Happy Birthday from Thursday 16 March to Wednesday 22 March – Sydney Allen, Zoe Davis, Amy Goddard, Robert Lightowler, Jade Lally, Finn Maccarthy, Emmanuella Owusu-Bempah, William Ryle-Hodges and Sam Scheer

LONDON INTER CLUB CHALLENGE THROWS AND INDOOR POLE VAULT – Takes place on Saturday 15 April at the StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, Hendon (Satnav NW4 1RL).
Entry fee is £8 per event for all age-groups, SBH Members qualify for a 50% discount.
Link to the timetable – LICC Timetable StoneX Stadium 15-04-23
Online entries now at Opentrack, then put 438 in the filter box – https://entry4sports.co.uk/#/
Entries Closing Date Sunday 9 April, No Entries On The Day 

LONDON INTER CLUB CHALLENGE TRACK AND JUMPS – Takes place on Sunday 16 April at Bannister Outdoors Sports Centre, Birch Park, Harrow (Satnav HA3 6SP).
Entry fee is £8 per event for all age-groups, SBH Members qualify for a 50% discount.
Link to the timetable – LICC Timetable Bannister Stadium 16-04-23
Online entries at Opentrack – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2023/GBR/harr16042023/
Entries Closing Date Sunday 9 April, No Entries On The Day

QUADKIDS – Takes place prior to the London Inter Club Challenge on Sunday 16 April
CLYDE GORDON will be managing the event, with registration from 12 noon, first event starts at 12.30pm, and completion around 1.30pm, and is free to enter for Shaftesbury members and is £2 for non-members. Quadkids is primarily for school years 3 to 7 inclusive, ie age 7 to 12 and includes the four core disciplines of running (600m), throwing (Vortex Howler), jumping (Long Jump) and sprinting (75m). All are welcome and Parents you may be asked to join in by helping out on maybe one of the events

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS SUBSCRIPTIONS – Our new Club year started on 1 October 2022. The SBH annual subscription, as from 1 December 2022 as approved at the AGM on Tuesday 29 November is £65 and the current England Athletics annual registration is £16 from 1 April 2022 (this increases to £17 as from 1 April 2023 renewals). The current total is £81 and should be paid NOW to; ACCOUNT NAME: SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS, BANK: HSBC, ACCOUNT NUMBER: 41308378, SORT CODE: 400426 – Please advise GEOFF MORPHITIS by email (geoffrey.morphitis@capeandd.com) when payment has been made.

THE TCS LONDON MINI MARATHON – The qualification period for the races on Saturday 22 April is now closed, following last Saturdays Parkrun fixtures.

HERTFORDSHIRE STEEPLECHASERS – SALLY GANDEE, who is Honary Secretary of the Hertfordshire Athletics Association, has sent me the following.
As Hertfordshire County is not holding any steeplechase races in the county championships this year – the county would consider awarding county medals to any Hertfordshire qualified athlete who takes part in this steeplechase festival.  Age groups are from U15 to senior with appropriate distances from 1500m to 3000m. The steeplechase festival organised by West Suffolk is being held at Bury St Edmunds Leisure Centre on 29 April 2023.

Details can be found by contacting David Cripps at david.cripps7@outlook.com
Entries on-line at Opentrack – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2023/GBR/steeplechase-festival/

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS 2023 TRACK AND FIELD FIXTURES – The SBH 2023 Summer Fixture Card will be issued by email on Friday 17 March, and at the same time will be available on the SBH Website.

LEE VALLEY 2023 OUTDOOR FIXTURES – The following will be available for you to enter on Opentrack, this is the link to enter the 1 April Open Meeting now on Opentrack – https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/athletics-centre/athletics-competitions

The following fixtures will be available to enter on Opentrack, in the coming weeks.
26 April – Sprints 100m/200m Meeting
10 May – Double 100m Meeting
24 May – 300m/300m Hurdles/400m/400m Hurdles Meeting
7 June – Double 100m Meeting
21 June – Sprints 100m/200m Meeting
5 July – Double 100m Meeting
19 July – Sprints 100m/200m Meeting
2 August – Double Sprint Hurdles
16 August – Sprints 100m/200m Meeting
30 August – Double 100m Meeting
September – Autumn Throws Fest

WATFORD 2023 OPEN MEETING OUTDOOR FIXTURES – The following will be available for you to enter on Roster Athletics, currently the 5 April meeting is not available.

