Happy Birthday from this Thursday 22 December to Wednesday 28 December – Angela Barrett, Akiva Ehreich, Michael Fox, Maya Green, Ben Kaspar, Christopher Kirwin. Kojo Kyereme, Jerome Lule, Beth Potter, Allan Scott, Posie Shaw and Ronan Tarrant
Happy Birthday from Thursday 29 December to Wednesday 4 January – Gemma Bennett, Willem Coertzen, Dave Bedford, Shivani Feifel, Sarah Heath, Jay Herbert, Prince-Moses John, Aleya Khadr, Angus McKenzie, Evie Nash, Abiodun Oyepitan, Ella Robinson, Henry Ryan, Mike Tasker and Tim Underhill

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR – On behalf of the Club and Myself, we wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Successful 2023.

NEWSLETTER CHRISTMAS BREAK – I will be packing my laptop away from today, and the next Newsletter will be issued on Thursday 5 January.

SBH SPECIAL AWARDS DINNER – The SBH Special Awards Dinner took place last Saturday 17 December, in the Tulip Room at the East Stand of StoneX Stadium. Over 150 people were present and enjoyed an excellent Christmas meal as well being presented with a summary of a range of memorable Club happenings in 2022.

The event opened at 19.30 with the awards session recognising the individual achievements of the 19 Club members who competed in the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships. This was the highest number of participants from any one Club in the UK.

The highlight, on the men’s side was ZHARNEL HUGHES, who competed in all 3 meetings and won a total of 6 medals, 3 Gold, 2 Silver and a Bronze in the sprints and the relays. Whilst on the women’s side, LIZZIE BIRD also competed in all 3 meetings and won 2 medals, a Silver and a Bronze. In addition, she set a new British record for the 3000m steeplechase. Overall, SBH won the 2022 UKA Club Connect Awards, based on performances and placings at the UKA Championships. This was the first time a single club has won the award for both men and women in one year.

The Coach of the Year Trophy was presented to TY HOLDEN and the Official of the Year to NEVILLE THOMPSON. Several other awards were also presented, most notably, to KOJO KYEREME, who won the Gold medal in the V45 5000m, at the World Masters Championships.

The next award was led by NADEEM SHAIKH and STEPANIE PAPARIZOS and involved the presentation of a silver salver to GEORGE HARRISON MBE on his 90th birthday. It also recognised his coaching achievements and the contribution to the development of many SBH athletes. The award was collected, on his behalf, by Olympic bronze medallist, MARILYN OKORO. The presentation also included a commemorative book of photographs featuring GEORGE and many of his athletes. The highlight was a video presentation from LIZZIE BIRD on the big screen, being a former GEORGE HARRISON athlete now studying and training in the USA.

The next part of the evening involved the recognition of the contribution to SBH by the late NEELAM KADERBHOY by way of a silver memorial salver presented by NEELAM’S brother, IMTIAZ KADERBHOY, to a young athlete, nominated by JACQUI AGYEPONG and ANNA HIGSON, representing NEELAM’S own attitude towards training, competition, and her commitment to SBH. The 2022 winner was OLIVE HARVEY-DEW.

The final set of presentations were the Long Service Awards to a variety of members of SBH who have provided a range of services to SBH from athlete to coach to official. In addition, several members were recognised by the South of England Athletics Association for 40 years plus service to the sport.

The formal part of the dinner then ended with retirement to the Bar, where conversations and reminiscences went on until near midnight. A great night was had by all. Last, but not least, SBH must thank DAVE BEDFORD, without whose efforts this memorable event would not have taken place.

This is the list of the 19 SBH athletes who competed in either the European and World Championships or Commonwealth Games during 2022. Plus 10 recipients from the Best Performance Awards 2022 list, who were  present at the dinner – SBH Special Awards Dinner Awards List 17-12-22

Currently ther are 29 SBH Members who have been with the club from 48 to 74 years, this is the list of those members – SBH Longest Serving Members Final List 2022

The SEAA Long Service Awards were introduced in 2000 to provide to the many members of Clubs and Counties who have given long service to the sport. These are the 10 SBH members who have received the 40 year Gold awards – SBH SEAA Long Service Awards 17-12-22

SBH SPECIAL AWARDS DINNER PHOTOGRAPHS – There were some outstanding photographs taken during the evening, mainly by NADEEM SHAIKH.

