Harrier Chasing World Championship Places 30/07/17
This week the Harriers were all away racing at sea in Marske by the Sea, Hull for the Northern schools championships and at the Night of Athletics in Belgium on the hunt for World Championship qualifying times.
Marc Scott has had a sensational summer of running, winning the National Collegiate Title in the USA over 10,000m, running for Team GB and NI in the European Team championships and pb’s in the 3000m through to 10,000m placing him as one of the top up and coming young runners in the United Kingdom. With the imminent retirement of Sir Mo Farah from track running, will allow younger athletes to develop on the world stage. Marc headed to Belgium and the Night of Athletics meeting as his last chance to achieve the British Athletics qualifying standard for the World Championships to be held in London! For Marc to achieve this he needed to run a new life time best which after this long hard season would be a tall ask. Marc was drawn in the B race and watched British runner Andrew Vernon and twice European medallist finish agonisingly just outside the qualification standard of 13:22:60 in the A race. Marc knew what he had to do and with this being the last chance to impress before the selection meeting on Monday the 24th he had to throw caution to the wind. With a high class field of Kenyans, Americans, Germans, Belgians and Norwegians, it was always going to be a competitive and quick race. Marc responded as a top class runner should, pacing his running brilliantly staying in the breakaway leading pack of four runners to finish in a great 4th place and only the time then becoming the question. After the results were checked and posted Marc's time was 13:22:37 (pb), bringing him inside the qualifying standard by 23 hundredths of a second. The whole of Richmond and Zetland Harriers now wait with baited breath and with everything crossed that Marc now gets selected for Team GB!
James Davidson was selected to represent Yorkshire schools at the Northern Inter County Championships held at Hull in the U17 400m. James produced a fantastic performance to come 2nd in his race in a new pb (51:81, pb) and helping Yorkshire to win the meet against 8 other counties.
Jeremy Pattison was at Marske by the sea for the mid week 5km and had a great run to finish in 18th place in a big new pb (17:42) and the 1st V40. At Darlington parkrun Craig Morton was 7th (19:27) and Thomas O’Mahoney was 17th (20:31). At Catterick racecourse parkrun Luke Hack was 1st in a huge new (17:2, pb), Steve Middleton was 3rd in (17:55), Ken Harker was 5th (18:49), Lee Davies was 10th (19:55), Tony Ditchburn was 17th (21:08), James Stitt was 21st in a new pb by nearly a minute (21:39) and Alex Canizo in 112nd and a new pb (30:58).
Rob Scott took the win at Northallerton parkrun (17:50), Josh Hammett was 6th (21:12), Jason Hammett in 10th (22:14), Mark Fletcher was 12th (22:25) and Michelle Hammett in 54th (29:03). Up at Riverside parkrun, Jeremy Pattison was 7th in a new pb (18:19). Kevin and Jane Bond went on a parkrun tour to Penrith for the two lap flat quick course and both came back with pb’s. Jane in 145th (29:48) and Kevin in 146th (29:48).