This weekend – February 10th & 11th – saw EIS at Sheffield hosting the England Athletics U20, U17 & U15 Indoor Championships. On the first day Daniel Nuttall broke his own Club Record set at the Northerns when he clocked 7.11 for a new PB in 3rd place and qualification for the semi-final where he clocked 7.26 in 6th place. In the U20 Men’s 60m Heats Charlie Unsworth clocked 7.66 in 7th (Heat 4). In the 400m Jacob Fisher clocked 55.56 in Heat 3 of the U17 Men’s 400m whilst in the U15 Girls 800m Heat 2 Agatha Taylor qualified for the Final with a time of 2.19.47 going on to win the Silver medal clocking 2.18.13 in 2nd place. Oliver Gill went into the U17 Men’s 800m with an indoor personal best of 2.03.47 which he smashed to pieces in Heat 3 running a new PB time of 1.58.97 over four and a half seconds improvement.
Agatha (3)
Silver medalist Agatha Taylor (456)
On Day 2 Daniel Nuttall was out again, thius time in the 200m where he clocked 23.48 in Heat 1. Millee Schofield lined up for Heat 3 of the U17 Women’s 200m and set herself a new PB of 25.68 – qualifying for the semi-final – as well as breaking Blackburn Harriers Indoor Club Record, previously held by Kara Dacosta. In the semi’s Millee clocked 25.93 in 4th place. After winning the Northern Indoor 1500m Championships Dexta Thompson was looking to add the National title right at the end of the 2nd day. In the final he won the Silver Medal in the U20 Men’s race clocking 4.02.67 behind the winner – Isaac Leydon (Vale Royal) – just 7 one hundreths in it.
Millee Schofield & Daniel Nuttall
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In Barcelona on Sunday February 11th Jess Warner-Judd the Barcelona Half-Marathon took place featuring 28000 runners. Blackburn Harriers Jess Warner-Judd and Rob Warner-Judd lined up at the start resulting in Jess coming home in in 4th place with a cracking run, just one second outside her personal best as she ran 67.07 (67.06 chip time) in 4th position in the Women’s race – Joyciline Jepkosgei winning in 64.29 with Senbere Teferi in 2nd (64.40 and Gladys Chepkurui in 3rd (66.34). Rob also had a great run as he set a new PB by a minute coming home with a tiime of 67.03. The Men’s race was won by Kibiwott Kandie in 59.22 with Andreas Almgren in 2nd (59.23) and Roncer Kipkpror in 3rd (59.28). (World Athletics Race Report) Rob and Jess spoke to the Harriers after their race telling us “Really pleased with how the race went, wasn’t quite expecting to run a 67 so was a nice surprise. We both found a nice little group to run in most of the way but found the last couple of miles along the seafront tough with the wind, but both very pleased with our runs“.
The 2024 Armagh International Road Race 2024 lived up to its billing as one of the most competitive quality 5k road races on the calendar throughout the year. Finland’s Topi Raitanen won the race in 13.49 from Morpeth’s James Young in 2nd (13.50) and Sheffield’s Alfie Manthorpe in 3rd (13.50). Seventeen athletes broke 14 minutes with a huge number – 130 – breaking 15 minutes, and this despite not the best of conditions in terms of the impact of the wind on the race. (RESULTS) — (RACE VIDEO). Blackburn Harriers Daniel Bebbington lined up in this race finishing in a very good time of 14.24 in 46th position after which he spoke to the Club about it commenting “Tough race last night but I gave it all I had. I know I’m in better shape than the time suggests, and it was just unfortunately a bad day to have a bad day. However it was a great experience and I will be back to race again next year“
Over in America and Abigail Stratton was one of 115 women athletes taking on the Indoor Mile at the Music City Challenge on Friday February 9th placing 26th overall with a time of 4.52.44 – her first time over the distance either indoor or outdoor. One day later – Saturday February 10th – she was out again at the same venue, this time ove 800m in the unseeded races featuring 72 athletes and this time finishing in 2nd position with a time of 2.09.26 which was a seasons best for her. After the race, Abigail shared her thoughts with the Harriers saying “Overall I am happy with my races! I wanted more from the mile but for my first time I am happy and know I can work from this. I was sore going into the 800 so didn’t know what to expect to so come away with a SB I was very happy.” (800m Results) — (Mile Results)
Abigail Stratton (11)
Still in America and this time with David Holman racing over the Mile indoors at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston. After running 4.13.81 on January 26th in Boston, David took that time down to a seasons best 4.11.44 in 6th place at this latest outing. After his race David told us it “Was a very scrappy race and couldn’t move out as everyone just kept blocking me. Was a good race with the circumstances. I know a sub 4:10 is on the cards with a clean race.”
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Great to see Stephen Hall back out racing after such a long time out with a very bad injury at the Bolton 5k today – Sunday February 11th. (RESULTS). Over 300 hundred runners finished the race won by Bolton’s Jonathan Kay in 15.06. Nick Gaskell finished in 17th spot overall and 1st V50 with a time of 17.13 telling us after the race that he “Had a Consistent couple of months training and a few races ticked off since the start of January 1st 5k for a while so happy with my time“. Stephen Hall clocked 17.21 in 21st place. Speaking after the race Stephen commented that it was “great to be back on a start line again, I wasn’t sure if I ever would be again so I’m just enjoying the process of building back up and racing with zero expectations. Another solid run from Nick who’s racing on top of some consistent mileage. A bit of an undulating route with couple of corners to navigate so we were both happy with the times we ran.”
