Happy Birthday from this Thursday 14 April to Louis Cross, Victoria Godfrey, Yann Janssen, Scarlett Kent, Eljone Kruger, Lauren Maltz, Kelly Mavididi, Lola McCann-Ezekiel, Dylan Michel, Tristan Procida, Robert Rigby, Sean Sutherland, Seth Taylor and Alan Weller

RECENT NEW MEMBERS –We wish you a very warm welcome, and a happy, healthy and successful time with Shaftesbury to MAKSIE OLOLI, LANRE PRATT and LEWIS WARD

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS SUBSCRIPTIONS – SBH Treasurer GEOFF MORPHITIS has sent me the following request.
Our new Club year started on 1 October 2021. The SBH annual subscriptions is £50 and the current England Athletics annual registration is £16 from 1 April 2022. The total is £66 and should now be paid NOW to; ACCOUNT NAME: SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS, BANK: 41308378, SORT CODE: 400426 – Please let me know when payment is made. Thanks GEOFF

LONDON INTER CLUB CHALLENGE/LUCA ATHLETICS SERIES – The first of four LICC/LUCA fixtures takes place this Saturday 16 April at Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton, London (Satnav N9 0AR).
Link to timetable – LICC LUCA Lee Valley 16-04-22 (4)
Other than when races are combined, the LUCA race is first, men followed by women. All subsequent races are graded with fastest first. Mixed races will be run where possible. Photo finish and EDM are provided. LICC meetings are Licenced by UKA at Level 2.
Entries Closed

UPDATE ON VOLUNTEERS – RAY POWELL has now advised me that the response for The Westminster Mile has been disappointing, and RAY has now advised London Marathon that the club cannot fulfil our commitment.
Regarding the Vitality 10k on Monday 2 May, RAY now has the 10 volunteers required, many thanks to you all, and enjoy your day in Green Park.

INTRODUCTION TO ATHLETICS OFFICIATING – Good afternoon all. It has been discussed recently, we need to build up the number of officials we have available to help us promote athletics meetings both at the StoneX Stadium and at other local venues.

Can you please help by checking with the parents of athletes in your groups or perhaps even some of your athletes whether they are interested in officiating at athletics events and whether they could attend the introductory sessions at the StoneX Stadium. Any support would be greatly appreciated. There’s a real risk following the Covid outbreaks and the number of officials that have recently retired, that some inter-club athletics meetings will have to be cancelled.
The dates and times for the 2 sessions are; Tuesday 19 April from 18.30 to 20.00 and Tuesday 26 April from 18.30 to 20.00. The tutor is TAMSIN JAMES, who is an excellent official and who regularly supports our meetings.
Can you please confirm availability and details of any of your introductions who can attend ASAP. You too would be welcome. Thanks, and take care.

GEOFFREY MORPHITIS Telephone: 020 8447 1066, Mobile: 07976 994 302, E-mail: geoffrey.morphitis@capeandd.com

RESULTS
LEE VALLEY APRIL OPEN MEETING – Took place at Lee Valley on 10 April
100m – SW 3 VANESSA ANSUAA U20 2nd (SB 13.02 w-2.0), 7 LYDIA BALL U15 4th (SB 14.28 w-2.8), ARIANA GOMES 5th (PB 14.51 w-2.8) taking .13 of a second off her 2021 time, 10 WERONIKA KALINSKI U17 1st (PB 13.78 w-1.3) taking .26 of a second off her 2021 time
200m – SM 2 MALACHI AMADI U17 4th (SB 23.27 w-2.6)
200m – SW 2 VANESSA ANSUAA U20 5th (26.90 w-2.9), 6 ARIANA GOMES 7th (SB 30.75 w-2.6), 7 LYDIA BALL U15 3rd (PB 29.14 w-3.3) taking .16 of a second off her 2021 time, 8 WERONIKA KALINSKI U17 1st (29.09 w-2.0)
400m – SW HAYLEY MCLEAN 2nd (54.90)
100m Hurdles – M50 GARY SMITH V50 (2nd Claim) 1st (SB 14.74 w-2.2) and is ranked UK No.1 V50 in 2022
110m Hurdles – U20M RUBEN HEDMAN U20 4th (SB 15.81 w-3.1) and is ranked UK No.9 U20 in 2022
Javelin 800g – SM MILAN TRAJKOVIC U20 1st (SB 53.07m) and is ranked UK No.8 U20 in 2022, MIGUEL GONZALEZ-BETANCOURT V45 2nd (PB 37.08m) adding 3.19m to his 2021 throw, and is ranked UK No.3 V45 in 2022

