three winners at first grand prix series event

Nine members of Morpeth Harriers & AC competed at the opening meeting of the 2026 North Eastern Grand Prix series, held at Monkton Stadium, Jarrow on the evening of Wednesday 29 April.
The club had three individual event winners and would have added a fourth if Senior Man Ellis Hetherington hadn’t been just pipped on the finish line by Gateshead’s rising Under 18 Man Alfie Cook in the fastest of ten 1500m finals.
Hetherington for his part posted a new personal best for the three- and three-quarter lap event, crossing the finish line in 3m56.63s, only to be slightly edged by Cook in the final stride.
In the fourth fastest 1500m event, Morpeth’s rising Under 16-star Mason Gaylor, also set new figures of 4m21.76s, after drawing clear from Blyth’s Dexter Heatley at the bell.
Other Morpeth 1500m performances came from Ollie Tomlinson eleventh in the B race in 4m14.61s, Under 16 Girl Heidi Wilkinson seventh in the F race in a new personal best time of 4m57.01s, Under 18 Woman Molly Roche eleventh also in the F race in 5m03.17s, and also a new personal best of 5m43.16s for Under 18 Woman Charlotte Marshall in the 1500m I race.
Thomas Roche, younger brother of Molly won the fourth fastest 300m final in a new personal best time of 41.47s.
Under 16 sprinter Charlie Townsend set new figures of 18.15s, to win the second fastest 150m event.
Under 20 Woman Ellie Wickens also produced new figures of 20.12s when finishing second in the fourth fastest 150m event.