St Benet Biscup pupil Amy Lott of Morpeth Harriers competed at the Northumberland Schools Minor Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at Gateshead College on Wednesday 16th March 2016. In the Year 7 Girls 60m Hurdles, very much her specialist event, she won her heat in 10.32s, a brand new lifetime personal best, and was easily fastest in the heats. Unfortunately a stumble midway during her later run final, between hurdles, foiled her for a certain victory, and she somehow managed to regain her composure to finish second to Newcastle RGS opponent Ava Taperell, who hung on for victory in 10.25s, whilst Lott had to be content with a clocking of 10.46s, which understandably left her feeling somewhat disappointed. In the flat 60m, Lott also performed well, by finishing second in her heat in 9.17s, and in the later run final she finished third with an identical time, again losing out to winner Taperell, who clocked an excellent 8.67s. Lott was just run out of second place by Highfield Middle School pupil Kate Smith, whom she had beaten in January’s North Eastern Championships. Morpeth Harrier Ady Whitwam certainly produced a very positive performance in his build up to next month’s London Marathon, when he finished an excellent third in the annual Finchley 20 Mile Road Race, on Sunday 13th March, in a superb time of 1hr51m09s. He was just over three minutes adrift of race winner Jonathan Poole, and two minutes behind second placed man Jack Parslow. Ady was also the first Male Veteran finisher, which added much to the delight of his successful performance. Morpeth Harriers Under 15 Boy Taylor Glover certainly ended his very busy cross country season on a high, when he led his club to an excellent team victory at the final Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League meeting, held at Cardinal Hume School, Wrekenton, Gateshead on Saturday 19th March. Glover, who has also very much played an integral part in other club, school, and North East successes over the course of the season, could take extra delight on four counts, the fact that he had clocked the day’s fastest time, had led his club, not only to victory on the day, had also led them to overall team victory for the season, and he also added an overall individual grand prix victory for his age group, for which he will receive an award at a forthcoming awards ceremony, still to be arranged. On Saturday, his fast pack run was indeed outstanding, giving 100 seconds to a good proportion of the 42 strong Under 15 Boys field, he was a good seventeen seconds faster, and three places ahead of his closest rival, as he came through to finish seventh overall in a time of 8m16s over the approx 3k course. Also providing good Morpeth team support for an excellent on the day result were Matthew Waterfield and Joe Dowd, who finished one second adrift of each other in 16th and 17th places, also running from the Fast Pack. Three places behind Dowd was his Morpeth club colleague Daniel Melling, who also produced an excellent Fast Pack run. Waterfield, Dowd, and Melling were seventh, eighth, and ninth fastest in the event. Another Morpeth Harrier in action in this event was Bradley Brown, who finished 36th from the Fast Pack. Holly Peck was another Morpeth Harrier who ran really well, despite also having a very hectic cross country campaign. She comfortably won the Under 13 Girls 3k event, after giving 100 seconds away to a good proportion of the 53 strong field. Peck won by seven seconds, and was fourteen seconds faster than her closest rival in terms of time, who just happened to be her Morpeth Harriers club colleague Lily Heaton, who produced an excellent run, also from the Fast Pack to finish in third place overall. Completing the scoring tally for an outstanding Morpeth on the day team victory, was Rhiannon Hedley, who finished eighth overall from the Fast Pack, posting the fourth fastest time of the day. Morpeth Harriers other athlete in action in this event was Lauren Cummings, who finished 34th from the Fast Pack. Sam Hancox produced a superb run to finish in ninth place overall from the Fast Pack in the Senior Men’s 9k event, and was the third fastest in the race, a performance that also saw him end his Harrier League season, very much on a high, as he was also third individual in the season’s Grand Prix table, which will see him also pick up an award at a forthcoming presentation. Hancox led the Morpeth Harriers Senior Men’s squad home to fifth team place in Division 1, which sees them in a final third team place behind winners