Firstly, there were two special Silver Salvers, with first presented to GEORGE HARRISON MBE, GEORGE and his family made the difficult decision not to attend and shield GEORGE, due to flu and COVID numbers on the increase. The Silver Salver who kindly collected by Olympian Marilyn Okoro,

The second special Silver Salver, was presented to NEELAM KHADERBHOY.

The presentation was by OLIVE HARVEY-DEW to NEELAM’S two nephews RAYYAN and ANEES. With ANNA HIGSON and Olympian JACQUI AGYEPONG in the background.

The next is an album of photographs taken throughout the evening.

NADEEM sent me this note – If you would like any of the photos for your own personal use, then please let me know the page number it is on within the PDF and I will email it to you separately over the next few days. The video editing is going to take a while, but I will try and get it over just as soon as I can. In the meantime, enjoy the photos everyone – Photos of SBH Special Awards Dinner 17-12-22
NADEEM’S contact details is nadeem@smartwayforward.co.uk
Finally, if I do not speak with you before, have a happy, healthy, safe and wonderful Christmas. Best wishes to you and all your families for the New Year and I look forward to seeing you soon.

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.

BOXING DAY BONANZA RUN – Takes place on Monday 26 December at StoneX Stadium and Starts at 11.00, issuing of numbers, refreshments and prize giving takes place in the Indoor Track area. Distance 2 miles, 1 mile for Under 11 and £1 entry fee, There will be prizes, raffle (bring cash) and free refreshments, and why not come in fancy dress.
A run for all the family to run off the Christmas Day dinner. We are looking for a record turn out with well over 100 present. Donations to the raffle welcome

RESULTS
FRIDAY UNDER THE LIGHTS CHRISTMAS 5 – Took place at Battersea Park on 18 December.
5 Miles – HENRY MCLUCKIE U23 1st (PB 23.37) taking 41 seconds off his 2019 time, and is ranked UK No.1 in 2022, TOM BUTLER 11th (24.24)

LAUSANNE CHRISTMAS RUN – Took place at Lausanne, Switzerland on 18 December.
7.2k – JAKE SHELLEY 1st (22.53)

CARDIFF MET GRAND PRIX – Took place at Cardiff on 18 December.
Discus 2kg – SM CRAIG MONCUR U20 6th (PB 8.89)
Long Jump – SM CRAIG MONCUR U20 3rd (PB 6.52m) adding 13cm to his 9 July jump
Shot 7.26kg – SM CRAIG MONCUR U20 4th (11.89m) 

ISLE OF WIGHT WINTER THROWS FEST – Took place at Sandown on 17 December.
60m Hurdles – SM NICK PERCY 1st (61.43m) 

BATTERSEA PARK CHASE THE MOON 5K/10K – Took place at Battersea Park on 30 November.
5K – ZAC RANDALL 2nd (15.55)

BRITISH MASTERS 5K CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Battersea Park on 4 December.
LISA WEBB V55 129th (SB 20.50 4th V55)

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 Bear Creek Greenbelt, Lakewood, Colorado, USA on 17 December.
REBECCA JEFFREY U20 4th (22.28) this was her 15th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Jersey on 17 December.
ANDREW HOLMES V55 184th (42.22) this was his 39th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Lake Claremont, Perth, Australia on 17 December.
STUART MOORE V60 58th (30.33) this was his 179th Parkrun

PARKRUN 5K – Took place at Roding Valley on 17 December.
STUART SINGER V60 31st (26.16) this was his 353rd Parkrun, BRADLEY SINGER 35th (26.40) this was his 207th Parkrun

UPCOMING CROSS COUNTRY AND ROAD RELAY FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS, FOR THE PERIOD THURSDAY 22 DECEMBER UNTIL WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY – The updated 2022-2023 Winter Fixture Card and Information Sheet, are available further down the Newsletter.

