Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Weekly Newsletter Thursday 14 August 2025

Happy Birthday from Thursday 14 August to Wednesday 13 August – Yamile Aldama, Jamie Bath, Liam Garrett, Amy Gullen, Daniel Greenstein, James Lancaster, Hayden McCarthy, Jake Michalik, John Naylor, Gracie Rosenblatt, Jaian Saunders and Edwin Yamoah

EUROPEAN U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS –Congratulations to TEDDY WILSON U20 who won the 100m Silver Medal (10.47 w-0.7) in Tampere, Finland on 8 August. This follows his recent win in the England U20 Championships in which he recorded a personal best (10.23 w2.5). TEDDY was joint GB team captain with INNES FITZGERALD.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS AGE-GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS – Congratulations to HOLLY RYAN, KAYDEN THOMAS and ELKIE BAKER (2nd Claim) who became English champions at Birmingham on 8-10 August.
HOLLY won the U17 300m title with a time of (38.17), this was her 16th race of the year in which she has won the Surrey and English Schools titles. also in February finished 2nd in the England Indoor Championships.
KAYDEN won the U15 80m Hurdles title with a time of (10.93 w0.4), in the Heat he ran a personal best (10.90 w1.6) which ranked him UK No.3 U15 in 2025, also a new Club Record.
ELKIE won the U17 Discus title with a throw of (41.41m), this was her 19th event of the year in which she has won the Middlesex and English Schools titles. also finished 2nd in the Southern Championships.

NEW CLUB RECORD – Congratulations to KAYDEN THOMAS who broke the Boys Under 15 80m Hurdles record with a time of (10.90 w1.6) at the English Athletics Age-Group Championships at Birmingham on 9 August. This broke his own record of (11.09 w0.3) at Birminghan on 11 July 2025.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Take place in Tokyo, Japan from 13-21 September. Selection will be made in two stages. The first stage will take place after the Trials on 4 August 2025, the second stage will take place after the end of the last qualification window on 26 August
2025. The GB&NI team will be announced on 27 August 2025.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TIMETABLE – Take place in Tokyo, Japan from 13-21 September. This is the link to the daily timetable – https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25/timetable

WATFORD OPEN MEETINGS – To avoid disappointment, please remember the each meeting opens on the lunchtime of the preceding meeting and other than sprints are normally full within about 48 hours. Therefore the 20 August fixture will be open from the 5 August on the ‘Roster’ site.

UPCOMING FIXTURES – Are now shown as 2 sections – The first section covers the fixtures that SBH compete in and other major fixtures – The second section covers the Open Meeting fixtures, that you have to enter yourselves.

CHANGE TO STONEX STADIUM MEMBERSHIP – To use the StoneX Stadium facilities for training, SBH members are required to pay a fee. You can register as a member (which is free) which then entitles you to a discount. This is the link to the form to apply for membership – SBH StoneX Membership 24-07-25
EMMA GOUGE who is the Stadium Athletics and SBH Co-Ordinator had advised me that any athletes coming outside the usual Tuesday and Thursday that they can tap and go with the sum up machine in West reception or scan the QR code, which they will find on the pedestrian gate on entry. We would remind you that athletes should not come through the clubhuse without paying the entry fee. This gets picked up, not only by other athletes that pay, and find it very frustrating and unfair, but also by Saracens security system which can result in a fine, and a ban from using the facility.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS SUBSCRIPTIONS – Our new Club year started on 1 October 2024. The current SBH annual subscription is £85 (following the 2024 SBH AGM) and the current England Athletics annual registration from 1 April 2025 is £20. The current total is £105 and you will be advised via the SBH Membermojo system, when your subscription and EA fees are due for payment

RESULTS
Just to clarify, that the results I publish can be different to those that are shown on the Power of 10. The differences relate to seasons and personal best performances. For example in the recent EYAL results, an athlete in the 200m ran (24.1), and on his profile his season’s best was shown as (23.88) indoors. As the 200m indoors and outdoors are totally different type of events, I had shown the (24.1) as a season’s best. Regarding Master athletes any personal best performances relate to their current age-groups, as Club Records for Masters age-groups are in 5 year periods.

EUROPEAN U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Tampere, Finland on 7-10 August
100m – U20M H4 TEDDY WILSON U20 1st (10.54 w-1.7) in Semi-Final 1 TEDDY finished 1st (10.49 w-0.1) in the Final TEDDY won the joint Silver Medal (10.47 w-0.7)
200m – U20M H4 EBUKA NWOKEJI U20 3rd (21.76 w-1.6) in Semi-Final 2 EBUKA finished 6th (21.38 w1.9)
Triple Jump – U20M Qualification A HARLEY HENRY U20 8th (15.00m w-0.1)
4x100m Relay – U20M H3 GB&NI 1st (39.86) in the Final GB&NI (DNF) TEDDY WILSON U20 ran on Leg 2