Wednesday 5 April – 7.00pm 100m, 7.15pm High Jump, 7.20pm 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.00pm 3000m No Under 13s
Wednesday 19 April – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm Shot, 7.20pm 400m No Under 13s, 7.40pm 800m No times over 2 minutes 45 seconds, 9.05pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 3 May – 7.00pm 100m, 7.15pm Long Jump, 7.20pm 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.15pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 17 May – 7.00pm 400m No Under 13s, 7.15pm Triple Jump, 7.25pm BMC, 8.00pm 800m No times over 2 minutes 45 seconds
Wednesday 31 May – 7.00pm 100m, 7.15pm High Jump, 7.20pm 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.15pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 14 June – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm Shot, 7.25pm BMC, 8.00pm 800m No times over 2 minutes 45 seconds, 9.15pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 28 June – 7.00pm 100m, 7.15pm Long Jump, 7.25pm 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.05pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 12 July – 7.00pm 400m No Under 13s, 7.15pm High Jump, 7.25pm BMC, 8.00m 800m No times over 2 minutes 45 seconds, 9.05pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 26 July – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm Triple Jump, 7.15pm 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds, 9.00pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 9 August – 7.00pm 100m, 7.15pm 400m No Under 13s, 7.30pm 800m No times over 2 minutes 45 seconds, 9.05pm 3000m No times over 11 minutes, No under 13s
Wednesday 23 August – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm Long Jump, 7.25pm BMC, 8.00m 1500m No times over 5 minutes 30 seconds
Wednesday 6 September – 7.00pm 200m, 7.15pm High Jump, 7.20pm 100m, 7.40pm 800m, 9.05pm 3000m No under 13s

RESULTS 
NORTH WEST LONDON LEAGUE – The fifth fixture of five took place at Harrow School on 5 March.
Under 11 Boys (2000m) – DENNYS PASCAL 1st (6.42), JOSAIH ALDHAM 2nd (6.45), TAHA COCKERELL 9th (7.06), ROAN PARKES 14th (7.18), THOMAS FELLOW 15th (7.21), PRINCE-MOSES JOHN 18th (7.22), RIO HAYAKAWA 38th (8.21) 49 runners finished
Team Result 1st Thames Valley Harriers (24 points), 2nd SBH (26), 3rd Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (64) 12 teams finished 

Under 11 Girls (2000m) – GRACE ROONEY 3rd (7.19), LUCIA CASALENUOVO 4th (7.31), SIENNA DARCY 7th (7.39), SOPHIA CLOONEY 11th (7.58), ELFIE SHAW 24th (8.38), SUNNY SHAW 37th (9.19), KEENYAH ADELISE 39th (9.26), the winner was Mami Keam George of Thames Valley Harriers (6.59) 42 runners finished
Team Result 1st SBH, 2nd Ealing, Southall & Middlesex, 3rd Harrow No points shown on the results, 11 teams finished

Under 13 Boys (3000m) – EDWARD PASCAL 7th (9.14), LADDIE SHAW 8th (9.16), SAM DARCY 30th (10.56), the winner was Oliver McDonald of Dacorum & Tring (8.38) 39 runners finished
Team Result 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (38 points), 2nd Dacorum & Tring (46), 3rd Harrow (78), 5th SBH (85) 11 teams finished

Under 13 Girls (3000m) – JAI HAYAKAWA 10th (10.27), OLIVIA ABBOT 18th (11.14), VERA DOUDKO 23rd (12.09), ELIZA LEIBOWITZ 27th (13.58), the winner was Jorja March of Barnet & District (9.06) 28 runners finished
Team Result 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (34 points), 2nd Harrow (44), 3rd Barnet & District (61), 5th SBH (78) 10 teams finished

Under 15 Boys (4000m) – No SBH runners, the winner was L Moore of Thames Valley Harriers (15.21) 26 runners finished
Team Result 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (19 points), 2nd Thames Valley Harriers (33), 3rd Barnet & District (57) 9 teams finished

Under 15 Girls (4000m) – DINA SILVERMAN 3rd (17.26), POSIE SHAW 5th (17.40), ERIN GIBLIN 17th (20.25), the winner was Leoni Delvendahl of Highgate Harriers (17.14) 21 runners finished
Team Result 1st Highgate Harriers (29 points), 2nd SBH (47), 3rd Harrow (57) 10 teams finished

Under 17 Men (5000m) – No SBH runner competed, the winner was Thomas Chadwick of Highgate Harriers (17.11) 23 runners finished
Team Result 1st Highgate Harriers (20 points), 2nd Barnet & District (40), 3rd Harrow (50) 6 teams finished

Under 17 Women (5000m) – No SBH runner competed, the winner was Adela Svihaikova of Thames Valley Harriers (17.05) 8 runners finished
Team Result 1st Thames Valley Harriers (21 points), 2nd London Heathside (28), 3rd Barnet & District (29) 4 teams finished