HERTFORDSHIRE CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Sunday 8 January at Cassiobury Park, Watford.
Parking – In nearby roads Rosslyn Avenue/The Avenue
Start Times 11.00am U11 Girls (1900m), 11.10am U11 Boys (1900m), 11.20am U13 Girls (2900m), 11.30am U13 Boys (2900m), 11.45am U15 Boys & Girls (4800m), 12.05pm U17 Men and Women, U20 Women (6150m), 12.30pm U20 Men & Senior Women (8000m), 1.15pm Senior Men (11250m).
Entries Closing Date Wednesday 4 January
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager

CENTENARY MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Saturday 21 January at Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath (SatNav NW5 1QR), nearest station is Gospel Oak.
Start Times 11.15am U11 Boys (1500m), 11.20am U11 Girls (1500m), 11.30am U13 Boys (3000m), 11.35am U13 Girls (3000m), 11.55am U15 Boys (4000m), 12.00noon U15 Girls (4000m), 12.25pm U17 and U20 Women (6000m), 12.55pm U17 Men and U20 Men (6000m), 1.00pm Senior Women (8000m), 1.45pm Senior Men (12000m).
Entries Close Thursday 10 January
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager
SOUTHERN INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – The following 2 fixtures are now open for entries on the SEAA website.

SOUTHERN U13, U15 AND U17 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place at Lee Valley Athletics Centre are 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR) on Saturday 14 January and Sunday 15 January.
To enter please use this link – http://www.seaa.org.uk/index.php/events/track-and-field
Entries Closing Date Tuesday 3 January
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

SOUTHERN U20 AND SENIOR INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place at Lee Valley Athletics Centre are 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR) on Saturday 4 February and Sunday 5 February.
To enter please use this link – http://www.seaa.org.uk/index.php/events/track-and-field
Entries Closing Date Tuesday 24 January
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

UPCOMING INDOOR FIXTURES – The following fixtures are now open for entries, therefore please enter yourselves and pay the appropriate fee, but be aware that fixtures could close before the closing date, due to events being full.

LEE VALLEY INDOOR OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Sunday 4 December, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events are Track 60m, 300m, 600m and 60m Hurdles, Field Shot and High Jump, Long Jump and Pole Vault sold out. For all age-groups including U13s.
To enter please use this link – https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/athletics-centre/athletics-competitions
Entries Closed

BE FIT TODAY INDOOR SERIES – Takes place on Sunday 11 December, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events are Track 60m, 200m, 300m, 600m, 800m and 60m Hurdles, Field Long Jump. For all age-groups including U11s.
To enter please use this link – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/?o=&page=5&date__gte=&date__lte=&type=&q=&country_id=&uses_ot=on
Entries Closed

LEE VALLEY NEW YEARS INDOOR OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Sunday 2 January, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events are Track 60m, 200m 300m, 400m and 800m. For all age-groups including U13s.
To enter please use this link – https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/athletics-centre/athletics-competitions
Entries Close Wednesday 28 December – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

ENGLAND ATHLETICS U20 AND SENIOR INDOOR COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place at the English Institute of Sport, Coleridge Road, Sheffield (Satnav S9 5DA) on Saturday 7 January and Sunday 8 January.
To enter please use this link – https://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/england-competitions/national-championships/2023-championships-calendar-and-results/
Entries Close Friday 16 December
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

BE FIT TODAY INDOOR SERIES – Takes place on Sunday 8 January, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events are Track 60m, 200m, 300m, 600m, 800m and 60m Hurdles, Field Long Jump. For all age-groups including U11s.
To enter please use this link – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/?o=&page=5&date__gte=&date__lte=&type=&q=&country_id=&uses_ot=on
Entries Close Monday 2 January – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee 

LEE VALLEY LONDON U20 AND SENIOR INDOOR GAMES – Takes place on Saturday 21 January and Sunday 22 January, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events to be advised. For age-groups U20, Senior and Veterans.
To enter please use this link – https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/athletics-centre/athletics-competitions
Entries Closing Date Wednesday 18 January – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee 

LEE VALLEY LONDON U13, U15 & U17 INDOOR GAMES – Takes place on Saturday 28 January and Sunday 29 January, at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR).
Events to be advised. For age-groups U13, U15 & U17.
To enter please use this link – https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/lee-valley/athletics-centre/athletics-competitions
Entries Closing Date Wednesday 25 January – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

