PETE SHAW

Sale Harriers improved its match 1 score by 50 points to finish runners-up to Liverpool and are now in 2nd place in the league. 1st June 2025 at a rainy Longford Park.

Our U15 girls were outstanding with 8 victories from NEILA CHUKWU, ZURIEL SARUMI, EVA ANWYL, ROBYN HEYWOOD-YOUNG, MEGAN BOYER, BEA SOPER, CAITLIN WETTERS, AVA BROOMES and the sprint relay team which ran a superfast 50.9 seconds. Neila competed in four events including a 1st place over 100m in 12.5 seconds. A special mention goes to ISABELLE CONNOLLY who competed in 4 events and ANGEL AMADIN who competed in three throwing events. MADDIE APPLEBY was in great form running PB's over 200m and 300m and a storming leg in the 4 x 300m relay.

The U15 boy's relay boys of JASON ADELAKUN, LEO OGBEIDE, ALEXANDER McCRINK and THIERRY KERR won the sprint relay by over two seconds in the outstanding time of 47.9 seconds and were a dominant force in the sprints. Our throwers had a good day with JOSEPH CONNOLLY (Javelin) and ISAAC WRIGLEY(Shot) both runners-up, whilst ADAM CORRY-WILSON competed in three throwing events. Our best middle distance performance came from GEORGE HORSFALL in the 1500m.

Triple Cheshire champion MILLIE JACKSON was the outstanding girl in the U13 events taking part in four events and winning the 150m and Long Jump whilst finishing 2nd in the 75m in the same time as the winner. Double Cheshire champion LUCY O'BRIEN did well to finish runner-up over 800m with the highest Level 9 performance and also took part in the high jump and javelin. FLORENCE CONNOLLY ran a PB over 1200m to finish 3rd. ALICE HORSFALL was our best performer in the throws with 2nd place in the Javelin.

JUDE KERINS was our star in the U13 boy's events with a win in the javelin and a 2nd place in the Long Jump. GEORGE BOYER improved his high jump by 20 centimetres to finish runner-up. JOSHUA HOWELL went way beyond the call of duty for the club in competing in four running events – what a hero! LOUIS FOSTER-WILLETS (Sprints & Long jump) was another who competed in four events. ARTHUR O'HARE ran a PB and Level 9 performance to finish runner-up in the 1200m and with fine runs by TOBY HARRISON and DAN TOPPING, upheld our harrier tradition.

Big thanks to all who took part, especially our officials who added the maximum 56 points to the overall score and to team manager CARL WORTHINGTON.

MAY'S NEWS HEADLINES - IN BRIEF

 

The club's W35-44 quartet of RACHAEL ROZHDESTVENSKAYA, JESSICA WELSH, BIZ DEGGEFA and LUCY COOKE won the British Masters Bronze medals at the BMAF Championships in Leicestershire, recording the section's 2nd best result in this championship in the club's history. The M35-44 team of WILLIAM ONEK, PHIL RICHARDSON, NICK BARRY, STEVEN HENDERSON, World Masters 3000m champion DAVID PROCTOR and NIGEL MARTIN also won magnificent BMAF Bronze medals to add to their National title at last October's BMAF XC Relays.

SUCCESS EDUAN made her senior international debut at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. Representing GB & NI in the 4 x 100m, she was sensational running down the Americans, Spaniards and Jamaicans to win GB Gold. Sale Harrier's JONA EFOLOKO was in the 4x100m final. Though his quartet crashed out of the final, they still qualified for the World Championships in Tokyo by winning their heat. DARREN CAMPBELL, a Sale Harrier Life Member who's won multiple sprint medals at Junior and Senior World, European and Commonwealth Championships and is an Olympic Gold and Silver medallist, was there as UKA's Head of Sprints, ALEX WORT, the club's multi-events coach at Sportcity is employed by Seiko, the internationally famous timing company, and had responsibility for the timing equipment at the championship.

