The Harriers traditional Bank Holiday Open meeting incorporated the Amanda Marlow Mile race in memory of the loss of one the Harriers legends, U’11 Coach, and lifetime supporter as an teenage athlete, right through to the veterans AG, Amanda Marlow. The meeting was well attended with everyone making a £1 contribution to Charity in Memeory of Amanda Marlow.
The Mile race was as expected heavily populated with Harriers athletes with V45 David Locker running untroubled in the race to comfortably win in 4:50.61 and in the process destroy the 2017 V45 Club record by almost 20 seconds with 4:50.61 which ranks him 4th in the UK. U15 Zachary Scott finished in 2nd place in a new PB of 5:10.47, with George Separovic in a rare outing in third place in 5:11.90. First in the women’s race was U15 Iona Ellwood with a fine run to set a new PB of 5:46.98. In total there were 9 PB’s set by Harriers competing in the mile.
David Locker winner of the Amanda Marlow Mile in a new V45 Club Record of 4:50.61
In the 800m races there were also many Harriers setting PB’s with U13 Oliver Smith smashing his PB by 11 seconds with a fine run in 2:26.83 and a top 60 UK ranking. U13 Sabina Lawton who recently joined the MD squad showed her ability in her first race over the distance to record 2:38.82, and another athletes running the distance for the first time was Charlotte Jackson who ran well in 2:47.85, as did U13 Joshua Spivins also making his debut at the distance and recording 2:23.56. The fastest race on the day was by U20 Ben Brooker who ran 1:59.65 to set a SB.
Oliver Smith with a fine 11 sec PB with 2:26.83 and top 60 UK ranking
In the 3,000m race Joe Young running the distance for the first time ran a well-judged race to finish 2nd in 10:03.39 and the performance suggest there will be much more to come. U17 Dylan Ransom ran a 7 sec PB with 10:10.39, and U15 Finley Brooker also set a 5 sec PB with 10:42.13
Foe the sprinters, headwinds were the bane of the day, with wind speeds ranging from minus 1.3 to minus 4.2 recorded on the day. In spite of this, U11 girl, Sophie Burnes won both of her races, to continue her unbeaten runs so far this season. In the 75m she ran a time of 11.3 seconds, and later followed this up with 23.70 seconds in the 150m. Also doing a double was U13 girl Darci Cleaver, who set personal bests in her 100m & 200m races, posting times of 15.89 and 33.99 respectively.
U11 (147) Sophie Burns unbeaten in 2023 winning the 75m & 150m
Abina Soares Da Gama, U17, recorded her first win of the season with a time of 27.83 seconds in the 200m. Earlier in the day she had finished 3rd in her 100m race in 13.65 seconds. U13 athletes, Aaron Ampofo and Sabina Lawton both also ran personal bests on the day, with Aaron finishing 2nd in his 200m race in 28.73 seconds, and Sabina winning her 100m race in 14.70 seconds.
The fastest times recorded on the day were by Senior athlete, Nicholas Walsh, of Sale Harriers Manchester, who ran a creditable time of 10.80 seconds into a headwind of minus 4.5 in the 100m. It was a close run race between him and U23 athlete, Stephen Baffour of Coventry, who finished 2nd in 10.84 seconds. Their performances in the 200m also didn’t disappoint, with Baffour getting the upper hand, winning in 21.31 seconds, followed in by Senior athlete, Jordan Broome, also of Sale Harriers Manchester, with Walsh finishing 3rd in 21.77 seconds. 400m athlete U17 Dylan White dropping to 200m ran well to set a goob PB of 24.25.
The squad will now hope that the weather conditions will be more favourable for good performances in the coming fixtures.
Well done to everyone who ran.