Author: BUH & AC Admin

Over 30 junior Bolton athletes competed at the Trafford open meeting on saturday 1st May. Due to the pandemic competition has been limited and for some of the athletes this was their first competition in over 12 months, and for some their first ever competition. In a fantastic turnout by the club’s athletes their coaches Les Hall, Steve Eden, Gwylim Jones and Ciaran Dunne were very proud of them all.

Races were seeded by time and the  girls and boys raced together in their appropriate age groups. This resulted in some fantastic performances not always ending in victory.

There were too many PB’s to mention as they came thick and fast throughout the day. However race winners were:

• Vincent Worthington U15 100m/200m
• Iris Beca u13 75m
• Noah Pickford u15 75m/150m
• Aliyah Martin u13 75m/150m
• Mark Lintott u15 200m
• Zia Isherwood u13 150m
• Herbie Kay u15 300m
• Joshua Grundy u11 600m

Cherie Ufuoma competed over 100m and ran 12.61 seconds which moved her to the top of the U15 girls UK rankings.

Jamie Greenhalgh also moved to the top of the rankings (although briefly) in the u13 boys discus when he threw 19m 34.

Herbie Kay, off the back of a big long jump PB (4m 74) took on the 300m for the first time and  controlled the race from gun to tape winning in 43.55 seconds. In the u11 600m Joshua Grundy ran the perfect race to win in 2 minutes 07.

Josh Grundy had a great 600m winning his race at a canter by 11 seconds.

Bolton United Harriers are blessed with real strength in depth in girls sprinting at the moment. Five Bolton U13 girls are in the UK top 20 75m rankings so we should look forward to some amazing times in the relays. Summer Eden still holds the number 1 spot and hopes to improve on her PB of 10.33 seconds over the season.

The line, the line was calling in Danny Shaw’s desperate lung busting dip  for a sub 9 minute performance. It was clocked at 9.00.19!

Sunday 9th May at Trafford saw a much reduced squad from Bolton Harriers  on the previous meetings this year. It did include however some of the senior members this time.

One of those was the very likeable Accountant from Bolton in Danny Shaw who had entered the 3000 metres. He had been crunching the numbers and his aim was a sub 9 minute PB. Danny was previously a hockey player and had never really committed to running until Covid hit. Running was the only thing he could then dedicate his spare time to and having discovered a real talent for it he is now going to hang the hockey sticks up in the loft.

He commented “It was my second race of the year having already done Podium 5 weeks before which had blown away the cobwebs (not raced since June 19 before that). After Podium it was back to training with the group again, every session I’ve done in that month between Podium and Trafford I did faster than I’d ever done  before so I felt confident going into the race. My aim was sub 9 which I knew was going to be tough. I just treated it like a time trial and ignored everyone else and ran at my pace until last couple laps when I started to focus on each person as I went past them. The race went out really fast – I was second last (16th/17) after 200m but I agreed with my coach Dave Shaw I was to run my own race. I ended up in 5th so I’d gone past a lot of athletes on the way which it could be argued slowed me down a touch and cost me the 0.2 seconds iI needed for a sub 9. Overall really pleased though as I have very little experience on the track. Hopefully it sets me up well for my Northern League debut on Saturday  22nd May.”

Still a PB for young Danny and 0.2 of a second does not detract from a fantastic effort.

Young Ruby Erzan Essien continued her fine progress through the junior ranks also in the Under 17s 3000 metres and came home with a new PB of 11.32.39.

Another young man on the PB trail in the Under 20s was Ben To with a turbo charged effort of 22.85secs in the 200m. He backed that up with a strong run of 11.23 secs in the 100m. Coach Les Hall has high hopes for Ben of finishing this season in the UK top 50 and setting a new 100m PB of 10.8 secs.

Folarera Fasehun won her 200 metres heat in a time of 28.05 secs.

Jake Harwood in the under 17s 100 metres weighed in with 12.57 secs and Jack Dickinson 53.19 secs in the Senior 400 metres.