FULL NEWS ROUND-UP (in brief)

EUROPEAN U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sale Harriers had three of its top athletes represent GB & NI at the European U20 Championships in Jerusalem.

  • SUCCESS EDUAN cruised through the 200m heats to automatically qualify for the final. In a gripping final, she blasted out of the blocks and put herself comfortably in contention for a medal. Leading with 50m to go she was just pipped to the post by the fast-finishing Swedish and Hungarian. Nevertheless, she was 'very happy' to win bronze. (She's already a bronze medallist from the 2021 Championships (when just 16 years old). On the final evening of the Championships she anchored the GB team to win the 4 x 100m silver medal. As in the 2021 Championship, she had the task to hunt down the German to win gold but on this occasion didn't succeed and her team were awarded the silver medals. Congratulations to her and her coach ANITA RICHARDSON and her team.
  • LAZARUS BENJAMIN performed brilliantly in the Pole Vault's qualification stage. With a clean sweep of jumps, he leapt to 5.15m, five centimetres higher than his Season's Best, to go top going into the final. There he cleared with ease up to 5.10m and with nine competitors left when the bar rose to 5.20m unfortunately he didn't clear it and placed 8th …..still an improvement on his ninth place in the 2021 Championships in Tallinn. Congratulations Lazarus and to your coaches ANDY ASHURST, MATT CULLEN and DAVID CAMPBELL.
  • GABRIELLE GARBER (A Higher Claim athlete) represented GB in the High Jump. In qualifying, she jumped perfectly through 1.80m and qualified 8th overall. Unfortunately she didn't record a jump after three unsuccessful attempts at 1.75m in the final but was 'very happy' to have made the final. Well done to her and her coach JESS TAYLOR-JEMMETT.

THEA WINS TRIPLE SILVER IN COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES

Commonwealth youth games

What a fantastic Commonwealth Youth Games Championships in Trinidad for the club's super-star THEA BROWN! In this major championship of her blossoming career, she won the100m Hurdles silver medal in a lifetime best performance of 13.53, then won silver in the high jump a few days later, losing out on gold on count back and, as the curtain fell in the first ever Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in the Caribbean, she won Team GB silver in the 4 x 100m mixed relay. On top of all of that she was selected as the Girl's team Captain for the Championship. Well done Thea and to your coaches JOANNE HARDING and the club's own DAVE LOWE.

EVA IS DOUBLE WELSH CHAMPION

EVA ANWYL became the double Welsh Champion at the Welsh National Championships in Newport. She won the 100m Gold in 13.22s and the 70m Hurdles Gold by 0.6s ahead of the 2nd athlete. Another clap on the back for her club coach DAVE LOWE!

Worthy of special mention is the heart-warming story that her young friend ISABELLE CONNOLLY supported her through the whole weekend. They first met at Crossford Bridge and became close friends and she wanted to support her friend so her parents took her and spent the weekend in Wales. Friendships built through sport!

KIRSTY'S IS 14 X SCOTTISH CHAMPION

Kirsty

KIRTSY SPENCE (nee LAW), the club's long-time Discus specialist, recorded her 14th Scottish Discus Title at the Scottish Championships in Grangemouth. It's a record she's likely to hold onto! Kirsty has represented Sale Harriers for over 20 years domestically and internationally and has been a key contributor to the club's successes.

KADEENA COX WINS WORLD TITLE

Life Member KADEENA COX OBE, MBE and the club's Tokyo Para-Olympian and World Champion, won her latest World Title at the UCI World Championships in Glasgow. She dominated her C4 500m Time trial to retain the World Title.

Club magazine readers will know that Kadeena competed for the club as an able-bodied sprinter with a 100m PB of 11.93 until in May 2014 aged just 23, she had a stroke and was later further diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Since then she's become Britain’s only black cyclist to win either an Olympic or Paralympic medal. At the Paralympics she made history by becoming the first Briton in 32 years to win two gold medals in two different sports, cycling and athletics. Through it all she achieved celebrity status and made regular appearances on the TV shows like 'A League of Their Own'; she won Celebrity Master Chef in 2021 and the following year showed great leadership in 'I'm A Celebrity, Get me Out Of Here'

NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUE.

