News

Report written by Paul Dellar The Harriers were well represented at the big local road race of the weekend with 22 runners among the 700 lining up on the start line of the Great Bentley Half Marathon.  Mark McKeown was first home for the club on a blustery, grey morning, running 1:16:46 to finish in 17th position and just edge out team-mate Jason Gunn who finished just one place behind with the same time.  Andrew Jobling was next to come across the line, posting 1:17:49, Dan Widdowson clocked 1:18:31 whilst Colin Ridley was first V55 home in a sprightly 1:21:05.  Jon Nears... read more

The South of England indoor Senior Athletic Championships at Lee Valley over the weekend of 1st and 2nd of February, saw two Colchester Harrier athletes making their first appearance of the 2020 indoor season. Joe Wilkin competed in the Senior Men's 60m on Saturday and posted a time of 7.47s in his heat. Rebecca Jeggo opened up her year with a gold medal performance, winning her heat with such ease she cruised through to the final where she again reacted to the gun superbly and maintained her lead through to the finish line in a time of 24.80s, to the start the year in the best... read more

Images: Allen Smalls Colchester Harriers’ senior men’s team cross country team took on some of the best clubs in the country at the South of England Cross Country Championships, finishing in a highly creditable 23rd place.  Ram Osman was first home for the club, completing the challenging 8.5 mile Parliament Hill course in 54:02 to finish in the top 100 in a top class field of more than a 1,200 runners.  Chris Sellens crossed the line in 175th followed by Cameron Humphries who finished in 228th, despite losing a shoe in the mud.  Dan Widdowson was next, in 271st,... read more

Four months after claiming a win at the EYAL Plate Final, fourteen year old Jakub Walecki, continued his fine form by opening up 2020 as a first year U17 with an emphatic first place and new PB. Competing at the London U13,U15,U17 Games held at Lee Valley over the weekend of 25th and 26th January, Walecki - now coached by Steve Garnham - looked confident and relaxed as he got into his rhythm as one of the youngest competitors in the field. He won with a height of 1.88m just missing going clear of the next height of 1.91m. This new PB places him 6th in the UK for his age and is a... read more

Ram Osman continued his fast start to 2020 by claiming victory in the 30th running of the Benfleet 15 in sunny conditions on the South Essex coast.  Osman completed the gruelling, muddy 15 mile off-road course in a remarkable 1:32:56 to finish over a minute ahead of second placed finisher, training partner Aaron Graves.  Paul Rodgers was next home for the club, coming home 23rd out of a field of nearly 900 in a time of 1:44:23, with Gavin Scanlan not far behind in 31st in 1:47:13.  James Wright recorded 1:48:41 as Chris Manby shrugged off injury concerns to run strongly to... read more

On Sunday 19 January, Colchester Harriers were represented by three youngsters at the 2020 Sportshall UK Championships East Region Final which saw over 400 athletes compete for the first time at the University of Essex Sports Arena. For Amelie and Megan Taylor this was their second year competing for Team Essex and having not been selected last year, Florence Clark was delighted to join them following successful qualifying rounds held over the past few months in Chelmsford. Sportshall athletics, with its adapted athletic events, is an ideal fun opportunity to learn core skills and be... read more

A huge weekend of cross country running saw Colchester Harriers maintain their challenge on two different fronts. The fourth fixture in the Essex Cross Country League calendar on Saturday saw teams from across the county descend on Colchester’s aptly named Hilly Fields Course.  A good turnout saw Harriers emerge victorious in the senior women’s event –  new girl Kat Rigby leading the way with an impressive eighth position, closely followed by Heidi Steele (9th) with veteran Denise Morley (13th) and Andrea James (15th) completing the scoring team.  The Harriers’... read more

Colchester Harriers’ ladies continued their run of success at the Essex County Cross Country Championships at a sunny Gloucester Park, Basildon.  Milly Presland led the way, running a strong race to secure the overall bronze medal in the U17 Women’s race whilst in the senior women’s race Laura Hubbard (14th) combined with Sarah Stradling (17th), Kat Rigby (an excellent 22nd on her club debut) and Denise Morley (23rd) to come away with the team bronze.  The ladies B team comprising Andrea James (26th), Ella Jeffries (40th), Becky Cooke (46th) and Tina Southgate (58th) placed an... read more

Marshals required for both the course and the for car parking As fixture hosts we are required to marshal the course which requires at least 12 people plus 2 car park assistants. The first of five races starts at 10:30 with the final race starting at 12:45. Car park assistants are required from 9:15 to 12:15. Marshals are required from 9:50 to 13:45. If you are able to help please add your name to the list on the club notice board by 7th January or respond to this post by e-mailing me - [email protected]. A number of volunteers have already offered to marshal the junior... read more

Competitors once again battled it out for the Markham Cup  in the Annual Boxing Day Runners v Riders event at Friday Woods now in its 89th year. Though the conditions of the extended course were challenging with a mixture of muddy Essex clay and woodland trails this seemed to have little effect on the confident cyclists who dominated the race from the start, led by the highly rated individual winner 19 year old Cameron Hurst who flew round the 4 1/2 mile course in 19m 29secs, this was the fourth time he has won this race – a unique achievement.  The team event was... read more