The U13 & U15 boys and girls did well to finish 4th in their 1stYDL (Lower) match at Wavertree. The report is on the club website. Of special note was the desperate shortage of club officials, lower than any of the other competing clubs.

PHIL RICHARDSON was the overall winner (his 2nd ever overall race victory) of the Mike Dunne Memorial 10k. Young MATT CULLEN-BROWN was a great 3rd and JON TERRY was 4th.

Sale Harriers did well in their first Northern League match (West Premier) at Blackburn, finishing 2nd behind Blackburn Harriers. Of particular concern yet again is the club's inability to provide its required quota of officials, the lowest of almost all of the other competing clubs. All hands on deck for the 2nd match at Longford Park on June 22nd.

BEA SOPER won the AJ Bell Junior Run, which was part of the Gt. Manchester Run for the 3rd consecutive year. She was awarded her medal by four-time Olympian Eilish McColgan. She's now won this junior race twice and the younger age-group mini run once.

LIAM O'BRIEN smashed the club’s 14-year-old U17 400m hurdles record, previously held by CLOVIS ASONG who today is part of the successful sprints team at Sportscity headed by ANITA RICHARDSON. Clovis first joined Sale Harriers as a 13-year-old, very successful long jumper, high jumper, shot and hammer thrower who ranked 2nd in the UK. As an U15 he ranked 2ndin the UK in the Pentathlon and then as an U17, U20 and U23 he turned to sprinting and became a youth protege over 400m winning a Gold medal at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games, a Gold and Silver at the 2011 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival and represented GB at the 2012 World Junior Championships

BRITISH UNIVERSITIES CHAMPIONSHIPS:

LUCY ARMITAGE opened her outdoor track season competing over 1500m. The BUCS 1500m indoor silver medallist from February's championships finished a tremendous 7th in the final in 4:29.20. SOPHIE ASHURST retained her U23 silver medal for the 3rd consecutive year and continues to rank 2nd in the UK in her age-group. IZZY BURKE launched her 800m outdoor season with 2:11.96, a time that would have got her into the final last year.

The club did well in its 1st match of the season in the National Athletics League at York. This year the club is in the lower 'Championship' Division rather than the Premier Division, and were 2nd behind host club City of York. All hands on deck for the 2nd match at Liverpool on July 5th.

At the Gtr. Manchester T & F Championships, Sale Harriers had 23 Champions, 20 silver medallists, 14 Bronze medallists and a load of lifetime best performances. In the Cheshire Championships MILLIE JACKSON became the U13 75m, 150m Champion with PB's and LONG JUMP CHAMPION LIAM O'BRIEN the U17 800m and 400m Hurdles champion and LUCY O'BRIEN, the U13 800m & 1200m champion.

HELEN ARMITAGE made her England Masters debut against Wales at the Shrewsbury Festival of running in her W50 age-group and was 4thcounter for England. She's finally got even with her two very zippy daughters, Lucy and Sophie.

MID-CHESHIRE 5K.

Half of the 25 Sale Harriers drank from the elixir of running with magnificent PB.

The prospect of a lifetime best performance (or a SB) was the magnet for 25 Sale Harriers last evening to travel to the super-fast Mid-Cheshire 5k. Those who succeeded were....(Inbox me mistakes and/or omissions). Onwards to the next super-fast course, the Sizzler 4 x 5k's where there'll be even more PB's.

FINLAY DAY (15.03) A 23 sec PB on 2024 Sizzler 5k

JOSHUA ANDREW (16.01) A 6 sec PB on 2024 Podium 5k

CHRIS MILES(16.27) A 31 sec PB on 2024 Sizzler

ANDREW CURVIS (16.31) A 15 sec PB on 2023 Mid-Cheshire 5k

RICHARD EDWARDS (16.41) Missed PB by 2 seconds on 2010 Sizzler 5k

ISOBEL HALL (17.55) A 27 sec PB on 2023 Mid-Cheshire 5k

LAURA MARTIN (18.09) A 21 sec PB on 2024 Mid-Cheshire 5k

CHLOE ELLIOT (18.14) A 26 sec PB on 2023 Podium 5k

CAITHLIN WETTERS (18.22) A 45 sec PB on 2025 Northern Championships 5k

SOPHIE ARMITAGE (18.06) A 30 sec PB on 2024 Podium 5k (Cardiff)