ENGLAND ATHLETICS AGE-GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Birmingham on 8-10 August
100m – U15G H5 ANU JAIYEOLA U15 4th (12.55 w1.4) in Semi-Final 3 ANU finished 7th (12.75 w-0.5)
200m – U15B H3 LOUIS XUN U15 6th (23.89 w-1.0)
200m – U15G H3 ANU JAIYEOLA U15 2nd (25.62 w-0.1) in the Final ANU finished 5th (25.57 w0.7)
200m – U17M H1 LANI JAIYEOLA U17 8th (23.37 w-2.7), H6 TYLER HOLDEN-AIKHOMU U17 8th (23.38 w-0.4)
300m – U15B H2 BEN BAMISAIYE U15 4th (38.73) in Semi-Final 1 BEN finished 5th (39.25)
300m – U17W H1 HOLLY RYAN U17 1st (39.50) in the Final HOLLY won the Gold Medal (38.17)
400m – U17M H3 DIJANI BARNOR U17 2nd (52.32) in Semi-Final 2 DIJANI finished 5th (52.44)
800m – U17W Straight Final POSIE SHAW U17 finished 7th (2:17.07)
80m Hurdles – U15B H1 KAYDEN THOMAS U15 1st (PB 10.90 w1.6) taking .16 of a second off his 11 July time, and is ranked UK No.3 U15 in 2025, and a new Club Record, in the Final KAYDEN won the Gold Medal (10.93 w0.4)
Pole Vault – U17M Straight Final RAMSEY GILL U17 finished 5th (4.04m)
Long Jump – U17W Straight Final GRACE NYANGO U17 finished 7th (5.44m w3.5)
Discus 1kg – U17W Straight Final ELKIE BAKER U17 (2nd Claim) won the Gold Medal (41.41m)

GYALUI ISTVAN MEMORIAL – Took place at Budapest, Hungary on 12 August
Shot 7.26kg – SM SCOTT LINCOLN (HCA) 8th (20.58m)

IFAM – Took place at Oordegem, Belgium on 9 August
400m – SM P1 EVAN BLACKMAN (2nd Claim) 4th (46.50)
400m Hurdles – SM 6 STEVEN GARRETT V35 5th (SB 55.04) taking .74 of a second off his 13 July time, and is ranked UK No.1 V35 in 2025
400m Hurdles – SW 1 LINA NIELSEN 2nd (55.28), SW 2 HAYLEY MCLEAN 1st (SB 55.71) taking .85 of a second off her 18 May time, and is ranked UK No.3 in 2025
Long Jump – SW LESHAWN CLIFFORD U23 6th (5.26m w0.3)
Shot 4kg – SW LESHAWN CLIFFORD U23 6th (PB 6.21m) adding 45cm to her 2023 put

HERCULES WIMBLEDON 5000m FESTIVAL EVENING – Took place at Wimbledon on 9 August
5000m – SX 3 PHILLIP CROUT 2nd (SB 16:29.49), 8 SAMUEL GREENSTEIN U23 9th (SB 15:30.52) taking 17.58 seconds off his 31 May time, JOSHUA FISHER U23 22nd (PB 15:40.60) taking 20.55 seconds off his 2024 time, 10 THOMAS BUTLER 3rd (PB 14:13.25) taking 1.87 seconds off his 2024 time

BMC GRAND PRIX – Took place at Stretford on 9 August
1500m – Women’s A AIMI WEIGHTMAN U23 9th (PB 4:22.18) taking 3.21 seconds off her 21 June time

ASHFORD OPEN MEETING – Took place at Ashford on 7 August
100m – SX 3 CHINWIE IWUNZE 1st (SB 12.68 w-2.3)

MEMORIAL WIESWALA MANIAKA – Took place at Szczecin, Poland on 6 August
100m – SM B JOHN OTUGADE 5th (10.54 w1.3)

WATFORD OPEN MEETING – Took place at Watford on 6 August
100m – SX 2 RAPHAEL AARON U23 1st (PB 12.57 w0.9) equalling his 2024 time
800m – SX 1 RAPHAEL AARON U23 2nd (SB 2:11.43) taking 7.59 seconds off his 26 March time, 2 HELENA AGHOLOR 2nd (SB 2:36.00) taking 7.88 seconds off her 9 July time, 5 CALEB HILTON U17 10th (2:11.37), 7 THOMAS CADWALLADER U20 4th (1:57.33) taking .66 of a second off his 2024 time, 9 JACOB CLEMENT U20 10th (1:57.44)

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.

LINK TO PARKRUN RESULTS – This is the Link I use to obtain the current week’s Parkrun results, if you go to the bottom of the results, you can obtain the previous weeks results – parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=1018.
The results shown are for those SBH athletes that added SBH when they registered for Parkrun.
How to use results – Scroll down to the first Parkrun, Which will show you how many SBH runners had competed. To get all the runners details, click on “View Full Results” which will show all runners that had competed at that event. Scroll down to the first SBH athlete, which will his or her age, also if they have a OB, by clicking on the athletes name, this will show you how many Parkruns they have competed in sinc registering.

