WILLIAM Edwards pupil James Pearson took part in the London Indoor Games this weekend at Lee Valley. Pearson threw an impressive 12.96m with the 5k shot to win the under 17 mens shot putt competition and his 1st of the 2014 season.
THURROCK’S senior women’s team produced a good performance in the County Cross Country Championships led in by reigning champion Joanne Wilkinson who was third but the whole team rose to the occasion. Joanne, who ran for the club until she was 25, has since travelled widely with her RAF officer husband and has run for Paula Radcliffe's Club, Bedford and County.
ALEC Finch led home the Thurrock squad finishing 5th in 18m8s, an excellent time in the muddy conditions. In 7th place was David Johnson with a time of 18m35s. Jodie Meredith in 11th place could vie for a place in the under 15s County team provided his football commitments permit. Thurrock's strong under 13 group of boys did well. Jack Exley was 15th in 20m20s, Harry Parker, just 11 years old, was 21st in 20m40s and Reece Scott was 31st in 21m30s.
THE Bruce Longden Community Foundation (BLCF) said: "BLCF is absolutely delighted to announce that Hayley McLean (GB), the 2013 European Junior 400m Hurdles Champion, is the first GB athlete to receive support from the Foundation, by way of initial assistance to her warm weather training costs later this month.
THE senior men had the rare luxury of fielding their top four runners in Saturday's third round of the Essex Cross Country League at Hylands Park, Chelmsford. They were rewarded with their lowest points score of the season, 302, and the highest team position, 6th.
MICK Bumstead and Pat Dobbs added to their already large collection of County medals. Mick won a bronze in the MV60 age group and Pat took the
silver in the MV70 section. Mick was beaten by the world class veteran Dave Butler, who also beat the whole 50+ section and by Dave Cox from Woodford who has been a top class runner for over 40 years.
CHELMSFORD 10k has a reputation of being a really fast course and 6 Thurrock Harriers put that reputation to the test last Sunday afternoon.
Top Harrier performance in the field of 500 came from Jodie Farrell who was 10th in the ladies section of the race and again runner up in the FV45+ age group. More significantly perhaps she lowered her personal best by a massive one and a half minutes to 42m50s. Over the past year at this distance she has improved by 7 minutes.
THURROCK Harriers from young to old had a successful day at the second round of the Essex Cross-Country League at Basildon’s Gloucester Park. Teenager Gemma Holloway once again stole the headlines by claiming back-to-back league wins, outsprinting Cambridge’s Claire Wilson to win the under-17/20 women’s race.
LIKE a fine wine, international hurdler, Gianni Frankis seems to be maturing nicely. Gianni had an injury free season that saw him produce a personal best of 13.54 for the 110 metre hurdles.
THE club was well represented in the Billericay 10k on Sunday morning. The race, which is outstandingly organised, was affected by strong winds which slowed the times down. Thurrock's squad were led in by Antony Tobin in 17th place. His time of 38m04s was an excellent personal best that could have been better if he
had not been impeded by a careless driver in the final few hundred metres. Another pb went to Nick Trencher, also a relative newcomer to the sport. His 39m52s was a welcome breakthrough into the sub 40 club. His finishing position was 28th and he was 8th veteran. Jason Syrett showed a great return to form after a long period of injury finishing 37th in 40m17.
STANFORD athlete, Hayley Mclean is amongst seven gold medallists from the 2013 European Junior and World Youth Championships that have been invited to join the British Athletics Futures Programme for 2013-14 reports Britishathletics.co.uk. The Futures Programme - which underpins the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) - was created five years ago to provide more targeted support for young talented athletes and their coaches.
IN the opening cross country fixture of the Essex League programme, held at the Discovery Centre, Braintree on Saturday, Thurrock Harriers were well represented in most of the age groupings. Outstanding performance came from Gemma Holloway who comfortably won the under 17-under 20 women's race. This was a particularly impressive performance as Gemma was one of the youngest in the race and it also promises well for the championship races that are dotted through the Winter.
A HANDFUL of Thurrock Harriers produced some great results at the Southend open on Bank Holiday Monday. Ben Gibbs ran an impressive sub 11 second seasons best and personal best of in the senior mens 100m which kicked off a volley of personal best performances and medal placements from all who attended.
WILLIAM Edwards pupil James Pearson made the grade to enter the England Athletics U15 & U17 National Championships. Pearson was entered in the shot putt, discus and 80m hurdles.
AN outstanding performance came from Jodi Farrell who was 49th overall, 10th lady with a time of 44m38s. 3 minutes faster than her previous best. There was a plethora of pbs from other Harriers. Mark Cable's breakthrough run of 39m31s took 17th place; Martin Mack performed 40m40s (24th); Nick Trencher 40m52s (26th), Gary Cahill's 42m51s (40th); Ian Scott 46m31s (55th) were all encouraging personal bests.