HANNAH SOMANI (18.27) A 9 sec PB on 2023 Mid-Cheshire 5k

HEATHER HUGHES (19.08) A 30 sec PB on 2023 Sizzler 5k

CHIARA YOUNG (19.11) An 11 sec PB on 2024 Podium 5k

JACKIE CORDINGLEY 1st L65

WELL DONE, GUYS

At the Loughborough International KIRSTY LAW make her 17th representation for Scotland in the Discus, RACHEL BENNETT made her 3rd consecutive representation for England competing in the 200m & 4 x 100m relays and beat a high quality field in the 200m; TESS Mc HUGH represented Wales for the 2nd consecutive year in the mixed 4x400m relay and helped secure the Welsh victory; LUCY ARMITAGE ran a great 800m PB 2:05.86 to rank her 5th U23 in the UK and to qualify for the World University Games in Germany in July.

What great club results in the Calderdale relays, that 60 mile circular loop split into 6 legs, with five teams and a total of 60 runners competing. Sale Harriers had teams entered into the Open Event (three teams), and teams in the Veteran and Ladies categories. By goodness, did they dominate! The Men's 'vets' team led from gun to tape finishing 11thoverall and 1stvets team by over an hour and then the women won their open event. GEORGE NOBLE and FINLAY DAY were overall fastest on leg 3 and only two minutes off the course record. The full report is posted on the club website.

STEVEN HENDERSON was the overall winner of the Buxton Half Marathon, out kicking his rival 500m from the tape. With a total ascent of 1508 feet it's not for the faint-hearted but Steven is tough!

There was great club success at the BMC GP at Bury organised for 40 years by NORMAN POOLE, the club's middle distance coach. ELLIOT SAVAGE improved his PB to 1:47.46, to rank 5thin the UK; ANDY THOMPSON achieved a PB of 1:47.75 to place among Britain's top seniors.U20 JAMES O'BRIEN recorded a PB of 1:49.50, missing the Euro U20 qualifying standard by just one second; U20 FINLAY GODDARD improved his 800m PB by another 2 seconds, ranking him 13th in the UK and 11th in Europe; U20 OSCAR SCHOFIELD showcased his talent again by recording a PB of 3:48.44, placing him 4th among U20s in the UK; IZZY BURKE ran her second-best ever 1500m in 4:29.72 and U20 GEORGE NOBLE broke the 4-minute barrier for the 1500m for the first time, recording 3:55.46 that's propelled him to the top echelons of the UK's U20 rankings.

May ended with MOLLY MILLS, Britain's U17 Heptathlon Champion, still in the middle of her GCSE's, competing in her first U18 Heptathlon competition in Switzerland, though still U17. She did incredibly well recording a new Heptathlon PB score of 5262 points and individual PB's in the Hurdles (14.29), Shot Putt (12.06), 200m (25.03), Hept.Javelin (41.36) and 800m (2:19.41).

All of this tremendous success would be impossible without the boundless commitment, skills, knowledge, experience and sacrifices of every club coach and team manager. Thank you to each one of you.

Pint

Sale Harrier's long term love affair with the Calderdale Way Relay, a 60 mile circular loop spit into 6 legs, continued this weekend with five teams and a total of 60 runners competing.

Following success in the mixed team category in 2023 and 2024, it was time to branch out into other categories, with teams this year entered into the Open (three teams), Vets and ladies categories.

With the club's track and road background, it’s always a challenge competing against the traditional fell clubs, however, this year Sale dominated.

The Men's vets led from gun to tape in their category, ably led by Robert Dunn and Chris Donnelly who finished 6th after the first leg. Andrew Curvis and Richard Edwards also put a shift in on Leg 4 (10th fastest on the day) The team finished 11th overall, 1st vets team, with Matthew Harrison and Tom Stevenson bringing the team home, with over an hour to spare from their next rivals of Holmfirth Harriers.

