Morpeth Harriers win team title and individual honours at cross-country league presentation night

This year there was only one team and two individual titles for Morpeth Harriers, although they did also narrowly miss out on a number of other team titles.

Winning for the third year in succession, their Men’s team proved a dominant force off-road once again, taking the title by a three-point margin from nearest rivals Gateshead Harriers.

The club’s Under 13 Boys will look back with some disappointment at the season however, losing the title to Elswick Harriers on the last day of the season at Alnwick, while the U13 Girls squad finished fourth, the position also shared by the U15 Girls.

The U17 Boys finished in a respectable third in their division.

The Senior Women were perhaps the most unfortunate squad, missing out on the overall title by a single point for the second year running, and finishing second for the third time.

There was consolation, however, in the Individual Grand Prix tables, where Catriona Macdonald took the Senior Women’s title convincingly for the third year in a row. Her achievement was more than matched by team mate Jane Hodgson, who won the Veteran Women’s title for the fourth time.

Elsewhere, an exciting Saturday night of track running, screened live by the BBC, saw Morpeth’s Rory Leonard post a big new personal best at the Highgate Harriers Night of 10,000 Personal Bests.

Established in 2013 with the goal of improving British racing standards, this year’s expanded event saw a full afternoon and evening’s programme of entertainment kicked off by a series of 800m races for young athletes which culminated in the 10,000m Paris Olympic Trials and UK Championships.

Won by Djiboutian runner Mohammed Ismael in 27 minutes 22.38 seconds from Preston Harrier Patrick Dever (27:23.38), it was an exciting watch for North East viewers, with Morpeth Harriers’ Rory Leonard and Scott Beattie both lining up in the elite field.

Leonard had an outstanding run that seemed to even surprise himself when interviewed later, winning in a big new 43 second personal best of 27:38.39 for eighth place, but second British athlete.

Beattie meanwhile clocked 28:23.25, some way off his season’s best.