Junior Harriers rise to challenge indoors

In a range of fun track and field events, the young athletes competed against teams from Tyne and Wear and County Durham to vie for a place in the national final.

Club members ranged in age from under-11 to under-15 and competed in sprint and middle-distance relays, hurdle and obstacle races, long jump and triple jump as well as a range of speed, strength and agility tests. It’s the first year Northumberland has competed in this competition, but they certainly rose to the challenge.

The athletes worked well alongside their team-mates from Blyth Running Club and Tynedale Harriers to finish third overall in the competition.

The athletes and coaches are already looking forward to next year and hope to build on this new experience.

 Next Saturday sees the final race in the 2015-16 Start Fitness North East Harriers League take place at Wrekenton in Gateshead.

The club’s senior women have secured another season in the top flight, and promotion back to the second division is still a possibility for the senior men as long as they get a decent team out.

In terms of age category grand prix competitions, three of the Harriers have real chances to scoop top honours as Jo Gascoigne-Owens and Ella Brown sit first and second in the veteran standings and Callie Henderson is first in the girls’ under-15 class.

The venue for the season decider is near Cardinal Hume Catholic School, in Old Durham Road.

Races times are:

12.15pm for U11 boys and girls; 12.25pm for U13 boys; 12.35pm for U13 girls; 12.45pm for U15 boys; 12.55 for U15 girls; 1.05pm for U17 and U20 women; 1.10pm for senior and veteran women; 1.50pm for U17 men; and 2.15pm for senior and veteran men.

A sizeable number of Harriers have rejoined the club, and an encouraging amount of new members are said to have signed up too, since subscriptions went online last month.

However, the club is aware that some regulars to training have yet to sign up, and a number of people who regularly race in Harriers colours have yet to pay up this year.

This is a final reminder of the link to the membership renewal page https://www.sportsentrysolutions.co.uk/new_member_page.php?recordID=892

If for any reason an athlete is not renewing their membership please email [email protected] so that the club can keep their records up to date.