PARKRUNS MILESTONE VESTS – You can purchase these from 50 to 500, this is the link – https://shop.parkrun.com/collections/milestone-run-walk-vests

PARKRUNS IN THE UK – Last Saturday at parkruns in the UK, there were…
1,264 events – 259,953 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers – 12,256 first timers – 33,049 PBs

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Aldenham on 9 August
DANIEL NICHOLS V40 3rd (18.34) this was his 67th Parkrun, PAUL LEWIS V50 5th (19.43) this was his 269th Parkrun, ETHAN SLUTZKIN U11 9th (PB 21.14) this was his 135th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Blandford on 9 August
HUGH RICHARDS V75 194th (38.17) this was his 202nd Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Canons Park on 9 August
LENARD MICHEL V55 19th (22.25) this was his 154th Parkrun, KAYLA MICHEL U23 44th (24.30) this was her 58th Parkrun, SHONA MICHEL V50 72nd (26.45) this was her 157th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Cranleigh on 9 August
JAMES TRAPMORE V50 6th (21.07) this was his 81st Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Brea Reservoir on 9 August
DANIYAL JANMOHAMED U11 87th (19.50) this was his 35th Parkrun, LILY JANMOHAMED U11 132nd (20.47) this was her 38th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Christchurch Park on 9 August
ROSS HAMMOND U20 7th (19.14) this was his 91st Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Gladstone on 9 August
DYLAN MICHEL U23 110h (27.49) this was his 56th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Grovelands on 9 August
AIDAN MCAVOY U17 2nd (17.35) this was his 17th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Hackney Marshes on 9 August
BARRY CHISHOLM V65 234th (27.28) this was his 379th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Lands End on 9 August
RICHARD SAMUEL V70 33rd (23.59) this was his 55th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Malmo Ribersborg on 9 August
ELLIOT BURCHER U20 8th (19.23) this was his 11th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Oak Hill on 9 August
MEGAN HAMMOND U17 47th (PB 23.15) this was her 10th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Panshanger on 9 August
RUSSELL DEVITT V75 297th (59.21) this was his 356th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Perry Lakes, Perth, Australia on 9 August
STUART MOORE V65 60th (29.14) this was his 246th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Rushmoor on 9 August
BRADLEY SINGER V35 53rd (21.17) this was his 331st Parkrun, STUART SINGER V60 106th (23.03) this was his 476th Parkrun

SBH UPCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 6 WEEKS, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 14 AUGUST UNTIL WEDNESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER – The SBH 2025 Summer Fixture Card can be found on the SBH website, in which you can Access/Print a copy for future reference. Also the majority of fixtures Information can be found on the SBH Website under the ‘Upcoming Fixtures’ section.

NATIONAL ATHLETIC LEAGUE – The third of three fixtures takes place on Saturday 16 August at the Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham (Satnav B42 2LR)
Age-Groups Under U20 & Senior Men/Women.
This is the link to the timetable – NAL Premiership Timetable 2025
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager

ENGLAND RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Sunday 17 August at the Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham (Satnav B42 2LR)
Clubs will be invited to enter

SBH OPEN MEETING AND CLUB CHAMPONSHIPS – Takes place on Monday 25 August at the StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, Hendon (Satnav NW4 1RL).
Entry Fees: £5 for first event and £7.50 subsequent events for SBH members. £10 per event for non SBH members.
Event for Open Meeting – Sprint Hurdles, 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, Long Jump, Pole Vault, High Jump, Shot Put.
Event for Club ChampionshipS – U13 B&G Sprint Hurdles, 100m, 200m, 800m, Long Jump, Shot Put – U15 B&G Sprint Hurdles, 100m, 200m, 800m, Long Jump, Pole Vault, High Jump, Shot Put – U17, U20, Seniors, Masters M&W Sprint Hurdles, 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 800m, Long Jump, Pole Vault, High Jump, Shot Put.
Link for information and to enter on Opentrack – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/sbh-championships/
Entries Closing Date Friday 22 August
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a probability that the limits for some or all events will be taken up well before the closing date

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL – Takes place on Saturday 30 August at the Manchester Regional Arena, Rowsley Street, Manchester (Satnav M11 3FF)
Link to Information – https://www.englandathletics.org/team-england/manchester-international/
Note: You will have to be selected

EASTERN YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE TOP 6 FINAL – Takes place on Sunday 7 September at the Chelmsford Athletics Stadium, 84-64 Salermo Way, Chelmsford. (Satnav CM1 2EH)
Age-Groups Under U13, U15 & U17 Men/Women.
Link to the timetable – EYAL Finals Timetable 2025
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager

BRITISH MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Friday 12 September and Sunday 14 September at the Moorways Stadium, Moor Lane, Derby (Satnav DE24 9HY).
Link to provisional timetable and enter on Opentrack – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/bmaf-otfc/
Entries Closing Date Monday 1 September
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place from Saturday 13 September to Sunday 21 September at Tokyo, Japan.
Link to their website for all information – https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/tokyo25

SOUTHERN U20 AND SENIOR INTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Saturday 13 September at the Horspath Athletics And Sports Ground, Horspath Road, Oxford (Satnav OX4 2RR).
Please Note: You will selected by your County Team Manager

SBH LATE SEASON THROWSFEST – Takes place on Sunday 14 September at the StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, Hendon (Satnav NW4 1RL).
Entry Fees: £6 for first event and £9 subsequent events for SBH members. £12 per event for non SBH members
Events – Shot Put, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw, Hammer Throw
Link to enable early entry – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2025/GBR/sbh-late-throwsfest/ie/
and use the code earlyentry
Entries Closing Date TBC
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a probability that the limits for some or all events will be taken up well before the closing date

