Watford Graded open meetings which have been the home of some superb races for the Middle Distance squad this season, provided the last opportunity this season for some fast races before the squad take their 2 week summer break. A total of nine Wednesday Graded open meetings between April & August have provided 17 of the squad no fewer than 30 Personal bests over 800m, 1500m and 3000m, and 4 Club Records! With a guaranteed high number of quality of athletes attending from far afield, and an almost uncanny knack of providing perfect conditions for middle distance running they have proved instrumental in proving ideal races for the squad to flourish in what has been an exceptionally good season.
And so it continued with the last meeting with Jed Hayes and Ethan Mehmet both running new lifetime bests. Jed who is just starting to find some form following a stuttering start to the season with some niggling injuries, reached his target of bettering Harriers colleague Matt Stewarts PB set in 2012, he achieved this with a fine run finishing in 1:58.04 in 7th. Jed had gone out harder on the first lap than normal and held on well in the final 200m despite tiring to set a new lifetime best, and with only 4 races completed in what was a short season Jed can only wonder what time he may have finished the season at with 4-5 more races, sadly this will have to remain on ice as both Jed and twin Lewis are having a short holiday in Dubai before departing for the Royal Marines in September.
Ethan Mehmet also short on 800m races in a season where he has concentrated on road, showed he has bags of potential, looking impressive in finishing 2nd in his race with a new PB of 2:08.17 and still full of running in the home straight, Ethan just piping fellow Harrier George Glinski to the line. George also ran well, battling throughout with Ethan to narrowly miss out on a PB with 2:08.28. U15 Jake Trent running in his first Watford meeting ran very close to his PB with 2:06.57 in what was a very difficult race due to him becoming boxed, and in only his 6th race ever over the distance Jake also shows bags of potential for next season, with all three athletes aiming to clock a sub 2:00 800m next year there should be some interesting battles.
Dylan Bowley also enjoyed a superb win in race 3 with a solid 2:28.61 leading from gun to tape and Fran Ashworth in her final race of the season looking for a quick time was thwarted following a slow 69 second first lap, but capped her most consistent season ever with a solid 2:18.9.
Well done to all.