2022 Indoor Season Review
16 March 2022
As the indoor season comes to a close it’s time to reflect on what’s been an insane few months, 11 club records, 3 National Championship medals, 2 European Championship medals and 1 crazy world record!
After the 2021 indoor season was written off in the midst of the third lockdown it was with much anticipation when events began to open for entries and athletes could finally start to put their hard work into action. Itching to get on the start line more than most was Jane Horder and it only took one race for her to show us all why. In an incredible run Jane flew straight out to a massive World Indoor F65 60m hurdles record of 10.29 seconds. Jane then headed out to Portugal for the European Masters Indoor Championship as the clear favourite to take gold. However, favourites still need to perform and they need to stay calm in order to handle the pressure. All things Jane has no problem doing! Jane won the European gold with ease pulling over a second clear of 2nd place, a huge margin over just 60m. Jane then added to her hurdles gold stepping down an age group to compete as part of the Great Britain F60 4x200m relay team. Unbelievably the team won by over 16 seconds leaving 2nd placed Spain well behind!
(Photo: Double gold for Jane Horder)
Another Harrier who had a rather crazy indoor season was U17 Jess Duncton. Jess wrapped up her season with an English U17 Championship 60m hurdles bronze and Pentathlon gold along with 5 new club records! It was her sprinting talents that made her shine through initially beginning her season running a U17W 60m hurdles and 60m club record in the same day. Not content with 2 records in a day just a few weeks later Jess took further lowered the U17W 60m and 60m hurdles records and also added theU17W 200m club record to her tally, making it three broken in one day! The conclusion of Jess’s season was arguably her most impressive day, with another three records broken, U17W 60m hurdles and pentathlon as well as the U17W, U20 and SW long jump record, all while on her way to England U17 Pentathlon gold. Jess ends the season ranked 9th in the U17W 60m rankings, 5th in the 200m and 60m hurdles and 1st in the pentathlon.
(Photo: English Champs Pentathlon Gold + 60m hurdles Bronze for Jess Duncton)
Oliver Belbeck was another star of the indoor circuit starting his season back in 2021 with U15B South West shot put and 300m gold. In the new year he added the 60m hurdles and long jump to his collection of South West Championship gold medals. The season was then wrapped up with a fantastic Midland Indoor gold over the pentathlon where he also placed 6th in the English Championships.
The final Championship medalist of the season was Michael Gardiner in the M50 400m. Michael took a brilliant silver at the British Masters Indoor Championships.
The club records have fallen continuously so far this year, with athletes making the previous marks look easy. George Watson, competing for his university in America, took down two records, the 3000m and 5000m. George knocked 12 seconds off the 3000m record running 8:04.46 and 5 seconds off the 5000m record running 14:13.36. Sam Howell broke the club U20 200m and 400m records. His 200m performance took 0.04 off the previous record and his 400m run took 0.13 off the old mark set before Howell was even born in 1991. Lastly, Alfie Wood took down the senior and U20 long jump record 3 times in one competition with a best of 6.87 to also get him 5th in the English U20
Elsewhere Ruby Brooks 400m PB ranks her in the UK U20 top 20. Lily Marchant, Flora Hopcraft, Alistair Klemz, Sophie Osud and Cicely Courtney ran PBs over 60m. Lily and Alana added to their PB tally over 200m as well.
(Photo: All smiles for our athletes this indoor season)
A brilliant and exciting season that paves the way for the outdoor season to come. Hopefully the momentum will continue for our athletes and the club!