NORTH WEST LONDON LEAGUE TEAM POSITIONS – These are the Final Team Positions. You are probable aware that due to a fixture clash, the club took a decision to support the National Cross Country relays on 5 March, which meant we had no runners at the NWLL at Kingsbury.
These are the Top 3 in the Final tables;
Under 11 Boys – 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (51 points), 2nd SBH (47), 3rd London Heathside (44). Based on our average points (12) in our 4 fixtures, we would have had 59 points.
Under 13 Boys – 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (56 points), 2nd Trent Park (50), 3rd Dacorum & Tring (45), 5th SBH (37). Based on our average points (9) in our 4 fixtures, we would have had 46 points.
Under 15 Boys – 1st Thames Valley Harriers (58 points), 2nd Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (52), 3rd Barnet & District (43), 11th SBH (11). Based on our average points (5) in our 2 fixtures, we would have had 16 points.
Under 17 Men – 1st Highgate Harriers (60 points), 2nd Barnet & District (54), 3rd Harrow (47). We had no team points in our 4 fixtures.
Team Positions With The 4 Age-Groups Combined – 1st Highgate Harriers (168 points), 2nd Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (165), 3rd Thames Valley Harriers (152), 9th SBH (95). Based on our total with the average points from the U11, U13 & U15s, our total would have been (121) points and joint 7th place.
Under 11 Girls – 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (52 points), 2nd London Heathside (49), 3rd SBH (46),. Based on our average points (12) in our 4 fixtures, we would have had 58 points.
Under 13 Girls – 1st Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (55 points), 2nd Barnet & District (49), 3rd Harrow (49), 6th SBH (33). Based on our average points (8) in our 4 fixtures, we would have had 41 points.
Under 15 Girls – 1st Highgate Harriers (59 points), 2nd London Heathside (45), 3rd Dacorum & Tring (41), 6th SBH (32). Based on our average points (8) in our 4 fixtures, we would have had 40 points.
Under 17 Women – 1st Thames Valley Harriers (57 points), 2nd Barnet & District (56), 3rd London Heathside (47). We had no team points in our 4 fixtures.
Team Positions With The 4 Age-Groups Combined – 1st Barnet & District (185 points), 2nd London Heathside (182), 3rd Ealing, Southall & Middlesex (171), 7th SBH (111). Based on our total with the average points from the U11, U13 & U15s, our total would have been (139) points and 5th place.

Link to the full document – NWLL Final Team Positions 2022-2023

NORTH WEST LONDON LEAGUE INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS – These are the Final Individual Positions. The same situation applies to the fixture clash.
These are our athletes who finished in the Top 10;
Under 11 Boys – DENNYS PASCAL 1st (197 points), PRINCE-MOSES JOHN 8th (146), JOSAIH ALDHAM 9th (143), SBH had a total of 13 athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 88 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 13 Boys – EDWARD PASCAL 5th (173 points), SBH had a total of 9 athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 61 athletes who competed throught the season.
Under 15 Boys – AIDAN MCAVOY 21st (82 points), SBH had a total of 1 athlete who competed throughout the season, there were total of 52 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 17 Men – SBH had no athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 47 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 11 Girls – GRACE ROONEY 10th (197 points), SBH had a total of 12 athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 68 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 13 Girls – MEI HAYAKAWA 10th (138 points), SBH had a total of 6 athletes who competed throughout the season, here were total of 28 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 15 Girls – ERIN GIBLIN 12th (110 points), SBH had a total of 5 athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 44 athletes who competed throughout the season.
Under 17 Women – SBH had no athletes who competed throughout the season, there were total of 23 athletes who competed throughout the season.

Link to the full document – NWLL Final Individual Positions 2022-2023

UK CAU INTER COUNTIES CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Prestwold Hall on 11 March.
Under 13 Boys – EDWARD PASCAL (Middlesex) 157th (14.08), the winner was Thomas Thake of Yorkshire (11.53) 292 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Hertfordshire (67 points), 2nd Derbyshire (91), 3rd Surrey (109), 12th Middlesex (225) 42 teams finished

Under 13 Girls – The winner was Kara Gorman of Buckinghamshire (12.51) 300 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Essex (84 points), 2nd Surrey (89), 3rd North East (117) 41 teams finished

Under 15 Boys – THOMAS CADWALLADER (Hertfordshire) 112th (15.59), the winner was George Wilson of Lincolnshire (14.10) 311 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Scotland West (36 points), 2nd Yorkshire (97), 3rd Scotland East (99), 29th Hertfordshire (563) 43 teams finished

