Happy Birthday from Thursday 25 July to Wednesday 31 July – Akin Coward, Hamish Dover, John Dryden, Martin Grey, Thomas Kearns, Jonathan Klein, Naomi Ogunniyi, Edie Rennie-Roddy and Seth Rennie-Roddy

NEW CLUB RECORD – Congratulations to RENEE REGIS who the Under 20 Women’s 200m club record with (23.15 w-0.6) at the England Senior and Under 20 Championships in Birmingham on Sunday 21 July. Ranking her UK No.1 U20 in 2024, and No.9 U20 on the UK all-time list. The previous record was held by EMILY NEWNHAM (23.27 w0.7) set in Newham on 3 September 2023. RENNEE currently hold the 100m U20 club record (11.43 w-0.4) set earlier this year.

ENGLAND SENIOR AND UNDER 20 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Congratulations on an outstanding championships, in which Shaftesbury had 38 athletes competing.

We had 7 England champions, TEDDY WILSON won the U20 100m (10.37 w1.1), RENEE REGIS won the U20 200m in a personal best (23.15 w-0.6) ranking her UK No.1 U20 and No.9 on the UK all-time list, COLUMBA BLANGO T20 won the SM Para Amb 400m (50.43), ROBERT SHIPLEY won the SM 800m (1:51.32), JADE IVE won the SW Pole Vault (4.21m), KIMANI JACK won the U23M High Jump (2.10m) and AKIN COWARD won the SM High Jump in a seasons best (2.16m) ranking him UK No.4.

There were 5 Silver Medals from HENRY DOVER U20M 5000m (8:20.85), RUBEN HEDMAN U23M 110m Hurdles (14.31 w0.5), HAYLEY MCLEAN SW 400m Hurdles (58.20), LILY HOLT U23W High Jump in a seasons best (1.71m) ranking her UK Equal 8th and ALASTAIR BROWN U20M Shot in a seasons best (15.14m) ranking him UK No.4 U20.

There were 3 Bronze Medals from MYA MAIRS-INGRAM U20W 800m in a personal best (2:08.08) ranking her UK No.7 U20, THOMAS BUTLER SM 5000m (14:22.44) and EVELYNE FONYEYNE U23W High Jump (1.71m).

CLUB CONNECT AND EYAL RECOGNITION – We have received this communication from STUART PUGH who is the Officials Secretary for the Middlesex AA County.

Just wanted to share a story about my positive interactions with SBH athletes over the weekend at both the Club Connect relays at the London Diamond League and also at the EYAL on Sunday. All the relay teams at London were a credit to the club (I was in the call room as a judge) and I spoke to a few of them as they passed through. They were focussed but obviously excited about running in front of the London crowd.
I ran into a few of them again on Sunday and a couple of them recognised me and we had a lovely chat about their experience.

ELKIE BAKER –  Although the results are not available as yet, ELKIE (2nd Claim) represented English Schools in the SIAB International in Camarthen on Saturday 20th July against Ireland, Scotland and Wales. She won a silver medal in the girls discus throwing (37.51m) despite pretty atrocious weather.

OLYMPIC GAMES – The opening ceremony takes place this Friday 26 July, with the Athletics starting from Thursday August and finishes on Sunday 11 August.

OLYMPIC GAMES ATHLETICS TIMETABLE – This is the link to the athletics timetable – https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/athletics

OLYMPIC GAMES MARATHON ROUTE – This is the link to the marathon route – https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/information/olympic-marathon-route

OLYMPIC GAMES – TRIATHLON – BETH POTTER starts her Triathlon quest in the Women’s Individual event on Wednesday 31 July. The event takes place from 7.00am to 9.40am. The Mixed Team Relay takes place on Monday 5 August. The event takes place from 7.00am to 9.10am.

OLYMPIC GAMES ON TV – The games will be shown on BBC1, BBC2 and BBC iplayer, with some 250 hours of live coverage. Also wall-to-wall coverage will be shown on Eurosport1 and Eurosport2. Streaming services will be available on Discovery+ (charge of £3.99 a month), showing 3,800 hours of live action.

STATUS ON OPEN MEETINGS – These are the fixtures which are now open for you to enter yourself, which are as follows.
BFTA Series – 11 August Closing Date 4 August  (All entries on Opentrack)
Lee Valley Sprints – 31 July Closing Date 30 July (All entries on Opentrack)
Watford – 7 August Closing Date 5 August (Entries on Roster Athletics)
Please remember there is a possibility that the limits may be taken up before the closing date.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS SUBSCRIPTIONS – Our new Club year started on 1 October 2023. The current SBH annual subscription is £80 and the current England Athletics annual registration from 1 April 2024 is £19. The current total is £99 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.