LEE VALLEY AYO FALOLA DREAM MILE – Takes place at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR) on Wednesday 8 February.
Age-groups U15 and above.
Entries now open, please use this link – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/?o=&page=4&date__gte=&date__lte=&type=&q=&country_id=&uses_ot=on
Entries Closing Date To Be Confirmed – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

LEE VALLEY MIDDLE DISTANCE OPEN MEETING – Takes place at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR) on Wednesday 15 February,
Events are 800m U13 and Above, 1500m U15 and above.
Entries now open, please use this link – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/?o=&page=4&date__gte=&date__lte=&type=&q=&country_id=&uses_ot=on
Entries Closing Date To Be Confirmed – Please be advised that events may be full before the closing date.
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee

IT ALL STARTS WITH A BANG – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently. Photographs taken by MARK SHEARMAN.

The sound of gunfire is the precursor to every great sprint in athletics history, writes ALEXIS JAMES, yet those pulling the trigger are much more than a hired gun. “On Your Marks.” At the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, the field for the 100m final included the fastest man in history. He smiled at the camera and produced his famous pose before accepting the invitation to his blocks. His nervous rivals were beholden to superstition. They jumped on the spot, fiddled with jewellery, sipped water, and prayed.

“SET” – Over 50,000 fans at the Olympiastadion held their breath, and their phones. They were anticipating the new world record that a global audience of 95 million were about to witness. The sprinters were poised. The world now waited on one man. His name was ALAN.

BANG! – You may not have heard of ALAN BELL, but you’ve almost certainly heard his gun. Now in his 70s, he remains the highest-ranked chief starter in the UK and one of the most experienced in the world. As well as the World Championships he has fired the starting pistol at the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, the World Indoor Championships, and the European Championships. It makes him the only international starter to have officiated at every major athletics meeting. And it means that when USAIN BOLT cemented his greatness in Berlin, ALAN had the best seat in the house.

“That night will probably be the greatest moment of my life, with the exception of the birth of my kids,” he told me when we first chatted in January 2021. “You fire a gun at the World Championship Final, which is not a bad bonus in itself, and the big fella from Jamaica creates history. And nobody has been anywhere near since.” Hanging on the wall of his study is the certificate that displays BOLT’S name and the astonishing time of 9.58 seconds. As starter, ALAN’S signature also appears on there. He was keen to point out that without it, the record would not have been ratified. “That’s my 17th world record,” he said, before pointing to another framed memento from the night. It was BOLT’S warm-up vest. “My son tells me it should be on eBay. I’ve suggested over my dead body!”

A former high jumper who represented England at amateur level in the early 1970s, ALAN was forced to retire in his mid-20s when he ruptured the achilles tendon in his take-off foot. “I’m a knackered athlete,” he boomed in a Geordie baritone as loud as his gun. As a member of North Shields Polytechnic Club, he was invited to help out at a youth track meet. He agreed, expecting to judge the high jump. Instead, club secretary and local bank manager JOHN KENNEDY opened a briefcase and handed him a pair of pistols. ALAN chuckled at the memory. “I looked at him and said: ‘MR KENNEDY, I haven’t got a bloody clue how to do that!’ He said: ‘Don’t worry, the kids won’t know.’ And I did it.” ALAN was in his 45th season, in 17 of which he had featured on World Athletics’ elite list of officials. Serendipity has played a big part in his ascent. A shortage of starters in his native north-east meant that only days after firing JOHN KENNEDY’S gun, he was sitting the required exam in the kitchen of another club official. The region’s renown as a host to top-level athletics, spearheaded by Olympic long-distance runner BRENDAN FOSTER and centred around Gateshead International Stadium, also came at the perfect time for ALAN. He had regular exposure to high-profile events in the 1970s and ’80s. “Sometimes ambition plays no part in what happens to you. Sometimes it’s just good fortune and opportunity,” he said, before adding that he occasionally bumps into FOSTER for a “beer and a cry over Newcastle United”.