Under 15 Girls – The winner was Zara Redmond of Scotland West (16.09) 297 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Yorkshire (82 points), 2nd Scotland West (113), 3rd Merseyside (132) 42 teams finished

Under 17 Men – HENRY DOVER (Essex) 3rd (20.37), RAFAEL GAYER (Middlesex) 97th (22.41), NOAH CLARKE (Middlesex) 261st (26.56), the winner was Craig Shennan of Scotland West (20.19) 272 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Essex (76 points), 2nd Scotland East (100), 3rd Scotland West (110),21st Middlesex (472) 39 teams finished

Under 17 Women – RUBY VINTON (Suffolk) 80th (23.34), EMMA MCCLUSKEY (Middlesex) 202nd (26.07), the winner was Innes Fitzgerald of Devon (19.24) 258 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Yorkshire (70 points), 2nd Berkshire (94), 3rd Greater Manchester (104),9th Middlesex (196), 32nd Suffolk (608) 38 teams finished

Under 20 Men – SAMUEL GREENSTEIN (Middlesex) 53rd (31.27), JOSHUA FISHER (Middlesex) 77th (32.15), the winner was Luke Birdseye of Berkshire (28.25) 159 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Kent (50 points), 2nd Berkshire (100), 3rd Yorkshire (110), 8th Middlesex (187) 23 teams finished

Under 20 Women – RACHAEL PEARLMAN (Middlesex) 73rd (28.12), the winner was Megan Harris of Essex (23.09) 122 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Yorkshire (45 points), 2nd Greater Manchester (147), 3rd Sussex (147), 12th Middlesex (236) 17 teams finished

Senior Men – MARK PEARCE (Hertfordshire) 10th (38.41), THOMAS BUTLER (Hertfordshire) 50th (40.18), WILLIAM RYLE-HODGES (Middlesex) 186th (43.41), the winner was Mahamed Mahamed of Hampshire (37.10) 298 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Leicestershire & Rutland (157 points), 2nd Hampshire (236), 3rd Lancashire (276), 7th Hertfordshire (341), 20th Middlesex (815) 32 teams finished

Senior Women – AMELIA WILLS (Hampshire 2nd Claim) 43rd (35.02), the winner was Grace Carson of Northern Ireland (31.37) 263 runners finished
Team Result – 1st Surrey (152 points), 2nd Leicestershire & Rutland (198), 3rd Yorkshire (216), 5th Hampshire (243) 32 teams finished

BE FIT TODAY INDOOR SERIES – Took place at Lee Valley on 12 March.
200m – SX 15 RYLE SINGARAYER U11 5th (SB 38.02)
300m – SX 4 ZICO JONES U17 1st (SB 36.22) and is ranked UK No.1 U17 in 2023
400m – SX 2 LOLA MCCANN-EZEKIEL U20 1st (PB 61.53) taking .60 of a second off her 5 February time, CLAIRE SPURWAY V40 3rd (PB 63.56) taking 1.04 seconds off her 19 February time, and is ranked UK No.1 V40 in 2023
800m – SX 5 BEN BROWNLEADER U20 4th (SB 2:16.05) taking 4.68 seconds off his 2 January time, 6 DANIEL BANYARD U20 3rd (SB 2:01.98) taking 3.37 seconds off his 22 January time

EUROPEAN THROWING CUP – Took place at Leiria, Portugal on 11-12 March.
Shot 7.26kg – SM A SCOTT LINCOLN (HCA) 4th (SB 20.73m) adding 37cm to his 19 February put, and is ranked UK No.1 in 2023
Discus 2kg – SM A NICK PERCY 9th (60.06m)
Hammer 7.26g – SM B CHRIS BENNETT 5th (70.12m)

BRITISH MASTERS PENTATHLON AND 3000M CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Lee Valley on 11 March.
Pentathlon – M45-50 SEAN SUTHERLAND V50 5th (2638 points) 60m Hurdles (11.70), Long Jump (4.63m), Shot (7.96m), High Jump (1.56m), 1000m (3:34.90)

NCAA D1 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA on 10-11 March.
5000m – SM CHARLES HICKS U23 (Stanford University) 9th (14:01.34)

