News

Saturday 14 October saw not only the sun come back out, but also the inaugural Harriers Mini Run, Jump & Throw competition take place at the track.   30 youngsters ranging from 9 – 16-year-old enjoyed the opportunity to compete in both 150m & 75m sprints, a long jump and an over arm ball throw.  Most of the participating athletes are already part of the Harriers development squad who meet on Sunday mornings and work with Paul Strutt, Annette Bland and Dave Smith.  Others were invited from the Junior waiting list as well as an invitation was sent out to local primary... read more

The Essex Cross Country relay Championships were held at Stubbers outdoor centre at Upminster and although Harriers had weakened teams due to the National Road Relays good results were still found. An early blow was an injury on the first leg to the (A) Teams men’s Jon Nears which meant the team had to retire. However the green vests spirit came through and they were rewarded with team bronze medals in the mixed team of 4 event thanks to Sarah Stradling, Rebecca Cooke, Mark Harrod and Richard Heath. Harriers fielded 20 teams on the day with the under 17 men's team of Ermeas Afewerki,... read more

Great Effort in National Final by Green vests Colchester Harriers appeared in the National 6 x 6km stage Road running final at Sutton park Birmingham after qualifying at Crystal palace two weeks previous. With the best 90 teams in the country it was going to be tough, Harriers ran superbly throughout against top class company to finish 54th. Times and finishing positions were 37 Ramadam Osman 18:29, 27 Jordan Rowe 18:08, 49 Nathan Filer 20:46, 58 Oscar Dawson 20:57, 58 Chris Sellens 20:30, 54 Adrian Mussett 18:51. Swansea Harriers were the winners in 1:45:16 with the fastest leg runner Dewi... read more

Tiptree 10 The Tiptree 10 mile road race saw a great 2nd place for Angus Holford in 54:45 minutes, Colchester Harriers won the male team thanks to Colin Ridely, Keith Marley, Andy Jobling and Tom Cresswell, with Laura Shewbridge running brilliantly to be the overall ladies winner and first Veteran in a new standard of 64.47 . Good times came from Paul Rodgers and Richard Boden who ran a personal best 65:23. Also knocking 3 minutes off his best ever was Chris Patton. Colin Ridley as well as being in the winning team was 7th overall in 58.59 and first veteran over 50. Louise Yates also ran a... read more

Harriers qualify for National final in Birmingham Colchester Harriers travelled to compete in the Southern Road Championship qualifier at Crystal Palace held over 6 x 6km legs with the first 25 clubs gaining a place in the national final at Birmingham in two weeks against the top 25 from the North and Midlands qualifiers. With a very good team of Jordan Rowe, Oscar Dawson, Adrian Mussett, Nathan Filer, Ramadam Osman, and Mark Harrod, it looked good for the green vests but the standard is exceptional. Rowe ran a superb first leg for 14th spot, and it was then up to the team to grind out a... read more

Dedham 10k Ramadam Osman scorched to victory in the hilly Dedham 10km in 33:31, with team mate Joe Alaxandra 3rd 35:10 on his full debut for the green vests. Richard Heath was 4th ( 1st Veteran ) 35:25, just pipping team mate Nathan Filer 5th 35:26 on the line, to give the Harriers a comfortable team victory over Ipswich Jaffa. Racewalker Daniel king showed what a superb runner he is finishing 6th in 35:27, then came Keith Marley 11th 37:55 and Richard Flutter 12th 38:48. Richard Boden was 2nd veteran over 50 and 14th overall in 39:27, Craig Mitchell just got into the top 20 in 40:24. Others... read more

Competing on the same bill as world class Athletes, Charlie Dobson had been invited to attend the Great North City Games as part of a team of U19 athletes who finished in the top four places in the finals of the Senior Men's 100m and 200m at the English Schools Championships event held in Birmingham in July this year.   For this year’s spectacle, founder and Chair of the Great North Run/City Games, Brendan Foster, was keen to invite representatives of the next generation to gain further competition experience, and approached the English Schools Athletics Association to provide a... read more

Saturday 9 September saw the Southern Inter counties U15 and U20 match featuring 16 counties compete at Horspath, Oxford. Four Harrier ladies competed for their home county as their last Track and Field outing in what has been a busy season. After a two hour delay due to a serious injury in warm up, the under 15 girls pole vault competition finally got underway. Olivia Simon, who only received the call up a week ago and still an U13 athlete was representing Essex for the first time did well to clear 2.40m in wet and blustery conditions, finishing in a creditable sixth place and gaining... read more

  On Saturday 26 August Olivia Simon competed her first ever Hammer competition at the London Inter Club Challenge Open in Hendon.  The series of four summer competitions give athletes the chance to gain further experience in a quality field with electronic timing and EDM in the field.  Simon, who has literally only had a couple of training sessions with Rob Earle came away with a new PB of 26.90m and a 7th place ranking in the UK for her age. For information for next year, keep a look out on http://www.londonathletics.org/licc   On Bank Holiday Monday, 28 August... read more

Ideal conditions on Saturday 26 August saw Henry Lawes and Graig Anya Joseph take on the might of the fastest boys in the country over 100m on the first day of the England Athletics U15 /U17 Championships held at Bedford International Stadium. In his first ever national championship and only his fifth meet of the year, a nervous Lawes managed to bag himself a new PB (11.65s) and a place in the semi-final following a fourth-place finish in a heat which saw him drawn alongside the English Schools Champion Jaleel Roper. Going into the competition as one of the favourites can put a lot of... read more