three morpeth winners at grand prix

The fourth meeting of the 2025 North Eastern Grand Prix series was held at Jarrow’s Monkton Stadium on the evening of Wednesday 19 June, when 19 athletes from Morpeth Harriers were in competitive action.
The club had three event winners, one in the 3000m events, and two in the later run 800m events.
Chris Coulson almost front ran the fastest of three 3000m events, to eventually win by crossing the finish line in 8m25.87s, four seconds ahead of Western Tempo’s Luke Davis.
Other Morpeth Harriers in this race were James Tilley (4th) 8m38.47s, Joe Dixon (6th) in a season’s best 8m43.41s, and Ralph Robson (12th) 9m14.81s.
The fastest of eleven 800m events saw a tense fast finishing tussle for supremacy between Morpeth club colleagues Alistair Douglass and Joseph Close.
Eventually Douglass stole the initiative, to win in 1m53.69s, and Close finished second in 1m54.96s.
The other Morpeth 800m winner was fast improving Under 15 Boy Mason Gaylor.
Gaylor went to the front with 300m to go and maintained great pace over the remaining ground to record victory in a new personal best time of 2m10.55s,
In the third fastest 800m event, Morpeth Harrier Anthony Liddle produced an excellent personal best performance of 2m06.54s, to finish third in a very competitive race.
New signing Darcey Tullis also ran well, producing a season’s best performance of 2m19.9s to finish fourth in the fifth race.
Under 17 Man Thomas Roche set new figures of 2m23.49s, when placing seventh in the same race.
His Sister Molly also set new figures of 2m30.43s, when finishing ninth in the seventh 800m event.
She finished one place ahead of club colleague Emma Tomlinson, who posted a time of 2m41.02s.
Emma’s younger sister Zoe, finished fourth in the ninth 800m event, posting a time of 2m39.33s.
Back with 3000m events, and in the third fastest event, Morpeth newcomer Daniel Craig finished ninth in a time of 10m18.46s.
In a return following an illness, Morpeth Under 15 Girl Heidi Wilkinson finished thirteenth in the same 3000m, posting a time of 10m48.23s.
Alistair Douglass warmed up for his later 800m victory, by finishing fourth in the second fastest 200m, posting a time of 24.75s.
In the fifth 200m race, Morpeth Under 15 Boy Charlie Townsend produced new figures of 26.11, to finish second.
Morpeth Under 20 Woman Ellie Wickens finished fourth in the eighth 200m, producing a time of 28.90s.
Charlotte Earl of Morpeth finished as second Woman in her Long Jump, with a best of 4.76m.
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Five Morpeth Harriers took part in Saturday’s high-profile Watford Grand Prix, incorporating BMC events.
Star of the show for the club was Rory Leonard, who not only produced a new personal best of 3m42.54, when finishing sixth in a very competitive 1500m B race, also went on to set new figures of 7m55.75s in an equally competitive A race of the 3000m.
In the A race of the 1500m, Morpeth Harriers Cameron Boyek and James Young finished fourth and twelfth respectively, posting respective times of 3m40.66s, and 3m43.45s.
Morpeth’s Phil Winkler produced a new personal best time of 8m16.14s, when finishing sixth in the C race of the 3000m.
Rounding off the Morpeth performances at the event, Alistair Douglass finished ninth in the sixth fastest 800m event, in a time of 1m53.87s.