Morpeths Nick Swinburn made his long awaited comeback after a lengthy layoff because of
injury at the Prince Bishop’s Durham 10k Road Race, on Wednesday 20th July 2016.

The English National Cross Country Bronze medallist had not raced since his clubs winning team performance in February, and he certainly can take much delight from his three second margin victory over stiff opposition in the form of Elswick Harrier Tadele Geremew, posting a finishing time of 32m55s.

It is hoped that Swinburn will now be able to line up for his club in the
forthcoming Autumn Road Relays, following this successful outing.

​Several Morpeth Harriers, both in Track and Field events, maintained their excellent
seasonal form at the fourth Start Fitness North East Grand Prix Meeting,
held at Gateshead Stadium on Wednesday 20th July 2016.

Running in what was his second ever 3000m track race, Carl Avery won in 8m42.62s,
knocking a whole six seconds off his previous figures, which had been achieved at the same venue in August 2015.

Leading from the gun, he won by nearly five seconds from Sunderland Harrier Sparrow Morley,
with Birtley’s Adrian Bailes finishing third in 8m48.60s.

Fourth and fifth places went to Morpeth Harriers Ross Floyd and Thomas Straughan,
who battled closely throughout, posting respective times of 8m54.00s, and 8m54.28s.

Robert Balmbra, Jonnie Nisbet of Morpeth also battled closely throughout the
seven and a half lap event, finishing seventh and eighth in 9m00.17s, and 9m02.69s,
these were both new personal best times, the latter being bettered by an excellent thirty seven seconds.

Other Morpeth Harriers performances in the 3000m came from Jordan Scott,
who finished twelfth in 9m17.93s, and first placed Under 17 Male athlete Connor Marshall,
who set new figures of 10m13.14s, when finishing in seventeenth place overall.

The Under 13 Girls 800m saw Morpeth Harrier Rhiannon Hedley fend off
the sternest of challenges from Gateshead Harrier Ines Curran,
to eventually win by one second, posting a time of 2m27.98s,
which was just outside her personal best.
Hedley had certainly run well, also fending off Houghton’s Nicole Phillips,
before Curran also came with a late close challenge.

Morpeth Harriers third track victory of the night came in the second of the 800m graded races,
courtesy of Matthew Waterfield, who clocked a new personal best of 2m04.82s,
just fending off the close attentions of fellow Under 17 athlete Taylor Glover, who clocked 2m05.31s.

In the Under 15 Girls 800m, Morpeth’s Holly Peck was only caught in the later stages by
Houghton’s Lydia James, losing out by three seconds with her posting of 2m26.60s.
Fellow Morpeth Harrier Lily Heaton finished fourth in 2m33.74s.

In the Under 13 Boys 800m, Morpeth’s Ben Walker finished fourth in 2m37.19s.

Morpeth Harriers Ross Charlton and Andrew Hudspith finished seventh and ninth
in the Under 15 Boys 800m, posting respective times of 2m25.88s, and 2m35.89s,
for Hudspith it was his first outing over the two lap event, having previously only contested 1500m events.

Three Morpeth Harriers lined up in the fastest of the graded 800m events.
Philip Winkler, currently back home in Northumberland from his Leeds University base,
having his first outing in the Grand Prix since May 2015, clocked 2m03.14s, when finishing fifth.
One place behind him, and clocking a new personal best of 2m03.29s was fellow
Morpeth Harrier Joe Dowd, who also proved to be the fastest Under 17 Man in action.
Jacob Hopkins clocked 2m12.65s, when finishing ninth.

In the third of the graded 800m events, Morpeth Harrier Abby Sheldon
clocked 2m31.86s to finish sixth, and was the second fastest Under 20 Woman.

Under 17 Man sprinter Sean O’Hara certainly fared well against more
Senior opposition in the graded 100m and 200m events,
clocking 11.62m and 23.19s, finishing second and third respectively.
In the 200m he was fractionally adrift of his best ever performance.

Also competing in the graded 200m events were his Under 17 Morpeth Harriers
club colleagues Joe Dowd, and Matthew Waterfield, and Under 20 Man David Thomas.
Dowd and Waterfield finished fifth and sixth in the second of the Men’s events, clocking 25.16s, and 25.38s.
Meanwhile Thomas set new figures of 25.89m in the third event.

Morpeth Harriers other sprinter in action was new member Jake Clayton,
who produced an excellent opening performance of 30.09s
in the 200m for Under 13 Boys, finishing in third place.

On to the Field events, where the club had an excellent night,
where they had no less than six age group victories.

In the Graded Shot Putt, both Ruaridh Lang (Under 17 Men),
and Charlotte Pickering-Pruvot (Under 17 Women)
had respective victories with Putt’s of 10.95m and 12.11m.

Also competing in Morpeth colours in the Under 17 Men’s event was
Charlie Chisholm, who finished third in his age group with 8.92m.

In the Graded Triple Jump, Morpeth’s David Thomas produced a best on the night of 12.26m,
which gave him victory in the Under 17 Men’s section by a margin of 80cm.

Bobbie Griffiths was a clear winner of the Under 17 Women’s Javelin, with a best of 34.73m.

Koffi Avornyo produced a new personal best by 5cm, when he cleared 1.40m, to win the Under 13 Boys High Jump.

A very much in form Andrew Knight proved to be a most emphatic winner
of the Under 15 Boys Shot Putt, with his best effort of the night of 13.24m.

Earlier in the report we commented on newcomer Jake Clayton’s performance in the Under 13 Boys 200m.
He also tested himself in the Long Jump, finishing second in his age group with a best of 4.21m.

​The award has now been made to the Linden Homes Morpeth Harriers
Athlete of the Month for May 2016, and it has gone to
Under 17 Throws specialist Ruaridh Lang.

Ruaridh is pictured receiving his Certificate of Achievement from
Morpeth Harriers Club Secretary Mike Bateman
at the clubhouse on Mitford Road in Morpeth,
on Monday 18th July 2016.

​A presentation of awards for the Linden Homes sponsored
Morpeth Harriers Athlete of the Year 2015/16 was made at the
clubhouse on Mitford Road in Morpeth on the evening of Monday 18th July 2016.

First place award went to Under 17 Road and Cross Country athlete Scott Beattie.

 Runners up spot went to Under 15 Boy Throws specialist Ruaridh Lang.

Third place went to Under 13 Girl Holly Peck.
​In the absence of a representative from Linden Homes themselves,
Club Secretary Mike Bateman stepped in to make the presentations.
All three athletes have now subsequently moved up an age group,
with Scott now an Under 20, Ruaridh an Under 17, and Holly an Under 15.

​Morpeths Scott Beattie clocked a new personal best of 3m51.88s,
when finishing eighth in a class filled Men’s 1500m A race,
at the BMC Gold Standard Meeting, held at Stretford on Tuesday 19th July 2016.

He took a whole second off his previous figures, finishing behind
winner Jonathan Davies of Reading, who clocked 3m43.97s.