David Holman contested the South Atlantic Outdoor Championships on May 1st, and in qualifying for the Final was able to ease off over the final 30 metres, posting the second fastest time of 1.53.04. The Final, held on Thursday May 2nd saw David finish up on the Podium in 3rd place with a new PB time of 1.52.19 which in being added to his new personal best of 3.49.37 over 1500m recently, shows David to be in very good form. (FINAL VIDEO)
Another Blackburn Harrier – Dexta Thompson – is also in very good form at the moment and went up to York on Wednesday May 1st turning in a fine performance over 1500m, taking the win in a new PB time of 3.50.26 and picking jup £100 in prize money.
Decathlete George Whittaker was competing at the BUCs Track & Field Championships held at Sportcity on Sunday May 5th and among the six events he took on he posted a seasons best distance of 9.82m in the Shot Putt in qualification group B and went on to post another seasons best clearance of 1.68m in the High Jump and another in the Long Jump with a leap of 5.92m. Showing he was in good form George then set a new PB in the Javelin taking 4th spot with a throw of 40.01m. Adding to this personal best, he set another in the Discus with 29.35m in the B Final. Speaking to the Harriers afterwards, George told us “Long weekend, everyone I spoke to was shocked that I was doing six events haha. But that’s what being a decathlete is, along with having good results to remember and bad results to forget, in the same day and same weekend. Finally over 40m in the Jav so onwards and upwards.” Ava Leigh was competing in the Hammer in tbe A Final featuring nine athletes and won the Silver with a throw of 50.76m – Zoe Price winning the Gold (58.39m) and Christiana Kamdom Kemegne taking the Bronze (49.20m).
George Whittaker
George Whittaker
Ava Leigh (1051)
L-R Ava Leigh – Zoe Price – Abbie Stewart – Jasmine Trapnell
From Track & Field on to the hills at the Great Hambledon Hill Race featuring well over 200 runners run on Sunday May 5th which was the first race in this years Pendle & Burnley Grand Prix Series. (RESULTS). V45 Stephen Hall had another fine race, taking a top 10 finish with his time of 43.11 in 7th place and 2nd V45 – Danny Hope winning the age category. Louisa Powell-Smith had a fine run too as she won the Women’s race in a time of 47.06. There were three Junior races too, covering U7/U9’s, U11/U13’s and U15/U17’s. In the U15/U17’s race, Blackburn Harriers Jack Wood had a very good day as he took the win in a time of 12.13 from Rossendale’s Francis Vidler in 2nd (13.05) and Blackpool’s Alfie Hall in 3rd (13.09). Liam Bennison was 3rd U15 Boy on the day in a time of 15.22 and this after running the 1500m in the Mid Lancs the day before. Lottie Smith was next home as 3rd U17 Woman running 15.31, followed by 5th placed U15 girl Charlotte Smith with a time of 15.56 and like Liam, had run the 1500m the day previous.
Race Photos courtesy of David Belshaw
Jack Wood
Liam Bennison (11)
Charlotte Smith (95)
Lottie & Charlotte
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Out on the Fells on Bank Holiday Monday – May 6th – was Lottie Hesketh taking on the Coiners Fell race -the race incorporating the 2024 Yorkshire Fell Running U13, U15, U17 & U19 Championships. Lottie raced in the U17 age category where she finished in 4th spot (28.53) over the 5.3km race with 231m of ascent. (RESULTS)
Lottie Hesketh
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During the week previously, four Blackburn Harriers – Marco Pacelli, Rebecca Ward, Sarah Krige and Hollie Cubbon were out at the Wednesday ‘Astley Park Trail Series’ on May 1st. (RESULTS). Just over 150 runners completed the race – the first in the Series – won by Tom Murphy (20.25). First home for the Harriers was V40 Marco Pacelli in a time of 23.09 followed by V40 Rebecca Ward who was 3rd in the Women’s race and 2nd V40 running 25.16, V40 Sarah Krige in a time of 29.17 and Junior Hollie Cubbon with a time of 29.46.
L-R Hollie Cubbon – Rebecca Ward – Sarah Krige – Marco Pacelli
On Friday evening – May 3rd – the latest of the Lancaster Power of 5k road races took place which had four Blackburn Harriers racing – Andy Benson – Paul Bradshaw, John Chaplin and Leah Hoole. Andy was first home with a top ten finish, crossing the line in 8th spot with a time of 15.46 followed by Paul in 15th place running 16.12, U20 Leah running a big new PB by some 40 secs with a time of 19.29 and V65 John with his time of 19.30 taking the 1st V65 prize, a time which also moves him up to 12th in the National Rankings.
Sunday May 5th saw Danny Maynard compete in the Horwich Standard Triathlon along with over 250 other triathletes and placing 41st overall with a combined time of 2hr 21.07 and 22nd in his age category made up of 9.07 for the swim, 1hr 23.08 for the bike ride and 41.14 for the run. Making her debut in a Triathlon was Leah Hoole and what a good debut she had posting times of 11.09 for the Swim, 1hr 34.53 for the bike ride and 45.57 for the run for a combined finishing time of 2hr 36.12 and as the only competitor in the FU20 age category, she was the winner, placing 8th Woman overall. (RESULTS)
Chris Davies obviously enjoys running the Sherriff 10k which took place on Sunday May 5th featuring just under 100 runners. Having won the race twice previously, Chris made it three wins with his time of 36.44 taking the win from Simon Reason in 2nd (39. 12) and Paul Muller in 3rd (41.26).