MAISTONE AND MEDWAY OPEN MEETING – Took place at Gillingham on 10 April
300m – SX 1 ALEX BEECHEY (2nd Claim) 2nd (PB 34.17) taking .48 of a second off his 2017 time

NUNEATON OPEN MEETING – Took place at Nuneaton on 10 April
400m – SX 1 DITA JAJA U23 3rd (PB 60.62), 7 CALVIN SMITH U20 6th (50.16)
100m Hurdles – SW JESSICA HUNTER 1st (SB 13.76 w1.2) and is ranked UK No.6 in 2022

NATIONAL MEN’S 12 STAGE AND WOMENS 6 STAGE ROAD RELAYS – Took place at Sutton Park on 9 April
Men’s 12 Stage – 1st Tonbridge (4:13.11), 2nd Highgate Harriers (4:13.24), 3rd Bedford & County (4:14.25) 53 teams finished
Fastest Long Leg – Nick Goolab of Belgrave Harriers (25.23), Fastest Short Leg – Thomas Keen of Cambridge & Coleridge (15.10)
Women’s 6 Stage – 1st Salford (2:14.27), 2nd Highgate Harriers (2:18.12), 3rd Basingstoke & Mid Hants (2:18.55) 25 teams finished
Fastest Long Leg – Eleanor Bolton of Salford Harriers (29.20), Fastest Short Leg – Gemma Steel of Charnwood (17.17)

NATIONAL U15/U17 5k ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Sutton Park on 9 April
Under 15 Boys – The winner was Jacob Nugent of Mansfield (16.44) 7 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Mansfield (10 points) 1 team finished
Under 15 Girls – The winner was Milly Dunger of Bedford & County (17.59) 4 runners finished
No Team Completed
Under 17 Men – The winner was Joshua Blevins of Gateshead (15.31) 14 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Wirral “A” (11 points), 2nd Wirral “A” (27) 2 teams finished
Under 17 Women – The winner was Emilia Platt of East Cheshire & Tameside (17.59) 10 runners finished
Team Result – 1st East Cheshire & Tameside (11 points), 2nd Tipton Harriers (18) 2 teams finished

BERMUDA GAMES – Took place at Hamilton, Bermuda on 9 April
800m – SW ELLIE BAKER 5th (PB 2:05.87)
1500m – SM KYLE LANGFORD 6th (SB 3:47.89)

ATLANTA TRACK CLUB GRAND PRIX – Took place at Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 9 April
100m – SM H1 OJIE EDOBURUN 3rd (SB 10.38 nwr), 1 OJIE finished 3rd (SB 10.07 w-1.3) taking .31 of a second off his H1 time, and is ranked UK No.1 in 2022

HARVARD v YALE – Took place at New Haven, Connecticut, USA on 9 April
100m – SW LARISSA GILES U20 (Yale University) 5th (SB 12.80 w0.1) taking .09 of a second off her 2 April time
5000m – SM LIAM GARRETT U23 (2nd Claim) 9th (PB 14:43.64) taking 23.63 seconds off his 2018 time, and is ranked UK No.8 U23 in 2022

HAVERING SPRING OPEN MEETING – Took place at Hornchuch on 9 April
Long Jump – SX B OGO ANOCHIRIONYE (2nd Claim) 1st (6.84m nwr)

SOUTHAMPTON INVITATIONAL THROWS MEETING – Took place at Southampton on 9 April
Shot 5kg – U17M TRAVIS SCOTTOW U17 (2nd Claim) 1st (14.52m)
Discus 1.5kg – U17M TRAVIS SCOTTOW U17 (2nd Claim) 1st (42.15m)
Hammer 4kg – SX JESSICA-CHARLIE BENNETT U20 (2nd Claim) 2nd (PB 49.95m) adding 55cm to her 2021 throw, and is ranked UK No.2 U20 in 2022

