Last updated 25
August 2000
Press Releases February
& March 2000
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28 March 2000
World famous Blackheath
Harriers has started the new century by changing its name for the first time in
122 years. At Saturday’s Annual General Meeting, the membership voted to
rename the Club Blackheath Harriers Bromley.
The change is not
revolutionary, but a recognition of the status quo, as the Club has been based
in the Bromley area for 80 years, firstly from 1921 in West Wickham, and then
from 1926 at Hayes. The Club was formed in 1869 as Peckham Hare And Hounds and
changed it’s name when it moved to Blackheath in 1878.
The 1990s proved to be the
most successful decade in the Club’s history with the Senior Men winning the
National Cross Country and the National 12 Stage Relays for the first time; the
Juniors seven times National Junior Athletic League champions; and eight
National Young Athletes Finals won. Numerous athletes have gained international
recognition with the highlight being Julian Golding’s win in the 200 metres at
the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Despite this success, and the
thousands of pounds raised for local charities by the Club’s runners in the
London Marathon, it has been clear that many in the local community do not know
where the Club is situated.
With fewer youngsters involved
in sport, and at a time when there are more sports to choose from, it is felt
essential to act to consolidate its position as one of the Premier Clubs in the
country. The change in the Club’s name is intended to boost recruitment, by
increasing its profile in the local community and forging stronger links with
the local schools.
At the same time it recognises
its roots, with the Blackheath Harriers name known throughout the country and
the world, and various training bases in the South London area including Catford
and Crystal Palace.
“This is a big step forward
for the Club, and one which can only aid long term development” said outgoing
President Richard Coles. The change was also welcomed by Coles successor, Mike
Davies, who has recently given up his post as Athletics Development Officer for
Kent. Davies has been involved in the sport for over 50 years as competitor and
official and has previously been a member of Liverpool Harriers and Coventry
Godiva Harriers. He has also played in the same basketball team as UK Athletics
chief executive David Moorcroft.
Speaking of the year ahead,
the new President used the initials of his name (M.J.D) to highlight one of the
themes of his year in office. “ “More Jobs Done” is what the Club needs,”
he stated referring to the shortage of officials, which is the problem facing
all athletics clubs around the country.
It was perhaps appropriate
that, with the Club thinking to the future, the last fixture organised under its
former name should see the outstanding performance of the day come from an 18
year old. In the Closing Yacht Handicap 5 Mile Championship, Russell Bentley’s
time of 29.00 proved the fastest of the day, three
seconds quicker than Roy Smith, one of the members of the winning Senior
Mens team at the Southern Cross Country Championships. Richard Parrott was third
quickest in 29.47. Hugh Morten at 51 had an outstanding run to finish 4th,
with Ken Daniel being the only other veteran to have bettered his time of 31.21
this winter.
Being a yacht handicap, the
runners set off at intervals with the slowest first. The first runner to cross
the finish line and so win the race was Roy Watkins with Roger Morriss second
and Colin Rowe third. The race was the last of the Bennett Cup handicap series
which has run all winter, and it was Nick Bunclark who emerged as the overall
winner, with Jim Phelan second and Tony Pontifex third.
The following day the Club
picked up it’s first silverware as Blackheath Harriers Bromley when the
youngsters won the overall boys and girls trophy at the Parkwood League at
Canterbury. The Club also won the overall boys trophy as well as winning the
under 13 boys and under 20 mens team titles. The final fixture of this League is
a relays race and best runs of the day came from Daniel Ayrton and William
Bolton.
There was more success at the
National Veterans Cross Country Championships at Grimsby where Bill Foster
finished 2nd in the over 40s race, beating a number of notable
runners including former London Marathon winner Eamonn Martin. The Club was also
prominent in the other age group categories with Bill Wade 13th in
the over 55s; Joe Clare 8th in the over 60s and Bill Clapham 13th
in the over 65s.
Mark Steinle continued his
London Marathon preparations with a 7th place in the Alberto Culver
10km in Swansea. Steinle took out the early pace before slipping back and
finishing in a time of 29.53.
Blackheath Harriers Bromley
caters for the competitive and recreational athletes in all age groups, male and
female on the road, country and track and field, and is always keen to welcome
new members.
As an extra incentive for
youngsters new members aged 14 and under are allowed free membership for the
rest of the year 2000 with no subscription payable until the 1st of
January 2001.