SOUTHERN U15 AND U17 INTER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Sunday 14 September at the Horspath Athletics And Sports Ground, Horspath Road, Oxford (Satnav OX4 2RR).
Please Note: You will selected by your County Team Manager

SOUTHERN SENIOR MEN’S, WOMEN’S AND YOUNG ATHLETES ROAD RELAYS – Takes place on Saturday 20 September at the Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot (Satnav GU11 2ET).
Awaiting details, information below was from the 2024 fixture.
Timetable – 10.30 U13 Boys (3 x 3000m), 10.58 U13 Girls (3 x 3000m), 11.26 U15 Boys (3 x 3000m), 11.53 U15 Girls (3 x 3000m), 12.30 U17 Men (3 x 4600m), 12.32 U17 Women/Masters Women 40+ & 50+ (3 x 4600m), 13.35 U20/Senior Women (4 x 6000m), 15.15 U20 & Senior Men (6 x 6000m), 15.15 Masters 40+ & 50+ & 60+ Men (4 x 6000m)
Entries Closing Date TBC
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager

OPEN MEETING UPCOMING FIXTURES, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 14 AUGUST UNTIL WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER.

WATFORD OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Wednesday 20 August at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav WD25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Timetable – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm 1500m no times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.00pm 3000m no times over 11 minutes, no under 13s
To avoid disappointment, please remember the each meeting opens on the lunchtime of the preceding meeting and other than sprints are normally full within about 48 hours. Therefore the 20 August fixture will be open from the 5 August on the ‘Roster’ site.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a probability that the limits for some or all events will be taken up well before the closing date

WATFORD OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Wednesday 3 September at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav WD25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Timetable – 7https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox.00pm 200m, 7.15pm 100m, 7.30pm 800m, 9.00pm 3000m no times over 11 minutes, no under 13s
To avoid disappointment, please remember the each meeting opens on the lunchtime of the preceding meeting and other than sprints are normally full within about 48 hours. Therefore the 20 August fixture will be open from the 19 August on the ‘Roster’ site.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a probability that the limits for some or all events will be taken up well before the closing date

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2026 – This is an insight published on the BBC website about the July 2026 games, which takes place in Glasgow.

The 2022 Games in Birmingham was widely considered a roaring success, providing a post-Covid buzz to the city, the country and the competing Commonwealth nations. However, it came at a price. Costing £800m, it was the most expensive sports event hosted in the UK since the 2012 Olympics. Reform of the Games – making it more cost-effective, sustainable and future-proof – was already an intense discussion point.

In July 2023 the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the 2026 event, eventually finalising its withdrawal in August 2023. With the State Premier DANIEL ANDREWS concluded it was “all cost and no benefit” and plunged the future of the Commonwealth Games into serious doubt. After a period of the the City of Glasgow offered to host the games. The Scottish city hosted the Games in 2014 but it will have a very different, streamlined look when it returns there in two years’ time, with only 10 sports to be played out over four venues at an estimated cost of about £140m. “The Games had got out of hand – it was too big and trying to be a ‘mini Olympics’,” Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive KATIE SADLEIR told BBC Sport. Earlier, SADLEIR said: “We want to create a sustainable model that can go around the Commonwealth because the Commonwealth members love the Commonwealth Games and we want to take it there as well.”

The opening ceremony takes place on Thursday 23 July 2026 with the closing ceremony on Sunday 2 August 2026.

This is the link showing the session schedule for the 11 sports and disciplines – 2026 Commonwealth Games Full Session Schedule
This is the link showing the competition schedule for the 10 days, and you can review daily what sports will be taking place – https://www.glasgow2026.com/schedule/day-by-day

MONDO DUPLANTIS SOARS TO 6.29M WORLD RECORD IN BUDAPEST – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

Swedish pole vaulter improves his global mark at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial on Tuesday. MONDO DUPLANTIS set the 13th world record of his career with a (6.29m) clearance at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial in Budapest on Tuesday (Aug 12). Returning to the scene of his 2023 World Championships triumph, the 25-year-old from Sweden was pushed by EMMANOUIL KARALIS of Greece with both men clearing 6.02m on their first attempts at this World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting.

KARALIS bowed out after two misses at (6.11m), but DUPLANTIS went clear at that height to add one centimetre to the Hungarian all-comers’ record he set when winning the world title at the same stadium in 2023. He then moved the bar to (6.29m) – a one centimetre increase on the world record height he cleared in Stockholm in June – and cleared it at his second attempt.

JONATHAN EDWARDS CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AS TRIPLE JUMP WORLD RECORD-HOLDER – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently. .The photograph was taked by MARK SHEARMAN taken in Atlanta in 1996.