SURREY COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS/KINGSTON & PH OPEN THROWS MEETING – Took place at Kingston on 9 April
Discus 1.5kg – SM C MICHAEL NICHOLLS F44 1st (44.68m)

FLAMES INVITATIONAL – Took place at Cleveland, Tennessee, USA on 9 April
1500m – SM 7 MITCHEL COX (Queens University North Carolina) 11th (SB 3:52.59)

BRUTUS HAMILTON INVITATIONAL – Took place at Berkeley, California, USA on 9 April
100m – SW 2 MICHAEL OHIOZE 2nd (SB 10.89 w0.5)
200m – SM 2 MICHAEL OHIOZE 1st (21.90 w-1.0)

SUN ANGEL CLASSIC – Took place at Tempe, Arizona, USA on 9 April
100m – SW 5 JAMAL RHODEN-STEVENS 6th (10.60 w0.5)
200m – SW 6 JAMAL RHODEN-STEVENS 4th (21.11 w1.2)
Shot 7.26kg – SM B GEORGE EVANS (Kansas University) 12th (16.01m)
Discus 2kg – SM B GEORGE EVANS (Kansas University) 4th (SB 59.52m) adding 5.81m to his 26 March throw, and is ranked UK No.4 in 2022

HURRICANE ALUMINI INVITATIONAL – Took place at Coral Gables, Florida, USA on 8-9 April
100m Hurdles – SW 1 LILY PARRIS U20 (Princeton University 2nd Claim) 5th (SB 14.82 w-1.0) and is ranked UK No.6 U20 in 2020

JO MEAKER CLASSIC – Took place at Canyon, Texas, USA on 8-9 April
Pole Vault – SM GLEN QUAYLE U23 (Northern State University) 1st (4.70m)

TRITON INVITATIONAL – Took place at La Jolla, California, USA on 8-9 April
Discus 1kg – SW JADE LALLY V35 4th (57.99m), SHADINE DUQUEMIN 7th (54.45m)
Discus 2kg – SM NICK PERCY 6th (SB 62.35m) adding 2.46m to his 7 April throw, and is ranked UK No.1 in 2022

CVEATC ELITE DISCUS INVITATIONAL – Took place at Chula Vista, California, USA on 7 April
Discus 1kg – SW JADE LALLY V35 2nd (60.47m), SHADINE DUQUEMIN 6th (SS 55.13m) and is ranked UK No.3 in 2022
Discus 2kg – SM NICK PERCY 7th (SB 59.89m) adding 10cm to his 27 February throw, and is ranked UK No.3 in 2022

PARKRUN – Can you make sure that you are registered as ‘Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers’, as the link I use to select all results only shows SBH athletes. If anyone is also officiating can you please contact me and advise me where and when. 

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Hackney Marshes on 9 April.
BARRY CHISHOLM V60 102nd (25.03) this was his 241st Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Maidstone on 9 April.
CLIFF GOLDING V65 93rd (25.45) this was his 113th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Oak Hill on 9 April.
BRADLEY SINGER 39th (23.52) this was his 173rd Parkrun, STUART SINGER V60 40th (24.02) this was his 325th Parkrun, LILY PLASETT U 112th (28.32) this was her 20th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Panshanger on 9 April.
RUSSELL DEVITT V70 148th (32.37) this was his 218th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Rickmansworth on 9 April.
JO KENT V55 13th (PB 19.53) this was her 82nd Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Sunny Hill on 9 April.
DYLAN MICHEL U 2nd (18.19) this was his 46th Parkrun, LENARD MICHEL V50 8th (21.53) this was his 75th Parkrun, SHONA MICHEL V50 21st (27.05) this was her 59th Parkrun, PENNY HARPER-WILKINSON V60 27th (29.43) this was her 8th Parkrun

UPCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS, FOR THE PERIOD THURSDAY 14 APRIL UNTIL WEDNESDAY 12 MAY – The current 2022 Summer Fixture Card can be found on the SBH website – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-cards/ – also the contact details for all Team Managers can be found on the SBH website – http://sbharriers.co.uk/athletics/track-field/team-managers