Track and field athletes meet
at Norman Park, Bromley on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6.30 pm. On
Wednesday the Club runs a coaching evening for youngsters new to the sport with
an introduction to all the track and field disciplines in a fun environment.
This has been approved by the London Borough of Bromley Sports Development Unit.
For further information please contact Dave Liston on 01322 663 504.
For those interested in road
running and cross country the Clubhouse in Hayes is open Wednesday evenings,
Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings. Hot meals and a fully licensed bar are
available each Wednesday. For more information please leave details on the Club
answerphone service on 0181 462 3115. Further
details are also available on the club website
21 March 2000
Dave Heath was Great Britain’s
first athlete home in the Senior Mens short course race at the World Cross
Country Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal. The Blackheath Harrier was unlucky
not to be selected for the team after the Trials in February and only got his
call up last week after the withdrawal of John Mayock through injury.
Heath started steadily and at
the end of the first of the two lap 4km course was positioned in the high 70s
and 4th Briton. However, the experienced sub 4 minute miler, moved up
a gear on the second lap and began to storm through the field.
By the finish he had moved up
to 38th place to lead the team to 10th place in a race
dominated by the Kenyan athletes. He was the 12th European home
timing 11.57, 46 seconds down on the winner John Kibowen from Kenya.
Fellow international Mark
Steinle showed why he is Britain’s number one half marathon runner when he won
the Fleet half marathon in emphatic style. On a testing course he swept to
victory in 64.39 nearly two minutes clear of the rest of the field. The win will
give Steinle the boost he needs as he prepares for his marathon debut at London
next month. This weekend he travels to Wales to compete in the Swansea 10km
which incorporates a Home Countries International.
Another of the Club’s London
entrants, Andy Arrand also showed that he is in good form with 3rd
place at the Inter Services Championships at Deepcut. The Army sergeant timed
29.50 for the 5.5 mile course to help his team to victory.
Likewise student Jeremy
Bradley was also part of a winning team. The Oxford University captain ran the
opening leg for his University as they won the Teddy Hall Relays at Oxford.
Giles Clifford won the annual
mob match between Blackheath, the Bank of England, Milocarians and Waverley at
Roehampton. Unfortunately for the Club, as an employee of the Bank, he was
running for the opposition. He timed 24.48 for the 4.8 mile course to win by
nearly two minutes. Pete Barlow led home the Blackheath squad in 9th
place in his first race for a year, while, further down the field, Bill Clapham
was the first over 65 to finish in 20th place.
14 March 2000
Blackheath Harrier Dave Heath
has received a late call up to the Great Britain team for this weekends World
Cross Country Championships at Vilamoura in Portugal. Heath had initially missed
out on selection for the 6 man team for the short course race despite finishing
6th in last months Trials.
The final place had instead
been awarded to Barnsley’s John Mayock, but with the Yorkshireman withdrawing
with injury, Heath received his late call up. “It is short notice for Heath
but I know he will not let the team or himself down” said Norman Brook,
Technical Director for distance running at UK Athletics.
Heath was the first Briton and
fourth European home in last years Championships and, had his winters training
not been interrupted with injury, he would, no doubt, have already been
selected. The Trial had been his first race back.
He was ill for the week after
the Trial but has since put together some good sessions and is looking forward
to the weekend. “ I wish I’d been selected earlier as, if I had had more
notice, I would have gone abroad for some warm weather training” said the 34
year old who only made his International debut last season.
Similarly Andy Arrand only won
his first England international vest this season at the age of 33 but he
continues to improve. The Southern 5th placer continued his
preparations for the London marathon with a 4th place in a high class
field at the Army Cross Country Championships at Deepcut.
Two of the Club’s other
senior internationals were in medal winning form at the British Universities
Indoor Championships at the new Cardiff Arena. Emeka Udechuku retained his shot
title with a putt of 16.65 winning the competition by over a metre. In the
sprints Akinola “Lash” Lashore took the silver medal in a time of 6.93
despite being back in heavy winter training. AAA’s 1500 metre finalist Michael
Skinner moved down in distance and was rewarded with a new personal best and a
bronze medal when he finished 3rd in the 800 metres in a time of
1.52.30.