In the club's first year of Premiership athletics for a decade, it did well to finish in the top half of the Premiership Table and put itself in a good position for next year. Well done and thanks to all the athletes, coaches and team managers JAMES BAILEY, LUCY EVANS and DAVE MARSH

SALE SIZZLERS SUCCESS

The club's 4 x 5k promotion successfully completed its 22nd year with a new, younger team led by PAUL BARRETT, ROB MARSDEN and MIKE WHARTON. They made the all- important first step to secure the future of this flagship event with the younger generations taking responsibility. FECHIN Mc CORMICK, the series director for 21 years who founded the series after the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games can now happily 'retire'! As runners exited the two car-parks an incredible £1189.62 was donated into St. Ann's Hospice collection buckets and almost all the twenty-nine Sale Harriers who 'sizzled' had reason to celebrate.

ALEX & LILY CROWNED NORTHERN CHAMPIONS

Most of the handful of club athletes who travelled to Middlesbrough for the Northern age-group championships returned home with Championship titles, medals or lifetime best performances.

  • LILY OLDALE won the U17 Javelin title with a PB of 43.11m. This talented young lady already holds the U15 Javelin (500g) club record. Lily coach is DAVE LOWE as is RUEBEN JAGO who won the U17 (SC84) 1500m silver medal with a PB
  • ALEX FRAZER became the U15 1500m Champion and is another going from strength to strength. In July he again broke his own 1500m club record improving it to 4:11.29. He's coached at Wythenshawe by DAVE MARSH & TRACY CAINE.
  • BLESSING IDOKO won the U17 300m silver medal the 200m Bronze medal both with PB.
  • LIAM O'BRIEN was equal 1st in the 80m Hurdles but awarded the silver medal. This ends a great season for Liam who's been one of the club's most committed and hard working athletes.

Subject: Late summer -autumn Races

Here is a list of key club races over August and then autumn.

We have the Northern League on the 19th August, at Stretford. We are still looking for anyone who would like to fill gaps for men and women.

We need to do well to keep our league position. So contact Jack Frost (men) and Dave Marsh (women) now if you can compete in track or field.

Road Relays start In September and early October, followed by the cross- country relays and the XC League start, also the British Fell Relay in Cumbria and Masters XC Relays. James Bailey will enter Men's Road Relay Teams and Sophie Wood the Women's. Dave Rodgers will help them in the process of encouraging athletes, so let him, James and Sophie know your availability and commitment to race, first of all the Northwest / Counties Road Relays in Heaton Park and the Northern Road Relays in Birkenhead Park as soon as you can. 

Dave will enter the cross country  Men's Senior and U20's Men & Women and Sophie the Senior XC.

N.B. the U20's race with Seniors in all but the National XC relay and County XC Champs.

Glenn Savage and Anne Chinoy will team manage the Masters Relay and encourage the veteran's.

Make no mistake; this season is looking to be the strongest endurance squad that we have had for a number of years, across seniors / veterans and Under 20 Juniors, also Young Athletes.

So you can all play your part by stepping up to the challenge to have your teams competing successfully with all the countries top clubs, we have the runners. 

You just need to target the championships and meet your clubs goals and ambitions.

Late Summer and Autumn Key Club Races

AUGUST

Track Sat 19th Northern t&f Lge Trafford . Stretford

Road   Fri 25th 5k : Mid Cheshire summer 5k Kingsley

Track   Sat 26 & 27  British Masters Track Champs ??

SEPTEMBER

Road Sat 9 5k North West Road Relays(GM & Chesh)   Heaton Park

Road Sun 24 6K Northern Athletics Autumn Road Relays Birkenhead Pk

 

OCTOBER

Road Sat 7 6K National Road Relays 6 & 4 Stage Sutton Park,

XC     Sat 14 MACCL Cross Country League - #1 Heaton Park, Manchester. 

