Tartan Games Open Track & Field Meeting

Rain and a brisk cold wind severely affected athletes’ performances at the annual Tartan Games Open Track and Field Meeting, held at Gateshead Stadium on Sunday 26th August 2018.

Amongst those competing was thirteen from Morpeth Harriers, who, despite the conditions on the day, served up some fine performances, which included no less than four outright winners from the club, two from the track, and two from the field, with one athlete particularly achieving two wins.

That athlete was Ethan Stephenson, who despite the rain and an untimely wind,
achieved an excellent win in the Under 17 Men’s Long Jump, by producing an on the day best of 5.84m,
which was only a mere fraction adrift of his lifetime best.
Stephenson also enjoyed victory in the Triple Jump, where his only opposition
came from guesting Birchfield Senior Scott Hall.

The Morpeth man produced an on the day best performance of 12.21m.

Meanwhile on the track, North Eastern Under 15 Boys 800m champion Ben Waterfield
proved too good for his rivals, when he won in 2m15.85s.

His Morpeth Harriers club colleague Dylan Gooding also performed well to finish third in 2m29.08s.

Under 15 Hurdles specialist Alice Geoghegan defied the tricky conditions to seize victory from
Darlington’s Darcey Garbutt in a photo finish, with the Morpeth girl getting the verdict
with an identical time of 12.66s.

In the Under 15 Girls 200m, Morpeth’s Mia Belton qualified for a later run final
by finishing second in her heat in 28.61s.
She finished third in the final in an improved 28.58s.

Morpeth’s Phil Pitt finished fifth overall in a combined Under 20/Senior/Veteran Men’s 100m.
The Over 35 Veteran posted a time of 12.49s and beat two Under 20’s and the only Senior Man to the finish line.

In a very close finish, Morpeth’s Alistair Douglass was given second place
in a twelve strong field of Senior Men in their 800m.
Posting a time of 2m01.62s, Douglass just lost out for victory to visiting Macclesfield athlete Charlie Candlish.

Back with the sprinters, and Morpeth’s Ellie Longstaff won her way to the final of the
Under 15 Girls 100m in 13.68s, but in a slower raced later final, she finished third in 14.1s.

The Under 13 Girls High Jump saw Morpeth’s Kaitlyn Waddell produce a new
personal best of 1.25m, one of the days few due to the conditions, to finish second.

Club colleague Hannah Lott, younger sister of Morpeth’s Amy, equalled her personal best of 1.20m,
when finished further back in the order, in seventh place.

Lott did do well for herself however in the 70m Hurdles, producing a new personal best of 13.06s,
obviously possessing some of the early talents, that of her elder sister.
Her time proved to be the fourth equal fastest of ten competitors, which included Waddell,
who was seventh fastest overall with 13.83s.

As a first timer, Lott also competed in the 100m, where her time of 15.84s,
saw her finish fifth in her heat of three. Waddell also competed in the 200m,
finishing fifth in her heat of two, posting a time of 33.54s.

Competing in the Under 15 Girls Long Jump for the first time outdoors,
Morpeth’s Alice Geoghegan produced a new personal best of 4.31m, placing her fourth of nine competitors.

In the Senior Men’s Discus, Morpeth’s Steven Appleby threw 31.11m for fifth place overall.

Competing in his first Tartan Games, Morpeth’s Under 13 Boy Sam Dent
finished fifth in his heat of the 100m in 15.9s, and was also fifth of thirteen
competitors in the Long Jump, with an on the day best of 3.82m.

Well Done indeed to all athletes and officials for managing a day
​offset by extremely unseasonal weather and conditions.