Some of the Clubs potential
internationals of the future were in action at the English Schools Cross Country
Championships at Parliament Hill Fields. The race brings together the best
runners in the country so William Bolton’s 49th position in the
Senior Boys race was a notable achievement especially as it is his first year in
the age group.
Andrew Rayner was just behind
in 59th place with England Under 18s footballer and newly appointed
Junior team track captain Daniel Moore in 198th and Stuart Simmons in
202nd.
Cath Castledine was 175th
in the Senior Girls race with former schools international at 800 metres Sam
Singer in 230th. In the Intermediate Boys Joseph Godsell finished 316th.
Closer to home Aimee Boyle
achieved a rare double when she won the Bromley Primary Schools Cross Country
title at Crystal Palace. The races are held twice a year and Aimee also won the
last race in October.
The previous Wednesday the
Club hosted it’s annual schools race at Sparrows Den which also included the
Mayor Of Bromley’s Challenge Race for Primary Schools. Here there was a
one-two for Bromley High School in the girls race from Katie Murray and
Sarah-Jane O’Sullivan with Midfield’s Sinead Boyer in third. Bromley High
School took the team race with Hawes Down second and Midfield third.
For the Boys there was a win
for Steven Thomas from Hawes Down with St David’s College providing 2nd
and 3rd places from Sean King and Paul Berry. St David’s won the
team race with Midfield second and Hawes Down third.
The outdoor track season is
fast approaching and under 17 Fabian Collymore has already hit winning form with
a first place in the 300 metres at the Havering Mayesbrook Open Meeting.
The AAAs medallist timed an impressive 37.9.
The Club provide team and
individual competition through all the age groups and are always looking to
recruit new members. Anyone wishing to become part of the Blackheath experience
and join the oldest cross country, road and track club in the world, should
contact the Director of Active Athletics John Robinson on 0181 466 0057 or leave
details on the Clubs answerphone service on 0181 462 3115. Blackheath Harriers
are part of the London Borough of Bromley Athletics Development Scheme.
7
March 2000
Commonwealth Games 200 metre
champion Julian Golding now begins his Olympic preparations in earnest after
rounding off his indoor track season at the CGU International at Glasgow’s
Kelvin Hall.
Racing for an All Stars team
against Great Britain, France and Canada the 25 year old Blackheath Harrier
finished third in the 200 metres in 21.26 in a race won by newly crowned
European Champion Christian Malcolm.
He then demonstrated that he
has the potential to make the British 4x400 metre team with a steady 46.8 split
helping the All Stars to another third place in the 4x400.
Closer to home Roy Smith
completed a rare grand slam of Club Championship victories when he won the 10
mile title at Hayes. Smith is only the fifth Heathen in the Clubs 130 year
history to have won the Club 5, 7.5 and 10 mile titles in the same season. The
last person to achieve this feat was the current President Richard Coles in the
1978/9 season and so it was fitting that he should be the one to present Smith
his trophy.
John Morland took 2nd
place with a revitalised 51 year old Hugh Morten in 3rd. In the
womens race Jennie Butler was a clear winner finishing 17th overall.
Guest Julia Harrington took 2nd with Alison Jelly in 3rd.
Andy Tucker won the handicap race which was incorporated in the race with
Morland 2nd and Butler 3rd.
The Clubs youngsters were
again in winning form at the latest round of the Parkwood League at Canterbury.
In the under 20s there was a
one-two from Andrew Rayner and Matthew Lucht in the mens race with Sam Singer 2nd
in the womens race. All three are from the Dave Liston coaching stable as is
William Bolton who won the under 17 boys race while Kate Bugler and Hazel Barker
were 4th and 6th in the girls.
Particularly encouraging was
the turn out in the younger age groups with Raymond Perkins leading home a squad
of nine athletes in the under 15 boys race and Eve Bugler 6th in the
girls race. Matthew Greene led the under 13 boys team to victory with a 6th
place and the able support of Dan Ryan (8th), Dan Snow (10th)
and Chris Daniel (14th).
Aimee Boyle was a good 9th
in the under 13 girls race with Bullers Wood schoolgirl Karen Morley in 17th
and there was promise for the future with fine Club debuts in the under 11s race
from Rebecca Taylor (3rd), Sophie Robinson (5th) and Emily
Godley (6th).