HIGHGATE HARRIERS OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Wednesday 20 April at Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath (SatNav NW5 1QR), nearest station is Gospel Oak.
Start Times – 6.30pm Discus, 6.45pm 100m and High Jump, 7.20pm 1500m, 7.40pm 300m, 7.45pm Shot Put, 8.00pm 5000m.
Track Events – 100m and 1500m all age-groups excluding Under 11s, 300m U15/U17/U20/Seniors, 5000m U20/Seniors.
Entry fee £8 per event. The total number of entries for each event will be limited. You are strongly advised to enter as soon as possible using the link below. Entries will close when event is full or otherwise at midnight on Sunday 17 April.
Link to On-Line entry and payment only – No entries on the night – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2022/GBR/high1879/
Link to HH Flyer – Advert of HH Open Meeting April 2022
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

UK YOUTH DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE PREMIER SOUTH ROUND 1 – The first fixture of four takes place on Sunday 24 April at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre, Pococks Lane, Eton, Windsor (Satnav SL4 6HN).
Age-Groups Under 17 & U20 Men/Women.
This is the link to the timetable – YDL UAG Timetables 2022
Note: You will have to be selected by your respective Team Manager

EASTERN YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE ROUND 1  – The first of four fixtures takes place on Sunday 1 May at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav Wd25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13, U15 & U17 Men/Women.
Link to the timetable – EYAL Timetable 2022
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager, Those athletes who wish to compete as a non-scorer, please contact your Team Manager no later than Thursday 28 April as the declarations have to be in on Friday 29 April

NATIONAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE ROUND 1 – The first of four fixtures takes place on Saturday 7 May at the Sportcity Regional Athletics Arena, Rowsley Street, Manchester (Satnav M11 3FF).
Age-Groups Under U20 & Senior Men/Women.
Link to the timetable – 2022-NAL-Timetable-OTF-2
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager 

MIDDLESEX YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE ROUND 1 – The first fixture of four takes place on Sunday 8 May at Parliament Hill Fields Athletics Track, London (Satnav NW3 2JP).
Age-Groups Under 13, 15 & 17 Men/Women.
Link to the timetable –
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager.
To Be Confirmed: Those athletes who wish to compete as a non-scorer, please contact your Team Manager no later than Thursday 5 May as the declarations have to be in on Friday 6 May.

AUSTRALIA STATE VICTORIA TO HOST 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

The Australian state of Victoria has been selected to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. It will be the second time that the state has held the Games after Melbourne in 2006. However, the events in four years time will be spread across the entire Victoria region and not just in one city. The fact that no other countries apart from Australia bid for the 2026 Games meant that Victoria was granted an exclusive negotiating period to secure its bid to host the events back in February. Melbourne will host the opening ceremony at the 100,000 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground but there will be four regional capitals: Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland. Each will have their own athletes village and the athletics will take place at Ballarat. It’s unknown what stadium will host the athletics but the largest venue in Ballarat is the 11,000 capacity Mars Stadium. The likelihood is that it will be renovated in a similar fashion to Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium or a new stadium will be built in Victoria’s third largest city.

CGF President Dame LOUISE MARTIN said: “The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria. “Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision for hosting our major multi-sport event. “In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey. “This a very special moment for the Commonwealth Sport Family and on behalf of the entire Movement, I would like to congratulate Commonwealth Games Australia and Victoria on their successful Games submission. We now look forward to a bright future as we work together to stage a Commonwealth Games like no other.”

Australia has already hosted the Commonwealth Games five times, the first being in Sydney in 1938 and the last one just four years ago at Gold Coast. It also hosted the Olympics in 1956 and 2000 and just a couple of months ago Brisbane won the 2032 bid uncontested.