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.
The Power of 10 publishes separate UK rankings for indoor and outdoor performances.

ENGLAND SENIOR/UNDER 20 AND CAU CHAMPIONSHIPS – Took place at Birmingham on 19-21 July
100m – U20M H1 CAI CRAWFORD U20 1st (10.95 w-1.7), H2 TEDDY WILSON U20 1st (SB 10.35 w-0.1) equalling his 9 July time, and is ranked UK No.1 U20 in 2024, in Semi-Final 1 TEDDY finished 1st (10.43 w-1.5), CAI finished 4th (10.98 w-1.5), in the Final TEDDY won the Gold Medal (10.37 w-1.1), CAI finished 7th (10.84 w-1.1)
100m – U23W H3 EVE WRIGHT U23 1st (11.93 w-1.8), in Semi-Final 1 EVE finished 1st (11.78 w-1.1), in the Final EVE finished 4th (11.90 w-2.4)
100m – SM H2 KRISHAWN AIKEN 4th (10.92 w-4.8), H3 ZANSON PLUMMER 4th (11.07 w-1.7), H4 PHOENIX LYON 5th (10.85 w-1.5), in Semi-Final 1 ZANSON finished 7th (10.96 w-1.4), in Semi-Final 2 PHOENIX finished 5th (10.82 w-1.8), in Semi-Final 3 KRISHAWN finished 6th (10.81 w-1.5)
200m – U20M H1 ZICO JONES U20 (2nd Claim) 3rd (PB 21.81 w2.0) taking .06 of a second off his 2022 time, H2 CAI CRAWFORD U20 3rd (21.97 w2.8), H4 EBUKA NWOKEJI U20 1st (21.22 w2.7), in Semi-Final 1 ZICO finished 5th (21.82 w1.6), in Semi-Final 2 EBUKA finished 2nd (21.13 w2.2), in Semi-Final 3 CAI finished 5th (21.73 w0.8), in the Final EBUKA finished 7th (22.49 w-0.5)
200m – SM H1 PHOENIX LYON 2nd (21.47 w1.4), H2 KRISHAWN AIKEN 4th (21.53 w1.9), in Semi-Final 1 KRISHAWN finished 7th (21.52 w2.6), in Semi-Final 2 PHOENIX finished 3rd (21.35 w0.5), in the Final PHOENIX finished 7th (21.35 w1.2)
200m – U20W H2 RENEE REGIS U20 1st (23.52 w2.2), in the Final RENEE won the Gold Medal (PB 23.15 w-0.6) taking .15 of a second off her 26 May time, and is ranked UK No.1 U20 in 2024 and No.9 on the UK U20 all-time list, and a New Club Record
400m – U20W H1 LARISSA WILSON U20 6th (59.26)
400m – SM H1 BEN ROCHFORD 7th (PB 48.36) taking .15 of a second off his 2019 time
400m – SM PARA AMB H1 COLUMBA BLANGO T20/F20 1st (50.45), in the Final COLUMBA won the Gold Medal (50.43)
800m – U20W Straight Final MYA MAIRS-INGRAM U20 won the Bronze Medal (PB 2:08.08) taking .83 of a second off her 15 May time, and is ranked UK No.7 U20 in 2024
800m – SM Straight Final ROBERT SHIPLEY (HCA Yorkshire) won the Gold Medal (1:51.32)
5000m – U20M Straight Final HENRY DOVER U20 won the Silver Medal (8:20.85)
5000m – M Multiple Straight Final THOMAS BUTLER (Hertfordshire) won the Bronze Medal (14:22.44)
100m Hurdles – U20W H1 ALINA COFIE U20 5th (14.92 w-0.2), H2 AZARIA NWANKWO U20 3rd (14.43 w-0.4), H3 NIA FORBES-AGYEPONG U20 (Middlesex) 3rd (14.69 w-2.0), in the Final AZARIA finished 7th (14.57 w0.1)
110m Hurdles – U23M H2 RUBEN HEDMAN U23 1st (14.35 w-0.3), in the Final RUBEN won the Silver Medal (14.31 w0.5)
400m Hurdles – U20W H1 AZARIA NWANKWO U20 (Middlesex) 7th (66.94)
400m Hurdles – U23M H2 JUBRIL ADENIJI 6th (55.38)
400m Hurdles – SW H1 HAYLEY MCLEAN 1st (58.93), in the Final HAYLEY won the Silver Medal (58.20)
400m Hurdles – SM H1 STEVEN GARRETT V35 4th (54.40), in the Final STEVEN finished 7th (55.32)
3000m Steeplechase – Straight Final U20M Straight Final CALLUM SYDENHAM U20 (2nd Claim) 8th (11:32.54)
Pole Vault – U20W Straight Final MANON BAINES U20 4th (3.32m)
Pole Vault – SM Straight Final ETHAN WALSH (NM)
Pole Vault – SW Straight Final JADE IVE (HCA Surrey) won the Gold Medal (4.21m)
High Jump – U23M Straight Final KIMANI JACK U23 won the Gold Medal (2.10m)
High Jump – U23W Straight Final LILY HOLT U23 equally won the Silver Medal (SB 1.71m) equalling her 6 May height, and is ranked equal UK No.8 U23 in 2024, EVELYNE FONTEYNE U23 equally won the Silver Medal (1.71m)
High Jump – SM Straight Final AKIN COWARD won the Gold Medal (SB 2.16m) adding 1cm to his 25 May height, and is ranked UK No.4 in 2024
Long Jump – U23M Straight Final CRAIG MONCUR U23 (Scotland) 5th (7.03m w2.9)
Long Jump – SM Straight Final BEN MCGUIRE (Scotland) 9th (6.91m w-3.0), OGO ANOCHIRIONYE (2nd Claim Middlesex) 11th (6.68m w-2.4)
Triple Jump – U23W Straight Final REESE ROBINSON U23 5th (SB 11.99m w1.7) adding 91cm to her 7 July jump, and is ranked UK No.10 U23 in 2024
Discus 1.75kg – U20M Straight Final ALASTAIR BROWN U20 (2nd Claim) 6th (PB 48.23m) adding 2.58m to his 29 June throw, and is ranked UK No.7 U20 in 2024
Discus 2kg – SM Straight Final REUBEN VAUGHAN (Surrey) 7th (45.02m)
Shot 6kg – U20M Straight Final ALASTAIR BROWN U20 (2nd Claim) won the Silver Medal (SB 15.14m) adding 7cm to his 11 February put, and is ranked UK No.4 U20 in 2024
Hammer 4kg – U20W Straight Final GRACIE JENVEY U20 (2nd Claim) 5th (47.16m)
Javelin 600g – SW Straight Final JOANNA BLAIR (2nd Claim) 5th (42.03m)

