RELAY
Issue 8: 27thJanuary 2011: Communicating with Members
HART STRIKES GOLD AT IPC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!
It’s Gold again for Birchfield Harrier and Paralympian Katrina Hart! At the IPC World Championships in New Zealand she was crowned the T36 200m Champion, as she added an impressive global victory to her gold at the Commonwealth Games last October. “That was even better than Delhi,” said the University of Bath-based athlete who clocked a new lifetime best and European Record of 30.11 (-0.7m/s). “I’m really happy, it’s amazing...it was tough though, I had to work really hard down the home straight.” Hart was also a member of the Relay team in the women’s T35-38 4 x 100m Relay timed at 58.33sec where they took an excellent bronze!
Hart was unable to make it double gold in Christchurch but raced to a new lifetime best and second bronze medal when finishing third in the 100m in 14.26sec (+0.9m/s). “I wish the race was 80m,” said a rather dejected Bath-based athlete, albeit with a smile. “I thought I was going great but it just started to fall apart at the point where I’m usually strongest. I won gold in the 200m but I prefer the 100m because I like to blow everyone away – it just didn’t happen today.”
Harriers other representative at the Games, wheelchair racer and T53 100m World Record holder Mickey Bushell was hugely disappointed to finish second in his short-sprint final (14.86 (+0.5m/s)) in the opening track event of the day. The Beijing Paralympic Games silver medallist, who clocked a lifetime best of 14.47sec in Arbon, Switzerland in June 2010, was undoubtedly the favourite going into the race but it was China’s Huzhao Li who took the victory in a new Championship Record (14.82) pushing clear to win in the last few metres. “I have to say I’m disappointed, “said Bushell, “but now I need to pick myself up and focus on my next race. I’ve had the chance to speak to my family and they have been really supportive of me, I couldn’t ask for better support.” Later Bushell took bronze in the 200m in 27.11sec (-1.0m/s) and matched his current world ranking with a third place finish and said; “I’m happy with that, I was just pleased to get through and I’m happy to get onto the podium. I had to calm down after the 100m and maybe being more relaxed helped me.”
HARRIERS TEAM DEPLETED IN YOUNG ATHLETES CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE
Illness and family commitments impacted on Birchfield Harriers performance in the fourth West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League at Nuneaton where the team had to work hard to maintain one of the leading positions overall. Martha Lyddiard ran an excellent race to finish third only 20 seconds behind the winner Abigail Saker from Halesowen A & CC in the Under 11 Girls event and the dynamic duo of Katie Ryder and Hannah-Mai Amory grabbed 5th and 9th places in the Under 13 Girls race both improving on their positions from the third meeting. Chloe Richardson stamped her authority on the Under 17 Women’s race winning by a margin of forty-one seconds and was well supported by Jordanna Beresford-Smith in 5th and the fast improving Laura Muth in 11th to maintain first team position.
Keeping the Richardson name in the frame was Under 13 Boy’s race winner William who won by a clear 20 seconds from Shaun Evans from Royal Sutton Coldfield, with Daniel Kemp not far behind in 4th place. Cameron Shankly ran in 8th in the Under 15 Boys event followed by Robert Stroud in 15th. And in the final race of the day Elliot Giles was in a very close fight finish with Tim Griffith (BRAT) to record yet another win and to help to keep the overall Number 1 team place!
Despite some excellent performances from those turning out in the club vest, the team missed some members who could potentially have scored highly to maintain the clubs lead in the league and despite strong packing by the teams, the Stags dropped into second place overall from leaders Rugby and Northampton whilst still maintaining a substantial lead from third placed Royal Sutton Coldfield. Although delighted with the efforts of those who turned out to support the club the Harriers Team Managers know that there are still honours to be won and will be working hard to encourage all team members to turn out and to ask their parents and friends to support the final meeting at Perry Park, Alexander Stadium on Sunday 6th March.
Results - Under 11 Girls – Overall Team place 2nd. Individual placings were – 3 Martha Liddiard, 17 Eloise Evans, 21 Harriet Woodward, 35 Lucy Brown, 42 Megan Swann, 46 Megan Howat, 74 Donatella Da Silva, 75 Clara Miles, 104 Lauren Butler.
Issue 8: 27thJanuary 2011: Communicating with members RELAY
Under 13 Girls – Overall Team Place 4th. Individual placings were – 5 Katie Ryder, 9 Hannah-Mai Amory 43 Remi Flavell, 53 Ellie Lambrou, 61 Hannah McArthur, 96 Katie Shannon, 113 Ellen Ratcliffe.
