The Harriers competing at the British Athletics Road Championship, the most competitive road race in the calendar for the U13 to U17 age groups, secured a brilliant double top 10 finish, with U13 Jemima Davey finishing in 5th place & U17 Alice Bates in 9th place the two outstanding performances on the day.
The Harriers Middle Distance squad had secured a record number of 8 qualifiers to compete in the prestigious Virgin Mini Marathon in London, competing over the final 2.6km of the world famous London Marathon course and there were some fabulous performances from the squad.
Jemima Davey was the top finisher on the day, managing to get a great start Davey fresh from running the fastest leg in the Midland Counties Road Relays was prominent throughout the race settling in the chasing pack behind the eventual winner, the remarkable Belfast athlete Emer McKee who earlier this year broke the 12 year old world best for 5km. With 700m to go Davey in 2nd place was in medal contention, but as she turned into the finishing straight she was physically sick in the final run which resulted in her dropping places and just 8 seconds off the second place athlete, but none-the –less a fantastic performance from the 12 year old. Davey was in a reflective mood after the race with sights firmly set on the English National Road relays in a weeks’ time where she can try to reverse finishing order. Also competing in the U13 race was bottom year Jess Lamb who also ran a superb race finishing in a fine 33rd place in 09:35 and with many more years where she can compete in this competition there will undoubtedly be much more to come from 12 year old Lamb.
Jemima Davey Superb Run to finish in 5th place in the U13G race
Alice Bates also enjoyed an outstanding race to finish in 9th place with a terrifically paced race, Bates was prominent throughout the relatively short course after making a great start and battling with the large leading pack over the final km, she fished strongly in the final 200m in the home straight in 8:28. Close packing at the finish saw just 6 seconds separating 3rd to 12th place, with the shorter course almost certainly affecting the spacing. Bates top scored for the East Midlands reversing the defeat from India Barwell from the trial race 2 weeks earlier, and she will be heading into the National Road Relays one week away in a buoyant mood. Also enjoying a fine run in the age group was Demi Locker who certainly enjoyed the slightly shorter course running a strong race and finishing in a highly respectable 44th in 9:10.
Alice Bates top 10 finish with an outstanding performance in the U17 W race
Un the U15G race Lara Turner also had a fine run to finish in 42nd place in 9:22, and in the U17 Men's race which had two Harriers competing, Lucas Mansell and Ben Brooker, both who struggled to get a good starts, rallying a little towards the end to finish in 58th (8:24) & 59th (8:25) respectively. U13 Finley Brooker enjoyed his first experience in a National Championship with a solid run in 63rd in 10:07.
7 of the x8 Harriers who competed from left to right: Jemima Davey, Lara Turner, Alice Bates, Demi Locker, Jess Lamb, Ben Brooker, Lucas Mansell
The day was an undoubted success and all the athletes had a hugely enjoyable experience.
Some fantastic running, well done ALL!