New Record for Bedford
Wells Harrier Sam Bedford smashed the Somerset Schools 800m record on Saturday June 11th at Yeovil Arena, and in so doing qualified for the SW regional Schools match. He was one of 20 junior Harriers in competition at the County Schools Champs and 10 progressed to the SW Regional Champs at Exeter Arena. Subsequently Sam has been selected to compete at the prestigious English Schools Final on Friday July 1st at Gateshead international Stadium - GOOD LUCK SAM!
Sam's time of 1.55 is some 2 seconds quicker than he’s ever run before and was almost 2 seconds quicker than the previous Championship record for the Inter boys (age 15 & 16). In the same 800m race, Sam ‘s cross country and training team-mates Matt Cole and Sam Harding were 2nd and 3rd respectively with Harding also 2 seconds quicker than ever before. The two Sam’s are regulars at the Club’s Tuesday training sessions.Sam B's time places him in the top ten nationally for the u17 age group.
For the girls, two of the best Harrier performances at the senior Championships on Saturday were by sprinter Lizzie Hubner who was 1st in the 200m and 2nd in the 100m for the Junior Girls (age 13 & 14) with times of 26.93 and 13.31 recorded in the final after earlier heats. In the same age group George Hoff also triumphed with her 12.47 in the 75m Hurdles, and she was also 6th in the long jump with 4.30m. Team-mate Abigail Gibbons was 8th in the same long jump with 4.10m and also grabbed a 3rd place in the 1500m with a 5.24 clocking, some way down on her best from last months Club County Championships. Abi has excelled herself recently medalling at the SW Cadet Championships in four athletic events (inc relays)
In the same Junior girls group Amy Cavender had a good run in the 800m to slice 10 seconds off her previous best for a 2.29 clocking. For the Inter Girls Roo Black managed a personal best for 3rd place in the javelin with 24.04m but was disappointed with her High jump where she posted 1.32m which is well below her previous great heights of 1.55-1.60m. Roo's javelin has steadily been improving all season however.
For the boys, Zac Stephenson won the Senior boys (age 17 & 18) 1500m in 4.34, whilst in the inter boys 3000m, Matthew Dickinson was 2nd in 9.42 chased home by his cross-country team-mate Phillip Bridge a few seconds back. The junior boys 1500m saw Charlie Martin again triumph, following on his great run at the Clubs County Championship of last month. Here he ran 4.33 some 3 seconds shy of his best of last month. With Sam Sommerville in 2nd, 4.36, and Oliver Fox in 3rd, 4.42, that was some good packing. Luke Prior was 6th in 4.57, just outside his best.
At the Junior Championships for Year 7 & 8 athletes (age 12 & 13) last Wednesday June 8th at the same venue there were a number of personal bests by Harriers including Megan Rusca and James Williams in the 800m, Jessica Pate and Johnny Ellis in the 1500m, and by Solomon Chadwick in the 100m sprints, with Sols also having a reasonable long jump.
We wish all the junior Harriers selected to compete for Somerset Schools all the best at the SW Regional Championships on Saturday.
Elsewhere this past weekend Club international Ben Tickner ran his fastest track 5000m for over two years when he ran 14.02 at a meeting in Watford. Other senior performances on the Sunday, away from the track, were by Steve Masters 5th at the new Cheddar multi-terrain race, whilst over 10 Harriers competed at the various Ninesprings races at Yeovil. New member Steve March won in 36.03 for the hilly 9k course, whilst James Williams and Callum Moir were 2nd and 3rd respectively in the 4.5k race and Alex Williams, Mike Biss and George Biss were 1st, 2nd and 7th in the 2k fun run.
Last Wednesday June 8th at the Yeovilton 5k over 30 Harriers competed with Alastair Lindsay 3rd in 16.29, and Tim Hawkins 6th in 16.54 being the pick of the men. For the women, Alice Murray-Gourlay was home in 18.48, with Jenny Moore in 19.00 and Emily Smith, 1st junior girl, in 19.09. Following on from her recent 10 Tors expedition Emily was in training for her Three Peaks efforts.
Also at Yeovilton, Club person of the Year Rex Whitcombe posted a personal best of 20.04 and junior Callum Moir ran a great personal best after two consecutive nights of training with his 21.32.
There was also some great running by the rest of the team and by the juniors in the accompanying races. Full results on the Yeovil website.