5 Club Records Fall in One Day - Competition Round Up 19-18/2/22
23 February 2022
Jess Duncton has made her intentions clear for 2022; run fast, run faster, run faster still. The under 17 Harrier took down 3 club records in one day at the Birmingham Indoor Games, making records that have stood for over 20 years look easy to beat.
Beginning with her specialist event, the 60m hurdles, Duncton lowered her own club record by 0.01 running 8.65 for 1st place. Just over an hour later, Duncton returned to the track for the 60m flat where she ran 7.77 for 2nd place and her 2nd club record of the day. Finally, Duncton competed in the 200m taking a massive 0.32 off her PB and lowering the club record, which had stood since 1998, by 0.16. Duncton’s time of 24.92 earns her 1st place and means she now ranks in the top 10 in the UK U17 rankings in all three events.
(Photo: A brilliant day for Jess Duncton, Alana Hazell and Florence Hampton also included meeting GB Heptathlete Holly Mills)
Duncton was not the only Harrier in record setting form in Birmingham, U20M Sam Howell was just as impressive taking down two club records. Howell made his entrance in the 200m running 22.43, 0.04 quicker than the previous mark. Incredibly Howell then took on the 400m where he ran 49.14 taking down a club record that had seemed close to impossible to beat, set all the way back in 1991.
There were plenty of other fantastic performances in Birmingham too. Lily Marchant and Alana Hazell both came away with double PBs. Marchant ran 26.85 in the 200m and 8.33 in the 60m while Hazell ran 29.89 in the 200m, a huge 1.5 seconds off her previous PB, and threw 9.61 in the shot put. Florence Hampton ran 29.62 in the 200m, threw 9.21 in the shot put and cleared 1.35 in the high jump. Flora Hopcraft ran 8.61 for 60m while Sophie Osud ran 8.94 on her 60m debut. Cicely Courtney Moore ran a 60m PB of 9.26 and threw the shot put out to 7.60m. Finally, Ruby Brook ran yet another sub 60 400m, lowering her PB further to 59.31. Brook also ran 26.64 in the 200m. Alfie Wood followed up his record breaking competition last weekend with a solid performance of 6.73 in the long jump and a 60m debut of 7.36. Bexley Turbard jumped 2.90 in the pole vault and Luke Burden cleared just 1cm lower than his PB in the high jump with 1.80.
Over in Cardiff Oliver Belbeck came away with two gold medals in the South West Indoor Championships. Belbeck added a massive 39cm to his long jump PB with a jump of 5.18 and made a brilliant 60m hurdles debut running 9.55.
(Photo: Oliver Belbeck on top of the podium and leading the way in the 60m hurdles)
Despite a tough cross country, filled with mud, hills and its fair share of drama the Harriers Men’s and Women’s teams came together in Leamington filled with optimism and ready to end the season on a high.
In the Midland Women’s Cross Country League Kaitlyn Sheppard led the Harriers home, cracking into the top 10 for the first time with a 9th place finish. Jane Fairbairn impressed on her Harriers debut coming in as 2nd Harrier in 56th overall. Petra Vymetalova followed close behind in 60th, Jo Wilkie finished in 67th and Vickie Wilkinson was 92nd.
The men’s team was competing in the Birmingham Cross Country League at the same venue. The seven man team was led in by Rupert Denny in 98th. There was a close battle between Elliot Prince and Andy Gore with Prince winning this time in 123rd, Gore was 128th. Martin Foster rounded off a successful season with an142nd place finish. Next in was Matt Evans in 166th, Kev Spillman in 182nd and Ross Swain in 196th.
(Photo: Petra Vymetalova and Andy Gore competing in Leamington)