British athlete says his iconic (18.29m) jump in Gothenburg in 1995 is “almost part of me and more than I could ever hope to achieve in sport”. On August 7, 1995, JONATHAN EDWARDS took to the runway at the World Championships in Gothenburg and jumped (18.16m w1.3) in the first round to improve his own world record of (17.98m) which had been set in Salamanca one month earlier. In the form of his life, in round two he went even further, recording a mark of (18.29m w1.3). The performance was 67cm better than any of his rivals that day and, 30 years later, still survives as the world record.

Many fine triple jumpers have attacked the mark over the years, such as CHRISTIAN TAYLOR and WILL CLAYE of the United States, HUGUES FEBRICE ZANGO of Burkina Faso, PEDRO PICHARDO of Portugal and JORDAN DIAZ of Spain. But TAYLOR has come closest with (18.21m) in 1990. It is one of the longest standing athletics world records, but has to fall sometime, doesn’t it? “I’d be upset, I for sure,” he says, “I mean, it’s it’s been so long. It’s almost part of me. “It’s more than I could ever, ever hope to achieve in sport, so I’ll be fine but it will be a sad day. It would be pretty cool to be on my deathbed and still a world record-holder.”

EDWARDS was speaking to COLIN JACKSON in the latest episode of Puma’s Go Wild Podcast. Through the conversation, EDWARDS shares what life was like growing up in a small town in Devon, England, being a late-bloomer in his sport and taking a massive risk to move to Newcastle to pursue a sport he didn’t naturally exceed in. Elsewhere in the podcast, Edwards speaks about topics that include…

Finding his flow state through sport: “There was always something about the triple jump, which sort of resonated with me. I was good at it, but I loved the rhythm of it.”

Pursuing a traditional life: I loved my sport, you know, that’s what I enjoyed the most. But my focus was always on my studies because we were growing up when professional sport didn’t exist. Not In the way that it exists now. Yeah. So I was I was very much focused on studying hard, going to university, getting a degree and getting a job.”

On being a late bloomer in his sport: “You talk about being a late developer – I actually don’t hold the triple jump record at my school! So, I might have the world record, but the triple jump record at my school is held by a guy called Stephen, a Jomo who went on to play rugby for England.”

Pursuing his love for his sport: ”I had filled various application forms out but my heart wasn’t in it. And I thought, well, maybe I should just try and be an athlete. […] I mean, there’s no money to be made, there’s no career – there was nothing.”

On not making money from sport: “And I look back now, I think I was mad. I could have been getting a good job working for a bank or doing my accountancy exams and following a career path. And there I was on unemployment benefit, living in Newcastle, which was a shock to my system.”

Not letting comments about his physical appearance deter him: “There was nothing remarkable about me. I remember a newspaper article once – I think one of the journalists described me as looking more like a geography teacher. So, there’s nothing about me physically which would make you think that I was going to be a world record holder. And I think all of my competitors looked at me and thought, “God, if Edwards can do it, surely we can do it, because what’s special about him?”.”

Not letting his natural talent deter him: “My vertical jump or a horizontal jump or a standing triple jump – rubbish. I was strong in the gym, but my actual basic jumping ability wasn’t good. Your long jump personal best is better than mine.”

Listening to his body through training:”I got a bronze medal at the World Championships and then I trained harder than I’d ever trained that following winter season. And I’d got ill and then I still trained and I got a post-viral thing. So I changed the way I trained. I changed my technique, much more focused on sort of high intensity training, but not much quantity, just to sort of reduce the load on my body.”

Experiencing imposter syndrome: “So there’s always that sort of imposter syndrome – like this isn’t my thing. I can do it, and I sort of enjoy it, but it comes at a high price. It’s not a life that I would imagine in so many ways, not just jumping, but in terms of what I did afterwards.”

His message for young athletes of today: “I think that as a general principle, people who achieve great things are just ordinary people. And I think for young people to understand the extraordinary things they’ve done by people who breathe the same air, eat the same food, probably have all the same doubts that they have, is a really important message, because you can think, well, that’s just me.”

FAITH KYPEGON: “IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO DARE TO TRY” – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

Kenyan star talks about chasing history, making a move to the marathon and her hopes of more golden moments at the World Championships in Tokyo. FAITH KYPEGON is not one to stand still. For the three-time Olympic 1500m champion, there is always something to aim for. Whether that be her ongoing pursuit of becoming the first woman to break four minutes for the mile or the long-term vision that will see her moving from the track to the marathon “hopefully soon”, sources of motivation are not in short supply. The main fuel that helps to keep the 31-year-old at the very top level, however, is a desire to inspire – not just her now seven-year-old daughter Alyn but the next generation of women – through her deeds.

Thanks to a lengthy list of achievements KYPEGON is fully installed as one of the best, if ot the best, distance runners of all time but there is an appetite for more. On August 16, she will head to the Diamond League meeting in Silesia with one eye on breaking the long-standing 3000m world record (she is already the fastest ever over 1500m and the mile). After that test, the next item on the agenda will be the World Championships in Tokyo and the defence of her 1500m and 5000m titles, while the end of a long season will come with her appearance at the second edition of the women-only Athlos meeting in New York in October. There is much to do. Just the sound of that itinerary would be exhausting to most mere mortals but, on a World Athletics video call with media from across the globe, the Kenyan cut a relaxed and happy figure as she spoke about the weeks ahead. “It’s a mindset. It’s all about the mind, and also about the preparation and being patient,” she said when asked what helps to keep her standards so high. “It’s all about what you want to achieve for the next generation to look up to you.”