At the other end of the age
range former Club President Jim Day was in electric form at the National Veteran
Indoor Championships winning the over 65s pole vault and 60 metre hurdles titles
as well as finishing 2nd in the high jump. It wasn’t such good news
for Gordon Hickey who suffered one of the hazards of veteran athletics. Having
already broken the UK record for the over 65s shot recently, he missed out on a
National title when he turned up on the wrong day.
The London Marathon is fast
approaching and many of the Clubs runners will be raising funds for Charity.
Causes in the past to have benefitted from the Clubs Annual Appeal have included
St John’s Ambulance Brigade, the National Lifeboat Fund and Research Against
Ovarian Cancer. This year the Clubs nominated Charity
is the Great Ormond Street Hospital for sick children. If anyone would
like to sponsor a member of the Club please call the Club answerphone service on
0181 462 3115.
All schools in the Borough
should have received details of the Clubs special deal for new members aged 14
and under. New members will not have to pay a fee until 1/1/2001. For further
details please contact Dave Liston on 01322 663504 or John Robinson on 0181 466
0057. Blackheath Harriers is a member of the London Borough of Bromley Athletics
Development Scheme
29 February 2000
Julian Golding became the
first ever Blackheath Harrier to win a medal at a European Indoor Championship
when he finished 3rd in the 200 metres at Ghent in Belgium. He was
one of five British medallists after only making a late decision to compete.
Having qualified with second
places in his heat and semi final with times of 20.96 and 20.87, he found
himself drawn in the less favourable lane three for the final, and for much of
the race it looked as if he would replicate his 4th place from 2
years ago. However, with Cypriot Anninos Marcoullides pulling up with an injury
on the final bend, the Commonwealth Champion swept through to take the remaining
medal place behind winning Briton Christian Malcolm of Cardiff.
“If anybody was going to
beat me, I am happy it was Christian” said Golding, whose main purpose for
running the indoor season was to add variety to his Olympic preparations.
Also on
the international scene, Emeka Udechuku set a new best in the shot putt
at the Home Countries International at the Cardiff Indoor Arena. The Mike Winch
coached athlete launched the 7.26kg implement out to a mighty 17.90 to finish in
second place behind Scotlands Stephan Hayward.
Meanwhile on the track new
Blackheath team captain Mensah Elliott took 3rd in the 60 metre
hurdles in 8.10.
Outdoors Dave Taylor finished
in his highest ever position at the View From English National Cross Country
Championships at Stowe School, Buckinghamshire. The Southern Champion showed his
training to gain selection for the Olympic marathon is on course with a fine 4th
place in a field of over 1500 athletes. He was the first Southern runner to
finish.
Fellow Olympic hopeful, Mark
Steinle fared less well, and looked tired after a period of heavy training in
South Africa. The British number one over the half marathon distance had a
steady start but then faded on the 2nd lap to close in 73rd.
With a number of other athletes unavailable the team did well to finish in 12th
place with good runs from Jeremy Bradley(91st), Martin Airey(148th),
Roy Smith(174th) and Giles Clifford (192nd).
There was great promise for
the future in the womens race with Jennie Butler completing an excellent first
seasons cross country with a 56th placing and Greenwich University
student Siobhan Budd just nine seconds behind in 61st place.
Equally exciting was the
performance of the under 20s team as, despite missing all three of the athletes
who claimed the Kent County title, they finished in a fine 5th place.
Leading the squad home was Daniel Ayrton who had the best run of his career in
finishing in 19th place. It may be team manager Steve Baker’s last
year in charge but the able support from Russell Bentley (52nd),
Matthew Lucht (74th), Daniel Moore (106th) and Andrew
Moreton (152nd) showed that the squad should be a strong contender
for next years team title.
This was emphasised by William
Bolton’s run in the under 17s race. An under 20 next year, he bowed out of the
younger age group with an outstanding 29th place which bodes well for
the coming track season.
Sam Singer’ targets are more
track orientated but she, nevertheless, enjoyed her 91st place in the
Under 20 womens race, while in the under 13 girls race, Bromley Primary Schools
champion Aimee Boyle set a bench mark for her next couple of years in the age
group with a gallant 172nd place against athletes up to two years her
senior.
There was further success for
the Club at the National Veteran Indoor Championships at the Birmingham Indoor
Arena with Bill Foster winning the 3000 metres in an impressive time of 8.48.
