By Dave Greenwood

The fourth staging of the England International took place on Wednesday at Sport City. Although there is a big event at Birmingham that the top of the elite echelon will aspire to ,it gave an opportunity to some athletes to experience an International event. Teams representing the home nations, GB Juniors, an All stars team and a BAL/UKWAL team were in action. Amongst the All Stars were athletes from Canada, Botswana and France.

Prior to the Adult event there was a 'Community team Relay' event with teams from Sale, Trafford, West Cheshire, Manchester Harriers, Crewe and Nantwich, etc. Sale were the most represented and most successful club with Dave Marsh and Anita Richardson looking after the teams. Winners of the Under 15 events were invited to run again later during the Adult programme against some adult teams of celebs and Fitness First who were a major sponsor. Sale athletes displayed some outstanding running to win most of the events. Sale U15 Girls (Carl Worthington) recorded a time of 49.36

Sale have some high standard athletes, some of whom competed for various of the teams. Congratulations to all those who made the podium. Andy Robertson ran in the guest 100m 10.47and the 100m Final 10.50 as well as running a relay leg. In the Final he was second to the Scottish Sprinter Adam Thomas. Choosing to run the Women's Mile event was a bit of a surprise from Aimee Pratt (Vicente Modahl), which ultimately worked out to be a great choice as her normal steeplechase was completed in the most torrential rain I have ever seen in this country; it rivalled a tropical storm and resulted in the suspension of the event whilst the track and throwing circles were swept of the flood. Aimee took on her race from the start and soon established a healthy lead which she maintained until the finish in a time of 4.38.The announcer introduced Euan Gilchrist (Paul Roden) as only having ever done four 3000m runs. It didn't show as Euan bided his time in a tactical race, until coming off the final bend he made sure of victory with a fine finish to win in 8.32. Jessica Taylor - Jemmet , our top class Pentathlete, won Silver in 200mSprints in 24.37 and ran the third leg of the relay for England. Sean Okome (Keith Hunter) in poor conditions, made the Podium in the Triple Jump coming 3rd with 15.47.Whilst Raymond Being went one better in second in the Long Jump. Returning from a long absence having been outstanding as a junior, Clovis Asong (Keith Hunter) ran a 400m and demonstrated starting out of blocks; an advance on when he was 18 and won English Schools convincingly off a standing start!  His time away revealed he has work still to do to be at his best but it's great to see him back competing this year. His time of 48.59 is a good start to getting back to his 2011 pb of 46.74.

We had three representatives in the Javelin. Winning for England was Laura Whittingham with a throw of 52.89 whilst in the same competition Rosie Semenytysh threw 45.79 for fifth. To throw over 60m at U23 is impressive Sam Dean (Neil Donbavand) was fifth with 62.11, only two metres off victory.

Don't forget the people in the background who make these things possible. Dean Hardman of England Athletics (our vice chair and for many years our BAL manager) Carol Brown, Marion O'Donnell, Debbie Beresford, Joe Frost and all the other track and field officials - I personally don't care which club they belong too , it wouldn't happen without them.

Sale are fortunate to have many coaches and managers who unselfishly give their time to nurture athletes and if they have done well enough to encourage athletes to this level they have done a great job. A thanks to you all from the community.

Whilst in terms of Internationals this event is overshadowed by the Diamond League, Anniversary Games and the World Championships it is important that it is staged in the North and gives local athletes and spectators some local interest, whilst more importantly giving those excellent youngsters who are still at school a glimpse of what is possible. A big well done to England Athletics for bringing this event to Manchester, cultural and sporting capital of the North !

Photos courtesy of Dark Star Photos check out the website by clicking here.

England International at Sportcity

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It is with great sadness that we report the recent death of Tony Simmons. Tony was a member of our executive committee and UKWAL team manager for many years. He was the key member instrumental in organising our celebratory dinner dance earlier this year which raised a huge amount of money for the club.