Some of ALAN’S earliest experiences at elite meetings were in Gateshead’s call room, where athletes are checked to ensure they’re abiding by competition regulations. It’s here where they have their bags searched, their spikes checked, their bib numbers distributed, and any non-conforming logos covered with tape. “Believe me, we used to find some really dodgy stuff in the bags,” said ALAN. He described on one occasion being grabbed by the testicles and pinned to the wall after finding a vial in a Russian shot putter’s bag. “I have to be careful with naming some of them,” he added. More in hope than expectation, I told him he couldn’t be sued if the athletes were now dead. “Chances are they will be if they were taking as much as we found,” came ALAN’S deadpan response.

Originally a PE teacher at Benfield School in Newcastle, where he taught a young footballer by the name of STEVE BRUCE, ALAN became a school inspector before moving into the job that would dovetail perfectly with his voluntary role as a starter. As international development director at the Youth Sport Trust, he worked with the Ministry of Sport to implement programmes all over the world in the build-up to London 2012. The recruitment process for the role saw him interviewed by Baroness SUE CAMPBELL, a day after he oversaw seven false starts in  a single 110m hurdles race at the European Cup. One of the most powerful figures in UK Sport began their encounter with the question, “Were you the idiot doing the starting at Gateshead yesterday?” Even for someone familiar with explosive starts, it caught ALAN by surprise. But it proved to be the beginning of a fruitful relationship and he has since visited over 70 countries combining his developmental work and his role in athletics. Now retired from the former, the latter keeps his passport well thumbed. He told me he is planning a six-day trip to Finland for the national championships, having opted against two weeks in Nairobi for the World Under-20 event. When I asked if I might be able to shadow him at a forthcoming meeting, he suggested we meet a bit closer to home. “People think: ‘Wow, you started a big race in Berlin.’ But the skill of starting that race is perfected at the Tyneside Track League in Gateshead or the National Junior League in Birmingham.”

Two years after his stunning world record in the Olympiastadion, USAIN BOLT was once again lining up in the 100m final of the World Athletics Championships. This time the venue was Daegu Stadium, built for the football World Cup in South Korea in 2002. On a sultry August evening, the Jamaican was facing an almost entirely different field to that which he destroyed in 2009. Other than BOLT, only one man, DANIEL BAILEY of Antigua and Barbuda, had returned from that historic night in Berlin. Actually, make that two. For ALAN BELL was once again the man with the bang. The false-start rule had again been tweaked. A year before the World Championships, the IAAF voted to remove any clemency for a race’s first offender. It was felt that this privilege was being abused in an attempt to stifle fast-starting sprinters. Those slower out of the blocks could deliberately false-start and put the entire field under pressure. Now there would be no doubt and no margin for error. Anyone who false-started was out. With the now obligatory pre-race theatre over, all eight finalists took to their blocks with minimal fuss. Daegu, like Berlin, was expectant. This city wanted its own page in history. A hush descended. Enter Alan, stage right.

“You might find this hard to believe,” said ALAN, “but I take no notice of who’s in the race. That’s irrelevant. You’ve got eight bodies, end of.” Instead, ALAN is in his own zone, deep in focus. “I’ve got the best 30-second concentration span in the world. Outside that 30 seconds, I’m all over the place. But I think it’s important to be able to switch on and switch off.” Only once he deems the time right does he summon the athletes. Contrary to what one might expect, given the pressures of television scheduling and the allocation of seven-minute slots for each 100m race, the intricate pauses between commands are for the starter to dictate in the moment. There is no standardised time between the word “set” and the pulling of the trigger. It is an instinctive call based on the race, and the occasion. “The real skill in my job is to wait until everybody is at the pinnacle of their set position. When you’re happy that they’ve all had that opportunity to set and concentrate, you pull the trigger. There can’t be a prescribed time,” said ALAN. “The chemistry between the nine people involved – eight athletes and the person with the gun – is unique to that event. It has to be entirely based upon what I see, and the judgement of readiness based on my experience. At a major event, between saying ‘set’ and pulling the trigger, I’m holding my breath. Because I’m praying I don’t have to pull the other trigger.’