WHY THE EMSLEY CARR MILE DESERVES A GOOD HOME – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

Iconic race boasts an amazing history and will be staged during the Night of the 10,000m PBs in London on 14 May. With a history dating back to 1953 and a list of winners that reads like a who’s who of middle-distance running greats, the Emsley Carr Mile is one of the most iconic races in athletics. One thing is has never quite had, though, is a regular home. After being held in the White City in London for the first 16 years, it has subsequently moved around the nation. From Crystal Palace and Cwmbran to Sheffield and Swansea, in more recent years it has been held during Diamond League meetings at the Olympic Stadium in London, Alexander Stadium in Birmingham or, last year, Gateshead International Stadium. Next month, though, it will be held as part of the Night of the 10,000m PBs on Hampstead Heath in north London on Saturday 14 May. After losing the European 10,000m Cup element of the meeting, it is a coup for the organisers and it will be interesting to see how such an historic race is weaved into the vibrant modern meeting that Highgate Harriers have created. One thing that is crucial is that the fields are strong. The reputation of the Emsley Carr Mile has been built on the impressive quality of the line-ups and let’s hope the 2022 event does not let us down. The standard was set in 1953 when the inaugural Emsley Carr Mile was won by GORDON PIRIE. Better known as a cross-country and long distance track runner, PIRIE also had a good turn of speed and cult appeal among the country’s endurance running fraternity. The name of PIRIE, I would guess, probably won’t even mean much to many current athletes in their teens or 20s. But such was his popularity in 1955 he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year and in 1965 he finished top of an AW readers’ poll to decide “the greatest British athlete in history”. After PIRIE came the mercurial KEN WOOD. Google his name now and all you will find are links about Britain’s leading manufacturer of food mixing devices. Yet in the 1950s and early 1960s he was one of the world’s top milers who possessed such an explosive sprint finish that it helped him win a record four Emsley Carr Mile titles between 1954 and 1961. In an interview published in AW in 2004, WOOD told me an amazing (and slightly unbelievable) story about how he ran the world’s first sub-four-minute one month before ROGER BANNISTER’S famous feat. However, whereas BANNISTER’S run at Oxford’s Iffley Road was in an official race with timekeepers holding stopwatches, Wood’s apparent sub-four was during a ‘training race’ in Sheffield with barely any witnesses.

Still, his four Emsley Carr Mile wins were no accident and as the years rolled on and the event moved from London to Scotland to Wales and elsewhere, the winners included legends such as KIP KEINO of Kenya, JIM RYUN of the United States, SAID AOUITA of Morocco, HAILE GEBRSELASSIE of Ethiopia, HICHAM EL GUERROUJ of Morocco, plus Brits like SEB COE, STEVE OVETT, DAVE MOORCROFT and PETER ELLIOTT. Not surprisingly it was recognised in 2019 by World Athletics and awarded a Heritage plaque for its historical importance. Among other things, part of its charm is that all winners must sign a large Emsley Carr Mile book moments after their victory. The latest signature was written by ELLIOT GILES, who took victory in Gateshead last year at a meeting that also saw the women’s equivalent, the MILLICENT FAWCETT Mile, won by KATE GRACE of the United States. A more recent creation with a four-year history, the MILLICENT FAWCETT Mile will also be part of the Night of the 10,000m PBs event on 14 May.

About 15 years ago the Emsley Carr Mile struggled to find a place in the spotlight. The 2006 race at Alexander Stadium was an extraordinarily slow tactical affair won in a pedestrian (4:10.02), whereas the following year, in 2007, the event was held at a British Milers’ Club event at Stretford track in Manchester and therefore not televised. As this classic race continues its peripatetic existence, hopefully the Night of the 10,000m PBs will turn into a relatively long-term host venue. After all, an event of such stature and history surely deserves a good home.