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 Aldenham on 11 March.
PAUL LEWIS V50 24th (26.06) this was his 159th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Cannons Park on 11 March.
BRADLEY SINGER 54th (27.58) this was his 219th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Dishley, Loughborough on 11 March.
SCARLETT KENT U23 24th (PB 21.32) this was his 53rd Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Gorleston Cliffs on 11 March.
PAUL MACCARTHY V55 14th (PB 20.11) this was his 218th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Hackney Marshes on 11 March.
BARRY CHISHOLM V60 218th (32.23) this was his 286th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Houghton Hall on 11 March.
ANTONIO CONRADIE U20 4th (PB 18.54) this was his 16th Parkrun, CHARLENE JACOBS-CONRADIE V40 11th (20.51) this was her 21st Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Jersey on 11 March.
ANDREW HOLMES V55 218th (39.21) this was his 48th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Maidstone on 11 March.
CLIFF GOLDING V55 103rd (26.55) this was his 134th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Oak Hill on 11 March.
LEO RONCARATI U20 1st (PB 17.27) this was his 10th Parkrun, ADAM O’GORMAN U17 2nd (17.29) this was his 7th Parkrun, JACOB CLEMENT U17 5th (PB 18.19) this was his 6th Parkrun, CALEB HILTON U13 8th (18.30) this was his 12th Parkrun, JONATHAN BOARDMAN U20 9th (PB 18.36) this was his 33rd Parkrun, AIDEN MCAVOY U17 12th (PB 18.55) this was his 2nd Parkrun, ZACK JOSEPHS U13 16th (PB 19.25) this was his 12th Parkrun, JESSE ABRAHAMS U13 17th (PB 19.37) this was his 7th Parkrun, LADDIE SHAW U 19th (20.01) this was his 7th Parkrun, POSIE SHAW U13 20th (PB 20.23) this was her 14th Parkrun, MATTHEW MCATEER U20 21st (20.32) this was his 29th Parkrun, DAVID JOSEPHS V45 22nd (20.34) this was his 25th Parkrun, MYA MAIRS-INGRAM U17 23rd (20.38) this was her 1st Parkrun, SAM DARCY U13 44th (22.38) this was his 26th Parkrun, STUART SINGER V60 45th (22.39) this was his 366th Parkrun, ERIN GIBLIN U15 49th (PB 22.46) this was her 4th Parkrun, ABI GREENE U20 51st (PB 22.56) this was her 7th Parkrun, LEO ABRAHAM U13 52nd (22.58) this was his 1st Parkrun, OLIVIA ABBOT U13 59th (23.28) this was her 1st Parkrun, HOLLY CLARKE U13 70th (23.56) this was her 6th Parkrun, MEGAN HAMMOND U13 74th (24.01) this was her 2nd Parkrun, SHONA MICHEL V50 174th (30.21) this was her 83rd Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Panshanger on 11 March.
RUSSELL DEVITT V70 148th (35.35) this was his 255th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Sunny Hill on 11 March.
DINA SILVERMAN U15 4th (PB 21.16) this was his 2nd Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Wimbledon Common on 11 March.
JAMES FITZSIMMONS V45 17th (20.19) this was his 55th Parkrun

UPCOMING CROSS COUNTRY AND ROAD RELAY FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 16 MARCH UNTIL WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL –The SBH 2023 Summer Fixture Card will be issued by email on Friday 17 March, and at the same time will be available on the SBH Website.

ENGLISH SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Saturday 18 March at Wollaton, Park, Nottingham.
Note: You will selected by your respective County Team Manager

SOUTHERN MEN’S 12 STAGE AND WOMENS 6 STAGE ROAD RELAYS WHICH INCLUDE THE 15/U17 5k ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Sunday 2 April at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20.
Start times TBC
Entries Closing Date Tuesday 21 March
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager

NATIONAL MEN’S 12 STAGE AND WOMENS 6 STAGE ROAD RELAYS WHICH INCLUDE THE 15/U17 5k ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Saturday 15 April at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, Town Gate Entrance, Birmingham (Satnav B73 6BU).
Start times U17 Men 11.00am, U17 Women 11.05am, U15 Boys 11.15am, U15 Girls 11.20am, Senior Men 12.00noon, Senior Women 12.20pm
Distances U15/U17 Men/Women 5K, Senior Men/Women Long Legs 5.38K, Short Legs 3.16K
Entries Closing Date Friday 7 April
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager.

TCS MONEY LONDON MINI MARATHON – Takes place on Saturday 22 April close to Temple Station and finishes on The Mall.
Note: You will have to be pre-selected by your respective London Borough or UK Region. 