The former Great Britain Senior International at the marathon now prepares for
the National veterans cross country championships at the end of March before
building up for the World Veterans road race championships in Spain in mid May.
Although out of the medals Ken
Daniel ran well for 5th in the over 45s 1500. At 49 he is at the
older end of the age group and was encouraged to find that he would have won the
over 50s race by a full 7 seconds.
The Bromley based Club are
currently putting together the final touches for the coming track and field
season and are looking to recruit boys and girls in all disciplines. As an extra
incentive the Club is offering free membership to all new recruits aged 14 and
under for the coming season with the first subscription not due until the 1st
of January 2001. For further information contact the Clubs Head of Active
Athletics John Robinson on 0181 466 0057 or leave details on the Club
answerphone on 0181 462 3115
22
February 2000
Julian Golding ran one of the
fastest times in the world this year when he finished 2nd in the 200
metres at the CGU/Ricoh Tour Final at Birmingham’s Indoor Arena. The
Blackheath Harrier, who celebrated his 25th birthday last Thursday,
timed 20.70 just two hundredths of a second behind Christian Malcolm, the man he
beat to win the Commonwealth title.
Encouraged by this
performance, he has now taken up the offer of a place in the Great Britain team
for this weekends European Indoor Championships in Ghent, Belgium. Fourth in
1998 when the Championships were held in Valencia, Spain, he will be one of the
leading contenders for a medal, along with Malcolm and world leader Marcin Urbas
of Poland who has run 20.60 this year.
Also on international duty
this weekend are Akinola “Lash” Lashore and Mensah Elliott, who have been
selected to represent England in the Home Countries International at the new
indoor arena at Cardiff. Lashore goes in the 200 while Elliott is in the 60
metre hurdles.
The Clubs strength in the
sprints was further emphasised at the Kent Indoor Championships at Crystal
Palace, where Jack Wilkie stormed to victory in the under 17s 60 metres in a new
best of 7.3. There was more success for the Ian Dibbens training group with
Dewayne Lougheed taking bronze in the junior race.
Katy Benneworth had an
outstanding weekend setting a new championship record of 5.38 in the under 17
girls long jump in her first year in the age group, and also picking up a bronze
medal in the 60 metres with a 8.3 clocking. In the same age group Helen Thomson
took the high jump title with a leap of 1.55 and Stacey Quaye just missed out on
a medal in the shot despite putting a new best of 8.53.
For the under 15s Sandra
Alaneme was a double championship winner. The Langley Park schoolgirl, as
expected took the high jump, but then showed great versatility to win the shot
as well with 8.92. Anita Oliver was second with 8.62, and Harriet Robinson’s
reward for a new long jump of best of 4.37 was a bronze medal.
At the other end of the age
range, there were fireworks in the over 65s shot putt as Gordon Hickey won the
Southern Counties Vets Championships title with a new United Kingdom record of
13.29. Not to be out done sprightly Jim Day won both the high jump and pole
vault and also picked up silver in the triple jump.
Outdoors there was more
success for the Club when they hosted the final round of the Kent Womens and
Young Athletes League at Sparrows Den, Hayes. Highlight of the afternoon was
a clean sweep of the leading places in the junior mens race with Daniel
Ayrton leading home Andrew Rayner and Matthew Lucht. William Bolton was 2nd
in the under 17s.
Good packing in the under 13s
race from Tom Beach, Matthew Greene, Stephen Leach and Dale Willis ensured 2nd team place on the day and 1st
overall for the season. The under 15s were also 2nd on the day and 2nd
for the season.
Aimee Boyle completed an
excellent first season in the under 13s age group with a 7th place
and in the same race there was a promising debut in 15th position
from Karen Morley. Sam Singer was 3rd in the under 20s and Ann Cilia
15th in the seniors.
Martin Airey led home the
senior mens team at the Kent Mens
League race at Swanley with a fine 7th place, while there were
noteworthy performances further down the field from two of the Clubs leading
veterans. 49 year old Ken Daniel warmed up for this weekends National Indoor
Championships with an excellent 32nd place and 51 year old Hugh
Morten made an astonishing return to competition. The Welsh rarebit, who claims
to feel half his age, beat many a 20-something athlete when he closed in a fine
39th, nearly making the scoring team.