Emsley Carr Mile winners
1953 Gordon Pirie (GBR) 4:06.80 White City
1954 Ken Wood (GBR) 4:04.80 White City
1955 Ken Wood (GBR) 4:05.40 White City
1956 Derek Ibbotson (GBR) 3:59.40 White City
1957 Ken Wood (GBR) 4:02.00 White City
1958 Murray Halberg (NZL) 4:06.50 White City
1959 Derek Ibbotson (GBR) 4:03.10 White City
1960 László Tábori (USA) 4:00.30 White City
1961 Ken Wood (GBR) 4:08.40 White City
1962 Jim Beatty (USA) 3:56.52 White City
1963 Bill Crothers (CAN) 4:06.50 White City
1964 Witold Baran (POL) 3:56.04 White City
1965 Alan Simpson (GBR) 4:04.11 White City
1966 Kip Keino (KEN) 3:53.42 White City
1967 Jim Ryun (USA) 3:56.02 White City
1968 John Whetton (GBR) 3:58.56 White City
1969 Francesco Arese (ITA) 3:57.80 Crystal Palace
1970 Ian Stewart (GBR) 3:57.40 Meadowbank
1971 Peter Stewart (GBR) 4:00.40 Meadowbank
1972 Peter Stewart (GBR) 3:55.30 Crystal Palace
1973 Frank Clement (GBR) 4:01.81 Crystal Palace
1974 Frank Clement (GBR) 3:57.44 Crystal Palace
1975 Filbert Bayi (TAN) 3:55.50 Crystal Palace
1976 David Moorcroft (GBR) 3:57.06 Crystal Palace
1977 Sebastian Coe (GBR) 3:57.67 Crystal Palace
1978 John Robson (GBR) 3:55.83 Crystal Palace
1979 Steve Ovett (GBR) 3:56.58 Gateshead Stadium
1980 Colin Reitz (GBR) 4:00.60 Meadowbank
1981 Geoff Smith (GBR) 3:55.80 Cwmbran
1982 David Moorcroft (GBR) 3:57.84 Crystal Palace
1983 Sebastian Coe (GBR) 4:03.37 Alexander Stadium
1984 Peter Elliott (GBR) 3:55.71 Gateshead
1985 Mark Rowland (GBR) 4:01.70 Swansea
1986 Neil Horsfield (GBR) 3:57.03 Swansea
1987 John Walker (NZL) 3:58.75 Gateshead
1988 Chris McGeorge (GBR) 4:07.07 Crystal Palace
1989 Saïd Aouita (MAR) 3:51.97 Gateshead
1990 Peter Elliott (GBR) 3:55.51 Gateshead
1991 Peter Elliott (GBR) 3:52.10 Sheffield
1992 Steve Crabb (GBR) 3:58.76 Sheffield
1993 Philemon Hanneck (ZIM) 3:57.06 Portsmouth
1994 Kevin McKay (GBR) 3:58.72 Gateshead
1995 Vénuste Niyongabo (BDI) 3:49.80 Crystal Palace
1996 William Tanui (KEN) 3:54.57 Sheffield
1997 Vénuste Niyongabo (BDI) 3:53.28 Sheffield
1998 Laban Rotich (KEN) 3:51.74 Sheffield
1999 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 3:52.39 Gateshead
2000 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:45.96 Crystal Palace
2001 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:49.41 Crystal Palace
2002 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:50.86 Crystal Palace
2003 Paul Korir (KEN) 3:48.17 Crystal Palace
2004 Paul Korir (KEN) 3:49.84 Crystal Palace
2005 Michael East (GBR) 3:52.50 Sheffield
2006 Gabe Jennings (USA) 4:10.02 Alexander Stadium
2007 Jon Rankin (USA) 3:54.24 Stretford
2008 Shedrack Kibet Korir (KEN) 3:54.68 Crystal Palace
2009 Bernard Lagat (USA) 3:52.71 Crystal Palace
2010 Augustine Choge (KEN) 3:50.14 Crystal Palace
2011 Leonel Manzano (USA) 3:51.21 Crystal Palace
2012 Silas Kiplagat (KEN) 3:52.44 Crystal Palace
2013 Augustine Choge (KEN) 3:50.01 London Stadium
2014 Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 3:51.89 Alexander Stadium
2015 Asbel Kiprop (KEN) 3:54.87 London Stadium
2016 Silas Kiplagat (KEN) 3:53.04 London Stadium
2017 Jake Wightman (GBR) 3:54.92 Alexander Stadium
2018 Stewart McSweyn (AUS) 3:54.60 Alexander Stadiumart McSweyn with the Emsley Carr Mile 2019 Samuel Tefera (ETH) 3:49.45 London Stadium
2020 Cancelled due to Covid pandemic
2021 Elliot Giles (GBR) 3:52.49 Gateshead

Millicent Fawcett Mile
2018 Sifan Hassan (NLD) 4:14:71 London Stadium
2019 Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) 4:21:11 Birmingham
2021 Kate Grace (USA) 4:27:20 Gateshead

