News

By Rob Earle In ideal conditions, the Harriers throws group held the first of two development meetings during August on Thursday 8th. These are an excellent opportunity for athletes and officials to display and develop their skills. Without the burden of travel and drawn out programmes. Making the most of this, with new club records were Wyatt Larkins and Olivia Simon who returned figures of 39.06m and 31.77m respectively. The latter breaking the long standing Under 15 girls 4k record. With Wyatt now moving to the top of the British rankings for the under 13’s in 2019. Not to be... read more

The final EYAL match of the year took place at the plush Allianz Park, Hendon on Sunday 11 August 2019. Harriers went onto the meet placed ninth in the League and needed to finish the day in fifth or above to confirm their place in the plate final.  However, with athletes dropping like flies, the situation was looking precarious. Despite fielding less than forty athletes in total, most took on three scoring events in order to add to the team tally and averaged an amazing 12.9 points each.  Without the B scorers –often covering events they have very little experience of -... read more

On Sunday 21 July, eight counties including Essex went head to head with their best U17 athletes in the annual Intercounties match, this year held at Chelmsford Athletics Centre. Earning her first ever Essex vest was 15-year-old Josephine Larkin from Braintree, who has been a very lucrative signee for Harriers this season.  Competing in the U17 women’s Hammer, Larkins as B string enjoyed a great competition.  Her very first effort gained her a superb PB, adding a metre to her original best with a heave of 48.53m.  This put her into the final throw off where although she... read more

Colchester Harriers slipped to 15th position in the Southern Athletics League division one; in the relegation zone after a tough day in Bracknell, despite a club record from under 17 athlete Kai Chilvers. Chilvers ran a superb time of 60.1s to take the fourteen year old club record by almost a second and help himself to third place in the A string 400m hurdles race. He was backed up by a superb double victory for sprinter Akin Y Akinboh in the A string 100m and 200m with times of 11.0s and 22.2s. For the women, Milly Presland continued her good form with a super B string victory in... read more

Following on from their 2018 men’s triple whitewash win in the seniors, over 40’s and over 50’s  mens races at the Ekiden 6 leg Marathon relay, the club made it a double treble at Woodbridge school, also busting two existing course records. The Senior men swept to victory for the third consecutive year in a time of 2h 24m 45s thanks to Ramadam Osman, Ermeas Aferwerki, Dean Williamson, Jason Gunn, Nath Filer and Mark McKeown. The veteran 40’s set a new course record in 2h 29m 51s the six man team being Doug MacGilvray, Kevin Higgins, Adrian Mussett, Jon Nears, Paul Rodger and... read more

The 89th English Schools Athletics Championships took place at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham over Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July. Showcasing some of the best athletes of each county in the country for the honour of being crowned English Schools Champion in their respective age and event, athletes had to have been selected by their County Team Manager in order to compete. Harriers were privileged this year to have three youngsters selected and for senior girl Joy Ogunleye 2019 will be a year to remember.  A veteran of five previous Championships which saw her earn two... read more

By Chris Jeggo The South of England Intercounty Championships took place at The Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford, Kent on Sunday 14th July 2019. This senior team competition comprising of seven counties, with each county being permitted to field an A and B athlete across the range of track and field events, with points being allocated to the county, based on the athlete’s position. The accumulation of these points would decide the women’s, men’s and then combined county champions. First up was Billy Praim-Singh throwing the Hammer. Having competed in multi events for the club in the... read more

A severe delay on route to Cambridge for the penultimate match of the year for the junior green vests could easily have spelled disaster for any hopes of maintaining a top twelve league finish.  However, swift thinking by those who had managed to arrive in time and a day of lengthy team changes by Team Manager Michelle Martin-Whymark and parent helpers, meant all was not lost. At the end of a remarkable day with the team showing not just talent and resilience but great spirit, and despite an already depleted team, those who were able to attend, rose to the occasion and amassed a... read more

Adrian Mussett continues to fly the flag for top class road running in Colchester.  Although 47 he still produced a quality performance to finish first veteran and ninth overall in the prestigious Lord Mayors 5km race held in Norwich city centre clocking a very impressive 15m 48s. Andy Jobling was runner up at the tough off road North Downs Marathon held from Reigate clocking 3h 44m although going off course early on, Allen Smalls was 3rd in 3h 48m, while Fay Smalls clocked 2h 58m in the Half Marathon event. In the Mile event at the night of the 10,000s in London, Paul Rodgers ran... read more

Colchester Harriers tradition of producing national quality off road ultra runners  continues to flourish with Nath Filer and Allen Smalls both excelling in the weekends events. The Lowestoft to Felixstowe Pier to Pier run was held over 58 blistering hot miles, Nath Filer is an expert at continuous running and won the race in 8 hours 46 minutes over 2 and a half hours clear of second place. Allen Smalls never tires from top class performances and in the very high quality North Downs 30km was a fine 9th over all in a very large field. Smalls was also the first over 50 male , and... read more