Nick Gaskell (43) – Stephen Hall (157)
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Back to Cross Country and it was a good day for Blackburn Harriers at the penultimate fixture in this years Mid Lancs Cross Country League held at Towneley Hall, Burnley on Saturday February 10th. (RESULTS). First team win of the day came in the U15 Girls led home by the ever consistent Lyra Krige in 4th place (10.56) alongside team mates Lottie Hesketh running 11.19 in 7th spot, Isabelle Perry (11.50) in 15th and Lily Green in 18th spot ( 12.14).
(ALL RACE PHOTOS ON BLACKBURN HARRIERS FACEBOOK PAGE)
L-R Isabelle Perry – Lottie Hesketh – Lyra Krige – Lily Green
Lyra Krige (168)
Lottie Hesketh
Isabelle Perry (171)
Lily Green
The U15 Boys then matched the Girls result – headed by a very good race at the front with the first four athletes separated by just four seconds. Jack Wood really went for it and with 60/70 metres to go, four athletes were all in contention as they charged towards the line – Kendals Will Brayshaw taking the honours in 13.00, Lancasters Ben Brassington in 2nd place (13.03) with Jack Wood in 3rd, given the same time of 13.30. Team mates Theo Robinson was our 2nd counter in 8th place (14.07) with Tom Falencki getting better with each race in 11th spot (14.18), Callum Singleton in 15th (15.06), George Holman in 16th and looking stronger with each race (15.09), Liam Bennison in 18th position running 15.25 and Loucas Lancashire in 19th place in a time of 15.26.
L-r Callum Singleton – Loucas Lancashire – Tom Falencki – George Holman – Theo Robinson
Jack Wood in a four way sprint finish
Theo Robinson
Tom Falencki (153)
Callum Singleton
George Holman
Liam Bennison
Loucas Lancashire
With two athletes in the first seven places and three in the first fifteen, the Harriers Senior Women won the team race with 26 points from Clayton in 2nd (31) and Preston in 3rd (41). Louisa Powell-Smith was the teams first counter in 4rth place running 21.34 after working her way through the field on the 2nd lap, a time and placing which gave her the first V45 prize too. Next home – in 7th position – was Ellen Sagar-Hesketh with a time of 22.43 followed by V40 Rebecca Ward in 15th spot in a time of 24.05 along side V45 Sarah Krige in 30th place with a time of 25.51.
L-R Louisa Powell-Smith – Rebecca Ward – Ellen Sagar-Hesketh
Louisa Paowell-Smith
Ellen Sagar-Hesketh
Rebecca Ward
Sarah Krige (123)
The Senior Men then followed suit by winning the team race totaling 109 points from Southport in 2nd (142) and Wigan in 3rd (182). Tim Raynes also took the indidviodual honours with a fine run, going to the front from the start with U20 William Walker (Clayton) some 20metres behind over the first two laps. On lap 3 Tim opened up the gap to win the race in a time of 32.26. Next home came Sam Hodkinson in 10th spot running 34.36 and all credit to him as he has had to survive another bout of illness. Badr Alainzay had another good run following his PB at the Winter Warmer 10k last weekend as he came home in 17th spot running 35.11, followed by Marc Hartley sprinting to the line in 21st spot in a time of 36.01. Richard Addy was our next Harrier across the finishing line running 36.22 (26th) and 2nd V45 followed home by Danny Maynard who must have been impacted by the Marc Hartley sprint, as he too sprinted to the line in 42nd spot (37.49). Great to see Stephen Walter back out after a period of injury as he ran 37.52 in 45th place followed by V50 Anton Krige (40.20) in 68th place and V50 Mark Almond (121st) with a time of 45.29.
Tim Raynes (108)
Sam Hodkinson
Badr Alainzay
Richard Addy (69) – Marc Hartley (94)
Danny Maynard (103)
Stephen Walter (111)
Anton Krige (100)
Mark Almond
Earlier races included four Blackburn Harriers young girls in the U11 Race which had Amelia Pacelli running really well to take 3rd place in a fast finish with a time of 7.37 alongside her team mates Sophie Douglas in 14th spot (8.15), India Gooden in 28th (10.05) and Mia Logan (29th) in a time of 10.34 – both of these girls running from the Harriers Sportshall Group – India for the first time and Mia just her second. Just two boys in there U11 race of 48 runners – Theo Addy coming through the field to take a top ten place in 9th (7.19) alongside Morgan Watson in 15th spot running 7.31.
L-R Mia Logan – Indian Gooden – Sphie Douglas – Amelia Pacelli
Amelia Pacelli (140)
Sophie Douglas
India Gooden (2610)
Mia Logan
Millie Jordan, just one week after finishing 2nd in the Lancashire Schools Championships had another fine run in the U13 Girls Race, crossing the line in 2nd spot in a time of 9.32 to lead the team to a 4th place in the team race. Hetty Green came home in 27th place (11.39) with Emily Wood in 34th place running 12.39. Max Unthank was the only runner in the U13 Boys race and ran another good race to take 6th place overall in a time of 10.35. In the U17’s Poppi Watson came home in 3rd place Women’s race in a time of 15.49 whilst Ethan Cutler took 10th spot in the Men’s race running 21.09.
L-R Millie Jordan – Hetty Green – Emily Wood
Millie Jordan
Hetty Green
Emily Wood (2278)
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