt had a top run, placing 3rd in 13.49 with Jack Kavanagh in 2nd (13.48) and race winner Baldvin Magnusson (13.47) showing just how tight the finish was and the quality of the field with the first 41 home all under 14.40. (RESULTS). Matt’s team – Addidas, also won the team competition with their athletes placing 1st (Baldvin Magnusson) 3rd (Matt Ramsden), 9th (Phil Norman) & 37th (Richard Allen). Afterwards, Matt spoke to the Club about the race saying that he was “Really pleased to conclude my season with a pb on the road. I knew the race would go out hard, so I just wanted to sit in and see where it got me. It was a great experience to compete against some very talented athletes. Time for some mud.” Ben Makin also made the trip down to Cardiff, competing in  the Home Nations Race for Blackburn Harriers and running 15.23 in his only 5k road race this year. Reflecting on his race, Ben told the Club “Not the time I was looking for but was definitely a nice way to finish the season with a 5k down in Cardiff, felt tough from early on but I think that was expected with a big summer of racing, however it was cool to be a part of an amazing event, time for a little rest and get ready for road relays”

Matt Ramsden (2nd from left) Photo coutesy of Graham Smith Photography

L-R Jack Kavanagh – Baldvin Magnusson – Matt Ramsden – Photo coutesy of Graham Smith Photography

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The day started off with dark skies and rain, but soon turned to sunny weather, albeit with the wind that has followed track and field athletics around this year for this years Mid Lancs T&F Medal Meeting held at Stanley Park, Blackpool. (Provisional Results).

(All photos on Blackburn Harriers Facebook Page – HERE)

Blackburn Harriers had won the Male Division Title in 2023 and retained it again ithis year. Twenty one Blackburn Harriers took part on the day – most of them being junior athletes, recording 7 new personal best performances. U20 Codie Dewhurst went in the Senior Men’s 800m race clocking 2.02.8 in 3rd place – no one breaking 2 minutes – the wind being a determining factor for sure. Three U17 Harriers took part in the U17 Men’s 800m race – Logan McCredie clocking 2.07.3 in 2nd, Ethan Cutler 2.13.4 in 4th and Loucas Lancashire running 2.23.2 in 7th, after which he went on to win the U17 Men’s Javelin with a distance of 37.38m. U17 Matthew Smith has raced just once all year due to injuries – his 1500m outing at Blackpool being his first track race since April 2023. Even with the wind impediment, Matthew had a fine race clocking a new PB by six seconds (4.22.2) in winning his age category. George Holman replicated that run as he won the U15 Boys 1500m in a time of 4.51.3. George then went and set a big new PB in the Javelin, throwing 29.62m in 4th spot – an improvement of some 5m. U15 Alex Burn-Groves had a really good day in the field – winning the High Jump with a personal best equaling height of 1.60m, setting a new PB in the Shot Putt (4kg) with a 2nd place Putt of 9.57m and then added nearly a metre to his Javelin personal best throwing a new PB of 30.97m in 3rd spot.

Ethan Cutler (144) – Logan McCredie (150)

Alex Burn-Groves

George Holman

In the Sprints, U15 Boys Keir Michie (12.2) and Tomi Birch (12.2) won their respective 100m Heats with the joint fastest times overall alongside team mate Jack Thompson clocking 12.9 in 3rd spot in Heat 2 and 8th overall. Keir and Tomi went in Heat 1 of the 200m – Keir winning in 24.3 and Tomi 3rd in a new PB of 25.2 – Jack clocking 26.3 in 5th in Heat 2 – Keir and Tomi placing 1st & 3rd overall in the three Heats and Jack 10th. U15 James Acton-Grieves was also having a good day as he cleared 1.45m – a new PB in the High Jump followed by a leap of 4.55m in 2nd place in the Long Jump. U13’s Callum McKone and Zakariya Haq placed 2nd and 3rd in the Long Jump pool of 15, with Callum jumping 3.85m and Zakariya a new PB of 3.79m. Zakariya was just short of his personal best in the Shot Putt with 3rd placed 6.67m and was just shy of his best again in the Javelin – winning with 27.19m.

Keir Michie (152) – Tomi Birch (142)

James Acton-Grieves

Zakariya Haq

U20 Kady Thompson went in the Senior Women’s Javelin and Discus events – placing 6th in the Javelin with 22.51m and 7th in the Discus with 17.56m. U17 Olivia Thomasson was in the Javelin throwing 32.43m in 2nd place. Three Heats in the U15 Girls 100m – Niamh Boland clocking 13.4 in 3rd (Heat 1), Dana Juma winning Heat 2 in 13.7 and Evie Fort winning Heat 3 in a personal best equaling 13.7 – Niamh placing 3rd overall, Dana 4th and Evie 6th. Dana went on to run a new PB of 28.6 in Heat 1 of the 200m, placing 3rd overall out of 15 and also won the Shot Putt with 8.98m. In the U15G 300m Evie Fort ran 46.1 in 4th whilst in the longer distance 800m race, Bella McCredie clocked 2.39. 6 in 4th. U13 Anvitha Reddy went in the 100m and 200m races – posting 14.7 in Heat 2 (4th) and 11th overall in the 100m followed by a time of 31.1 in Heat 1 of the 200m and 8th overall.

Dana Juma

Anvitha Reddy (6)

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The latest Power of 5k in the Lancastert Series took place on Friday night Auust 23rd featuring 55 runners and among them – three Blackburn Harriers – V45 Stephen Hall, V40 James Bretherton and U17 Henry Ward. Joe turner won the race in 15.28 as Stephen was the first Harrier across the line in 16.30 (12th) followed by James in 17th place (16.55) and Henry in 21st running 17.07.

Stephen Hall (44)

Henry Ward (28) – James Bretherton (50)

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