Jenny Hands selected for Great Britain Duathlon Team

Jenny Hands

Congratulations are due to Richmond and Zetland athlete, Jenny Hands, who has recently been selected for the Great Britain Duathlon team in her age group. She will be representing the country at the World Duathlon Championships in Gyor, Hungary on 20th May and also at the European Championships on 16th June. The British Team will be taking 5 elite athletes, as well as 10-20 age group athletes, where Jenny will be in the 20-29 year age bracket. She was selected by taking part in a number of qualification races, in which you have to achieve a certain standard to be considered. Half way through her first race, she suffered a puncture and was forced to withdraw, then was forced to miss the second, but all went according to plan at the Fife Duathlon on her third attempt, after which she was called up to join the British team. Jenny added “I only started cycling in September last year, so I’m absolutely chuffed to bits to get in!”

NYSD Track & Field meeting Darlington - 24th April

The Track & Field season got underway in earnest on Tuesday 24th April, when the first NYSD league meeting took place at Darlington. Richmond and Zetland were in flying form, as numerous athletes won their events and achieved nationally recognised age-group standards, both on the track and in the throwing events, showing promising signs for the season ahead. There were wins for Amy Coulson in the U13 Girls 200m, while Leanne Shaw topped the polls in the U17 Girls 200m and 300m events, followed closely as usual, by team mates Ruth Hill and Brogan Fraser.

Fergus Roberts sprinted well clear of the field to win the U13 boys 600m race, as well as the Shot Putt, while his brother Doug, took the award for athlete of the match, with a fantastic run in the U17 Men’s 3000m, finishing well ahead of the pack to cross the line in 9.14.5. Thomas Allen was in action again, finishing 2nd for the U15 Boys in both the 200m and 3000m, with training partner, Sam Wood only 2 seconds behind him. Paul Harmsworth was another busy athlete, taking 2nd in the U13 Boys 200m, 3rd in the 600m and 2nd in the Long Jump, along with team mate Marcus Richardson. Kerry Robson gained a 2nd place in the U13 Girls 200m, as well as 3rd in the Shot Putt and Charlotte Dinsdale proved to be another all-rounder with 7th in the U15 Girls 200m, 12th in the 600m and a well-deserved 2nd place in the Shot Putt.

RZH Results: Under 13 Girls – Amy Coulson, 1st 200m 31.6, 2nd 600m 1.57 & 6th Shot Putt 3.74m, Kerry Robson 2nd 200m 34.0 & 3rd Shot Putt, Abby Fletcher 6th 600m 2.12.2 & 7th Shot Putt 3.73m, Rosie Stirr 7th 600m 2.14.5 & 8th Shot Putt 3.68m. Under 13 Boys – Paul Harmsworth, 2nd 200m 30.9, 3rd 600m 1.55.4 & 2nd Long Jump 3.73m, Marcus Richardson 7th 200m 35.4, 7th 600m 2.12.2 & 6th Long Jump 2.49m, Fergus Roberts 1st 600m 1.42.7 & 1st Shot Putt 6.72m, Ben Purkiss-McEndoo 8th 600m2.29.4 & 5th Long Jump 2.67m. Under 15 Girls – Charlotte Dinsdale, 7th 200m 30.2, 12th 600m 1.54.6 & 2nd Shot Putt 4.47m, Rachel Holloway 12th 200m 31.2 & 20th 600m 2.07.6. Under 15 Boys – Thomas Allen 2nd 200m 27.5 & 2nd 3000m 10.21.2, Sam Wood 3rd 3000m 10.23.8, Ashley Richardson 6th 200m 31.6 & 6th Long Jump 3.75m. Under 17 Ladies – Leanne Shaw, 1st 200m 26.7 & 1st 300m 43.9, Ruth Hill 2nd 200m 26.9, Brogan Fraser 3rd 200m 28.5, Rosie Adams 3rd 3000m 12.11.0, Jane Thornton 4th 3000m 14.30.9. Under 17 Men – Doug Roberts, 1st 3000m 9.14.5. Senior Ladies – Jenny Fenwick 6th 200m 35.6 & 4th 3000m 14.00.1, Jessie Roberts 2nd 3000m 11.26.8. Senior Men – Ken Harker, 7th 3000m 10.03.3, Tad Zaranko 9th 3000m 10.32.1, John Wild 2nd Shot Putt 9.44m.

Ken Harker at Stretford

Ken Harker was also back in action on the track, this time over his preferred distance of 800m. He travelled over to Stretford to race in what were very windy conditions. Feeling his way back to form, following the World Masters Championships in Helsinki, he finished a pleasing 4th overall in the open race in a time of 2.04.7, which he now hopes to build on for the rest of the season.