EASTERN YOUNG ATHLETES LEAGUE – The fourth of four fixtures took place at StoneX Stadium on 22 July.
Apologies but the provisional results are still to be published, but the provisional match and final league tables are available on the EYAL website.

Provisional Match Result – 1st SBH (608 points), 2nd Thurrock (502), 3rd Ipswich (460), 4th Cambridge & Coleridge (408), 5th SSA and Enfield & Haringey (370), 6th Orion & Ilford (???)

Provisional Final League Tables After 4 Fixtures – 1st Chelmsford (24 league points 2960 match points), 2nd Dacorum (24- 2641.5), 3rd SBH (24- 2613), 4th Norwich (19- 2274), 5th Havering * (18- 2093), 6th Ipswich (18- 2057) – Havering will play their final fixture at Bedford on 28 July. Basildon are also at Bedford and have a chance of reaching the top 6, currently their points total after 3 fixtures is (13-1517).

We have qualified for the Top 6 final, which will be held at the StoneX Stadium on Sunday 8 September.

WANDA DIAMOND LEAGUE – Took place at the London Stadium on 20 July
100m – SM ZHARNEL HUGHES 6th (SB 10.00 w-0.3) taking .06 of a second off his 18 May time, and is ranked UK No.3 equal in 2024
400m – SM CHARLIE DOBSON (HCA) 4th (PB 44.23) taking .15 of a second off his 10 June time, and is ranked UK No.2 in 2024
400m – SW EMILY NEWNHAM U23 8th (53.48)
400m Hurdles – SW LINA NIELSEN 8th (54.65)
Shot 7.26kg – SM SCOTT LINCOLN (HCA) 7th (20.71m)

CLUB CONNECT RELAYS – Took place at London Stadium on 20 July
4x100m Relays – U15B 1st (SB 44.39) taking 3.91 seconds of their 5 May time, and are ranked UK No.1 U15 team in 2024 LANI JAIYEOLA, DIJANI BARNOR, EESA ADEKUNLE ALI, JOSHUA NYMAN, U15G 6th (49.53) ERYKAH OSOBU, MOIESHA SAVAGE, ISLA BRASSNET, HOLLY RYAN, U17M 6th (SB 43.43) taking 1.52 seconds off their 26 May time, and are ranked UK No.7 equal U17 team in 2024 NATHAN HOWELL, JAIAN SAUNDERS, ANGEL MIAH, ALEX KONSTANTARAS (2nd Claim), U17W 3rd (SB 48.71) taking .59 of a second off their 30 June time ADANNA MAZINWOSU, MAKAYLA BRAI-ALOYE, ELLA BUCKLEY, TAMI GEORGE

