British Athletics Championships (Inc European Trials)

It was a great weekend for the Harriers at the British Championships with three athletes all competing in Finals of their events. Sophie Hitchon smashed the Championship record twice before going on to win the Senior Women’s Hammer title again with a throw of 72.02m and now goes on to represent Team GB at the forthcoming European Championships.

RESULTS

Holly Bradshaw – like Sophie will be representing GB at the European Championships – won her tenth British Pole Vault Title and fifth Senior Title in a row as she cleared 4.60m and was buzzing after the competition telling the Club “To win my 10th British Title is amazing. I was having so much fun out there with all the other British girls and was jumping and feeling really good. 4.60m is a pretty solid mark for me but felt I was worth more than that however the swirling wind made it rather tricky. I’m pumped for the rest of the season now and can’t wait to get back competing in Rottach next Sunday”.

Jess Judd ran a very brave race in the 1500m as she took it on from the start and led until 300m to go finishing 5th in 4.13.56 and told the Club afterwards I gave it a go just run out of it at the end, so disappointed now but knew I was lacking that top end speed so had to just try anyway! Was tough with the field being so good, but I’m proud for getting out there and giving it a go!” Alison Leonard last ran the British Championships in 2016 where she won her Heat in 2.03.30 before going on to clock 2.02.45 in the Final to take the Bronze Medal. After winning a BMC Race at Tipton on June 19th in 2.09.78 her next outing was this years British Championships eleven days later in  the 800m where she ran 2.10.76 in her Heat.

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Samantha Murray was competing in the German Open Championshiops for the Modern Pentathlon as part of her build up to the next European Championships being held in Budapest on July 20th. Sam finished in 6th place overall and told the Club Today was a training competition. I’ve trained a hard block leading into the European Champs which take place on the 20th July. I’m disappointed with my riding but this is pentathlon and I hope I have my bad ride luck out of the way now! Next week I will finish off the work and on the 9th July we fly to Budapest for the taper pre championships. I haven’t won a medal at the Europeans yet, so my heart is set on giving my everything for this event. Of course, anything can happen in pentathlon, so I am level headed and staying focused”.

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Alderley Edge 10k – Sunday July 1st

One thousand seven hundred and thirty three runners completed this 10k in blazing heat. It was a day to be sensible given the conditions and is exactly what Ben Fish did as he won the race in a time of 31.49 – half a minute in front of the 2nd placed athlete Stuart Hawkes. Afterwards Ben told us that he Knew it would be hot, so set off slower than I normally do. Moved up alongside Stuart Hawkes, then just managed to open up a small lead after halfway. I think both myself and Stuart were in form that was faster than those times, but the heat did make it slower. That makes Ben C’s run all the more impressive and 4th was a great result“.

RESULTS

In these type of conditions for endurance runners, times normally go out the window a bit but not for  Ben Costello whose personal best pre-race was 33.14. In today’s race he clocked 33.53 in 4th place overall which was all the more impressive and commented to the Club after the race ended Going into this race with 4 Pbs in my last 6 races I was confident of getting another or being close. The race started slower than expected i went through 2mile at 10.40 so I knew at that point a pb was possible by time the 4k marker came I was on my own and slowing.i tried to push on at the turning point but it was hard with the heat hitting you from all angles. I managed to keep going and finished in 4th place which I am happy about. Well done to Ben on his win and to all the other Harriers that raced this weekend“.

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Morecambe Half-Marathon – Sunday July 1st

What a day to take on a Half-Marathon but that is exactly what Victoria Mousley did along with nearly 150 other runners and despite the heat, Victoria won in a time of 1hr 31.58 crossing the finish line in 9th place overall. Afterwards  Victoria spoke to the Harriers about her race commenting “I was aiming for 1hr 23 today and fell way short. It was so hot and I struggle like many others in hot weather. I always get a stitch when it’s hot and I did today although not for too long. The course was actually good with plenty of water stations as the route had been altered. I lead from the start and was fairly confident I would win but my legs were so heavy. Happy to win although a bit disappointed with 1.31. My slowest time for years”.

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Joan Rhodes and Fred Norris Memorial 5k – Sunday July 1st

One hundred and seventy two runners completed this race, again in blisteringly hot conditions and won by Christopher Merchant in a time of 17.40. V40 Carmen Byrne won the Women’s Race and was also 1st V40 coming away with Trophy, Medal and Wine

RESULTS

After the Race Carmen who has had more than her fair share of injuries and is now thankfully running pain free told the Club “I’m really enjoying racing again and love the Masters races as I find them really inspiring. I ran a well paced start and picked up the pace half way. It was really hot obviously but at least it was only 5k! No pain at all which is great”

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Trawden 7 – Sunday July 1st

Featuring well over three hundred runners, the first six finishers matched the very hot racing conditions as just forty five seconds separated them all at the end. Won by Beau Smith in 42.56, there was a 12 second gap to second place with 3rd a further 6 seconds behind, 4th just 2 seconds behind the 3rd place runner and just 10 seconds separating 5th and 6th places.

Many thanks to David Belshaw for all of these photos and thanks also for all the time and effort that he puts into supplying the athletics community with a digital record of everything we do – a fabulous contribution.

Senior & Junior RESULTS

Chris Davies had a great run to finish 4th overall and 1st V40 with his time of 43.16. V45 Paul Brindle was the next Harrier home in 19th position clocking a finishing time of 47.19. Then came Derek Reilly – also a V45 – in 28th place (49.47) followed by Joanne Nelson who had a really good race to place 39th overall and 2nd Woman with a time of 51.14. Next home for the Club came V45 Lindsay Davies in 128th place with a time of 60.31 followed by Allan Hartley in 139th spot (62.40).

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The Junior Races saw Matthew Smith having a great run to win the overall combined race of Boys and Girls in a time of 8.39 – 18 seconds in front of second place. Theo Robinson finished 11th overall in 9.28, just in front of Felix Thompson who came home in 12th (9.34). Imogen Robinson also had a great run to finish 17th overall in the combined race and 2nd in the Girls Race running a time of 9.56.

The U13, U15 and U17’s all ran together which saw a win for U15 Jack Villiers in 12.00. U15 Dexta Thompson was the first home for the Harriers in 14th place overall with a time of 14.07. U13 Daniel Smith placed 18th overall in 14.40 with U13 Oliver Gill in 24th place (15.21) and Libby Kate-Neal in a time of 17.44 (41st).