In Daegu, ALAN’S prayers went unheeded. The dreaded beep sounded in his headphones and he instantly fired his recall gun. Although he already knew who was at fault, he waited for the computer printout before confirming the reason for the crowd’s anguish. It showed that the athlete in lane five had moved 0.104 seconds before the gun had even fired. It was as clear a false start as one could see at the highest level. And no one was more aware than the offending athlete himself, having already removed his vest and with his head in his hands. It was BOLT. While the crowd squealed in disbelief, the media made hay. “Within a millisecond there must have been 150 cameramen on the track looking to milk his embarrassment,” thundered ALAN. “I’ve got to know him quite well as a human being, and he’s a resolute and determined character. But he’s also a really decent guy, and he didn’t deserve that. So I said to the Koreans to get him off the track and put him somewhere that a camera can’t get to him. Let him have his remorse.”

ALAN was then put under pressure from Korean TV to get the race back under way. “I said no chance. There are seven people out there now, who think they can win a gold medal. And I’m going to give them every chance to compose themselves again.” An unimpressed floor manager insisted that ALAN recommence the race immediately. “He went apes***. He’s in my face, and he’s getting it in the ear from the director upstairs. So I turned to him and said: ‘Here, you start the race’, and I handed him the guns. And of course, he just looked at me. And I said: ‘We wait.’” BOLT’S training partner and fellow Jamaican YOHAN BLAKE was the ultimate beneficiary, becoming the youngest ever 100m world champion at 21 years old. But for ALAN, the story didn’t end there. As he did at the end of every day of competition, he had arranged to meet his wife LESLEY in the VIP area before heading back to their hotel. LESLEY is a level-three athletics official.

On this occasion, he sensed something wasn’t quite right as soon as he arrived. “I’m walking up to row Z and I see that LESLEY’S looking at me with a face like thunder. And I’m thinking: ‘She knows I had no choice, I had to disqualify the guy.’ And then I suddenly realise. She’s sitting with USAIN’S mam and dad. She’d met them earlier in the week, and they were just sitting and chatting. I thought, ‘Oh my God.’” As ALAN made the tentative walk over, MRS BOLT stood up to greet him. “USAIN got his mam’s genes, believe me. I thought she was going to let rip at me. And you know, she was fantastic. All she said to me was: ‘He made a mistake.’ That put me at ease. I said: ‘I hope he can get it out of his system ready for the 200m.’ And she just looked at me and said: “He’ll be ready.” They were great with me. He’s obviously got a lot of that collectedness and stability from his family.”

Six days later, ALAN’S recall gun stayed silent for the 200m final. As the slowest runner out of the blocks, the false start in the 100m final had clearly had an effect on BOLT. But he powered around the bend as only he could and he comfortably took gold. “I made a mistake but I came back to show the world that I’m still the best,” said a relieved world champion afterwards.

ALAN admitted that disqualifying BOLT was the lowest moment of his starting career. “Not because it was him, at all. But because I was having to disqualify an athlete in the final of the World Championships. It could have been any of them,” he said. “But, like all of the people in that final, they’ll have worked for 15 years just to be there, and it’s sad that you have to apply the rule.” I asked if, with an expectant crowd engulfing him, an anxious Korean production team on his shoulder, and the world’s media having already written the script, there wasn’t a small part of him tempted to let this generation’s greatest athlete continue. He responded without a moment’s hesitation. “The circumstances were very difficult. But that was the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make.”

A HARD PRICE TO PAY FOR ANTI-DOPING VIGILANCE – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

Recent doping cases are not a great look for athletics, writes KATHARINE MERRY, but there should be pride taken in how proactive the sport is in punishing those who break the rules. Plenty of headlines have been created around our sport lately in relation to doping and, whenever one of these stories comes out, it produces a complex melting pot of emotions for me. There’s the concern around how this news – whether it’s the spate of Kenyan distance runners testing positive or 2012 Olympic 400m hurdles champion Natalia Antyukh being set to lose her gold medal – makes the sport look, plus there’s that sinking feeling of “here we go again” and a deep sadness of, unfortunately, not being surprised. You want to be shocked, you want to be appalled but, with Russian athlete ANTYUKH, that wasn’t the case I’m afraid. There are encouraging aspects to it all though, too. I’m disappointed for the sport but I’m also very proud that we’re the ones being so proactive with these issues. The more you test, the more positive cases you are going to find and the better systems you have in place, the more people are going to fall foul of it.