This weekend sees the climax
of the winter cross country season with the National Championships taking place
at Stowe school in Buckinghamshire. Having won the Southern title at the end of
January, the senior team are strengthened by the return of Mark Steinle after a
period of altitude training in South Africa. The British number one over the
half marathon distance is in high spirits having recently been chosen as a
member of the London Marathon endurance squad. As a result, under the scheme
administered by UK Athletics, he is entitled to receive benefits to the value of
£2,500 including medical insurance, physiotherapy, sports clothing and
equipment and overseas training, all of which will help as he prepares for his
debut at this years London Marathon.
He teams up with Southern
Champion Dave Taylor as the team who finished 3rd last year attempt
to regain the National crown they last won in 1995. They will face strong
competition from Midlands clubs Birchfield Harriers and Tipton, as well as Sale,
Salford, Bingley and Morpeth from the North. The Club should also feature
prominently in the Junior Mens race.
15 February 2000
Blackheath Harrier Dave
Heath just missed out on selection for the British team for the World Cross
Country Championships when he finished 6th in the Short Course Trials
race at Wollaton Park, Nottingham.
It was a gallant effort from
Heath who had not raced since November because of injury. Only the first three
at Nottingham were guaranteed selection and, when the remaining places were
chosen, Heath missed out as Barnsley’s John Mayock, currently racing indoors,
was included at his expense.
Had he been able to race a few
times before the Trials he may well have gained that extra sharpness which might
have secured a place in the team for which he was Britain’s first finisher
last year. As it was, his time of 12.16 over the 4km course was only 12 seconds
behind the winner and 4 seconds off 5th place. The top five all made
the team.
Joe Mills, one of the Clubs
winning team at the Southern Championships, was not far behind. He finished 24th
in 12.38.
The Trials were incorporated
into the Inter Counties Championships which meant there a number of other
Heathens in action across the age groups.
Daniel Ayrton was an
impressive 25th in the Under 20 mens race with Lee Cooper in 51st and
Andrew Rayner 97th. In the girls race Cath Castledine was 4th
scorer for the Kent team in 83rd with Sam Singer in 123rd.
William Bolton continued his
excellent winter form finishing 27th in the Under 17s race and
helping Kent to bronze medals in the team race. Kate Bugler continues to
improve. Fifth at the County Championships last month, she was Kent’s 3rd
scorer in 147th.
The Club appear to be
developing the nucleus of a very useful Senior womens team with Jenny Butler
closing in 74th and Siobhan Budd 91st. Jack Gorman took 97th
in the under 13 boys race in his first Inter Counties.
Indoors, Julian Golding was in
action in the Ricoh Tour, a series of four races across Europe culminating in
next Sundays sell out event at Birmingham’s Indoor Arena. On Friday he won his
200metre race in Ghent, Belgium, timing a useful 21.14.
The Tour moved to Lievin in
France on Sunday where the Commonwealth Champion was beaten into 3rd
place despite clocking a swift 20.91. From there he races in Stockholm on
Thursday, before his date in the Midlands.
Golding is a former member of
the Clubs successful Junior team, having first competed for the Club in 1992,
and many of the Clubs stars of the future have been in impressive indoor form
recently. At the AAAs Indoor Under 20s Championships at Birmingham Fabian
Collymore took 3rd in the under 17s 200 in 22.64, an outstanding
performance since he is in the first year in the age group.
Collymore was the Clubs only
medallist but there were a number of near misses as he was 4th in the
60 metres and there were 4ths also for Nange Ursell and Mark Awanah in the under
20s age group in the 200 metres and the long jump.
For the girls Katy Porter was
6 hundredths of a second off a medal when she finished 6th in the 60
metre hurdles. Anisha Barnaby made the semi finals of the 60 metres timing 8.01.
There was more success at the
Crystal Palace Open Meeting with Emeka Udechuku winning the Senior Mens shot
with a putt of 17.11. Simon Tolson won the pole vault with 3.60 having seen some
of the athletes he coaches achieve success in the younger age groups. Sandra
Alaneme soared over 1.55 to win the Under 15s high jump, a height that was
equalled by Helen Thompson in finishing 2nd in the under 17s event.
