Haywards Heath Harriers wIn superb array of county championship medals at K2

The Sussex Athletics had combined this year for the first time the vets track athletics twenty-six runners taking part from championships with the main county athletic event. The vets field championships could not be held on the same day due to time constraints.

The youngsters set the pace with great performances and for the older Harrier athletes to match their achievements in their specialised events.

Anya Cole winning a super silver in the under 15 high jump competition and Jessica Diack winning a super bronze medal for third place in the under thirteen pole vault. Jesse also getting a new personal best and improving her recent pole vault in the under thirteen club record to 1.90 metres.

Russ Mullen and Jamie Topping both winning vet medals in the 5000 metres race. With probably one of the largest track races with a range of age groups from the under twenty men up to the over sixty’s category. Jamie winning silver in the Vet 40 men’s age group and Russ winning gold in the V35 men’s age group.

Lucie Venable won four medals in the V35 women’s age group. Three golds: one in the one hundred metres, then the long jump and lastly in the triple jump and a bronze medal in the two hundred metres.

Kleri Tantele also winning a silver medal in the senior women’s javelin (after winning gold last year in the same event).

Ollie Fyfe ran a great race winning a bronze medal in the Senior Men’s 800 metres race. Ollie improving on his recent best at the BMC race in Brighton a week before.

Results:Under 13 Girls: Jessie Diack: Pole Vault 3rd 1.90m (pb);Minithon results: Jessie Diack: 150m 5th 23.56 secs (w), Long Jump 9th 3.44 metres, Discus 4th 11.10 metres.Under 15 Girls: Anya Cole 2nd High Jump 1.35m.Under 15 Boys: Charlie Stay: 200m 7th 28.00 secs (pb), Long Jump 10th 4.10m.Senior Women: Kleri Tantele: Javelin 2nd 27.60m (pb).Vet Women 35: Lucie Venables: 100m 1st 14.95 secs; 200m 3rd 31.03w, Triple Jump 2nd 8.25m (w); Long Jump 6th (senior women) 3.77m,Senior Men: 3rd Ollie Fyfe 800m 3rd 2:08.25 (pb);Vet Men 35: Russ Mullen 5000m 2nd 16:32.78.Vet Men 40: Jamie Topping 5000m 2nd 16:35.54 (pb).

West Sussex Fun Run League

The second round of the West Sussex Fun Run League was held at Portslade at the race called “Hedgehoppers 5.”

The Harriers finished as ninth club out of eighteen in this event.

Results: 11th Andy Hind 33:45; 52nd Patrick Kenward 38:52; 61st James Smyth 39:44; 90th Phil Scott 42:50; 93rd Gemma Morgan 43:15; 126th Clare Kenward 46:31; 145th Richard Jobling 48:35; 174th Marion Hemsworth 51:54; 190th Mark Davies 53:48; 199th Carys Hind 55:12; 228th Richard Bates 65:04.

Ultra Running

Michael Burke competed in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc world series ultra trail race in Snowdonia on 12th 13th and 14th May 2023. The hundred mile race started and finished at Llanberis. Michael finished the race in 46 hours 8 minutes and 13 seconds, covering 10,283 metres of elevation finishing in 84th position overall and 9th in his age group. There were 231 starters.

Curtis McNiece also ran in the UTMB Snowdonia world series. Running in the fifty kilometres race, Curtis finishing in 9 hours 49 minutes and 53 seconds finishing in 178th place overall and 66th in his age category out of 1126 starters. The elevation was 3486 metres.

Shelagh Robinson ran in the North Downs Way 50 on 20 May. Running from Farnham (in Surrey) and finishing in Knockholt (in Kent) and taking Shelagh eleven hours forty seven minutes and twenty nine seconds to complete the course.

Horsham 10k

On May 14th was the Horsham 10 kilometres race. The course run on multi-terrain (road and trail) onto the South Down . First home for the club was Tom Sommerfelt in a time of 42 minutes and 0 seconds. Other Harriers who ran were 41st Jack Chivers (43:20), 61st James Smyth (45:37), 111th Oliver Farr (49:11), 117th Phil Scott (49:22), 171st Richard Jobling (54:24).

Other Haywards Heath Harriers Results

Naomi Cikalo ran in the Milton Keynes Marathon on May 1st finishing in 3 hours and 59 minutes and 23 seconds in her first marathon for four years.

In the British Milers Club meeting in Brighton on 3rd May, Ollie Fyfe ran a personal best time in the seeded races, finishing inn 2 minutes and 11.88 seconds. Russ Mullen running in the 3000 metres at the same event ran 9 minutes 41.10 seconds.

Lio Robinson ran in the BUCS Outdoor Athletics Championships at Sportcity on 29th and 30th April, finishing in sixth place in his heat in the 200 metres race which was a new personal best for Lio in 24.45 seconds. He also ran in the 100 metres and finished in seventh place in a time of 12.0 seconds.