XC    Sat 21 2 miles   Northern Cross Country Relays - Graves Pk Sheffield

Fell   Sat 21 British Athletics Fell and Hill Relay  Keswick 

XC    Sat 28 3k BMAF (V35+) Cross Country Relays Long Eaton

XC    Sat 28 3k Manchester University Relays Mcr University Fields

NOVEMBER

XC    Sat  4  2.5k - 5k National XC Relays Champs Mansfield

XC    Sat 11 MACCL Cross Country League - #2 ???

XC    Sat 25 Euro Trial- UK Cross Challenge Sefton Park Liverpool

DECEMBER

XC  Sat 2 MACCL Cross Country League - #2

Fell Sun 3 Gravy Pud Fell Race Tintwistle

Xc Sat /sun 9 greater Manchester xc champs

Regards

Dave

David Rodgers

0780 4892080

 

Pete Shaw

EVA ANWYL had a great day at Blackburn. She ran PB's to win the 75m and finish runner-up in the 150m. Eva also finished 2nd in the hurdles, an event in which she holds the club record and was a member of the relay winning team. Other winners in the sprints and hurdles events were LILY VALENTINE, ZURIEL SARUMI, ALFIE DICKS, LIAM O'BRIEN and ANNABEL LAMA whilst IMOGEN HILL ran a PB to finish runner-up over 300m. OLIVER HOWELL was runner up in two sprint events.

English Schools Champion IMOGEN HILL competed in four events including victory in her special 800m event. Other 800m victories came from BEA SOPER and HANNAH SQUIBBS who both ran PB's to win by massive margins and ROBYN HEYWOOD-YOUNG who also had a great win.

DAN OAKES again competed in four events and managed to improve his 800m PB by six seconds in finishing runner-up.

In the 1200m CATHLIN WETTERS and GRACE HILL both finished runner's up whilst JAKE HARRISON and primary aged LENNY ALVES both ran PB's.

In the 1500m events, European run/swim Champion OONAGH Mc MANUS ran very well to finish runner-up whilst IZZY HALL won her event whilst OTIS KERSHAW ran a PB in his debut for the club.

Our best performance in the field events came in the pole vault where CALUM PARK won with a vault of 3.60m which was only 1cm below his PB which ranks him 2nd in the UK.

Our strongest field event was the Shot Putt in which DANIEL WELLS and ANNABEL LAMA won their events whilst ANGEL AMADIN was runner-up with a PB. ISAAC WRIGLEY and LEO OGBEIDO scored well in the high jump and sprint events.

Fifty youngsters represented Sale with great credit and managed to score more points than the other clubs in the track events but lacking specialists in a number of technical events meant we finished 4th from six team in this match and 5th overall in the league this season. The result, sadly, is Sale will be relegated to North-West Division 1 next season. A huge thank you to team manager CARL WORTHINGTON, and all who contributed to the league throughout the summer, including officials and helpers. You were invaluable.

HERE'S THE NEWS

Fechin McCormick

U15 ALEX FRASER BREAKS CLUB RECORD

Hot! Hot! News! To-night at the Trafford Open Meeting U15 ALEX FRASER broke his own 1500m club record of 4:13.02 set at the English Schools champs, to record a new club record of 4:11.29. Alex is coached by DAVE MARSH & TRACY CAINE at Wythenshawe

NATIONAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE

You should have seen 'em strain every sinew into the fierce, gusting wind that had the high jump landing bed nearly take off and the women's pole vault cancelled. In the club's 2nd National Premier League match, an overnight trip to Woodford Green, Sale finished 5th thanks to every team member who gave 100% to win their club every conceivable point. The team managers did a brilliant job to fill almost every competitive gap and the team was also awarded the maximum 45 points for providing its full quota of Officials.

For the 3rd and final match at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, if the club is to finish among the top three teams (and attract elite athletes to join the club and put it in a position to become Premier League Champions next year), and if the club is not to risk relegation (yes! It's possible), it's not enough for this next match just to fill the 'competitive gaps' but the club requires all its 'A' Listers – yes! Every one, to be on call.

 Sizzler 3

SIZZLER 5k (3)

Twenty of the club's thirty-two Sale Harriers among the 405 finishers who 'sizzled' in the 3rd of the series were....

GEORGE NOBLE (1stU20), ANNE CHINOY (1st L50) and JACKIE CORDINGLEY 1st 60) who were prize-winners.