IS ATHLETICS WINNING THE FIGHT AGAINST DOPING – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

It’s now five years since the creation of the Athletics Integrity Unit, so how much progress has been in that time when it comes to the war on drugs? We discover a changed landscape. “We are in a good place and our trajectories are going in the right way for the first time in a long time,” declares BRETT CLOTHIER, the head of the Athletics Integrity Unit. The Australian, recruited last summer to front World Athletics’ independent spin-off, acknowledges there’s a but. “I don’t want to kid anyone,” he adds. “There’s still a long way to go in the fight against doping.” The scale of that battle in the UK alone appears vast on mere tests conducted. According to the most recent report from UK Anti-Doping, samples were collected on 12,971 occasions within a year from across 49 sports and in 36 countries in the year headed into the originally-scheduled Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Throw in a supplementary process of investigation, intelligence and regulation to bring 25 published decisions – at a bill of £3million per annum. It feeds into the AIU, established in 2017 and designed to operate freely of the vested interests and corruption that has a tendency to infiltrate sports, as the old IAAF and Russia (still suspended) have demonstrated.

It has proven effective in policing track and field as a counter-weight to any flaws in each nation’s own system. Straightforward was the case of CHRISTIAN COLEMAN, suspended until later this year following his three missed drugs tests. More esoteric was WILSON KIPSANG, who deployed a fake photo of an overturned lorry to justify missing a test. Or fellow marathoner JEMIMA SUMGONG’S insistence she was injected with EPO by a malevolent imposter. A total of 544 names began the year on the AIU’s global blacklist – although the lone Briton, hammer thrower MARK DRY, has since been removed from it. A rare example, perhaps, where a system sensibly set up to judge in black and white struggles with the occasional shade of grey.

“I hope,” adds CLOTHIER, “that people – the athletics fans and the broader public – can really see athletics is standing out in the crowd from other sports in actually taking the issue of doping seriously. And that, with the right structures in place and the right amount of investment, it’s possible to make an impression, to begin to take the first serious steps to actually getting a better situation that the public can trust in our events, can trust in what they’re seeing out on the field of play.” Fairly, and without discrimination, declares SEBASTIAN COE, the president of World Athletics. Despite DRY’S claims that he was easy prey for an unfair sanction as “low hanging fruit”, there is no doubt that other sports have a more recent history of protecting their wayward stars, or simply not testing thoroughly at all. “If there is transgression – and there is a far greater chance because of the technology and investigative skills that the AIU has now and how it collates its intelligence – there is a far greater chance they will get to the bottom of these things quicker than we have before,” COE said. “And the sanction will be faster and harder. And plenty of people with high reputations have taken a tumble.”

The Tokyo Olympics, notably, saw British sprinter CJ UJAH test positive for a prohibited substance normally utilised for muscle-building. It means the GB team will lose its silver medal at the 2020 Olympics too. Such detection is simpler in a controlled environment such as a Games where there is no hiding place and all must pass through the inspection zone. But, says CLOTHIER: “In high risk environments, the quality of the cases we’ve been able to have is high … and I’ll give you just two examples: one is Kenya and one is Russia.” Notoriously lax in their respective regimes, the net has closed – whether around the natives or those on a visit. Much change on the latter came out of the MCLAREN Report that saw the Russian ecosystem exposed as a sham. Kenya remains imperfect in its diligence but the government has been lent on and brought on board. “In terms of the education work that’s happening on the ground there, steps are being put in to address risk,” confirms CLOTHIER. “And also, quite frankly, the athletes are more afraid of getting caught than they were before. And that has a really big impact on the ground.” The UK is not without stains. Supplement use – and abuse – remains a significant problem at a recreational level, with one study suggesting that steroid users are larger users of needle exchanges in Wales than the drugs addicts they were set up to serve.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS ON INSTAGRAM – Since the account was setup towards the end of last year, there has been an amazing amount of Video and Photographs contributed with many comments. The following is an update of this week’s contributions.

All the following photographs feature our many athletes that competed in the Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Kent Indoor Championships at Lee Valley on 19-20 March.

SPRINT TRAINING AT STONEX STADIUM – Excellent video of JACQUILENE AGYEPONG girls practising their sprint starts.

BIRMINGHAM 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES – You may wish to sign up to receive their Newsletter. Link – https://www.birmingham2022.com/register-your-interest/. This is the link to the current schedule for the 25 events – https://images.birmingham2022.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/11441664_CWGs_Daily_Competition_Schedule_FINAL.pdf.