Even by KYPEGON’S standards, this has already been an exceptional year. She invited the eyes of the world upon her as she undertook the hugely ambitious Nike-backed challenge of breaking the four-minute-mile in Paris at the end of June. Though not eligible to be an official record, her time of (4:06.42) was the fastest mile ever run by a woman. Coming up short of her target has not put her off from trying again, while her follow-up spoke volumes. In her next race, at the Prefontaine Classic, the four-time world champion’s response was to break her own 1500m world record with a run of (3:48.68) and it was on that trip to Oregon when the wider impact of her efforts this summer started to become clear. “My name had been out there before, with winning medals in the Olympics and at world championships, but with Breaking 4 I will say it seems like it touched many hearts of young women,” she said. “When I was coming from Prefontaine, I got so many fans in the airport – and many were girls – telling me that I’m an inspiration to them and waiting for me to take pictures, and I was like, ‘wow’. Knowing that I’ve inspired them in so many ways through sport was absolutely amazing.”

With the Breaking 4 project being such an intense experience, had it helped her to learn anything new about herself? “I would say I’ve learned that I’m a strong woman,” added Kipyegon. “Breaking 4 really was a tough event. The whole world was waiting for me to send a message to the girls that we have to push ourselves. We don’t have to limit ourselves.” It’s a sentiment that her friend and legendary marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge would heartily agree with. Responding to the question of whether or not she would be making another attempt at mile history, Kipyegon pointed to some posters on the wall behind her. One showed Kipchoge’s first attempt at breaking two hours for the marathon, in 2017 in Monza when he ran 2:00:25 and another showed his next effort – his 1:59:41 in Vienna two years later.

A poster commemorating Kipyegon’s mile efforts in Paris is next in line on the wall and, next to that sits some blank space which she will hope to fill. “At my back you will see Eliud,” she said. “He tried [breaking two] and then he ran 1:59. I tried this year and then, after that, I broke the world record. So who is next? I will say I’m next to try again. I will not lose hope. I will keep on going to motivate young women and we will see what will happen. If I will not try this this year or next year, one day, one time, it will just happen. “For me the goal was to be the person to run under four minutes for the mile. I didn’t do what I wanted to do but it was a message sent out that it is possible one day, one time, and that if it did not come my way, it will be someone one day. One day, one time there will be a woman running under four minutes – in the next generation, or in our generation. And that’s why I keep going.”

KYPEGON is aware, however, that the clock is starting to tick on her track career. She is inarguably at the peak of her powers but that doesn’t mean she isn’t thinking further ahead and towards a different kind of athletic challenge. In a 2022 interview with AW she stated: “I don’t see myself as a great, yet. I need to achieve more towards the marathon and I’m really looking forward to following in ELIUD’S footsteps. I will work my way up towards the marathon in future and I will be the greatest.” With that in mind, then, how soon might we see her moving to the road? “That’s a tough question,” she grinned. “I don’t know when I will move to the marathon or to road running, but hopefully soon. I don’t know how soon it will be, but it will be soon. I’m not getting younger so I [will] have to move to the longer distances and then especially to the road. I will announce it soon, but not now. Let’s finish the World Championships and see what’s coming up next.”

KYPEGON, who has three 1500m and one 5000m world title to her name, will be aiming to finish the 20th edition of the championships with more fond memories. Her first appearance at the World Championships came in Moscow in 2013 and, after finishing fifth in the 1500m final at the age of 20 that year, she has finished no lower than second at every edition since. Despite all of the golden moments she has experienced, though, it’s coming second at the Doha championships in 2019, roughly 18 months after giving birth, that means the most to her.“The World Championships in Doha made me who I am today,” she said. “After coming back from maternal leave, winning silver and coming home with a little bit of pain… knowing that I could win silver when not having 100 per cent of my body in the championships made me stronger to believe in myself that I could still win many medals, break records and still go far. I came out of many challenges in Doha.” As for Silesia, there is the prospect of KYPEGON attacking the 3000m mark of (8:06.11), set by WANG JUNXIA in 1993. It’s a distance which the Kenyan doesn’t race often – this will be her first attempt since May 2022 – and her personal best of (8:23.55) came way back in 2014. “I’m just going there to lower my personal best,” she said. “I would say I’m going for that world record. That world record is tough. But we are here to try. I say dare to try. It’s always good to dare to try than not to try so I’m going to Silesia to just lower my personal best and see if I will dare to try and see if the world record is possible.”

CROSS COUNTRY UPDATE – Well it is the 1 August tomorrow, and yes the end od September sees the start of our cross country season. these are the dates/venues the – Metropolitan League 11 October at Claybury Park, 15 November at Horsenden Hill, 6 December at Wormwood Scrubs, 10 January at Welwyn Garden City, 7 February at Trent Park – North West London League 27 September at Wormwood Scrubs, 1 November at Kingsbury, 22 November at Trent Park, 31 January at Hampstead Heath, 28 February at Greenford.