Sunderland Harriers, and second placed Tyne Bridge Harriers. Further on the day team support for Morpeth, came from Jordan Scott, who produced an excellent Fast Pack run to finish 21st, Alistair MacDonald (49th) (Slow Pack), Mike Winter (60th) (Slow Pack), David Nicholson (146th) (Slow Pack), and Rob Hancox (148th) (Medium Pack). Other Morpeth Harriers Senior Men in action at Wrekenton were Robert Cockburn (187th) (Slow Pack), Peter Scaife (233rd) (Slow Pack), Paul Bellingham (253rd) (Slow Pack), and Les Cavill (303rd) (Slow Pack). Kieran Hedley of Morpeth Harriers also ended his very busy and industrious cross country well, when he picked up an on the day finishers medal, by coming home in second place in the Under17 Men’s 6k event. Running from the fast pack, and giving 160 seconds start to three of the nineteen strong field of finishers, he was soon locked into a head to head battle with fellow North Eastern Counties representative Alex Brown of Houghton Harriers. Brown stole away in the later stages to take the race, however Hedley battled on to the finish line, and was a good thirty seconds clear of the third finisher Jake Masterman of Blyth. Hedley can be well pleased in clocking the second fastest time of the day, twenty one seconds adrift of Brown. The only other Morpeth Harrier in action in this event was Jacob Hopkins, who has had a difficult season fighting off injuries and illness. Nevertheless he made the start line on Saturday, finishing thirteenth from the Fast Pack. Morpeth Harriers certainly most travelled athlete Alison Brown, rewarded herself with a superb performance in the Under17/Under 20 Women’s 6k event, by finishing sixth on the day from the Fast Pack. She was also fifth fastest in the nineteen strong field, which also sees her finish as third overall in her age group Grand Prix for the season, and there will be an award for that, at a to be arranged presentation. Alison travels regularly throughout the season to represent both club and region from her Berwick home, and her overall contribution is very much valued by both parties. An excellent turnout of Morpeth Harriers Senior Women for their 7k event, saw them finish sixth on the day in Division 2, which also thankfully sees them narrowly avoid relegation to Division 3 for next term. It was also good to see Jo Carruthers back in Harrier League action for them, as she led her club, by finishing an excellent eleventh overall from the Medium Pack, posting the eighteenth fastest in the 274 strong field of finishers. Gemma Floyd was second home for the club, finishing 42nd from the Fast Pack, posting the eighth fastest time overall. Third home for Morpeth was Gwenda Cavill, who finished 62nd from the Slow Pack. Completing the Morpeth Harriers team count was Jane Briggs, who finished 153rd from the Medium Pack. Also competing on the day for Morpeth in the Senior Women’s event were Clare Walker and Frances Naylor, who finished in 210th and 233rd respectively from the Slow Pack. In Frances’s case it was her very first Harrier League outing, and she performed well on a very tough and demanding course. Jack Barrett led Morpeth Harriers Under 13 Boys home to tenth team place in their 3k event. Running from the Slow Pack, he finished twelfth out of 58 competitors, and he was supported in his clubs team count by Aaron Haldane (33rd) (Slow Pack), and Reece Garrett (55th) (Slow Pack). For the umpteenth time this season, Gracie Hufton was a lone Morpeth runner in the Under 15 Girls 3k event.
Running from the Fast Pack, giving away 100 seconds, Gracie ran well to work her way in the 45 strong field, to finish 25th, posting the seventeenth fastest time of the day. Gracie’s lone perseverance and general performance improvement is to be admired, performances that have seen her finish seventeenth in the overall Grand Prix for the season for Under 15 Girls. Morpeth Harriers had four athletes in action in the non scoring Under 11 events, which were run over a 1.5k course. Callum Rowell produced an excellent run to finish sixth in the Boys race. Also competing for Morpeth Harriers in the Boys race were James Tilley and Harry Jackson, who finished in eleventh and twentieth places respectively. In the Girls event, Holly Peck’s younger sister Keira finished in 28th place. Harrier League action will resume in the autumn, and a big thank you goes out to League administrators for their season’s work, in sometimes difficult circumstances. Five Morpeth Harriers travelled to Manchester on Sunday 13th March for the annual prestigious Trafford 10k.
