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 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.

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 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.

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, 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

Pete Shaw

Torrential rain at Bebington on The Wirral meant the meeting was abandoned after 43 of the 58 events had been completed.

LIAM O'BRIEN was our star in the U15 events winning both the 300m and Hurdles. ALFIE DICKS was runner up in the 100m with a Level 9 performance of 11.8 seconds. DANNY OAKES took part in three events.

One week after winning the England schools title IMOGEN HILL won the U15 girls 800m with her trademark sprint finish to remain unbeaten this season. ROXY Mc HUGH ran very well to finish runner-up over 200m as did LOLA RICHARDSON over 800m. A special mention to NIAMH COPE who, having raced a hilly 5k Parkrun then received notification she was needed at Bebington where she competed in three events in borrowed spikes.

In the U13 boys events DANIEL WELLS won the shot whilst primary aged LENNY ALVES was runner-up in the hurdles. LEO OGEBIDIE competed in three events and was particularly impressive in the sprints.

In the U13 girl's events ROBYN HEYWOOD-YOUNG had a great run to win the 800m with a level 9 performance whilst GRACE HILL ran a PB to finish runner-up. EVA ANWYL for the 3^rd match in a row was the only athlete from any club to achieve the highest Level 9 performance in three events (sprints and hurdles).

LILY VALENTINE had two sprint victories for the 3^rd match in a row whilst multi-eventer ANNABEL LAMA competed in three events, finishing runner-up in the Shot and Hurdles.

Sale Harriers Manchester finished 5^th out of six teams. A massive thanks to team manager CARL WORTHINGTON and the club officials who attended. Many of them got extremely wet in the deluge that accompanied the thunder and lightning curtailing events in the afternoon.

THE WEEKEND THAT WAS

UK ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sale Harriers were, as ever, among Britain's best at the weekend's UK Senior Championships at Sportcity.

LAZARUS BENJAMIN added the Pole Vault silver to his bronze medal last year. From his recent England championship title, he's ready for take-off for the U20 European Championship in August.

KIRSTY LAW retained the silver medal she won last year. She wrote on social media “I'm so happy to take the silver with a seasons best 57.30.This one means a lot. If this season has taught me anything, it's to have fun and enjoy what you do. This season has been tough for a number of reasons, and I'm so grateful for the love and support from my family friends and Coach”. Kirsty was the British Discus Champion in 2020 and is a multi Discus medallist over the years.

JONA EFOLOKO won the 200m bronze with a 20.45 PB. Readers will know that the club's Olympian last year won European and Commonwealth Gold and World Championship bronze in the 4 x 100 metres relays.

SEUN OKOME leapt to a personal best of 15.93m (+2.0) in round six to secure his British bronze triple jump medal and he adds it to last year's bronze.

GABRIELLE GARBER, the club's 2nd claim High Jumper and the UK's No.1 in the U20 rankings, won the bronze medal with a PB and European qualifying standard of 1.81m.

There were several of the club's very talented youngsters with great futures who gained invaluable experience in this major cauldron. Some even produced PB's. Of special note....