GEORGE NOBLE (16.03) improved his PB by 1 second on Sizzler 1

JAMES BANNISTER (16.51) made his club debut 5k

FINLAY DAY (16.59) an 18 sec PB & his 1st time under 17 minutes

CHRIS MILES (17.22) A 25 sec PB on Sizzler 1

MARK JOHNSON (18.14) Two seconds faster than Sizzler 1

REUBEN JAGO (18.20) Club debut 5k

CHRIS TOPPING (18.22) A 4 sec PB on his 2017 Sizzler

RACHAEL ROZHDESTVENSKAYA (18.36) A 9 second PB on her 2021 Sizzler Rachael

LUCY COOKE (19.14) A 17 sec. PB on her last Sizzler

ANNE CHINOY (19.26) her best Sizzler's this year

HEATHER HUGHES (19.38) A 3 sec. PB on last year's Sizzlers

JUSTIN BARRITT (20.07) Debut

SARAH GOULDEN (2014) A 13sec.PB on last year's Sizzlers

SOPHIE ARMITAGE (20.40) A further 17 sec PB on her last Sizzler

DMITRY ROZHDESTVENSKIY (20.50) A 47 sec PB & his 1st time under 21m

ED BILLINGHAM (25.53) A 27 sec. PB on his 2021 Sizzlers.

TONY LYTHE (29.53) 1stM80....... just days after his Birthday

AIMEE BREAKS 3000m CLUB RECORD

Congratulations to the club's Olympian AIMEE PRATT who broke the club's thirty-nine year old 3000m record at the Wanda Diamond League in Poland on July 16 recording her PB of 8:44.15 The previous record of 8:57.2 set at Stretford in April 1984 was held by KATH CARTER.

Geof Beattie

NORTHERN MASTERS

Running against the World's No.1 M70 sprinter at the Northern Masters Championship in Leigh M70 GEOFF BEATTIE won 100m and 200m bronze medals and a silver 400m medal. Geoff has represented his home country of Northern Ireland in the past and has quite a spring in his step for both sprinting and competing over 5k and 10k

Among the younger age groups, multi-eventer STEVEN CALLISTER won M35 titles in the 100m and 200m and the silver medal in the Shot Putt.

Congratulations also to ANDREW BELL, new to Sale Harriers, who clinched the M40 long jump title.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sale Harriers had five athletes win National medals at the England Championships in Chelmsford despite very wet conditions

  1. NICHOLAS WALSH improved on last year's 100m bronze medal to win 100m Gold in a respectable 10.49, his best ever performance in this championship, despite the headwind and the downpour.
  • STEPHANIE JONES, despite still U20, won the senior long jump silver medal, a magnificent step in the career of this promising multi-eventer.
  • RACHEL BENNETT hoped to win 200m Gold but the gusting wind meant she was happy to retain her silver medal from last year.
  • SHAUNNA THOMPSON won Shot Putt Bronze, the same as she won in the 2021 Championships. All the technical athletes struggled in the wet and windy conditions.
  • The event incorporated the UKA Combined Events Championships. HARRY LORD and EWAN BRADLEY were among the competitors. Both had an excellent championship recording PB's in the 400m,1500m, long Jump, Shot and Javelin. Following the two days, Harry won Decathlon bronze with a PB score of 7254 points and Ewan just missed out on a medal in 4th.

AIMEE QUALIFIES FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Just a week after she broke the club's 39 year old 3000m record at the Diamond League in Poland, AIMEE PRATT continued her top form to finish 3rdin the 3000m Steeplechase at the London Diamond League. Her time of 19:16.10 is inside the World Athletic Championships qualifying time so we're awaiting the announcement of her selection.

SELECTED FOR EUROPEAN U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS

SUCCESS EDUAN and LAZARUS BENJAMIN are just announced as selected among GB's team of 57 athletes to represent their nation at the European U20 Championships in Jerusalem on 7-10 August.

Success is currently 2nd in Europe over 200m and is selected for the 200m and 4 x 100m relay team. Lazarus is selected for the pole vault and he's been the UK's No.1 Pole Vaulter through all his age groups.