CAS MEETING INTERNATIONAL – Took place at Schifflange, Luxemborg on 21 July
100m Hurdles – SW H3 JESSICA HUNTER 5th (13.68 w0.9) in the next race JESSICA finished 1st (13.35 w0.0)

CHARNWOOD OPEN MEETING – Took place at Loughborough on 17 July
Pole Vault – SX MANON BAINES U20 2nd (3.52m)

BIGGLESWADE TRACK FEST – Took place at Sandy on 17 July
10000m – SX GARY PELOSI V35 1st (SB 33:31.97)

SUTCLIFFE PARK TRACK AND FIELD NIGHT – Took place at Eltham on 17 July
100m – SX 1 VICTOR PAIUSCO U20 2nd (11.55 w-0.9), BRANDON KUFAZVINEI U20 3rd (11.84 w-0.9)

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.

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…
1,203 events – 220,190 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers – 10,097 first timers – 21,517 PBs

COMPLETELY USELESS RANDOM FACT – Did you know parkrun has a milestone T-Shirt colour to match each of the Olympic Rings?

UPCOMING TRACK AND FIELD FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 5 WEEKS, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 25 JULY UNTIL WEDNESDAY 28 AUGUST – The SBH 2024 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 ‘Fixtures and Results’ section.

SUMMER OPEN MEETINGS 2024 – The link will open the document that has the dates for all fixture dates for BFTA, Lee Valley and Watford fixtures and updated up to the 25 July – All Summer Open Meetings 2024 Updated 25 July 2024
The Information including how to enter for each fixture, will be published below as and when known. 

ENGLAND U15 AND U17 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Friday 26 July until Sunday 28 July at the Alexander Stadium, Walsall Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham (Satnav B42 2LR).
Entries Closed

BRITISH MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Friday 26 July until Sunday 28 July at the Moorways Stadium, Moor Lane, Derby (Satnav DE24 9HY).
Link to the provisional timetable – British Masters Provisional Timetable
Entries Closed

BFTTA OUTDOOR SERIES – Takes place on Sunday 28 July at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR)
Entries Closed

LEE VALLLEY DOUBLE 100M SPRINTS NIGHT – Takes place on Wednesday 31 July at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR)
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Timetable 19.00pm 100m 1st round, 2nd round will follow the last race of the 1st round.
Entry now open Opentrack – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/10010004/
Entries Closing Date Tuesday 30 July
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.

OLYMPIC GAMES – The Athletics takes place from Thursday 1 August to Sunday 11 August in Paris, France.
Link to the athletics timetable – https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/athletics

NATIONAL ATHLETIC LEAGUEPROMOTION MATCH – Takes place on Saturday 3 August at at the Bedford International Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford (Satnav MK41 9SB)
Age-Groups Under U20 & Senior Men/Women.
This is the link to the timetable – NAL Premiership Promotion Match Timetable Men 03-08-24  NAL Premiership Promotion Match Timetable Women 03-08-24
Note: You will have to be selected by your Team Manager

WATFORD OPEN MEETING  – Takes place on Wednesday 7 August at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav WD25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Link to entries on roster athletics – https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/about?id=25609
Entries Closing Date Monday 5 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 possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.

SOUTHERN U13, U15 AND U17 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Saturday 10 August and Sunday 11 August at the Chelmsford Athletic Centre, Salemo Way, Chelmsford (Satnav CM1 2EH).
This is he link to enter on the Roster athletics website – https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/about?id=25380
Entries Closing Date Tuesday 30 July

BFTTA OUTDOOR SERIES – Takes place on Sunday 11 August at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR)
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Entry now open to enter on Open Track –  https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/bft111111/
Entries Closing Date Sunday 4 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 possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.

LEE VALLLEY 100M/200M SPRINTS NIGHT – Takes place on Wednesday 14 August at the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, 61 Meridian Way, Edmonton (Satnav N9 0AR)
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Timetable 19.00pm 100m, 20.00pm 200m estimated start time, or 20 minutes after the end of the last 100m race.
Entry not open as yet on Open Track –
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 possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.