In the long jump Katy
Benneworth was just short of 5 metres, while there was a best of 4.33 for
Harriet Robinson in the Under 15s along with encouraging performances from
Jessica Porter and Claire Cooper. In the shot there was a good 2nd
place from Anita Oliver with 8.00 metres. Tom Robinson continued his excellent
season with a new best in the pole vault to win the under 17s competition.
Other results. Under 17 girls
60 metres Abi Jacobs 8.7
60 hurdles Katy Benneworth 9.7
Under 15s 60 metres Harriet
Robinson 8.9. Under 13s 60 metres Clare Cooper 9.1.
8 February 2000
Many of Blackheath
Harriers youngsters have earned places in the London Borough of Bromley team for
the London Mini Marathon which is run in conjunction with the full marathon race
on April 16th. In the trials race at Norman Park, the Club had four
individual winners in the six age group races for boys and girls.
With only the first 5
finishers from each race guaranteed a place in the Borough team, competition was
strong, but, in the 15-17 year old age group, William Bolton was a runaway
winner in the boys race. Good runs from Andrew Moreton and Daniel Snow meant the
Club had the first three finishers while for the girls Kate Bugler took 4th
position to secure her place in the team.
There was a double celebration
in the Bugler household as her sister Eve won the 13-14 year olds race. Colin
Norris won the boys race with Michael Shirley in 5th.
The Club dominated the boys
11-12 year olds race with 5 finishers in the first 6. Chris Mumford won the race
with Stephen Leach 2nd , Tim Smedley 3rd, Matthew Green 4th
and Dale Willis 6th. For the girls Bromley Primary Schools cross
country champion Aimee Boyle ensured she will be one of the Borough’s youngest
representatives at London when she finished 3rd to secure a mini
marathon debut.
Eight athletes will eventually
represent each team with 2 more places given to athletes of proven ability who
were unable to attend the trials and the remaining place being drawn randomly
from the athletes who competed in the trial race. Here again the Club was
successful, with Richard Daniel 9th in the 11-12 year olds race being
pulled out of the hat and then, in a remarkable coincidence, his brother
Christopher, 6th in the 15-17 year olds race, had his name drawn too.
The London Marathon
race itself will include some of the Clubs top runners bidding for places
in the British Olympic team for Sydney, Australia with Mark Steinle, the fastest
Briton over the half marathon distance last year, making his full marathon. He
will be joined by Commonwealth Games 4th placer Dave Taylor as well
as National Cross Country bronze medallist Spencer Newport and Southern 5th
placer Andy Arrand. As well as these many of the next tier of the Club’s
athletes will be in action striving to improve personal bests and raise money
for charity.
Indoors at the AAAs Under 20s
Championships in Birmingham Dwayne Grant had an eventful weekend. Having just
returned from sharpening work in America, he just missed out on a medal in the
60 metres. He timed 6.94, the same time as 3rd place, but missed out
on the bronze by the thickness of a vest.
Grant’s main event is the
200 metres, but here disaster struck as, in his heat, he ran outside his lane on
the tight bends and was disqualified. He will now race in Cardiff this weekend
in an attempt to impress the Great Britain selectors for the forthcoming Indoor
International.
Many of the Club’s top
distance runners will be in action this weekend at Nottingham in the Inter
Counties Championships which include the trials for the Great Britain team for
the World Cross Country Championships. Dave Heath looks set to return to action
in the short course race after missing much of the winter with injury. Heath was
Britain’s leading finisher in last year’s short course race at the Worlds.
Others set to compete include
Andy Arrand, Jenny Butler, Jeremy Bradley and Siobhan Budd in the Senior races
plus Sam Singer, Cath Castledine, Lee Cooper, Andrew Rayner, William Bolton,
Stuart Simmons, Kate Bugler, Colin Norris and Jack Gorman in the younger age
groups.
1 February 2000
Blackheath
Harriers scored a remarkable team victory at the Southern Cross Country
Championships at Parliament Hill as the Senior Men won the title for a
magnificent 7th time in the last 8 years. Going into the race, the
chances of retaining the title didn’t look good, as the Club’s 3 individual
winners from the last four years, Mark Steinle, Spencer Newport and Tim
Dickinson were all unavailable. However, sensationally the Club again provided
the individual champion as Dave Taylor, who has been so close to winning in
recent years, pulled away on the last lap to win by 20 seconds.