First to finish from the club in a top class field was Ian Hudspith, who finished 39th in 30m28s, and was fourth Veteran Man, and was first in the Over 45 category. Second home from the club, finishing in 69th place, in a new personal best time of 31m21s, was Sam Hancox, who was also twelfth Under 23 athlete to cross the finish line. Sam’s father Rob was next home for Morpeth, finishing in 231st place in a time of 36m53s, and was fifth in the Over 50 Veteran Men’s category. Next Morpeth Harriers finisher was Alistair MacDonald, who was 252nd, and was seventh Over 50 Veteran Man, with a clocking of 37m24s. Alistair’s wife Margaret completed the Morpeth Harriers performances by finishing 652nd overall in 54m09s, and was 174th in her Over 50 Veteran Women’s section. Glorious Sunshine, and relatively dry conditions in most parts, was certainly welcomed by athletes competing at the British Athletics Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, on Saturday 12th March, which were being held at Cofton Park, near Birmingham for the seventh consecutive occasion. This was in contrast to conditions experienced throughout a good proportion of the six month long Cross Country campaign, and provided a fitting finale to National events, and also the UK Cross Challenge series, which saw athletes also competing for added lucrative honours in the various age groups. Despite some late drop outs, including Morpeth Harriers Ross Floyd and Peter Newton, because of work commitments, the North East Counties Senior Men’s squad still managed to win the Inter Counties Team title for a record sixth consecutive time. The last time North East had produced an individual winner in the Senior Men’s event, was in 2006, also at Nottingham, when Shaftesbury Barnet’s Dominic Bannister had triumphed. On Saturday however, the region produced an excellent team victory, winning both the six man and nine man sections by having all of their squad inside the top 100. The North East winning margin in the six to count was 161, with Scotland East claiming second place, fifty five points ahead of third placed Middlesex. Leading the North East home was Morpeth’s Jonny Taylor, who after close battling over the first two laps of the three lap 12k course with eventual winner Dewi Griffiths of West Wales, and Essex’s Adam Hickey, comprising a total of nine steep climbs, eventually was forced to settle for third place, even after trying to ease away from them as early as the first lap. Second and third counters for the region were Cheltenham’s Phil Wylie (8th) and Gateshead’s Callum Johnson (11th). Morpeth Harrier Carl Avery, who had battled closely with Wylie over the first two laps, where he had been in the Top 10, eventually finished 14th, and was the regions fourth to score. The winning North East count was completed by Middlesbrough & Cleveland’s Greg Jayasuriya (19th), and Durham City’s Dan Jenkin (23rd). Completing the nine man scoring count were Morpeth’s Lewis Timmins, who battled hard throughout, only to slip back to 51st in the later stages, Robert Balmbra, also of Morpeth, who marked an excellent Inter Counties debut as a late replacement for Morpeth club colleague Floyd, by producing a solid performance to finish 57th, and Wallsend Harrier Harry Coates, also an Inter Counties debutant, as replacement for Newton, who did well to finish in 86th place in a total finishing Senior Men’s field of 260. It was also an excellent day for the North East Counties Senior Women, who although were dominated in team affairs by Yorkshire, still managed to finish as second team, with Surrey a little further adrift in third place. Winning her first ever Inter Counties title, Shildon’s Kate Avery, the Double European Silver medallist, led the region home. Avery won by fourteen seconds from Stockport’s Elle Vernon, with Hampshire’s Louise Small a further forty one seconds adrift in third place. The last time Avery had won at Cofton Park, was as an Under 13, when she had won the National title in 2005. Second counter for the region was Rosie Smith, who had originally withdrawn from the squad because of work commitments, however when those circumstances changed, to the delight of Team Manager Lynn Cooper (formerly Harding), she had made herself available. Smith ran an excellent race in the circumstances, finishing seventh overall. Third and fourth counters were Birchfield’s former Wallsend Harrier Danielle Hodgkinson and Morpeth’s Emma Holt, who both ran in close contention throughout on the two and a half lap 8k course, to finish in 32nd and 33rd places respectively. Closing the North East scoring counts were Gateshead’s Mary Ferrier and Alison Dargie of Tyne Bridge Harriers, who both competed well, to finish in 64th and 66th places in the 248 strong finishing field. Other North East athletes competing in the Senior Women’s 8k event were Jarrow & Hebburn’s Georgia Campbell and Morpeth’s Josie