strong performances as juniors kick-off new season

The club's young athletes began their 2025 NEYDL Division 2 campaign by finishing sixth in their opening fixture, held at Shildon 2000 Stadium, on Sunday 27 May.
Manager David Swinburne managed to recruit 19 athletes in all to take part, and despite an uphill battle, he was rewarded by some good performances on the day.
Under 17 newcomer Logan French proved himself to be a star performer, as he took victory in both the Discus (26.92m), and Javelin (17.88m).
Another Under 17 Men’s win came from Ben Moll in the 1500m, where he clocked 4m42.42s.
Specialist Under 17 Woman Hammer thrower, produced a best of 48.48m to take victory.
Emma Tomlinson finished second in the Under 17 Women’s 800m in a time of 2m33.03s.
Mya Young finished third in the Under 17 Women’s 200m in 28.92s, and fourth in the A String 300m in 46.21s.
Emma Tomlinson finished second in the 300m B race in 50.73s.
Another Morpeth performer in the Under 17 Women’s 300m was Charlotte Marshall, who posted a time of 53.94s.
Marshall also backed up Emma Tomlinson’s effort in the 800m, by winning the B race in a time of 2m50.96s.
Charlotte certainly had a zest for competition, as she also finished third in the A String Javelin with a throw of 8.25m, and fifth in the A String Shot Putt with a best of 5.28m.
Mya Young gave excellent support to Charlotte in the Javelin, when she won the B String with 7.04m.
Morpeth had two winners in the Under 15 Girls section, courtesy of top sprinter Sophie Pledger, who won the 300m A String in 42.99s, and Heidi Wilkinson in the 1500m in 5m08.01s.
Heidi had been the first North East finisher in her age group in the previous day’s Mini Marathon in London, so all credit to her appearance at Shildon.
Zoe Tomlinson backed up Pledger’s effort well in the 300m B race, by finishing third in 59.09s.
Tomlinson also finished fourth in the Discus (8.97m), and sixth in the 200m in a time of 35.13s.
Morpeth’s other performer in the Under 15 Girls events was Sophie Peace, who finished fourth in the Long Jump with a best of 3.67m and was sixth in the 100m in 14.4s.
The clubs’ best performance in the Under 15 Boys events, came in the 200m, where Mason Gaylor finished second in the A race in 27.72s, and Lewis Baillie took the B race in 28.45s.
Gaylor certainly had a zest for action, as he also finished fourth in the A race of the 1500m in 4m48.51s, and fourth in the A String Javelin, with a best throw of 14.72m.
B race support in the 1500m, came from Hector Beere, who finished fifth in 5m31.33s.
Jack Dhawar was Gaylor’s B String partner in the Javelin, finishing second, producing a best of 4.77m.
Morpeth had good performances in the Under 15 Boys 800m, where Dhawar finished third in the A race, posting a time of 2m39.12s.
Jacob Thompson finished second in the B race, with a time of 2m55.78s.
Thompson also finished sixth in the Long Jump, producing a best of 2.45m.
Hector Beere finished sixth in the 300n in a time of 49.98s.
Morpeth’s small band of three Under 13 Boys managed to produce some excellent performances between them to add to their club's tally.
Newcomer Joseph Clasper finished second in both the 200m (30.95s), and 800m (2m45.58s) A races, and in the 200m, he had brotherly support from Joseph and William Fawcett.
William Fawcett won the B 200m in 32.85s, with Joseph producing an also ran time of 34.44s.
The brothers also competed in the 1500m, where this time Joseph finished fourth in the A Race in 5m37.03s, and William finished second in the B Race in 5m46.31s.
Morpeth had one Under 13 Girl in action.
Charlotte Pledger-Lowes, younger sister of Under 15 sprinter Sophie, finished eighth in the 200m in 34.38s.

MATCH RESULT
1st Blyth/Alnwick 731pts, 2nd South Shields/Elswick 595.5pts, 3rd Chester Le Street/Durham City 547pts, 4th Blaydon/Wallsend/Gosforth 486pts, 5th New Marske 463.5pts, 6th Morpeth Harriers 337pts, 7th Tynedale/Prudhoe 305pts, 8th Heaton/Tyne Bridge 253pts.