Rebecca Ward was out racing again just five days after racing at Astley Park, this time at the Chorley 10k on Sunday May 5th alongside her brothers, James and Dominic Bretherton and with Luke Betts making it four Blackburn Harriers in the race. (RESULTS). Luke was the first one home for the Club in 2nd place posting a time of 32.39.88 in his first race over the distance for a year. Next across the finishing line came James in a time of 38.13.55 for a top 20 placing in 19th. Rebecca won the Women’s race in a time of 43.26.07 over 50 seconds in front of the 2nd woman – Bingley Harriers Nicola Jones. Dominic held off the challenge of his sister running 41.46.59 in 53rd spot overall in his first ever race over the distance.
L-R James Bretherton – Rebecca Ward – Dominic Bretherton
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One of the busiest Mid Lancs Track & Field League matches for some time took place at Witton Park on Saturday May 4th – the second in the 2024 series – against a background of a dull weather environment but without the wind which made it relatively pleasant to compete in. Given the proximity of the Lancashire County Championships – May 11/12th – it was no surprise to see so many athletes turning up to see how their winter training had gone, none more so than in the sprints events, it taking close to one and a half hours just to just get through the 100m. In the end, the timetable was impacted with the relays having to be cancelled and the 3000m the last event of the day going off over two hours later than scheduled. A huge thankyou to all of the Officials who worked really hard in covering all of the events throughout the day including the Blackburn Officials – Alison Heywood, Alison Hulme, Steve Brindle, Christine Smith, Helen Dawson-Smith, Lindsay Davies. (PROVISIONAL RESULTS).
Too many athletes from Blackburn Harriers to go into every single ones events and unfortunately we weren’t able to get the photos of the days competition as usual. Posting 20 wins and 12 second places along with 32 new PB’s, as well as the 23 events in which they attempted for the very first time, was a very good reflection of the efforts of the athletes throughout the day.
Tamzin Osborne in the High Jump – Photo by Ann Osborne
Anthony Kent led the way with a hat-trick of wins in Hammer (48.55m); Discus (36.38m) and Shot Putt (11.12m). New personal bests were posted by our U17 athletes – Daniel Bretherton in the 200m (25.2); Abigail Guridham 200m (31.5); Loucas Lancashire in the Javelin with 35.33m taking the win and improving by some 4 metres as well as in the 800m clocking 2.24.40; Henry Ward in the 3000m with a 40 second improvement with his win in 9.48.0; Logan McCredie in the 800m coming down from 2.11.7 to 2.09.0; Isabella Pacelli improving by forty seconds for a new 1500m personal best of 5.13.6.
In the U15 age group, Keir Michie set new bests of 12.4 in the 100m and 25.5 in the 200m; James Acton-Grieves in the Long Jump of 4.56m and Liam Bennison in the Javelin with 11.78m. Grace iLunga clocked 14.4 in the 100m; Mia Joyce ran 15.6 in the 100m; Imogen Boardman set new bests in 200m (29.5) and Long Jump (3.82m); Dana Juma also posted a double new set of PB’s with 29.5 in the 200m and 8.62m in the Shot Putt; Holly Moore in the 200m (30.4) and Long Jump (3.67m); Evie Fort in the 300m (46.3); Emma Robertshaw 5.14.1 in the 1500m; Isabella Finn in the Long Jump (4.21m).
Our U13’s were in fine form posting a a lot of new personal bests. Lucas Pickens kicked off with a second and a half improvement in his 200m with 31.4; Zakariya Haq had a very fine day setting new bests in Long Jump (3.32m) – Shot Putt (6.85m) – Javelin (25.21m); Isabelle Pawson also set three new personal bests in 100m (14.8) – 200m (29.8) – Long Jump (3.69m); Anvitha Reddy posted new best times of 14.9 in the 100m and 31.7 in the 200m; Mimi iLunga jumped 3.09m in the Long Jump.
Attempting events for the very first time were Senior Badr Alainzay (1500m) in 4.29.6; U17 Logan Mc Credie (400m) in 55.2 and that just 20 minutes after setting a new PB in the 800m of 2.09.0 and U17 Isabelle Perry in the 1500m (5.22.8). In the U15’s there were new first performances from Max Belshaw in the 400m (55.9); James McAulay in 100m (13.9) – 200m (27.66) – Shot Putt (8.35m); James Acton-Grieves (400m) in 66.0; Jack Thompson Shot Putt (5.87m); Grace iLunga in 200m (30.2); Charlotte Rothwell 300m (52.6); Charlotte Smith in the 1500m (5.13.5) and Lottie Hesketh also 1500m (5.18.8).
U13’s having a go for the first time included Joey Mills 100m (15.5); Magnus Taylor 100m (17.7); Morgan Watson in the 800m (2.41.4); Max Unthank also the 800m (2.36.0); Seren Gooden 100m (14.6); Millie Eckersall 100m (15.2); Hannah Moore 100m (16.2); Alyssia Michie 100m (15.8); Shahad Almitwally 100m (17.9); Mimi iLunga in the 200m (31.9) and Hannah Moore in the 800m (2.54.3).
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