LONDON INTER CLUB CHALLENGE – The fourth of five fixtures takes place on Saturday 17 August at the StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, Hendon (Satnav NW4 1RL).
Entry fee is £12 per event for all age-groups, SBH Members qualify for a 50% discount.
Link to the timetable –
Link to enter on opentrack although not open as yet –
Entries Closing Date TBC, No Entries On The Day

ENGLAND AGE-GROUP COMBINED EVENTS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND U20 INTERNATIONAL – Takes place on Saturday 17 August and Sunday 18 August at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre, Pococks Lane, Eton (Satnav SL4 6HN).
Link to entry standards – https://d1laub10p5ibfa.cloudfront.net/2024/05/England-Athletics-2024-Outdoor-Entry-Standards-Updated.pdf
Link to entries on Roster athletic – https://meets.rosterathletics.com/public/competitions/details/about?id=25396
Entries Closing Date Sunday 4 August

WATFORD OPEN MEETING  – Takes place on Wednesday 21 August at the Woodside Stadium, Horseshoe Lane, Watford (Satnav WD25 7HH).
Age-Groups Under U13 and above Men/Women.
Link to entries on roster athletics, although entries not open as yet –
Note: You will have to enter yourself and pay the appropriate entry fee. There are no entries on the day, and there is a possibility that the limits will be taken up well before the race day.
Entries Closing Date TBC

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL – Takes place on Saturday 24 August at the Manchester Regional Arena, Rowsley Street, Manchester (Satnav M11 3FF)
Link to Information – https://www.englandathletics.org/team-england/manchester-international/

WORLD UNDER 20 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place from Tuesday 27 August to Saturday 31 August in Lima, Peru.
Please Note: You will selected for these Championships

PARALYMPIC GAMES OVERALL TIMETABLE 2024 – Take place in Paris,France from the Friday 30 August to Sunday 8 September.
Link to the overall timetable for all sports – https://medias.paris2024.org/uploads/2024/01/Competition-Schedule-by-session-Events-V4.pdf
Detailed athletics timetable to be issued in due course.

WHY DISCUS THROW STILL REIGNS SUPREME – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

This year is one of the most exciting years to date for one reason and one reason only, writes ZARA OBAMAKINWA, it’s Olympic year. As the 2024 season begins to heat up, Neuff Athletic ambassador and discus athlete ZARA OBAMAKINWA (UK U23 No.1) sheds some light on one of the most exciting events of the Olympics – the discus.

Origins of discus throwing – If we take a look back into the ancient records of the event, it can be called an Olympic Games event for a reason. The discus is one of the original five events contested in the ancient games, where the pentathlon signified the perfect athlete. Think of the iconic ancient Greek statue of the discus thrower, which has captured people’s interest for centuries. Athletes competing in the pentathlon would throw a bronze discus weighing 9lb (4kg) as far as they could and the best out of five throws would be recorded, much like the modern version of the event. Sometimes beautifully engraved, early discus have been found weighing anywhere from 1.3kg to 6.6kg, made of stone, bronze, iron or wood. The ancient Olympics were banned around 1600 years ago as part of an effort to suppress paganism and non-Christian events. However, the ancient Grecian sculpture remained hugely popular, with many copies being made and eventually getting rediscovered by archaeologists in the 1700s. It was one of these statues that inspired a German teacher, CHRISTIAN GEORGE KOHLRAUSCH, to run experiments with his students to recreate the ancient sport in the 1870s. This ultimately led to discus throw being reintroduced in the first modern edition of the Olympics in 1896. Interestingly, the planning meeting had been in Paris in June 1894, exactly 130 years before this year’s upcoming Olympics. It didn’t take long for better throwing techniques to be developed, and the first athlete to use the now-popular technique of a full body rotation was the Czech born FRANTISEK JANDA-SUK, which earned him a silver medal in the 1900 edition.

Photograph of NICK PERCY taken by MARK SHEARMAN.

Will a British discus thrower win this year? – Naturally, many Brits are hoping for an athlete from the UK to make the Parisian podium. British interests in this year’s Olympic Games have now confirmed to be riding on two athletes: NICK PERCY and LAWRENCE OKOYE. PERCY has already thrown the Olympic A standard out in Ramona, Oklahoma in April and recent performances are also showing very good form. OKOYE has achieved the Olympic B standard and is currently ranked 23rd in the Road to Paris ‘24, a qualifying position.

