Harriers Youngsters Shine on National Stage
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.
Meanwhile Harriers’ senior athletes got into the swing of Spring Half Marathon season with a string of excellent performances at events across the South of England.
Dan Widdowson and Colin Ridley led the way at Stowmarket – Widdowson clocking 1:18:14 to finish fifth on the undulating course, equalling his Personal Best (PB) in the process whilst the evergreen Ridley came home in 1:21:49 to finish 12th overall and first V60. Seb Eaton also had a strong run at Regent’s Park, finishing in 1:29:53 to place ninth, Jack McGuire managed a PB of his own at Fleet in Hampshire, running 1:21:04 whilst Simon Miller (1:42:57) and Rosanna Holden (2:01:41) enjoyed good runs closer to home at Brentwood.
In other action on the roads Harriers enjoyed a one-two at the Dave Wright 15 in Colchester with Andrew Jobling first in 1:33:28 finishing just ahead of Jason Gunn in 1:33:41. Richard Millward ran 1:51:35 and Chris Stevenson 1:59:47, whilst Paul Rodgers won the 7.5 mile race in 46:53, Lee Holohan and Dave Hilson both clocking 55:02.
Colchester also enjoyed a trio of first finishes in the weekend’s Parkrun programme with Jordan Middlemist running a very rapid 16:14 on the hilly Colchester Castle course and Adrian Musset (16:12) and Sarah Stradling (20:54) first male and female at Marks Hall.