Cram, who finished in 147th and 181st places respectively. Another excellent result from the North East Women, was that of the Under 20 age group, who also finished as second team in their one and a half lap 6k event. They very nearly clinched Gold, only eighteen points adrift of Scotland West. Sophie Burnett of Birtley AC finishing 24th led the squad home, with further scoring counts coming from Jacqueline Penn of North Shields Poly (29th), Birtley’s Amber Leigh (34th), and Durham City’s Laura Lee (35th). Other North East performances came from Sunderland Harrier Jessica Fox (44th), Morpeth pair Alison Brown and Charlotte Jewell, who ran well to finish 97th and 115th respectively, and Elvet’s Sally Hughes finished one place behind Charlotte to complete the North East tally in a finishing field of 146. The closest and most exciting finish of the day came in the Under17 Men’s event, which was also run over the 6k course. It again involved the leading finishers in the English National Cross Country Championships, and once again Morpeth’s Scott Beattie, running for the North East, couldn’t quite get the better of Leicestershire’s Isaac Akers. The pair were neck and neck as the finish line beckoned, and Akers was only able to gain a slight advantage with 10 metres remaining, to win by a two second margin. Beattie certainly ran the race of his life, and gave all that he could to win by sticking to his opponent like glue throughout both laps, a true classy effort that both he and the region could be duly proud of, and certainly pleased his watching Team Manager Stewy Bell. Whilst Akers also rejoiced in leading his Leicester colleagues to a team victory, the North East Counties finished sixth in a tight contest. Beattie was well supported in the team effort by New Marske’s Hassan Ben –Tiba (19th), Tynedale’s Max Pearson (38th), and his Morpeth club colleague Kieran Hedley (91st). Other North East Under 17 Men’s performances came from New Marske’s Harry Allen (95th), Middlesbrough Mandale’s Josh Allen (102nd), and Darlington’s Matthew McGuire (170th). The single lap Under 13 Boy’s 3k event brought an excellent second team place for the North East Counties. Leading them home was Henry Johnson of Houghton, who ran superbly to finish 6th. Not far behind him was New Marske’s Archie Lowe, who finished an excellent 9th. Third counter was Daniel Payne of Middlesbrough Mandale, who finished seventeenth. Completing the North East scoring count was Gateshead’s Ethan McGlen, who was 27th. Other North East Under 13 Boy’s performances came from Houghton’s Will Bellamy (98th), Sunderland Harrier Connor Prior (101st), Morpeth Harrier Ben Walker, who ran well in his very first Inter Counties to finish 116th, and Birtley’s Matthew Cleugh (159th). In the one and a half lap Under 15 Boys 4.5k event, the North East Counties finished in sixth team place, and were led home by Middlesbrough Mandale’s Josh Cowperthwaite. The North East, Northern and National Champion on this occasion finished third. He was well supported in the team race, firstly by Morpeth’s Daniel Dixon, who produced a superb run to finish 40th overall. Further North East Counties team support came from Middlesbrough Mandale’s Daniel Currie who finished 46th, and an excellent effort from Morpeth’s Taylor Glover, who finished in 78th place. Not far behind Taylor was his Morpeth Harriers club colleague Ross Charlton, who had one of his better runs to finish 99th. Other North East Counties Under 15 Boys performances came from Blyth’s Josh Fiddeman (144th), Houghton Harrier Matthew Phillips (161st), and New Marske’s Daniel Gunn (168th). North East Champion Holly Peck led the regions Under 13 Girls home to fourteenth team place in their one lap 3k race. Peck was well up with the leaders in the early stages, however struggled a little on the early hill climbs, but still managed to finish in a well earned 25th place by battling strongly on the downhills and straights. Second counter for the region was Gateshead’s Ines Curran, who finished 83rd. Only two seconds adrift of Curran in 88th place was Peck’s Morpeth Harriers club-mate Lily Heaton, who produced an excellent run in a very crowded field of 304 finishers. Completing the North East team count was Darlington’s Megan Noble, who finished in 122nd place. Other North East Under 13 Girls performances came from Darlington’s Emma Hart (143rd), Houghton’s Nicole Phillips (146th), Gosforth’s Olivia Katory (157th), and Sedgefield’s Jessica Hall (230th). The North East Counties finished eighth and ninth respectively in the Under 15 Girls 4k
and Under 20 Men’s 8k events, and seventeenth in the Under 17 Women’s 5k event, however there were no Morpeth Harriers competing in those squads. Unfortunately the region just lost out to Kent for the overall trophy, by the slender margin of ten points, over the day’s ten events. |
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