You do not to be entered for any of the races, you can just turn up and run. The Metropolitan League fixtures are included in the SBH Winter Points competition, details of these and the SBH Club Championship races will be published in early September.

SBH CROSS COUNTRY POINTS RACES – There are a series of races which all age-groups from Under 11 to Masters can compete.

The Under 11 Boys and Girls have 6 races available to compete over the season, which are the 5 Metropolitan League fixtures and eithe the Hertfordshire or Middlesex Championships. The final results is based on the best 4 points achieved from the 6 races available.

The Under 13 to Masters Men and Women have 7 races available to compete over the season, which are the 5 Metropolitan League fixtures plus the Southern and National Championships. The final results is based on the best 5 points achieved from the 7 races available.

SBH CROSS COUNTRY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP RACES – There are a series of designated races which all age-groups from Under 11 to Masters can compete.

The 5 and 9 Miles Senior Men and Masters Men 40+ race is the Metropolitan League on 6 December – The Under 11 Boys and Girls race is the Metropolitan League on 10 January – All remaing Men and Women age-groups race is the Southern Championships on 24 January.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS THROWS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER – Just received the July issue from NICK RIDGEON of England Athletics – England Athletics Throws Community Newsletter July 2025

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT– To follow our newInstagram account, from your own account, by searching for ‘shaftesbury_barnet’ or by clicking https://www.instagram.com/shaftesbury_barnet/

To Members and Parents, if you wish for any photographs to be posted on Instagram, please email them to sbh.instagram@outlook.com If you can at the same time give details on when and where the photographs was taken, plus any other comments.
Please feel free to post photographs of any special occasion, for example, your wedding day, an addition to the family.

THE FOLLOWING IS CLUB INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TOPICS

‘MEMBERMOJO’ SECURE MEMBERS SYSTEM – We have implemented a new secure member system to allow members to join and renew their membership online. (You can also delete yourself from our records if you are no longer a member, or you can request deletion from sean.sutherland@yahoo.ca)
Your basic contact information has been imported. Please check and update your data so that we can have up-to-date information. View your profile using the instructions below, check your data and update as necessary. You will also be able to renew your record when it is close to expiring (within a month of expiry). Payments will still be made via bank transfer.

Link to document which gives information to existing members on the system, and how to use it – Membermojo Instructions To Use For Existing Members May 2025

SBH 2025 SUMMER FIXTURE CARD – The SBH 2025 Summer Fixture Card has now been published on the SBH Website on 20 March 2025. This is the link to the fixture card, which you can access and print for future reference – https://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-cards/
Information on each fixture will be published in the SBH Weekly Newsletter as and when available, this is the link to the current and previous SBH Weekly Newsletters – https://sbharriers.co.uk/news/

REQUEST FROM TEAM MANAGERS – We are asking that you reply to team managers when they contact you? It’s very difficult to select a team if the athletes don’t reply especially when we can see that they have read the text. Even if they are unavailable the team managers need to know!

COMBINED SBH CLUB RECORDS – I have produced 7 single document, 1 document for example is ‘Men’s Club Track and Road Records Outdoors’ and shows events from Under 9 up to Masters 70+ on two pages.
These are 7 documents updated on 23 July 2025, and shows changes in RED from the previous issue of the 14 June 2025 – A Club Outdoor Track And Road Records For All Men Age Groups Updated 23-07-25 B Club Outdoor Field Records For All Men Age Groups Updated 23-07-25 C Club Indoor Track Records For All Men Age Groups Updated 23-07-25 D Club Indoor Field Records For All Men Age-Groups Updated 23-07-25 E Club Outdoor Track And Road Records For All Women Age Groups Updated 23-07-25 F Club Outdoor Field Records For All Women Age Groups Updated 23-07-25 G Club Indoor Track And Field Records For All Women Age Groups Updated 23-07-25

GEORGE HARRISON MBE MEMORIAL DOCUMENT – The document has been put together with contributors from LISA WEBB, MARTIN ROCHFORD, NADEEM SHAIKH, RACHEL FELTON, LIAM and JAMIE DEE, JAMES LOVELL, EMILIA ECONOMU, ALAN WELLER, KAREN HARRISON, TIM UNDERHILL, GLEN WATTS, JOANNA WINFIELD, SHAUN CLIFFORD and EUAN MACKENZIE – Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Memorial To George Harrison From Friends And Members 20 April 2023
If you wish to contribute your own memories and/or photographs of GEORGE, please email them to me, either within the email or as a separate attached word document.

