News

Colchester Harriers continued their successful start to the season with an impressive medal haul at the Essex County Road Relay Championships, held at the town’s Northern Gateway Sports Complex. Colchester’s strong women’s team were once again in scintillating form, winning 4 medals across the four age group competitions.  New girl Lucy Davies got the whole event off to a flyer, her time of 17:11 for the 3 mile leg, the second fastest woman’s time of the day, ensuring Harriers Senior A team had a healthy lead after the first leg.  Davies was then brilliantly backed up by... read more

The closing date for entries into the 2022 Outdoor Track & Field Championships has been amended to 29th April 2022. Coaches please ensure that your athletes are aware of this change.... read more

Colchester Harriers’ athletes enjoyed another successful weekend of competition as they chalked up wins in local half marathons in Harwich and Debden as well as a host of good performances further afield in London, Manchester and Shropshire. The Mayflower 400 Harwich Half Marathon, the first time the town has hosted such an event for 30 years, saw Harriers men fill eight of the top twenty places.  Enjoying perfect conditions and watched by a good crowd Jordan Middlemist broke the finishing tape to come home first in 1:12:40, a Personal Best (PB) by over 7 minutes.  He was closely... read more

Colchester Harriers’ junior and senior athletes continue to impress nationally with some notable performances across the country at the weekend. Rising star Lyla Belshaw was at Pembrey Country Park in Wales representing England in the SIAB Schools International against the other home countries.  On a bright, sunny day she finished in an excellent fourth position as her England team-mates filled the first six positions to comfortably see off the competition. Lyla Belshaw finishes fourth in her first run in an England vest at Pembrey in Wales. Meanwhile in Milton Keynes... read more

Colchester Harriers’ group of young athletes continues to impress, with three excellent performances at the English Schools’ Cross-Country Championships at Paddock Wood in Kent.  Lyla Belshaw, representing Essex, finished in a remarkable 8th position overall gaining her selection for the English schools’ team in the process whilst Isla Widdowson finished 85th and second Suffolk athlete home.  In the boys’ event Theo Gardiner, competing for the first time in a major competition, ran an accomplished race to finish 171st and 6th Suffolk athlete to the cross the line. Lyla... read more

On the last Saturday in February three of our junior Harrier girls travelled to north London to experience the iconic National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hills. There were blue skies and calm conditions but as usual on Hampstead Heath the mud underfoot was thick and challenging. Add to this the famous Hill itself, right at the beginning of the race when runners are full of adrenaline and jostling for a good position. In the first race of the day was Under 17 Lizzie Wellsted. Lizzie is in fine form, coming off of a fantastic second place in the Essex XC League race at... read more

Colchester Harriers’ women’s team picked up from where they left off in 2021 by taking the first gold medal of the 2022 Essex County Road race Championships series at the Essex 20, held in windy conditions at Debden.  Heidi Hogan-Steele led the way once again, the in-form Maldon based runner smashing her Personal Best (PB) to cross the line in 2:10:15 to also take the individual gold medal.  Tracy English, whose trophy cabinet has also started to fill up since making the move to Colchester, took individual bronze in a PB of 2:18:18 with Jennifer Lovelock completing the winning... read more

Colchester Harriers’ veteran Colin Ridley continued his run of golden form to clock the fastest indoor mile of all time by a British M60 athlete.  Running in the Ayo Falola Dream Mile at Lee Valley Stadium on Wednesday evening.  Ridley clocked a remarkable 4:58:23 to take more than 20 seconds off the previous mark and so secure his place in the record books.  Ridley was joined at the event by club mate Jon Nears, who won the C race in a Personal Best (PB) 4:53:17. Lee Valley - Men's C Mile - 16 February 2022 - YouTube On Saturday at the Muller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham... read more

Colchester Harriers’ athletes defied the wind and rain to turn out in force for one of the region’s most popular half-marathons at Great Bentley.  The event, which this year doubled as an official England Athletics Age Group Masters qualifying event, attracted a particularly strong field from across the South of England, but Colchester’s runners were still able to figure prominently. The resurgent women’s team again led the way, carrying off the coveted team trophy thanks to a string of fine performances.  Heidi Hogan-Steele continued her incredible run of form to take... read more

Colchester Harriers’ women picked up from where they left off in 2021 as they fought off close competition from both Havering AC and Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets AC to win the Ron Merrie Cup, the trophy awarded to the winners of the annual Essex County Cross-Country Championships. This year’s event, held at a wet and blustery Gloucester Park in Basildon, attracted a strong field from across the county, but saw Colchester’s teamwork pay off with all five of their runners finishing in the top 22. Lydia Callan led the way, with her sixth position finish also gaining her a place in the... read more