Another great performance by the Harriers at Crewe on Sunday July 29th saw them finish 2nd to Trafford by just four points on the day and finishing up Division One Champions. Newly promoted from Division Two the year before which they also won, this latest title was a credit to all of the athletes who contributed and not least to those who came in for their first ever competitive fixture such as Tom Mckee, Zee Sabbir and Mariya Patel and all those athletes who competed in events for the very first time to help the team out.
A big thank you to Team Managers Jan Buckingham and Wendy Hitchon who have now secured back to back League Titles in the first two years of the YDL.
Happy Harriers on the Road back from Crewe…… Chris hugging the front of the photo in front of Katie & Roxie!!
…and these two are Hurdlers
Full Results HERE
Women’s Team Manager Jan Buckingham was understandably delighted and commented ” What a fantastic day. We were very low on girls numbers, but fortunately the boys were out on mass. Fabulous commitment, team spirit and enthusiasm. Going into this fixture in first position we knew we had to keep Trafford and Wigan in our sights, but Wigan just did not have a team on the day, so it was really a Blackburn / Trafford battle. I don’t want to single out specific athletes, but I can say everyone did maximum events some of which were definitely out of their comfort zones. However I do want to mention the guys who did multiple endurance events, tremendous effort, particularly in the heat. The result on the day, was a second to Trafford by only 4 points, but overall Blackburn are champions of the division. As team manager I just want to say what a great bunch of young people I have had to work with, thank you. The day was only marred by the coach breaking down on the way home!!!!!” Men’s Team Manager Wendy Hitchon who was at the Commonwealth Games watching daughter Sophie Medal in the Hammer said “Well done team, gutted I wasn’t there but you did me proud”.
On the day the Harriers posted twenty five wins with seventeen second and twenty third places. Even more pleasing was the fact that the athletes again produced a number of PB’s – eighteen in all and five season’s bests including U20 Ben Aspinall in the Javelin (29.27m) – U17 Sprinter Jake Almond Hammer (22.08m) – U20 Sprinter Paul Coffey Hammer (15.26m) – U17 Oliver Pearson-Moore Shot Puut (8.17m) – U17 Jane Saothong Long Jump (4.07m) – U17 Caleb Lee High Jump (1.55m) and Triple Jump (11.23m) – U17 Byron Abbott 400m (57.4) – U20 Roxanne Oliver 400m (64.1) and Discus (15.16m) – U20 Robert Buckley 800m (2.10.4) and 300m 10.06.04) – U17 Lewis Jardine 800m (2.15.8 and Long Jump (5.25m) – U20 Joseph Howe 3000m (10.03.07). Seasons bests were posted by U17 Phoebe Howe 800m (2.37.8) – U17 Polly Pearse 80mH (13.3) – U20 Katie Buckingham Discus (14.61m) and U20 Joe Pearse Javelin (38.66).
Individual events won by the Team included U17 Caleb Lee in the Triple Jump – U17 Rebecca Orrell Hammer – U20 Ben Aspinall Triple Jump – U20 Joseph Howe 2000m S/C and 800m – U17 Phoebe Howe 1500m S/C – U17 Byron Abbott 1500m S/C – U20 Katie Buckingham 400m Hurdles and 400m – U20 Kail Sturgess 110m Hurdles – 400m Hurdles and Long Jump – U20 Joe Pearse 110m Hurdles and 400m – U20 Connor Makin with four wins in 400m, 400mH, High Jump and Triple Jump – U17 Archie Braysford 100m – U20 Robert Buckley 1500m and 3000m – U17 Lewis Jardine 1500m – U17 Chris Richardson-Dulling 3000m and U20 Lottie Latham Taylor 100m.
Thank you to Jane Saothong for all the photo’s