TCS MONEY LONDON MARATHON – Takes place on Sunday 23 April from Greenwich. We should have a few runners representing the Stripes.
Note: You will have to enter yourself

UPCOMING INDOOR FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 16 MARCH UNTIL WEDNESDAY 12 APRIL  

HERTFORDSHIRE, MIDDLESEX AND KENT INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place at Lee Valley on Saturday 18 March and Sunday 19 March, for all age-groups excluding U13s.
Entries Closed

WORLD MASTERS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Sunday 26 March to Tuesday 4 April at Torun, Poland.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

WATFORD OPEN MEETING  – Takes place on Wednesday 5 April at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav WD25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Timetable – 19.00pm 100m, 19.15pm High Jump, 19.20pm 1500m no times over 5minute 30 seconds, 21.00pm 3000m no times over 11.00 minutes, no Under 13s
Link to entries on roster athletics, although entries not available as yet –
Note: There are no entries on the day, and there is a possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT MEDALS – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently. Photograph of CHRIS THOMPSON taken by MARK SHEARMAN

UK Athletics want to select smaller teams for global championships but their policy flies in the face of popular opinion. About 20 years ago I knew an ambitious British runner whose main goal was to run in the World Cross Country Championships. He realised the ceiling of his talent was to squeeze into the squad and after years of gruelling training he eventually managed it in his early 30s by qualifying for a couple of global events. Ultimately he finished outside the top 60 and several minutes behind the winner, but he achieved his dream and is now able to tell his grandchildren that he ran for Great Britain at the World Cross. As my friend and many other proud international athletes over the years will agree, these championships are not all about winning medals.

The problem is, the medals mentality is dominating UK Athletics’ selection strategy right now. JACK BUCKNER, the governing body’s new chief executive, said recently: “There will be a bit of a shift in our selection philosophy which is going to be quite hard in some ways. We will be moving towards a philosophy more about performance. It will have a slightly sharper edge. You need to really focus on the big hitters. We could have a list of six to 10 names and we need to be all over them. We need to identify where the medals are coming from and have the right resources in place.” BUCKNER has made a positive start to his role at UKA but in this case he appears to have misjudged the mood of the people. An AW poll this week asked if UKA should send smaller elite teams of probable finalists and potential medallists to global championships? Or should they field as big a squad as possible to maximise development opportunities? At last count 72% want squads that are “as big as possible” with only 3% preferring “small select squads” and 25% choosing “somewhere in between”. Athletes and fans have gone further than a mere click of the keyboard to vote too. Some have taken to social media to voice their concern. Established GB internationals claim the policy is driven by UKA’s cash-strapped position – although the governing body denies this – whereas others have made jibes about the number of support staff soon out-numbering the actual competitors.

KATHERINE MERRY went to the 1993 World Championships as a teenager before going on to win Olympic 400m bronze in Sydney seven years later. She says she would not qualify for that World Champs with the current selection policy and adds: “Not every athlete can be a medallist or top eight at a Champs, but all deserve to showcase their best on the biggest stage they can. This is why athletes train. To be the best they can be and reach the highest possible level with their talent.” What would MO FARAH have achieved during his 2011-2017 heyday if he hadn’t endured the stinging experience of being knocked out of the 5000m heats at the 2008 Olympics? KATARINA JOHNSON-THOMPSON finished 14th in the Olympic heptathlon – a long way behind winner JESS ENNIS – in London in 2012 but the experience put her in good stead to win a world title seven years later in Doha. At the same home Games, meanwhile, a young runner called EILISH MCCOLGAN finished a distant ninth in her 3000m steeplechase heat but look what she’s gone on to achieve. There are plenty more examples like this too.

What is exasperating about UKA’s selection stance is that it see-saws from one extreme to another. Less than two years ago, for example, BUCKNER’S predecessor JO COATES unleashed a plan entitled ‘age of the athlete’ where one of the targets was to have athletes representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland in every single track and field event at major championships by 2032. This ambitious but very worthy goal was not original either as UKA proposed the same idea at the turn of the millennium. It is also only six years since UKA launched a campaign with the hashtag “#represent” which was devised by a creative agency – probably at considerable cost – and primarily promoted the beauty and honour of competing for your country. In the run-up to London 2012, however, the GB team adopted a tougher selection strategy similar to the one BUCKNER is now suggesting will happen on the road to the Paris 2024 Olympics. CHARLES VAN COMMENEE, the GB head coach at the time, famously said that “nobody is going to jump higher by lowering the bar”.  VAN COMMENEE added: “When you raise the standards, you will have a more successful team and success breeds success. When you are in a championship and in the first two days you’ve got a dozen going out in the first round then that doesn’t set the right tone for the rest of the team and for the people watching us.”

With reference to under-performing “championship tourists”, he continued: “I think at major championships you shouldn’t fail, so I don’t want to send people with a high probability of failure.” There is definitely some logic in that approach and it is important to add that UKA’s strict selection strategies only apply to global championships. Events like the Commonwealth Games, age-group championships and of course this month’s European Indoor Championships are always regarded as development opportunities for up-and-coming athletes. Since the days of VAN COMMENEE, the selection strategy now appears to be coming around in full circle and looks set to be repeated. Is it what athletes and fans want, though? Clearly not.