Next on the podium was the ladies. CrossFit queens, Bea Cordingley and Amy Middlemast set the team off and they were second until leg 3, when Jess and Erin Terry brought the team into 1st (and nearly running faster than their dad!), and from them on, the team didn't look back, finishing 4 minutes ahead of Calder Valley with Helen Armitage and Suzie Smith on the anchor leg..

The three open teams all ran well too. The Open A finishing just in front of the Vets, in 10th. Performance of the day went to George Noble and Fin Day, who were overall fastest on leg 3 and only two minutes off the course record! Open B 24th and the Open C in 54th.

Big thanks to Anne Chinoy who masterminded the ladies team victory and Paul Barrett for the overall organisation and co-ordination. Also thanks to Halifax Harriers who hosted the event. Always a great event and we’ll definitely be back next year hopefully defending the respective tiles.

Sale has now won four of the five categories in this event, with only the ladies vets outstanding!

Full results

 

CWR25

 

Team 61

YDL LOWER MATCH 1 (Liverpool, Wavertree) 3rd May 2025

PETE SHAW

The YDL (Lower) is a National League for the U13 and U15 boys and girls. Sale Harriers are currently in the NW Premier League against Liverpool, The Isle of Man, Preston, Trafford and Wirral. The winner of the league will go to the National final and the bottom 2 will be relegated to the lower division, NW1.

In the U13 girl's events triple Cheshire champion MILLIE JACKSON had a great day on her club debut, winning the 75m, finishing 2nd in the Long Jump and 3rd in the hurdles. The 75m was rated the 4th best performance of the day by any athlete taking part in the match. Double Cheshire Champions LUCY O'BRIEN had a comfortable win over 800min a fast time and also took part in the high jump and javelin. GRACE BROOMES took part in the maximum four events including a win in the hurdles. ALICE HORSFALL was our best performer in the throws finishing runner-up in the Javelin.

In the U13 boy's events JUDE KERINS and LOUIS FOSTER-WILLETTS were our stars taking part in the maximum four events with Jude a comfortable winner in the long jump. County champion ARTHUR O'HARE ran well to finish 3rd in a high class 800m.

The U15 girls’ team is our strongest squad as it was during the cross-country season. We won the sprint relay with ASTRID HEMMINGFIELD, ZURIEL SARUMI, EVA ANWYL and AVA BROOMES and these girls dominated in sprints and hurdles events. Our middle distance squad of BEA SOPER, ROBYN HEYWOOD-WOOD, GRACE HILL, CAITLIN WETTERS, MEGAN BOYER and MADDIE APPLEBY are Northern cross-country champions and, as expected, dominated with four victories and two runners-up slots and teamed up with ISABELLE CONNOLLY to finish 2nd in the 4 x 300m relay. Our hammer throwers gave the club a great start to the day with PHOEBE KERINS and ISOBEL LEAK both winning their events.

In the U15 boys events LEO OGBEIDE ran impressive sprint performances and teamed up with DAN WELLS, MAXIME SARTHOU and ALEXANDER Mc CRINK to win the sprint relay. THIERRY KERR had a great run in the 80m hurdles to finish runner up in a Level 9 performance of 11.85 seconds. NOAH PHILIPPS was a real stalwart taking part in four events including a 3rd place in the 800m. Our hammer throwers did us proud (as they did in the girl's events) with ADAM CORRY-WILSON and ISAAC WRIGLEY finishing 2nd in the A event and 1st in the B.

Liverpool were clear match winners with Sale finishing 4th but not far behind 2nd and 3rd place. Well done to everyone involved especially the officials who contribute to the points tally, Ayo Shonibare, Frank Cordingley, Rebecca Bell, Andrew Webster, James Bailey and Rachel Wrigley. Please let us know if you would like to help at any of the matches. We will lose points if we do not provide enough helpers. An enormous thanks too to CARL WORTHINGTON who as ever brilliantly managed the team.