• U20 SUCCESS EDUAN recorded a 200m PB of 23.20 to rank 2nd in her U20 age-group in Europe. Her time is also a club record beating Sale Harrier's very own SHAUNNA THOMPSON's 15 year old 200m record of 23.42 set in 2008 at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India.
• RACHEL BENNETT, new to Sale Harriers, recorded a 200m PB of 23.66 to now rank 3rd nationally in her U23 age group.
• U20 FREYA DOCKERTY recorded a 100m Hurdles PB of 13.99.
• U23 EWAN BRADLEY dipped under 14m for the 1st time in the 110m Hurdles to record a PB of 13.99 to rank 4th in the UK.
• SHAUNNA THOMPSON recorded her best ever position in the Shot in this Championship. As in February's UK Indoor Championships she just missed out on bronze in 4th place.
• There were several more of the club's talented youngsters with great futures who gained invaluable experience in this major, intimidating cauldron. Some even produced PB's. Of special note....
• U20 SUCCESS EDUAN recorded a 200m PB of 23.20 to rank 2nd in her U20 age-group in Europe. Her time is also a club record beating Sale Harrier's very own SHAUNNA THOMPSON's 15 year old 200m record of 23.42 set in 2008 at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India.
• RACHEL BENNETT, new to Sale Harriers, recorded a 200m PB of 23.66 to now rank 3rd nationally in her U23 age group.
• U20 FREYA DOCKERTY recorded a 100m Hurdles PB of 13.99.
• U23 EWAN BRADLEY dipped under 14m for the 1st time in the 110m Hurdles to record a PB of 13.99 to rank 4th in the UK.
• Then there were TESS Mc HUGH (400m), MAX WHARTON (1500m), MEGAN DAVIES (1500m), JESS SPILSBURY (1500m), HERMIONE MASON (400m Hurdles), HANNAH BLOOD (Hammer), SOPHIE ASHURST (Pole Vault), Olympian ABIGAIL IROZURU (Long Jump) REYNOLD BANIJO (Long Jump), NICHOLAS WALSH (100m) and MARCUS Mc CLEAN (100m).

SIZZLER 2

Among the 28 Harriers who participated in the 2nd club promotion of the 4 x 5k Sizzler series, those with good reason to celebrate were:-

• FINLAY GODDARD who was again 1st U20 and JACKIE CORDINGLEY again 1st L60
• KATHY WELLAM who ran her fastest 5k since 2016.
• WAYNE SHAW (19.08) who improved his PB by 5 seconds, SOPHIE ARMITAGE (20.57) who improved by 23 seconds; DMITRY ROZHDESTVENSKIY (21.37) by 34 seconds, DEBBIE Mc EVOY(24.14) by16 seconds and M70 GEOFF BEATTIE (25.36) who improved 40 seconds on his 1stSizzler
• MARCUS NICHOLSON (16.20), BARNABY GORDON (19.06), LUCY COOKE (19.30), HEATHER LENNOX (26.51) and LISA WORMLEIGHTON (26.56) all made their 5k debuts.
• The encouraging turn-out of a new generation of volunteers to take this important club promotion into the future is applauded.

WILMSLOW SUMMER 10k

The Wilmslow Summer 10k is the North-West's super fast, popular course with 2,500 finishers this year. Thirty green-hooped vest were among them in pursuit of fast times and lifetime best performances. Most of the club's 30 runners had every reason to celebrate.

They drank from the elixir of a PB

KEN HUNT (32.24): A 15 second PB on his Manchester 10k

STEVEN HENDERSON (34.16): A 9 second PB on 2022 Lytham 10k

CHRIS MILES (35.52): A 38 second PB on Trafford 10k

JON SMALLEY (36.12): A 14 second PB on 2021 Wilmslow Festive 10k

JON TERRY (37.02): A 18 second PB on last year's race

CHRIS WEBB (44.19): A 12 second PB on last year's Trafford 10k

DEBBIE Mc EVOY (50.44): A 35 second PB on last year's race

CHRIS TAIT (37.19): Debut 10k

BARNABY GORDAN (39.36): Debut 10k

HEATHER LENNOX: (57.45) Debut 10k

It was their best of 2023 (so far!)

PAUL PETERS (32.34)

TOM STEPHENSON (33.36)

JASON BOWERS (36.44)

DUANE CORDINGLEY-GAUNT (39.15)

ALISTAIR KELL (39.28)

KATHERINE BARKER (44.11)

JOHN MORRIS (43.58)

FRANK CORDINGLEY (47.16)

HELEN REAGAN (57.38)

JACKIE CORDINGLEY (44.51) was 2nd L60 and JOHN ARCHER (49.36) was 3rd M70

Full results