Who will win the Olympic discus in 2024? – OKOYE holds the British record with (68.24m) but PERCY went No.2 on the UK all-time rankings earlier this summer with 67.73m in Ramona. Now, let’s move onto the rest of the world. When it comes to this year’s discus competition, it is arguably one of the most unpredictable and competitive ones yet. In the women’s event, there are several competitors who are in for a chance at the gold. The reigning Olympic champion VALARIE ALLMAN will be looking to defend her title after claiming gold at the Tokyo Games. ALLMAN has been so consistent this year, having thrown nothing below (67m). After recently being confirmed for the US team, it’s safe to say that ALLMAN’S phenomenal capabilities in the sport could well be the country’s best chance of claiming victory for the second consecutive year in a row. BIN FENG, another world champion and Olympic finalist is also looking strong this season and MARRIKE STAINACKER has added another 3m to her PB this year to throw over (67m). SANDRA ELKASEVIC (née PERKOVIC), another veteran of the event who will be competing for Croatia, cannot be ruled out either.

In the men’s discus, we have some real big hitters all battling for the Olympic crown. MYKOLAS ALEKNA could be the out-and-out favourite at just 21 years old. Part of a throwing family dynasty that rivals some of the greatest sporting families, with world record-holders, European champions and various world medals. KRISTJAN CEH, world champion and newly crowned European champion who has just beaten ALEKNA for the title. MATTHEW DENNY, the Commonwealth champion and fourth place finisher in the Budapest World championships is looking in fine form. DANIEL STAHL, the reigning Olympic champion and two-time world champion. He will be back in Paris to defend his Olympic title against the rest of the world, which is looking like a tall order as of now as he is yet to break (70m), but his experience and pedigree in the event may hopefully see him through. ALEX ROSE, REGGIE JAGERS III and LUKAS WEILHAIDINGER are also worth watching as they may just come out and shock spectators across the globe.

Discus is one to watch! – With its ancient origins and a future full of surprises, discus throw is an essential event that continues to shape the backbone of the modern Olympics and many other competitions across the globe. In a sense, it’s no wonder that the sport has been around for over 2700 years! Both men’s and women’s discus throwers have launched some of the farthest throws in modern day history and the limits of the event are being constantly pushed. With that being said, the discus is truly an event you cannot afford to miss!

DALEY DOCUMENTARY PAINTS REVEALING PORTRAIT OF OLYMPIC LEGEND – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.  Photograph taken by MARK SHEARMAN taken at the 1984 Olympics.

BBC programme about the iconic British decathlete is a must-watch for athletics fans young and old. The stylish and much-hyped Netflix series ‘Sprint’ has attracted much attention in recent weeks, but when it comes to track and field documentaries DALEY: Olympic Superstar is this summer’s quiet hit.

The life story of the two-time Olympic decathlon champion was tucked away on BBC2 this month but has enjoyed rave reviews from those who have seen it. Unlike the Netflix series, it is a rugged tale of a bona fide athletics legend which is long overdue being made. The documentary mixes beautiful archive footage with contemporary interviews with not only THOMPSON, who turns 66 this month, but CAITLYN JENNER (formerly BRUCE, the 1976 Olympic champion), SEB COE, STEVE CRAM, TESSA SANDERSON, DENISE LEWIS, LINFORD CHRISTIE, COLIN JACKSON, FRANK DICK, his early coach BOB MORTIMER, swimmer and ex-girlfriend SHARRON DAVIES and, maybe best of all, his giant adversary JURGEN HINGSEN. “I don’t think I would have trained as hard if I didn’t have him,” says Thompson on his big German rival. Since the programme aired, COE even admits he learned a few things in the documentary about THOMPSON despite being a close friend and regular training partner in the gym for half a century. THOMPSON talks openly in the documentary about his rogue of a father who was shot dead when he was a youngster. His mother, meanwhile, didn’t come to watch any of his athletics competitions until 1986. “Isn’t that strange?” he asks, in one of several moments of raw reflection. THOMPSON visits the working class Notting Hill area he grew up in and chats to a lifelong friend from his childhood. There are nostalgic scenes of him training and competing as a teenager – surviving on hand-outs and living in a council flat in his early years – and you get a sense of the kind of grit, determination and unwavering belief in himself that he possessed to become the world’s greatest all-round sportsman in the 1980s.

JENNER, for example, tells an amusing story about the 1976 Montreal Olympics when he won gold and THOMPSON finished 18th on his 18th birthday. “DALEY wouldn’t stop talking,” remembers JENNER. “I’m in the middle of trying to win the Games and he just kept asking me questions.”