Under 15 Girls – Overall Team Place 4th. Individual placings were – 15 Ellie Howat, 43 Georgina Rogers, 53 Aimee Hopcroft, 59 Sophia De Beer, 74 Phoebe Ratcliffe, 75 Lindsey Tyler, 78 Hannah Wardall.
Under 17 Women – Overall Team Place 1st. Individual placings were – 1 Chloe Richardson, 5 Jordanna Beresford-Smith, 11 Laura Muth, 12 Jessica Freeman, 16 Sian Whittingham, 23 Charlotte Foxall, 29 Victoria Greenwood.
Under 11 Boys – Overall Team Place 5th. Individual placings were – 23 Thomas Mansfield, 53 Elliot Richards, 63 William Aylen.
Under 13 Boys – Overall Team Place 1st. Individual placings were – 1 William Richardson, 4 Daniel Kemp, 37 Nigel Isherwood, 40 Elliot Dunn, 44 Max O’Brien, 53 George Taylor- Greenwood, 56 Conal Green, 61 Matthew Mansfield.
Under 15 Boys – Overall Team Place 4th. Individual placings were – 8 Cameron Shankly, 15 Robert Stroud, 21 Theo Blundell, 37 Charlie Hadfield, 51 David James.
Under 17 Men – Overall Team Place 1st. Individual placings were – 1 Elliot Giles, 10 Jordan Drummond, 14 Ben Griffiths, 28 Patrick Thewlis, 33 Sam Lacey.
HARRIERS YOUNGSTERS IN BIRMINGHAM SPORTSHALL TEAM.
Nine young Birchfield Harriers were selected in the Under 11’s team to represent Birmingham in the West Midlands Sports Hall Finals on Sunday 23rd January. Birmingham Team Manager Sharon Morris expressed her delight at the selections and said that the young club members had worked hard to achieve their present ability levels and that they were all proud to represent their City in the regional finals. The young Stags included in the Birmingham team were – Brandon Powell, Regan Francis, Richard Hewlett, Lauren Francis-Maye, Nichole Birmingham. Melissa Morris, Jesuteniola Arege, Donachae Williams and Tom Spier.
NDAYISENGA AND WALTERS LEAD STAGS HOME IN COVENTRY
Jean Ndayisenga recorded a third straight win in the Birmingham and District Invitation Cross Country League in Coventry as Birchfield Harriers once again showed some class running over the mud and the grass, writes Peter Whitehouse. Ndayisenga led home a somewhat “make shift” team after beating off the challenge of fellow Stag Biniam Ande, to comfortably cross the line in 27 minutes 41 seconds. James Trollope, who had not planned to race for the club due to his focus on other races and academic work found himself back in 13th place, after completing a 10 mile run in the morning prior to the race. Trollope’s presence was due to the need to fill the team slots to avoid a risk of relegation should the team not complete the team count of six athletes. The ever-reliable Ben Sharman found himself battling over the flat, muddy course to finish in 31st place and looks set to carry his impressive cross country performances onto the track. Peter Whitehouse nursed his ankle injury around the course to put out solid performance by finishing in 72nd. Pete Dimbleby completed the vital 6th counter position by finishing in 107th place. The Stags now place 4th in the league after 3 matches.
Across the city of Coventry, Debbie Walters showed her class by storming to victory in a time of 21 minutes 35 seconds to see off the challenge of Telford’s Claire Martin and Coventry’s Tina Brown in the Midland Women’s League. Walters was followed by Sarah Rudge in 25th place and by Claire Grice who finished 30th after only just missing out on 29th from Trentham RC’s Sarah Johnson. The Harriers three finished in 3rd place on the day, behind Loughborough University and Coventry Godiva. The two teams look to consolidate their successful seasons next month as the men face a tough task in Northampton, with the much-anticipated return of Adam Watt. The women look to secure their position in Bournville, hopefully with the return of junior athletes Lucy Farnell, Danielle Johnson and Tamara Armoush.
2011 CLUB CALENDARS ARE ON SALE – PLEASE GIVE YOUR SUPPORT.
Calendars are on sale at £5 each from the Shop or the Bar. We hope that you will wish to give support as the profits are divided between Macmillan Cancer Support and the Club.
Be proud to be a Birchfield Harrier!
Prepared by the Public Relations Team for the Club Committee Page 2 of 2