I still think we could do more when it comes to anti-doping and it would benefit massively from more funding, but athletics does deserve a lot of credit for being on the front foot when some other sports perhaps don’t do enough in this area, simply because they don’t want to. There’s no doubt at all that anti-doping is a lot different from when I was running. The whole process seems a lot more relentless, which is a very good thing and obviously the reason why more athletes are being caught. We did have to do the whereabouts process and tell people where we trained, where we lived and when we were going away, but it has stepped up in terms of how regimented that is and being narrowed down to specific hours in the day.

I was a very organised athlete and I’m still a very organised person – I’d be the one sorting out all the details for our training camps, for example – but the more lackadaisical athletes out there soon discover there really is no margin for error. I have no sympathy for anyone who doesn’t take this side of the job – and it is a key part of the job if you want to be a professional athlete – properly seriously. Ultimately, the responsibility has to sit with the individual. In years gone by, if you’d written a job description for being a full-time professional, time management and ticking all the right boxes when it comes to anti-doping protocols probably wouldn’t have been the first thing you’d have put on your list, but it’s right up there now. CJ Ujah’s case has been a prime example of how easy it can be to come a cropper in the current climate. He put his failed test – which saw the British 4x100m team stripped of their Olympic silver medal – down to having taken a supplement which he ordered through Amazon. The AIU deemed his error wasn’t deliberate and his ban will now come to an end in time for him to start competing again this summer but, when CJ does get back on the track, it is going to be a big test in a number of ways. He knows what he’s done, he’s accepting what he’s done and the consequences of that will now follow him for the rest of his career. It’s not something you get away from and he will face questions about it when he starts racing again. I hope that he’s strong enough and prepared enough for that.

UKA technical director STEPHEN MAGUIRE has said he will come under consideration for selection for the British team again, should he be running quickly enough, but there will still be challenges in bringing him back into the fold. It has been made easier by a couple of his team-mates from that Tokyo line-up publicly providing him with messages of support, but not everyone will feel that way and that’s completely understandable. With the ANTYUKH case, I have a lot of sympathy for American LASHINDA DEMUS who will become Olympic champion 10 years later than she should have done. It’s too late. It’s not just that she’s missed out on the winning moment. The money, the improved contracts and sponsorship that goes with it is gone, too. What are the interest levels going to be like in a 45-year-old Olympic gold medallist compared to one who was at the peak of her powers? The answer to that question is a short one.

As an athlete, you do have a sixth sense that someone you are competing against might not be playing by the rules. You can ask any athlete at a top level that and you’ll find very few that will say “yeah, I’ve looked along the line and thought ‘look at all these lovely nice people I’m going to be racing against’”. I raced against people who came back into the sport after having been proven as cheats and I raced against people who I know would have been cheating but never got caught. However, as obvious as it may sound, you have little choice but to block that out of your mind and get on with your own performance. If you don’t, it will drive you mad. Also, don’t always believe that the cheating comes down to who the coach is or the make-up of the training group. Every athlete is an individual, is their own person and has a choice. I just hope that, with the ever improving systems in place and the increasing cost of falling foul, more athletes make the right choices.

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 is 1 post this week. Which is a series of photographs taken at the SBH Awards Dinner, some of the photographs are different from the album in the SBH Awards Dinner at the top of this Newsletter.

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 to the qualiication standards – https://olympics.com/en/news/world-athletics-championships-2023-qualifying-standards-entry-budapest
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 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.
The 2022-2023 Winter Information Sheet is now available on the SBH Website, which shows which races you can compete in, for the Cross Country Points Championships and the Cross Country Individual Club Championships. Also the Metropolitan League timetable and contact details for the SBH Cross Country and Road Relay Team Managers – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-information/

SBH 2022-2023 WINTER CROSS COUNTRY POINTS AND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURE – The CROSS COUNTRY POINTS TABLE is now available on the SBH Website, and has been updated following the Metropolitan League fixture on the 12 November – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/winter-xc-points-tables/
The Initial Draft of the CROSS COUNTRY CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP LIST is now available on the SBH Website, and will be updated following the Metropolitan League fixture on the 3 December – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/winter-xc-club-championships/

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

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.