JENNER adds: “After I won, some media guy asked me who would win next time and I said ‘his name is DALEY THOMPSON because he’s hungry and he wants to learn’.” Such was his athleticism, a recent poll in AW judged him Britain’s greatest ever Olympian. As well as his Olympic titles, of course, he won the world title in 1983, two European golds, three Commonwealth crowns and set world records to boot. THOMPSON was incredibly competitive and the ultimate alpha male in an athletics arena. This is perhaps best illustrated when he reveals that he didn’t want his friend COE to successfully defend his Olympic 1500m title in 1984 as it would detract slightly from his own achievement of winning decathlon gold in 1980 and 1984. No topics are off limits. He is asked about his outrageous t-shirt worn at the 1984 Olympics which asked if the world’s second greatest athlete was gay – a jibe blatantly aimed at CARL LEWIS. Similarly, the documentary tackles his controversial whistling on the podium in LA and his accidental swearing on the BBC sports personality show. Largely in each case, he comes across as a regretful figure who wishes some of the incidents hadn’t happened. He didn’t mean to offend anyone, he says, but at the same time doesn’t give the impression he’s lost much sleep over the years since they happened.

THOMPSON has a reputation for being prickly with media and there are plenty of horror stories in the sport. “At times he was obnoxious and seemed to have a chip on both shoulders,” says long-time Sun journalist COLIN HART. One of the mildest examples is that he would mischievously challenge journalists to list the 10 events of the decathlon, in order, before granting them an interview. While I wasn’t faced with that question, I’ve spoken to him a few times over the years and he’s always been pleasant. Indeed, when the wind is blowing in the right direction there are surely few athletes who are so charming. Maybe THOMPSON has mellowed over the years. “It took him to 65 to grow up,” says DAVIES, “but there you go.” He admits in the documentary that he wasn’t the best father to his children during their early years and regrets getting divorced. “It was probably a mistake,” he says, “as I was going through a period when I wasn’t too happy.” But there are also heart-warming clips of him accompanying his son, ELLIOT, to decathlon competitions, which include winning the British title in 2022. THOMPSON also reveals he discovered his mum had kept “a shrine” of athletics memorabilia despite barely watching him compete in person. “If people are going to remember me,” he says, “I’d like to think that I always gave my best and am the father of five wonderful children,” before adding with a grin: “And an incredible decathlete.”

There are some gaps in the programme. I would have liked to have seen footage of him winning the inaugural world title in Helsinki, for example. But I am splitting hairs as obviously not everything can be included in a 90-minute programme that is otherwise tightly edited. Fans of 1980s nostalgia, will enjoy seeing a cameo from Superstars plus the vintage computer game that bears his name. “There’s not a day since 1984 when someone doesn’t come up to me wanting to talk about the game,” he says. “I wish I’d had a pound for every person who’d used it.” THOMPSON’S injury struggles in the twilight of his career and subsequent dalliance with football are also covered. “I was having loads of fun,” THOMPSON says about football, “but it wasn’t ‘being the best in the world’ kind of fun.”

Read More: Path to Paris documentary

The most emotional moment is perhaps at near the end when he revisits the Coliseum in Los Angeles and meets HINGSEN. The inevitable trash talk ensues but it is good natured and tongue-in-cheek. THOMPSON reveals a new t-shirt too, which reads: “JURGEN, it’s not the winning but the taking part.” “I feel happy when I see him,” HINGSEN smiles, as the pair reminisce on their titanic battles of yesteryear. “He’s my better half. That’s my DALEY, that’s my friend.” When it comes to a verdict on an inspirational documentary about the world’s greatest decathlete, what score can I possibly offer than a perfect 10 out of 10?

MEET THE COACH: PATRICK SANG – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

GEORGE MALLETT talks to the mentor who has masterminded the careers of some of the most successful distance runners in history. Few coaches have ever guided quite so many Olympic champions as PATRICK SANG. For over 20 years, the 3000m steeplechase Olympic and world silver medallist has led the Global Sports Communication Camp in Kaptagat, western Kenya, writing ELIUD KIPCHOGE his first ever training plan and masterminding the successful comeback of FAITH KIPYEGON after the birth of her daughter. Even Uganda’s 5000m Olympic and 10,000m world champion JOSHUA CHEPTEGEI has spent time under his watch. A total of 25 athletes stay in SANG’S camp, looking after themselves as he drives in from nearby Eldoret to manage their day-to-day training. With some of his athletes undergoing possibly the most testing times of their careers, he sat down with AW to talk about their legacies. knowing full well that this summer’s Paris Olympics may define his own.

 How would you describe yourself as an athlete? – Maybe a self-made athlete. I discovered that I was able to run by accident in class competitions. I got a scholarship [to America] and then all the way until when I retired I was basically self-coached 80 per cent of the time.

