Pete Shaw

Many of our club athletes started their cross-country season by competing in the NW Road Relays (incorporating various county championships) at Ormskirk on September the 11^th 2022. This was the first opportunity for our athletes to represent the club at championship level.

Out most successful primary aged team was made up of LUCY O'BRIEN, ALICE HORSFALL and EVE DOWLING who won the Cheshire U11 title whilst HOLLIE Mc HUGH, FLO CONNELLY and ISLA QUINN finished runners-up in the Gtr. Manchester Championship. A team consisting of EMMA JONES, AMBER KHAN and ZARA SHERIDAN finished first 'B' team.

Our U11 boys’ team of JOSH HOWELL, HARLEY THOMAS and TIM ASHURST were silver medallists in the Gtr. Manchester Championships whilst LEO ANDERSON, CASPER MAIRS and HENRY FRIEND were first 'B' team.

Our U13 girls’ team of GRACE HILL, MADDY APPLEBY and OONAGH Mc MANUS had a great day winning the Gtr. Manchester title whilst the U15 girls finished 3^rd. Well done to IMOGEN HILL, IZZY HALL, MADDY HOLT and HANNAH SQUIBBS.

The most exciting races of the day come later with the senior men and women from all over the North West. Teams travelled from as far away as Cumbria, all the best teams were there, but unfortunately Sale Harriers were not represented. We had no teams in the U15 boys or U17 girls either.

Big thanks to DAVE MARSH for managing all the teams on the day. Thanks also to Peter Shaw for his support and to Cat Jones for some excellent photos.

Full results can be found here.

NW Road Relays, Ormskirk

Nm Relays 22 Ormskirk

A139 Sh

B107

B138

Nw Relays Support

Nw Relays Sale

B108

Team 101 Medalists

Girls Medalists

Team 137 Medalists

B101

B128

Sh A137

Sale Harrier

B137

A137

A128

A101 Sh

A128 Sh

Sale Harrier A138

A139

A138

A108

A107

A101

Fechin Mc Cormick

Sale Harriers returned to Premiership athletics for the first time in a decade when it won the National League's Championship Cup Final in Bedford last weekend. A memorable weekend packed full of exciting athletics and a fantastic club atmosphere that showcased the club and athletics at its best was undoubtedly the year's highlight!

The journey began in Manchester with the coach bound for Bedford unusually packed with a largely youthful U20 talented and exciting team. In it also were the club's T & F officials, several overseeing coaches and supporting parents like RACHEL Mc HUGH endowed with the responsibility to post live updates and photos on social media. Team managers DAVE MARSH, LUCY EVANS & JAMES BAILEY ensured there were hardly any competitive 'gaps', the blight so often of club success. On the coach Dave's promotional 'battle-cry' was that we must at all costs beat Tonbridge AC. With Crawley AC and Chelmsford AC already assured of promotion, Tonbridge was likely to be Sale's nemesis.

The team packed out the Holiday Inn for the overnight stay and Sale Harriers team spirit was at its best in the evening as many gathered around the foyer's telly to cheer on Aimee Pratt to a medal in the European Championships 3000m steeplechase.

The day's early announcements that echoed across the Bedford track to the throws field beyond proclaimed Sale Harriers were already in the lead. By mid-day the updates were of a 17 point lead over Chelmsford and Crawley. More to the point, Tonbridge AC were languishing in 4^th . It was thanks to magnificent early top three performances from the likes of WILLIAM SCHOFIELD (Discus), SAMUEL EBONINE (Long Jump with a PB), MADDISON VERNON, SASHA BYROM & LAURE KIDUKULA (Sprints), ALEX BRADFORD (3000    m S/C), STEPHANIE JONES (Long Jump), HERMIONE MASON (400m Hurdles), DAVE PROCTOR (800m), ADETOMIWA OLADITI (800m), IZZY BURKE (800m), JACOB LINGARD (400m PB) and especially the maximum points scored by ELLISE FRYER-FRANCIS with a PB in the Long Jump and who competed in several other events, SHAUNNA THOMPSON's win in the Shot, KAMEL BENISSAD in the Discus, TESS Mc HUGH in the 400m Hurdles, NICHOLAS WALSH in the 100m, and sprinter MIA GIBBONS, who'd stepped in to the 800m at short notice despite not having run the distance for four years, and went and won it surprising even herself. Everyone scored priceless points - JASMINE RICHARDSON (Hammer), ALEX JAMES (3^rd in the1500m B race), CAMERON DUFF (400m), ROBBIE RIGBY (3000m), SHONA WILKINSON (Pole Vault), TATENDA TSUMBA (100m) and RACHEL PUGH (Discus & Hammer) who'd travelled all the way from Inverness in Scotland.