He started as a proud supporter of his daughter Jenny at Sale Harriers and ended up giving so much of his valuable time and effort to our club for which we will be eternally grateful.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and many athletes who have benefitted from his prescience. He will be sadly missed.

PETER SHAW

Our U13 & U15 YDL team won their eleventh Northern title in thirteen years. This was their finest hour as they beat reigning Northern Champions Preston AC in a final held at Preston. We are now North-West and Northern Champions and will be aiming for a historic treble when we contest the national final on home territory at the Etihad Stadium on September 7^th. 

The match was close but victory was secured when our 1500m runners gained a twenty-one points advantage over Preston. Well done to SARA CLOUGH, EVA KARALIUS, MATTHEW GARDNER, FINLAY GODDARD, JASMINE REED, TAYLOR EDWARDS, JAMES KNOCKTON and JACK SPARK.

PRINCE MENDEZ had a great club debut, competing in four events and winning the boy’s 100m. Other victories in sprints and hurdles events came from SUCCESS EDUAN who last week retained her English Schools sprint title), THEO MAY, HOLLY GARNER, NATACHI NWOSU, FAVOUR JOSEPH, HEMIONE MASON, SETIRA REID and THEA BROWN (the only Sale girl to win three events with Grade 1 performances). Congratulations to HERMIONE MASON and TOLU ADEYEMI who broke club hurdles records. Hermione ran 11.3 in the U15 girl’s hurdles and Tolu ran 12.9 in the U13 boy’s hurdles. Thanks to SAMMY BREINGAN, LEONARDO SCOTT, and TOM BOYD who all competed in four events.

Our throwers had a great day with DECLAN 0’LOUGHLAN, OLIVER WOZNIAK, MABEL ADJEI and ASAM EL-JOUZI making highly successful club debuts whilst JASMINE RICHARDSON (competed in four events), ELLA GILLESPIE, LAILA HERSTELL and LILY OLDALE were all in great form.

Our vaulters and jumpers had a great day, BAZIL ZOLA competing in four events with impressive victories in the high jump and long jump, events in which he ranks No.2 in the UK outdoors. Other victories came RUARI Mc DONALD who triumphed in the pole vault in blustery conditions to get a new PB of 3.10m, SHONA WILKINSON,  BECCA MCLYNN (winning the pole vault on her club debut with a height of 2.30m), JOSHUA ESME, LILY EDSON, TIA GROVER and THEA BROWN. Multi-event star ELLISE FRYER-FRANCIS competed with great success in three events.

FREDDIE MEREDITH was in great form winning his 800m with a Grade 1 performance. Further 800m victories came from AVA CLOUGH, IZZY APPLEBY, MADDIE HOLT, IZZY BURKE and NIAMH BOYD. A big thanks to WILL PARKER who again ran in three events to help ensure team victory.

Many thanks to club officials who were only one of two clubs to score the maximum of 55 points. One major feature of this match was the tactical genius of team manager CARL WORTHINGTON. By qualifying so many new athletes, we now go to the national final (which we’ve won twice in recent years) with great strength in depth. Full results.

Photos to follow.

13^th  JULY      VETERAN ATHLETIC CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sale Harriers Life Member and a specialist shot putter GEOFF TYLER, recorded a new UK M70 best of 12.90m at this VAC meeting in Kingston-on Thames. It further improved his No.1 UK ranking of 12.86m that he achieved at the Northern Masters Championships in Hull on June 30^th.

Geoff’s been previously Britain’s No.1 in the M65 and M60 categories and ranks No2 in the 2019 M70 category in the Hammer and 3^rd in the discus.    These were big improvements for Geoff who put it down to “the weekly Thai massage that has helped my knotted muscles to be more relaxed in the circle. I never realised how tight & knotted my muscles were”.

Geoff’s M45 discus throw of 49.08m in 1994 is still an Australian record. Geoff was a Sale Harrier from 1971 until he moved to Australia in 1989 and then briefly when he returned from 1996-1998. He was awarded Life Membership in 1988 for almost 20 years’ service to the senior men’s National T & F teams.