Surely UKA is underestimating the sheer achievement of making a national team for a major championship. If ever you need to be reminded of this, just remember the scenes of joy and emotion two years ago when CHRIS THOMPSON won the Olympic marathon trials in Kew Gardens. THOMMO probably realised he would not win Olympic medal in Japan. Making the top 10 would be a long shot – and he ultimately finished first Brit home in 39th. But, really, who cares? What mattered is that he earned the right to stand on the same start line as ELIUD KIPCHOGE at the greatest show on earth and is part of an exclusive club of super-athletes who go by the name of “Olympian”.

OLYMPIC CHAMPION AND HIGH JUMP INNOVATOR DICK FOSBURY DIES – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently. Photograph taken by MARK SHEARMAN in 1968.

Mexico 1968 gold medallist who revolutionised his event by inventing the ‘FOSBURY flop’ passed away from cancer just days after turning 76. One of the most iconic figures in track and field athletics, DICK FOSBURY, died on Sunday aged 76 from cancer. The American popularised a backwards ‘flop’ technique and won Olympic gold at the Mexico Games in 1968. His innovative method and achievements went beyond his sport and captured the imagination of the general public. Before FOSBURY, athletes used the Western roll or straddle techniques with the torso going over the bar sideways or belly-down. But Fosbury leapt over the bar backwards – a technique that gave his body a lower centre of mass than other techniques.  FOSBURY was always quick to point out that he was not the first to jump backwards as DEBBIE BRILL, a Canadian who won Commonwealth Games titles in 1970 and 1982, was also using the technique, which was dubbed the ‘BRILL bend’, at an early stage. But FOSBURY said: “I was just blessed to be the first one to discover it and have success with it at this high level. So I got naming rights, something I am very proud of.” Jumping in an age where athletes competed more for love than money, he once said that the flop technique “brought me gifts – not necessarily monetarily … but I have met presidents and kings, seen the world, shared my life with wonderful people. It opened doors and allowed people to perceive me in a positive light.”

Born on March 6, 1947, in Portland, Oregon, FOSBURY showed talent from an early age. In an interview with STUART WEIR for AW a few years ago, FOSBURY recalled his introduction to athletics at school: “In track and field our teacher had us try every event so I ran, I threw and I jumped. And he taught me to high jump using the Western roll where the jumper ran at the bar with a straight approach and aimed their arm and leg at the bar to go over belly first and land in the pit – which was the standard technique at the time. “The other technique that he taught us was the scissors, where you run at the bar and clear the bar with your seat while your legs did a scissor kick over it. For me this was a simple technique. And of course in those days you were landing in sawdust or wood chip, which was a technological advance on sand. So the landing was as important as clearing the bar so that you survived the jump! “As things improved, wood chip was a good environment for us to land in. All the schools had sawdust pits then the new environment was with foam and that is what really opened it up, because we were jumping into a safer environment.” Fosbury was using the scissors technique and felt comfortable with it but his coach explained that the technique was too limiting, so he would have to change in order to progress. Fortunately his change of technique coincided with the introduction of softer landing mats. “I tried the straddle technique and the belly roll technique but had very poor results,” said Fosbury. “So I asked my coach if I could go back to the scissors. He said, ‘don’t quit yet but it is your decision’. So I decided to go back to scissors and at age 16 (in 1963) I jumped a personal best height of (1.65m). Then they raised the bar and I knew I had to try something different to get over it. “I knew I had to lift my hips up and to do that I needed to get my shoulders back out of the way. And I cleared the bar at the next height, eventually jumping (1.77m) so I improved by 15cm that day. “In that competition I changed my position from sitting on the bar to lying flat and going over on my back – upside down from everyone else. The change made me competitive and I finished fourth in the meet. “For the next two years I would lead with my shoulders and was going over the bar at a slight angle. All the time I was doing it by feel as there was no model to follow. I was creating it as I went. In my second year (senior year in high school) I had turned my back to the bar and arched over the bar to fall into the pit. And by then by 1965 the flop had arrived.”

FOSBURY was studying for a civil engineering degree at Oregon State University and the 1968 Olympics initially weren’t really in his thoughts. “I had no ambitions because the Olympics seemed so far away and such a high level of competition that I never imagined reaching it,” he said. “I did not have that Olympic dream until 1968 when my training began to produce better results.” He went to regional trials and USA nationals and was selected for the Mexico Olympics. Once there he jumped (2.24m) to win gold from team-mate ED CARUTHERS, with Russians third and fourth. Having won the gold and broken the American record, FOSBURY asked for the bar to be raised to (2.29m), hoping to break VALERIY BRUMEL’S five-year-old world record of (2.28m). However, none of his attempts at (2.29m) came close.