Through the afternoon Sale Harriers looked like Cup winners and a near certainty for promotion to the top flight of athletics as repeated announcements proclaimed the club to be in the lead with Tonbridge in 4^th place. Victories and top three places just kept coming from the likes of BLAKE TIGER-LEE BROWN and MARCUS Mc CLEAN in the 200m, JASMINE RICHARDSON in the Hammer, ELLISE FRYER-FRANCIS and STEPHANIE JONES in the long jump, SEUN OKOME in the triple jump, MEGAN DAVIES in the 3000m, LAURE KIDIKULA in the 400m, MARCUS Mc CLEAN in the 200m, HARRY LORD & KAMAL BENISSAD in the Shot, ANNABEL AMADIN in the Discus, ROSIE SEMENYTSH (Javelin), ANDY ASHURST (Pole Vault), BEN BRUNSWICK (1500m), SAM EBONINE and TOLU ADEJEMI (High Jump both got PBs), BETHANY WOODHEAD (High Jump), People like OLIVIA RUSSELL & OLIVIA NOLAN (2000m S/C) ran their hearts out to lifetime best performances and even many of those disappointed with their performances like PHIL ROBERTSON and ROBBIE RIGBY (3000m), SARAH GOULDEN (3000m), GEORGIA HEATH (1500m) it was often because they were prepared to 'die' in pursuit of their Tonbridge rival.

Pole Vaulter SOPHIE ASHURST, who'd easily won her competition, was still trying for a PB when the victorious team gathered for a team photo with the Championship Cup held aloft. No way could it be taken without the club's stalwart champion and World's U20 sixth placer from the recent Championships in Colombia, so the team waited and rallied onto the track to cheer and clap her attempts for a PB. The scene captured Sale Harriers finest team spirit!

For every T & F event, club's must a quota of officials. AYO SHONIBARE, FRANK CORDINGLEY, FECHIN Mc CORMICK, IAN SCHOFIELD, BRIAN GOULDEN and JAMES BAILEY were the club's, who were awarded the maximum forty-five points towards the overall team result and also massively contributed to the day's victory and club promotion.

Well done to everyone both on the day, and who were part of the journey, especially the team managers. Wait and see the numbers who'll now want to join Sale Harriers to be associated with a Premier Division club!

See also NAL report here.

NAL Final 2022

400 Hurdles Hermione And Tess

Ladies Long Jump1

Girls 4 X 400 Relay

Womens 4 X 100

Womens 3k

Steeple Chase

Mia Gibbons

Mens 400

Mens Discus

Bethany Woodhead1

Shauna Thompson

Mens 100

Mens 1500

Ladies Long Jump

Womens 800m

Mens 4 X 100

Womens Hammer

Ashurst

Officials

Dave Marsh

Dave Proctor

Coach

Bethany Woodhead

Group Shot

On Saturday 30^th July, Sale Harriers junior squad travelled to York as reigning Lower YDL Northern Champions. As most of the squad were either away on holiday or at the Commonwealth Games, the twenty athletes who did attend rallied together in true TEAM SPIRIT.

The first race of the day was the U15 girls hurdles which Niamh Dolan convincingly won in a time of 12.08 secs.

The sprinters for the U15 boys once again dominated the sprints with David Shobunde, Jefferson Adenuga and Max Cunningham all gaining 1^st place. They later joined teammate, Joshua Blackburn to compete in the 4x 100m relay and gained a respectful 2^nd place.