CODES OF CONDUCT – SBH have now adopted the UK Athletics (UKA) and the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAF) Codes of Conduct which set out national standards of conduct for all clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers and athletes in the sport. The purpose of the codes are to clarify what behaviours are acceptable and unacceptable, the standards of practice expected and the basis for challenging and improving practice. The Codes are similar to our previous Codes of Conduct which were part of the previous ClubMark scheme. All club member and anyone undertaking a relevant role must agree to abide by the codes of conduct. The Codes of Conduct have now been put onto our Website, please read these to understand the commitments you are making by being a member of SBH.
Link to the Code of Conduct document – Codes Of Conduct Booklet 2021 (1)

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION OF INTEREST CAN BE FOUND ON THE SBH WEBSITE BY USING THIS LINK – http://sbharriers.co.uk/
Section ‘About Us’, includes Annual Reports, Best Performance Trophy Awards, Individual And Relay Best Performances By Year, Club Records and SBH All-Time Top 10 T&F Performances.
Section ‘Team Managers And Competitions’, shows details of Track & Field, Cross Country and Road Relays Team Managers.
Section ‘Future Information/Results’, includes Information On Each Fixture, Summer & Winter Fixture Cards, Winter X/C Points Tables and Winter Club Championships Winners.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS NEW CLUB KIT – They are now available to purchase from our club kit supplier, Supreme Sports – click on the link for the full range – https://www.supreme-sports.co.uk/webshop/schools-and-clubs/shaftesbury-barnet-harriers/
By opening the link, you will be on the front page, which displays the men’s items. Click on SBH LADIES for the women’s items, or click on SBH KIDS for the young athletes’ items.

CLUB HOODIES – With well over eight hundred hoodies already in circulation, this is your opportunity to join the club. The bright red hoody is made to order and has your name embroidered on the front along with the club badge and has the Club name on the back. We now have 2 styles, the original pull over style at £37 + P&P or the new one with a full zip at £40 + P&P.
Here is the link to the Supreme Sports website which if you click on it, will take YOU to the new Club Hoody and allow you to then view the full range of Club kit online – https://www.supreme-sports.co.uk/webshop/schools-and-clubs/shaftesbury-barnet-harriers/

ACCESS TO SBH CLUBHOUSE – The new Keyholders to the outside door are TY HOLDEN, CLYDE GORDON, NEVILLE THOMPSON, GREG THOMPSON, COLIN GODFREY and YAMILLE ALDAMA who all use the Clubhouse outside of normal stadium opening hours. GEOFF MORPHITIS and DAVE BEDFORD will also have a key. All other key fob holders can continue to gain access to the clubhouse via the (New) West Stand Entrance and the Trackside Door to the Clubhouse.
Link to note and details for further information – SBH Club House Door 20-01-23

PHOTOGRAPH’S – From time to time we have photographs of our members taken at meetings or presentations which we would like to use both on the website or incorporated within our report to our local newspaper. Can you please let me know if you do NOT want your photograph to be published. Also, I would appreciate if you could send me any photographs, which I can then publish on the website and newsletter.

FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.

CAN YOU HELP PLEASE – I would welcome any contributions From Yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also past warm weather training/holidays (No Club 24 please). Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me.

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF SHAFTESBURY INFORMATION – Currently I notify members (by email) using “MailChimp”. The reason I changed, was in November 2017 “Gmail” put a limit of 100 addresses that users could send to in a 24-hour period, and currently I send to approximately 850 members each issue.

On seeking technical advice “MailChimp” was recommended as the best way for SBH to go forward. There is one thing you should be aware off is that when you receive an email from me, the footer at the bottom has 4 options, of which one is “Unsubscribe Me From List”. Could I ask you not to select this as if you do you will be automatically removed from my distribution list.

SBH MIDWEEK POLE VAULT CLUB AT STONEX STADIUM – The current arrangements until further notice are that Pole Vault training is on Monday’s and Wednesday’s from 18.30pm to 21.00pm. Please contact the session administrator CLYDE GORDON at clydeg67@hotmail.co.uk in advance and let him know if you are planning to attend.

SBH HIGH JUMPS GROUP AT STONEX STADIUM – High Jump training takes place on Monday’s from 19.00pm to 21.00pm. These sessions will be run by our High Jump Coach GRANT BROWN. There will be a charge of £10 per session.
Please contact the session administrator CLYDE GORDON at clydeg67@hotmail.co.uk in advance and let him know if you are planning to attend

SBH TRAINING AND COACHING – Please see the 2025 Summer Fixture Card, which gives details of Training and Coaching – A SBH Summer 2025 Fixture Card Front Sheet Issued 20-03-25

POLE VAULTERS REQUIRED FOR 2025 – To all athletes young & old – are you aware of the SBH Pole Vault sessions held at StoneX Stadium on Monday & Wednesday evenings from 18.30pm. We have room to coach more of you, why not come along and watch a session and the get involved – give it a try NOW.
Please contact the session administrator CLYDE GORDON at clydeg67@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT STONEX STADIUM – Check with your Coach for details of training times.

SBH PRIVACY STATEMENT – In becoming a member, SBH will collect certain information about you. Can you please read the attached ‘Privacy Statement’ which contains Information on General Data Protection Regulations – SBH Privacy Statement Final April 2018

STONEX STADIUM – Main Switchboard telephone number is 020 3675 725l0.

STONEX STADIUM AWARDED TRACKMARK STANDARD – Congratulations on achieving the UK Athletics Quality Assurance Standards for StoneX Stadium. This is the letter from UK Athletics and certificate showing all area that achieved compliance – StoneX Stadium Award Letter 09.11.21 StoneX Stadium Certificate

ALAN WELLER – SBH NEWSLETTER EDITOR AND WEBSITE MANAGER – alanweller111@gmail.com