ANDY ASHURST is selected as a team coach. He's the club's Seoul Olympian and Edinburgh Commonwealth Games Pole Vault champion.

The club extends congratulations to these talented athletes and their coaches and we wish them every success. ANITA RICHARDSON and her team at Sportcity coach Success and ANDY ASHURST, MATT CULLEN and DAVE CAMPBELL are Lazarus coaches.

Matt Barnes champion

MATT BARNES WINS WORLD TITLE

MATT BARNES won his first ever World Triathlon Age-Group Title competing in the World Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championships in Hamburg. He won his M45-49 category in style especially with a blistering 5k.

Matt's had a very successful multi-events career. In May, he achieved another lifetime ambition of winning the World M45-49 Duathlon Title and Aquathlon Silver.

Mike Ashby

LEGENDARY MIKE ASHBY

MIKE ASHBY achieved legendary status by triumphing over the renowned Lake District's “Bob Graham Round”, the tough 66 miles, 27,000 feet of ascent, 42 summits in 23 hours, 46 minutes and under the 24 hours barrier. Just one in three of the hundred or so of the most highly tuned ultra-distance runners who take on this summer challenge every year complete the course and return to the finish of Keswick Moot Hall within the 24 hour deadline. Mike tougher than most of them for he battled horrific weather, gale force winds, apocryphal rain, hail and very tough underfoot conditions

Steve Edmunds

Steve Edmunds, a loyal club member since the 1960's who was awarded the club's highest honour of Life Membership in 2015, died this recently following a very short illness. Steve held the club's Marathon record of 2:15.24 for 42 years until MATT BOND broke it in the 2016 London Marathon. Steve was an active club member, on the list to help marshal the final Sizzler 5k in two weeks after he returned from holiday. Deepest condolences to all those within the club who knew Steve a near lifetime and were very much a part of his life and, of course the club's deepest condolences to his grieving family.

Steve Edmunds joined Sale Harriers in 1959 aged 12 and was coached by club legend Alan Robertshaw and Alan’s father (Mr Robbo). Training in those days was from the Rackhouse Community Centre near Wythenshawe Park and sessions often consisted of 3 x 1 mile on the road and a four mile run on Thursdays. Sunday runs were often along the Bridgewater Canal from the old sewerage pumping station in Sale.

Steve competed for Sale Harriers from 1959 to 2005, from boys through to the veterans. Between 1962 and 67 he was on winning teams for boys, youths and juniors in the East Lancs Championships and the Northern and National Cross Country Championships.

Between 1967 and 78 he regularly represented the club in National track and field leagues and Pye Cups, doing the 5000m and 10,000m and was a regular on Northern and National relay teams. His 5k and 10k pbs were 14:16 and 29:17 respectively.

Between 1967 and 2000 Steve regularly represented Sale Harriers in road races from Newcastle upon Tyne to Torquay. He was on the team which won the 1969 Cardiff to Caernarvon relay, setting a new 200mile record of 14:3.50. In 1971 he was on the clubs 10 man team which broke the 24 hour track relay world record and the following year his team broke the record again covering over 293 miles in 24 hours.

In 1973 with Dave Farmer and Norman Carrington, he was on the winning Maxol Marathon team when he ran his pb of 2:15:24 which stood for 42 years. He allegedly covered the last 2k faster than any other British runner. Said Steve of those years, “Alan Robertshaw instilled into us all how very important it was that a commitment to run for the club in team events was a must and I believe that that was the reason that the club was so successful in those days”.

Since 1996 Steve’s main club involvement has been a very willing and valuable club marshal. He was part of the marshalling team for the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games. His loyalty, commitment and availability to Sale Harriers for over 50 years were exemplary and inspirational.

At a recent club race, the Sale Sizzler, a minutes silence was held in his honour.

His funeral will be held at Manchester Crematorium, Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, M21 7GZ at 2pm on the 15th of August 2023. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St Ann's Hospice, Heald Green.Donate Here.

Afterwards family and friends are invited to Northenden Golf Club, Palatine Road, Northenden, M22 4FR.

Life member Steve Edmunds