Winning Finale to Harriers’ Season

By Paul Young

The Final SAL match of the season took place at a blustery but thankfully sunny Garrison track in Colchester on Saturday. The Harriers needed to win the match to have any chance of staying in the top division. First reports are that Harriers have won the match by a single point subject to verification – Reports and publication of the final table on the SAL website now verify that Colchester Harriers will continue to compete in the top division by 7.5 points

A massive well done to the athletes competing in the green vests of Colchester, you competed with pride and passion and produced an array of results to be proud of.

Colchester dominated the sprints with Rebecca Jeggo and Joy Ogunleye showing their class to win the A&B women’s 100m. Charlie Dobson also showed his class in the men’s 100m winning with total ease. We wish these three talented athletes all the best as they head up to the British championships in Birmingham next weekend. A credit to the club and head sprints coach Steve Garnham.

Not to be outdone Akin Akinboah stormed to victory in the 100m B string in 11:00.

 In the 200m it was more of the same as Joy Ogunleye breezed home in the A string race and young U17 Maya Rattray ran a brilliant 2nd place in the B string.

In the Men’s 200m Akin Akinboah ran a terrific bend and held on well for the win in 22.3 In the B string 400m specialist Jake Young again ran a brilliant bend then eased away in the home straight to win in 22.8.

In the 400m Stacey Eyers ran just outside her PB to finish 4th in the A race, while young sprinter Jenny Palmer once again ran her heart out for a convincing win and a well-earned PB in blustery conditions in 63.7. There is definitely more to come from this young lady now under the guidance of top sprints Coach Steve Garnham.

In the men’s 400m Jake Young was in total control from the gun taking another win for the Harriers in a very good time of 49.7. Sam Shippey gave his all in the B string race taking another win in 52.5.

Not to be outdone by the sprinters The Harriers also dominated the throwing events on the day, lead by the Hammer throwers.

In the woman’s Hammer, Megan Larkins blew the field away with a winning throw of 53.99m, in the B string competition Josephine Larkins showed her class with a winning throw of 45.99m. In the Men’s event James Hamblin continued his recent good form with another win and a massive throw of 59.07m. He was backed up well by Billy Praim – Singh who made it a clean sweep launching the Hammer out to 56.43m and a new PB.

There was a fantastic Javelin competition taking place with Harriers Paul Cooper competing and throwing a seasons best of 51m to take 2nd place the winning throw was a massive 66.24m and 4th place was 40.31 In the B string Sam Higgins was lying in 2nd place and needed to surpass 44.42s to take the win, Sam duly obliged with a throw of 45.65m for another Harriers win. In the woman’s Javelin, young Aliya Soames threw her best ever throw to take valuable points in the A string, a magnificent PB  measuring 29.27m  gave her 3rd place in a strong competition. Well done to coach Rick Thompson that 30m throw is not far away. Josephine Larkins stepped up for the B string to add to the Harriers points’ total.

In the woman’s Discus Megan Larkins threw a brilliant 36.09m to take the win, with Josephine Larkins again scoring valuable points in the B string.

In the men’s discus it was time for Harriers stalwart Rob Earle to step up for what is to be his final competition in the green vest. Rob took 2nd place with a throw of 36.19m whilst Billy Praim-Singh took 2nd in the B string. Rob may not be throwing for the Harriers in the future, but he has built a strong squad to take into 2020 including some exciting youngsters coming through.

In the men’s shot James Hamblin and Billy Praim Singh both took 2nd place, and in the women’s shot Meg Larkins took 3rd place in the A string and then Victoria Utti threw a superb PB of 8.78m to take the win in the B string and score more valuable points for the team.

Back on track.

The men’s 800m proved to be a tremendous race with Harriers athletes Sam Higgins and Tom Palmer taking it out hard. It went right to the wire with Sam taking the win in 2:00.1 and Tom 2nd in 2:00.3 most importantly another 2 wins for the team.

In the women’s 800m Stacey Eyers fought hard all the way to claim an excellent 2nd place, while Jenifer Lovelock finished strongly to take another 2nd place in the B string.