It
was a hard fought victory as at half way Taylor was over 50 metres down on
Boxhill Racer, Paul Haywood. However, calling on the reserves of strength which
took him to 4th place in the Commonwealth Games Marathon, he drew
level at the end of the second of the three lap 9 mile course, before moving
clear for victory.
Behind
Taylor, in a field of over a 1000 runners, a titanic battle was in progress in
the team race. Andy Arrand took 5th in his first Southern and Joe
Mills was an outstanding 12th, but there was a large gap to the Clubs
final 3 scorers.
Roared
on by the Clubs supporters Jeremy Bradley (51st), Roy Smith (58th)
and Giles Clifford (85th) fought for every place to secure the
coveted team prize.
Team
manager Ian Wilson was delighted with the result. “Dave Taylor’s individual
win was well deserved after his consistently high placings in recent years. The
Club win was the result of a true “team” effort. With Spencer, Tim and Dave
Heath all injured; others running at the Indoors; and Mark Steinle altitude
training; I thought there might be a slim chance of a top 3 placing. On the day
the quality of our elite squad showed just how difficult we are to beat.”
This
was the climax to an afternoon which saw Bromley based Club’s athletes
competing in all 10 of the various age group races for men and women and, while
there were no other medal winners, there were, nevertheless, a number of
commendable performances.
In
the Senior Womens race, Jenny Butler, in her first year in the sport, was 37th
and Siobhan Budd would have been higher than her final 86th place had
she not had to stop to retrieve her shoe.
The
Junior men were just outside the medals in 5th with Dan Ayrton (18th),
Lee Cooper (19th), Russell Bentley (25th) and Matt Lucht
(54th); and there was a strong showing in the under 17s race with
William Bolton leading the squad home in 13th with Matt Hill 30th
and Stuart Simmons in 42nd.
Kate
Bugler had another good run with 58th place in the under 17 girls and
Cath Castledine (43rd) and Sam Singer (46th) both made the
top 50 in the junior womens race.
Eve
Bugler and Raymond Perkins led in the squads in the under 15 age groups in 104th
and 66th; and there was another big hearted effort from Aimee
Boyle in the under 13 girls race, where against girls over 2 years older she
finished 125th. Tom Beech was first under 13 boy in 97th.
Indoors
at the AAA’s Championships in Birmingham, there were more spirited efforts
from Blackheath athletes with 20 year old Emeka Udechuku finishing 2nd
in the shot putt with a throw of 17.06.
On
the track Julian Golding had to settle for 3rd place in the 200 after
running the fastest time in the world this year in his semi final with a 20.89
clocking. The Commonwealth Games champion ran two hundredths faster in the final
but was beaten by Cardiff’s Christian Malcolm and Coventry’s Marlon
Devonish. He now has to decide whether to take up selection for the European
Championships in Ghent, Belgium.
Encouragingly
a number of athletes set personal bests. Mensah Elliott, was just 2 hundredths
of a second off a medal in the 60 metre hurdles with a new best of 7.93 and
hopes that his performance will attract the attention of a so far elusive
sponsor, who will support him as he pursues his Olympic dream.
Levi
Edwards was 6th in the long jump in 7.16; and Darren Burley (21.79)
in the 200 and Ruben Tabares (49.29) in the 400 were both faster than ever
before.
Mohammed
Sillah-Freckleton’s 8.12 was just outside his best in the heats of the
hurdles, while Martin Airey and Michael Skinner both made the final of the 1500.
Louisa
Guthrie timed 7.88 in the womens 60 metres and 25.49 in the 200 and 57 year old
Pete Hannell was 9th in the 3000 walk.
The
meeting also include a special 60 metre challenge race for under 17s and here
there was more success for the Club with Fabian Collymore winning in 7.16 in his
first year in the age group.
In
complete contrast, a group of Heathens have just returned from competing in the
Disney Marathon in Florida. The race was an unforgettable experience starting
with a firework display at 6 am in the morning as the runners began the 26 mile
run around the Walt Disney road system and theme park. The Disney characters
were all out in force to cheer the runners. No one ran particularly fast times
but then it is not everyday a runner gets the chance to stop and shake hands
with Mickey Mouse and Pluto.
John
Turner was the first Heathen home in 3 hrs 19 minutes with all the rest
finishing inside 5 hours.
