The return to competitive action saw two of Morpeth's brightest prospects start their 2021 track seasons in top form with PB performances over 5,000 and 10,000m.
Loughborough student Rory Leonard clocked 13:50 to finish 3rd over 5,000m at the Comeback 5k at Belgrave last week. The time sliced over 20 seconds off his previous track PB and means he has already qualified for the European U23 championships. Over in the USA, Scott Beattie also produced a top class performance, running 28:41 for 10,000m. Competing for Tulsa University, Beattie finished 6th in the Hayward Premiere at Eugene in a race won by Wesley Kiptoo in 27:58. Meanwhile on Easter Monday Laura Weightman picked up where she had left off in 2020 with an imperious victory at the Fast 5k run on the Three Sisters Road Circuit in Wigan. Battling some very cold and gusty conditions, Laura ran the first part of the race with Leeds-based training partner Mary Ngugi with Jip Vastenburg battling to keep up before Laura broke away with some ease to finish in a time of 15 minutes 30 seconds. Fellow North Easterner Kate Waugh ran a PB of 16:15 in 4th with Wallsend's Danielle Hodgkinson, now an Over 35 Vet, clocking 16:45 in 6th. In the Men's A race, won by Aldershot's Richard Allen in 14:05, Morpeth's George Lowry paid the price for leading the second group for much of the race, finishing in 16th place with a time of 15:10. National Cross Country Champion Calum Johnson of Gateshead finished 4th in 14:21. With missing most of last summer plus much of the winter and the departure of several athletes, we need to rebuild our young athletes teams for our NEYDL Young Athletes 2021 Track & Field Season.
We need to find out more about the abilities of our athletes (especially in the Under 13 age groups), so that we have a good turnout for our forthcoming 2021 NEYDL fixtures. Please come to our trials event on Saturday 24 April which will have the following events: Start time of first event at 10am. Track: 100 metres: Under 13 Girls (Years 6 & 7) Under 15 Girls (Years 8 & 9) Under 17 Women (Years 10 & 11) Under 13 Boys (Years 6 & 7) Under 15 Boys (Years 8 & 9) Under 17 Men (Years 10 & 11) 800 metres: All age groups as above 300 metres: Under 17 Women 400 metres: Under 15 Boys Under 17 Men Field events: Shot (10am): Under 13 Girls, followed by: Under 15 Girls, U17 Women, U13 Boys, U15 Boys, U17 Men Long Jump (10am): Under 13 Boys followed by: U15 Boys, U17 Boys, U13 Girls, U15 Girls, U17 Women BRING SAFETY PINS FOR YOUR NUMBERS Please keep the following dates clear for NEYDL fixtures: Sunday 16 May: Middlesbrough Sunday 20 June: Middlesbrough Saturday 17 July: Morpeth Membership fees for the current year are now due.
As previously outlined, a decision had been taken by the club to defer these till April due to the uncertainty around the sport and the national lockdown. A clear pathway has now been laid out by England Athletics, however, including the resumption of training groups, reopening of facilities and competition gradually resuming (subject of course to possible changes). Please see separate article for details of how Morpeth Harriers will be managing these arrangements. Full information about the payment of your subs is available here. Please use the table and the drop-down menu to select the appropriate membership type. Any queries can be sent in the first instance to morpethharriers@aol.com. Membership fees can be paid using bank transfer using the details at the bottom of the form. Alternatively, a cheque can be sent to the address shown. Prompt payment is appreciated. At the same time we are updating our membership records and database. To help us do so, please can you complete the personal information section of the form. If you are unable to do so online, a paper copy can be provided. Please note: you will not be registered with England Athletics, should you wish to be, until your subs have been paid. With thanks, Morpeth Harriers News from across the pond that Academy of Art University major James Young has posted a new personal best of 4 minutes 00.40 seconds for the mile when winning the National College Athletics Association Division 2 Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.
Blyth-born but now San Francisco-based, James became a National Champion with a terrific run that saw him only take the lead on the last lap after going through 1200m in 3m 03s. James worked hard over the last 400m and a terrific kick over the last 200 of 28:09s saw him win by a margin of several metres with a time that is the second fastest ever in the division and a record for his college, as well as the third fastest by a UK athlete indoors so far this year. James said: "It's been a long time coming after last year was so abruptly canceled, so I wanted to make this one count. I knew I was the fittest I've ever been, thanks to the great work my coach Steve (Fuelling) has done and I appreciate everything he's done for me. Once I crossed the line, it was just the relief that everything I've done has paid off and I've got something now to show for it." His time is also the second fastest run by a Morpeth Harrier, Nick McCormick holding the club mile record of 3:52:02s set in 2005 in Oslo. You can watch the race using the link below: James Young - 2021 NCAA DII Indoor Mile National Champion (Complete Race) England Athletics guidance issued on 26 February offered a clear roadmap for the resumption of sporting activities.
Practically, this means for Morpeth Harriers:
Best wishes – see you on the 29th, with no excuses for muddy shoes or dirty kit. |
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