Open Meeting Carlisle 30th March 2003

Athletes from Richmond and Zetland Harriers have competed at several early-season-meetings across the North of England in recent weeks. When winter training turns into spring, athletes feel the need to test themselves ahead of the coming League competition - in the NYSD, YAL and NML.

Philip Fitzpatrick and Kim Bartram opted to compete at an Open meeting at Sheepmount Stadium on Sunday 30th March hosted by Carlisle Aspatria. Phil, in his first track race as an under 17, placed 3rd in the 800m in 2:12.0 and now knows he has a little more work to do in order to break the 2 minute barrier. Eighteen-year old multi-eventer Kim competed in three events with the Senior Women - she placed 3rd in the 100m hurdles in 20.1, 3rd in the javelin with 24m59 and was 4th in the 200m in 27.3.

Indoor Meeting - Sports City Manchester 30th March

On the same day, James Wardman and Ken Harker travelled to SportCity, Manchester for an Indoor meeting on what was the warm-up track for last year’s Commonwealth Games. Both competed in the 800m with James finishing 3rd in 2:02 and Ken 4th in 2:06, again showing that 2 minutes is quite a target.

Sheepmount Stadium 6th April 2003

Border Harriers hosted the next early-season-meeting in windy conditions at Sheepmount Stadium on Sunday 6th April and three Harriers made the journey. Matt Prosser competed for the first time as a Junior in Senior competition and enjoyed a successful return to the track from injury by finishing 2nd in the 100m in 11.3, the same time as the winner. He then went on to compete in the 400m, finishing 3rd in 56.6 and the long jump which he won with a PB 5m02. Leanne and Rebecca Shaw also competed as U13s and U9s respectively. Leanne won both her races, the 100m in 14.7 and the 200m in 30.12, easily ahead of the rest of the field. Rebecca competed in the 600m and was 5th in a time of 2min.17.

Open Meeting Longford Park Stadium 6th April

James Wardman and Ken Harker made another trip across the Pennines on the same Sunday to kick-off their outdoor season. In an Open meeting organised by Sale Harriers at Longford Park Stadium, both again competed in the 800m and again finished 3rd and 4th respectively; but whilst Ken “ran-out-of-steam” and was timed in 2:06, James managed to “keep-on-running” and finished in 1:58.

Anne Marie Readshaw Memorial Meeting 13th April 2003

Last Sunday 13th, six Harriers went to Shildon to compete in the LinPac sponsored, Anne Marie Readshaw Memorial Open Meeting. Although the turnout was not the biggest, there were encouraging performances throughout. Matt Prosser continued his good start to the season by finishing 4th (& 2nd Junior) in the Senior Men’s 100m race in 12.5 in very windy conditions. He was then 2nd in the 200m in 25.9, being beaten only by D Vickers of MAC (Mandale), a Senior who has a Northern vest. Philip Fitzpatrick was 3rd in the 800m, improving his season’s best time to 2:11.6; Andrea Woodvine won the 3000m in 10:47.8; Leanne Shaw was 5th in the 100 in 15.1 and then won the 200m in 31.2 and the long jump with 4m18; Sophie Broadway was 6th in the 100m in 14.6 and 5th in the 200m in 30.2 and, last-but-not-least, Rory Wadsworth made his debut as a Harrier with 3rd in the 100m in 16.3, was 4th in the 800m in 2:48.7 and 3rd in the long jump with 2m88.