In the 1500m Milly Presland ran a hard race to take 3rd place. Aiko Hennington responded well to the support in the home straight to finish well and take maximum points for the B string win.

In the 1500m men’s race Oscar Dawson went out hard then hung on well to take 2nd spot in 4:21.0. In the B string race Joe Patterson looked finished coming into the final lap but as he rounded the final bend, spurred on by the Harriers support, he gave his all with one final push to take the B string win and more valuable points for the club.

In the men’s 5000m it was yet again another Harriers domination, Ramadam Osman ran a controlled race in difficult conditions to take the win backed up brilliantly by the ever ready Chris Sellens who took the B string win.

In the woman’s 3000m Aiko Hennington ran a superb race just missing out on the win finishing 2nd in 10:54.2. Jenifer Lovelock, seemingly spurred on by the cheering crowd at the finish line, came home strongly to take the B string win and more valuable points.

With none of our hurdlers available for the match, Samantha Hart stepped up in the 400m H and ran a tremendous race to finish in 2nd place. In the 100m H It was Jenny Lovelock’s turn to run for the team gaining a valuable 4th place. For the men U17 Kai Chilvers took on the A string 400mH running a fine 61.2 for 3rd place. Michael Smith also ran an impressive 70.8 to take 2nd place in the B string race.

In the 110m High Hurdles with the experienced Matt Rose out injured it was down to Michael Smith and Sam Higgins, neither had tried the event before, but scored valuable points with Michael in 4th and Sam coming 3rd.” How valuable could those points be?”

In the Jumps Jake Young stood in for the injured Joe Wilkin and equalled his PB with 1.55m for 4th. Jimi Sijuwola took 4th in the B string with 1.50m. In the woman’s HJ Chanel took 3rd place and Megan Stevens took 4th in the B string High jump.

In the Women’s Long Jump Maya Rattray and Milly Presland both took a valuable 3rd place and in the men’s competition Joe Clark jumped 5.25m for 3rd place and Akin Akinboh jumped 5.21m to take a 2nd place in the B string.

In the men’s Triple Jump U17 Joe Clark continued his recent good form leaping to 11.31m for 3rd place backed up well by Kai Chilvers who took 2nd in the B string with 9.74m.

In the men’s Pole Vault Gavin Sandercock competed in the A string jumping 2.40m for a tremendous PB and in the B string Simon Morgan cleared 2.00m claiming another PB and equalling the V50 club record.

Back on the track the steeplechase men were ready to go. Victor Steinward started strongly and stayed strong to take a convincing win just outside his PB in 7:05.6. He was backed up well by Ben Halls in the B string, again responding well to the home cheers, gave his all in the final 30m to take a well-deserved win.

In the woman’s 2000m S/C Milly Presland not long after her 1500m run ran well to take a brilliant 2nd place along with Samantha Hart again showing her hurdling skills to take the B string win. So onto the final events of the day.

In the woman’s 4 x 100m relay and with tension mounting, Maya Rattray, Joy Ogunleye, Hannah James and Rebecca Jeggo executed near perfect baton changes to win with ease, taking the senior club record with a super time of 48.8s previous best being 49.2.

Not to be out done the men lined up, Jimi Sijuwola, Akin Aknboh, Jake Young and Charlie Dobson mirrored the girls with some really slick changeovers they too won with ease and also claimed a new club record with a scorching time of 42.7 previous best 43.54. But most importantly on the day yet another Harriers win.

In the 4 x 400 men’s relay Jake Young, Sam Higgins, Kai Chilvers, and Sam Shippey ran their hearts out for a vital 2nd place.

 The woman’s 4 x 400 team Stacey Eyers, Jennifer Lovelock, Samantha Hart, and Jenny Palmer ran a gallant race, after a long day to finish in  3rd place and close the meeting. This was a brilliant effort on the day from all athletes, officials, and anybody else involved on the day. The support for the team on the day was immense and a fitting finale for managers Louise Stevens (woman) and Jacqui Young (men) who will be standing down  at the end of the season