Reports at the time suggest that while coaches were appalled at his unorthodox approach, the crowd was captivated. FOSBURY’S analysis of the 1968 Olympics is that there were better jumpers in the competition but that his technique gave him a definite advantage. With hindsight, he added: “No one realised what the advantage would be. But, as history has proved, this was a better technique.” Fosbury never set out to change the sport. He just found a technique that worked for him. “I have had the blessing and good fortune to have made a contribution to the sport but I did not set out to do this,” he said. “I was not trying to change the event. I knew that my technique was my path to success. And I had this technique which was mine – mine alone – and I thought that someday someone would use it. But who knew whether it would be two or three high jumpers or 200. The criticism of other coaches did not really matter as long as I was meeting the rules and reaching the standards.”

In the 1972 Olympics, four years later, 28 of the 40 competitors used FOSBURY’S technique, although gold medallist Jüri Tarmak used the straddle. FOSBURY failed to make the US team for the 1972 Olympics and his career was effectively over. But having proved to the world that his technique worked, he had arguably achieved his goal. In later life he served on the board of the World Olympians Association and was involved in local politics in the United States too. In 2008 FOSBURY was diagnosed with stage one lymphoma and he had surgery the following month to remove a cancerous tumour on his lower vertebra. He survived for a further 15 years but on Monday (March 13) his former agent RAY SCHULTE announced FOSBURY’S death the previous day after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma. SCHULTE said: “It is with a very heavy heart I have to release the news that longtime friend and client DICK FOSBURY passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma. “DICK will be greatly missed by friends and fans from around the world. A true legend, and friend of all!”

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS ON INSTAGRAM – Since the account was setup towards the end of last year, there has been an amazing amount of Videos and Photographs contributed with many comments. There are no posts this week.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS NEW INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT – Many thanks to SEAN SUTHERLAND who undertook a review on the best way forward, following this a decision was made to set up a new account, and SEAN has now set that account up.
To follow our new Instagram 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.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 – Takes place in Budapest, Hungary from 19-27 August 2023.
This is the link for all information including tickets – https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/budapest23
This is the link to the qualification system and entry standards – https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/62ff627cef4200119b5555be.pdf

Currently we have 4 athletes who have achieved qualification standards – ZHARNEL HUGHES 200m (20.07 w-0.3), ELLIE BAKER 800m (1:59.52), KYLE LANGFORD 800m (1:44.49) and LIZZIE BIRD 3000m Steeplechase (9:07.07)

THE FOLLOWING IS CLUB INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TOPICS

SBH 2023 SUMMER FIXTURE CARD – Will be issue by email, and on the SBH Website and Weekly Newsletter on Friday 17 March.

SBH 2022-2023 WINTER FIXTURE CARD – Was updated and issued on the 4 November 2022.
The Updated 2022-2023 Winter Fixture Card is now available on the SBH Website – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-cards/  Fixture Card Updated 04-11-22 UK Indoor & Hertfordshire X/C Dates Confirmed.
SBH 2022-2023 WINTER CROSS COUNTRY POINTS AND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURE – The CROSS COUNTRY POINTS TABLE is now available on the SBH Website, and is the final table following the National Championships on the 25 February – Mens Cross Country Points Tables 2022-2023 – Final Issue 25-02-23  Womens Cross Country Points Tables 2022-2023 – Final Issue 25-02-23
The CROSS COUNTRY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP LIST is now available on the SBH Website, and is the Final Issue following the Southern Championships on the 28 January – Men & Womens Cross Country Club Championship Winners 2022-2023 – Updated 28-01-23 Final Issue

START FITNESS METROPOLITAN LEAGUE 2021-2022 SEASON – The following link shows the following – Final league positions, Points and club championship winners, SBH athletes consecutive races, SBH athletes races completed to date – Start Fitness Metropolitan League Statistics For 2021-2022 Season

GEORGE HARRISON MBE MEMORIAL DOCUMENT – The document has been put together with contributors from LISA WEBB, MARTIN ROCHFORD, NADEEM SHAIKH, RACHEL FELTON, LIAM, JAMIE DEE, JAMES LOVELL, EMILIA ECONOMU, ALAN WELLER,  KAREN HARRISON,  TIM UNDERHILL and GLEN WATTS – Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Memorial To George Harrison From Friends And Members 5 March 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.