news round-up

Under 15 Girl Sophie Pledger ended her track season in excellent style, when she took the gold medal in the 300m at the Scottish Age Group Championships, held at Aberdeen Sports Village on Saturday.
She ran the fastest overall time of 42.46s in order to qualify for the final, which she won in an almost identical time.

Producing a time of 11.98s, Over 50 Masters Man Trevor Hodgson finished second to Northern Master Mike Coogan in his age group 100m at the England Masters Inter Counties Track and Field Championships held at York on Sunday, where the weather was good and the overall standard very high.
In the Over 50 Masters 400m, Morpeth’s Ben Harding finished third, as first Over 55, producing a time of 57.31s.
Gavin Bayne finished third in the Over 70 Masters 1500m, producing a time of 5m31.84s, placing him 4th on Power of 10 for 2025.
Gavin also competed in the 800m (largely against different runners), finishing fourth in a season’s best of 2m51.70s.
Next week he takes on the BMA 5000m at Nuneaton.
Both Harding and Hodgson also lined up in a North East Masters 4 x 100m squad who finished fifth in 60.51s.

Under 15 Boy Charlie Townsend had an excellent day’s competition at Sunday’s Shildon Open in a sun-drenched venue.
In the 100m, he finished second in the third fastest race, where he produced a personal best time of 12.65s.
Later in the day, he finished fourth in the third fastest 200m in 26.11s and equalled his personal best figures of 4.65m, which placed him second in his age group.

The sixth and final North East Grand Prix meeting was held at Jarrow’s Monkton Stadium on the evening of Wednesday 13 August.
Seven Morpeth Harriers were in competitive action at the event, and Bertie Marr (800m), and William Hodgson (200m) were star performers, as they claimed respective individual wins.
In the second fastest 800m event, Marr was a convincing victor, as he produced a season’s best time of 1m57.79s.
Hodgson in the 200m, was very pleased, as the Under 17 Man produced a personal best time of 23.95s, as he took victory in the second fastest heat.
Another excellent Morpeth performer in the 200m, was Charlie Townsend, who set new figures of 25.61s, as he finished second in the third fastest heat.
Townsend also won the Under 15 Boys Long Jump, producing a best of 4.28m.
In the fastest 800m, Josh Fiddaman finished third, producing a season’s best of 1m53.15s.
Morpeth Harriers Under 17 siblings Thomas and Molly Roche were also in 800m action.
Thomas finished second in the fifth fastest 800m, producing new figures of 2m20.50s.
In the sixth fastest 800m, Molly finished seventh, producing a time of 2m31.16s.
Rounding off the Morpeth performances was Under 17 Woman Charlotte Marshall, who placed tenth in the seventh fastest 800m, producing a time of 2m49.68s.