In the pole vault, Calum Park vaulted 3.20m to successfully achieve a PB and win the event. Later he joined teammates, Liam O’Brien, James O’Brien and Matthew Cullen Brown to run the 4x300m relay.

Our U13 boys had a clean sweep in the sprints, with Matthew Adenuga winning both the 75m & 150m (A race), with Kieran Stafford winning the 75m (B race) and Oliver Howell winning the 150m (B race). They then joined up with teammate Daniel Wells to also win the 4x100m relay in a time of 56.47secs.

Our top middle distance U13 boy is Daniel Oakes who ran a fantastic race to win the 1,200m in a time of 3mins 40.44secs.

Our U13 middle distance girls were once again outstanding! In the 800m race, Beatrix Soper won the A race and Lola Richardson won the B race. Not to be out done, Oonagh McManus then won the 1,200m A race and Caitlin Wetters won the B race. Oonagh, Lola and Caitlin then joined Lola Brown in the 4x100m relay.

Last but not least was Angel Amadin, who showed great potential as our top U13G thrower; achieving a new PB in the shot.

Despite stoic performances from all our athletes, we ended in 5^th place with 317 points. A fantastic achievement with only 20 athletes!

With full squads, City Of York AC were the overall winners; with Wirral coming second – both clubs qualifying for the National YDL Final at Sportcity.

A big thanks to the coaches (x4) and parents who attended the final; two of which deferred the start of their summer holiday so that their daughters could compete. Respect to Patrick for driving the team minibus. And finally, a massive thanks to all the officials (Andy, Tony, Shonny, Fechin and Tom) who gave up their Saturday to help the team gain a valuable 40 points.

A great day was had by all.

A note from Sarah and Kirsty, “Just want to say a massive well done to all the athletes who took part in today’s match at York. The final results were York 552, Trafford 532.5, Sale 489, Kingdom composite 370 and Preston 367.5 So we finished a very creditable 3rd place in the whole of the North.

Sadly, this wasn’t quite enough to qualify for the National Final, but this was down to gaps in events that we were unable to fill (mainly in the men) rather than performances by athletes that were there. Every single athlete involved should be extremely proud of themselves (I know we are!) and should not be disheartened. You were all amazing, with some fantastic performances and many filling in in events outside your comfort zone, not to mention those that were going to watch the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham but still travelled to York first.

A very big thank you to all athletes, officials, coaches and parents and here’s to next year!

Sarah and Kirsty.”

Reported by Carl Worthington (Lower YDL Team Manager)

YDL York 2022

236 Cunningham Max Ydl Lower York 22

235 Adenuga Matthew Ydl Lower York 22

230 Howell Oliver Ydl Lower York 22

231 Adengua Jefferson Ydl Lower York 22

243 Mcmanus Oonagh Ydl Lower York 22

233 Brown Lola Ydl Lower York 22

242 Oakes Daniel Ydl Lower York 22

239 Obrien James Ydl Lower York 22

241 Mcmanus Oonagh Ydl Lower York 22

238 Dolan Niamh Ydl Lower York 22

237 Adenuga Jefferson Ydl Lower York 22

234 Amadin Angel Ydl Lower York 22

232 Richardson Lola Ydl Lower York 22

Last weekend Wythenshawe track based athlete, DAVID PROCTOR, became the World Masters 1500m Champion in Tampere, Finland. Coached by NORMAN POOLE at the Wythenshawe Park track, Dave already had an impressive pedigree developed through his years based at that track.

With a PB of 3:41.5 he currently ranks 2nd V35 in the UK and last year in Boston (USA) he achieved a UK V35 UK 1 mile Indoor record of 4:08.63 to top of the British ranking. He said on becoming the World Masters 1500m champion,

“I thought a gold medal was above my expectations. I hadn’t had the best preparation as I'd been suffering with a hamstring issue and was also unwell with a cold a few weeks earlier, so I delayed the start of my season a couple of times. I used the last NAL match to practice racing tactically and it paid off. I'd hoped that if I had a really good day and the stars aligned, I might get on the podium, but I had never expected to win gold and become World champion. Very happy indeed”