Future dates stand at the moment as Match 2 Sunday the 1st June at Longford Park, Stretford. Match 3 Sunday 29th of June in Preston. Match 4 Sunday the 20th July at The Oval, Bebbington. The Final will be Saturday the 6th of September 2025

Results

April 12th: The men finished 25thin the National 12 Stage Road Relays in Sutton Park, Birmingham, an encouraging improvement on their 'No Finish' in 2024, 28thin 2023 and 33rdin 2022. This placed them 5thNorthern team. PHIL ROBERTSON, NICK BARRY, FINLAY DAY, PAUL PETERS, MAX KIDD-ROSSITER and JOSHUA ANDREW from the Northern team again did the trick joined by GEORGE NOBLE, ADE OLADITI, ALEX BRADFORD, ROBBIE RIGBY, STEVEN MORROW and DAVE HOWLETT. Phil, Nick and Finlay were the club's fastest!
The women have automatic entry to the Nationals (unlike the men) despite not having turned out a team in the Northern Championships. Had it not been for the stalwart behind-the-scenes work of SARAH GOULDEN, last year's National Bronze medallists may not have had a team in this Championship either. Thanks to the three ARMITAGES – L45 Mum, LUCY & SOPHIE, L40 JESSICA WELSH and L50 ANNE CHINOY they did very well to finish 25thand 5thNorthern team behind Leeds City, Salford, Liverpool and Steel City Striders. Lucy, of course, ran one of the day's fastest stages.
 ERRA
 
April 12th: CHRIS MILES was among the 40,000 in the Milan Marathon. Hefinishedin 2:54:48 just 90 seconds outside his PB achieved in last year's Manchester marathon. He said, “Given the heat of the day and recent injuries, I was pleased to finish my first race abroad and bank another sub-3”.
 Milan
April 12th: KIRSTY LAW landed her second Commonwealth Games discus qualifying standard in just two days on a competition tour in the United States stretching out to 58.12m, compared with the 55.50m standard for the Games in her Scottish homeland. This placed her top of the early season Great Britain rankings by over two metres.
 
