DIXON AND MARR MAKE RUNNING IN SCHOOLS XC

Joe Dixon powered his way to an excellent victory in the Intermediate Boys event at the Northumberland Schools Cross Country Championships, held at Temple Park, South Shields, on Tuesday 18 January.
Dixon won by a comfortable margin of 25 seconds from fellow club colleague and KEVI pupil Bertie Marr, with Newcastle and Gosforth Harrier Ethan Bond securing the bronze medal and a further seven seconds adrift.
With both Dixon and Marr in first and second places, East Northumberland were certainly well placed to take the Intermediate’s Team title, as further team support came from Will Devere-Owen (5th), Ryan Davies (6th), and Liam Roche (10th), all also KEVI pupils.
Other Morpeth Harriers in action in the Intermediate Boys event were Joseph Close (13th, North Northumberland), and Adam Howliston (16th, Newcastle), Elliot Mavir (31st, East Northumberland) and Luke Robson (34th).
North East Under 15 Boys Champion Ollie Calvert continued his fine run of form when he secured a 10-second margin victory in the Junior Boys event ahead of his club colleague Ollie Tomlinson, both athletes running for East Northumberland.
Another Morpeth Harrier in action in this event was Ben Moll, who finished in 60th place, also donning the East Northumberland vest. East Northumberland were third team in this event.
Joe Anderson finished second in the Senior Boys event. Representing Tynedale, he secured the silver medal behind North Tyneside’s Josh Blevins, who runs for Gateshead Harriers. Blevins won by 40 seconds.
Four other Morpeth Harriers also ran in this event. James Tilley ran strongly to finish fifth in the East Northumberland colours, and Matthew Walton finished eleventh also in the East Northumberland colours.
Not far behind Matthew were Ralph Robson (12th) (Tynedale), and Sam Tate (13th) (East Northumberland).
Three Morpeth Harriers, all of them representing East Northumberland, faced the starter in the Minor Boys event.
Kyle Phillips was the first of the trio to finish, placing fourteenth. Thomas Roche, youngest member of the three of his family competing, finished in 26th place. Completing the trio was Indie Brandenburg, who finished in 52nd place.
Millie Breese secured a bronze medal in the Senior Girls event, finishing seven seconds behind Newcastle’s Ines Curran, who runs for Gateshead Harriers. Breese represented North Northumberland.
Other Morpeth Harriers in action here were Olivia Katory (7th), Abi Leiper (11th), and Laura Melling (21st), all  representing Newcastle, who were team winners.
Emma Tomlinson, younger sister of Ollie finished just outside the medals in the Minor Girls event, in fourth place, representing East Northumberland. Fellow Morpeth Harrier Grace Cunningham finished 15th in this event.
No fewer than six athletes from Morpeth Harriers took part in the Junior Girls event, all of them were wearing the colours of East Northumberland. They were led home by Mollie Roche, younger sister of Liam, who finished 20th. The five other finishers were, Iris Dungait (30th), Megan Potrac (31st), Amelia Hamlin (48th), Tamara Bowen (49th), and Charlotte Marshall (51st).
In the Intermediate Girls event, Morpeth Harrier Tabitha Robson, wearing the Tynedale colours, ran well to finish 11th.
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Three athletes from Morpeth Harriers were in competitive action at the Northern Athletics combined Under 17/Under20/ and Senior Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at the Sheffield Arena on 15 and 16 January.
Charlotte Earl secured a Silver medal in the triple jump with a very consistent series of jumps and her furthest jump of 11.09 which is an indoor PB and just missing her overall best.
Nisha Desai picked up a well-deserved Bronze in the Senior Women’s 800m, posting a season’s best time of 2m14.53s on the Sunday.
At Saturday’s competition, Nisha also clocked a season’s best of 59.09s, when finishing second in her 400m heat, which took her to a later run final, where she clocked 59.24s, finishing sixth against younger opponents.
Matthew Waterfield went out in the heats of a highly competitive Senior Men’s 400m, despite finishing third in 51.40s.
Over 60 Veteran Man Guy Bracken clocked a season’s best of 4m42.46s, when finishing tenth of twelve on the track, in the Senior Men’s 1500m Final.