April 12th: RACHAEL ROZHDESTVENSKAYA representing her employer at their National Revenue & Customs Sports & Leisure (RCSL) annual competition won Gold medals in the 400m, 800m, 3k, the Trail race and led her Manchester region to the overall title.
 Rachael
April 18th: JENNY FOX, TRACEY TAYLOR,WENDY TERRY, MATTHEW GOWRIE and GUY GRUNDY made their 'Ultra' debut in the M2L '50' from Manchester's following the Trans-Pennine Trail and River Mersey (feeling exhausted yet?) all the way to Liverpool! They did exceptionally well. Jenny, Tracey and Wendy finished in just over nine hours - well inside the 14 hour cut-off and being among the top 200 were awarded special Gold medals.
 Ultra
April 19th: At the 70thanniversary of the Rivington Pike Fell race that incorporated the Gtr. Manchester Junior Fell Championships, AMBER KHAN and EMILY HEYS were stars. Amber won her U15 race and Emily was just behind in 3rd both qualifying to represent Gtr. Manchester in the Inter-County Fell Championships. A week later
at a fell race at Horton-in-Ribblesdale in Yorkshire, FLORENCE & BEN CONNOLLY ran brilliantly finishing 3rd and 9th in the U12 race.
 3 Peaks
April 21st: MATTHEW SPRAGG ran the world's oldest annual marathon – the Boston especially to raise money for the charity MIND. Despite carrying a long-time injury he still recorded 3:29.03
 Matt Spragg
April 27th: LONDON MARATHON: Sale Harriers had fifteen among the 840,000 who applied. Those who best scaled their Everest were:
  • PHIL ROBERTSON (2:21.35) – a fantastic 6 ½ minute PB on his debut Manchester Marathon last year and 44thoverall including the elite men. Couldn't have gone better!
  • MARCUS NICHOLSON (2:31.47) – a 5 minute PB on last year's Manchester Marathon
  • AMY MIDDLEMAST(3:07.24) – a 90 second PB on last year's Amsterdam Marathon
  • WAYNE SHAW (3:10.10) – 1 minute PB and on track to go sub-3 in Berlin
  • ALICE WRIGHT (2:50.15) and BARNABY GORDAN (3:11.39) made great Marathon debuts.
  • BARNABY GORDAN (3:11.39) A 15 minute PB
Others may not have run their fastest on a tropical Sunday but their achievement is nonetheless noteworthy not least that several ran for charity. Alan White, for example, helped raise £50,000 for 'Maggies Centres that help anyone affected by cancer. Well done also to......
ROBERT DUNN (2:36.08) MAX KIDD-ROSSITER (2:36.57)
ALAN WHITE (2:41.05) LAURA BARBER (3:00.23)
OLIVER BARTLETT (3:47.59) ADAM MORAN (4:20.08)
JOHN ARCHER (M70) (4:30.47) JULIA REYNOLDS (5:19.03)
 London
April 27th LONDON MINI-MARATHON: At the time of posting, BEA SOPER & ROBYN HEYWOOD-WOOD represented the North-West in the London Mini-Marathon, a great tribute to these girls ability following in the footsteps of stars like Sir Mo Farah, Eilish Mc Colgan and Keely Hodgkinson. This was Bea's 2nd consecutive selection.
 TCS
April 27th: Manchester Marathon: On the same day as London, 18 Sale Harriers were among the 36,000. Those who best executed their marathon plan in near tropical conditions were ….
  • DMITRY ROZHDESTVENSKIY (3:54.42). A massive 1 hour PB on his last and his debut Manchester '24 marathon.
  • MATTHEW ROUGHLEY (4:12.17). A 30 minute PB on last year's London Marathon
  • NICHOLAS TYNAN ( 2:46.40) A 25 minute PB on his 2017 Manchester Marathon
  • JAMES COLLINS (2:53.40) A 6 minute PB on his Amsterdam '24 marathon
  • They made their marathon debuts: ALEX LAWTON (2:31.42), ALEX BRADFORD (2:40.34), AINE CUNNINGHAM (3:02.38), MARK BARNES (3:57.11), MATTHEW GOWRIE (4:15.35) and KATE GAVIN (4:54.05).
  • Not their fastest but still deserve congratulations: NICK BARRY (2:29.16), OLIVIER GAILLEMIN (3:02.17), SEAN KEARNS (3:49.42), FRANCIS BROUGHTON (3:54.34), HARRIET HAMILTON (3:57.01) RICHARD OUSEY (4:01.47), CHRIS BUCKLEY (4.24.32) RANJIT BENNETT (4:59.36) and TIM RAINEY (6:15.03).
  • DAVID BROWN, club President & Chairman, was race starter as he has been for every year of its history and FECHIN Mc CORMICK & DAWN WEATHERLEY represented St. Ann's Hospice working on the baggage drop zone.
(Please inbox me if anything is incorrect or missing and I'll update immediately. Please also ensure that if/when you achieve anything noteworthy particularly wearing the club vest you let me know. Fechin McCormick.
  1. DAVE PROCTOR IS WORLD MASTERS M35 3000m CHAMPION
  2. March news at Sale Harriers Manchester
  3. World Masters
  4. AGM and Life Membership Awards
  5. The sad passing of Morris Jefferson
  6. The latest club magazine and AGM
  7. North v South
  8. Age Group Changes 2025
  9. Northern Cross Country Championships
  10. Northern Indoor Champs - Sheffield
  11. British Masters Cross Country Relays 2024
  12. The Lakeland 50
  13. 20% discount for Physio at Crossford Bridge
  14. July 2024 News
  15. YDL (lower) NW Match 4 Blackburn 2024
  16. June 2024 News
  17. YDL (lower) NW Match 3 Wigan 2024
  18. Calderdale Way Relay 2024
  19. Sale Harrier News May 2024
  20. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE (Lower) MATCH 2 (Leigh) 19th May 2024.