 Did this make you realise you might make a good coach for others? What else made you want to follow that path? – That probably influenced my decision to help athletes. Towards the end of my career,  people joined my training and they just followed my programme. I was training for the 3000m steeplechase but people were following. I could also see that, besides being a coach, you need to be able to lead. The fact that people would follow my programme showed that I was also a leader of some sort.

 How did you get better as a coach? – To coach somebody else you have to be trained. You have to acquire the knowledge. After my running career I went for coaching training for long and middle distance, from the lowest level to the highest level. But when you train you use yourself and the way you used to do things as a case study. You can refer to what you used to do. That’s why you go to school and then you go for practical training. My practical training came before the actual learning, so it was easy to refer.

Can you explain your philosophy? – My philosophy is that, to have a successful relationship between coach and athlete, you have to have total trust. An athlete that trusts you, even when you tell them to run something that is not normal, they can do it because they trust you. Many good athletes who are talented, you train them, they listen to so many voices, they achieve maybe 80 per cent instead of 100 per cent. The ones who give total trust to the relationship, they achieve 100 per cent.

 Talking of those athletes, FAITH KIPYEGON said she’s never been so surprised as when she broke the world 5000m record last year with (14:05.20) in Paris. Were you? – No because I am the one who designed the programme. She never even saw that the training plan had changed. I don’t remember her saying: “Why are we doing these things?” So that qualifies what I said before about the philosophy. Because if somebody trusts you and you have the knowledge of exactly what you are doing, you will never take them in the wrong direction. With FAITH, trying to move towards 5000m was there for 2023 but she couldn’t wait for 2023 to start the preparation. You start from the first phase of the training which is the build-up stage, so you broaden the base. She was doing longer runs than before.

We’ve seen you take her on 40km long runs before. I don’t know many 1500m athletes that run that distance in training – Even WYCLIFFE KINYAMAL, second in the 800m at the Xiamen Diamond League in (1:43), runs 40km. It’s not the way the other marathoners run it but you run varied by your ability. The guy is huge but he runs 40km. His first competition – (1:43.66). That’s why I’m saying you have the knowledge, you understand the ability of the person and then you make a mixture [of training] because coaching is also an art. Whatever mixture you put, it should take you to the ultimate goal.

 Why do you think other coaches aren’t doing very long runs for middle distance athletes? – I don’t know. The only person that came close to the way I do things is the father of JAKOB INGEBRIGTSEN (GJERT). We were engaged in a philosophy discourse one time in Zurich, discussing how we approach different things. The way he answered in terms of approach and everything, it sounded like the way we do things.

 What have you noticed about ELIUD KIPCHOGE’S mindset? He said the past few months have been challenging and he was affected mentally going into Tokyo (he has since revealed he didn’t sleep for three days in the build-up due to death threats on him and his family after the death of KELVIN KIPTUM). Have you noticed him recalibrate since then? – Considering what happened, and what was said, anybody would be in that position but nobody is always at the bottom. Because if things push you in life to the bottom, you always find a natural way of coming back. I’m hoping, and I’m seeing, that he’s formed a natural way of coming back.

You have trained ELIUD for over 20 years now. Is it different training him these days? – When you train a racehorse, they are worked together with jockeys and, when they see the jockey coming, they know it’s time to work. But some run away from the jockeys. In the case of ELIUD, he is the easiest person to train. ELIUD knows why he is training, he knows this is the time for this, this is the time for that. He knows why he is doing it. He used to do it for different reasons but I think those reasons have expanded. When you are young you want to run and represent your country. I don’t know any athlete that wants to be an athlete that does not dream one day of representing their country. When you move from that level and come to the world of commercials – the business world – you realise besides this vest, the national colours, there are opportunities, incentives out there. From there you go to another level, you see the sport, you can influence people. You see the way he is changing as he is becoming older. He is thinking about legacy. Without those incentives, then we will just stop our careers

He is going for his third Olympic gold in a row. If he were to achieve that, where would it rank in his achievements? – To me, my prayers are that he wins. When he gets there and he wins, I think we have different ways of interpreting it. I remember the (1:59) challenge, if you look what happened in the curriculum in some schools, it had a lot of impact. If he gets there, to me what is more important is that we will see longevity in a different perspective. We will see different possibilities as people, people who love sport, even the scientists would want to know, is it the mind only or is it the body?

 ELIUD says that his marathon training blocks don’t change and won’t change for the Paris marathon course, which is hillier than any of the major marathon courses. I’m not sure I believe that. – In essence the overall concept of what you want to achieve in endurance, in speed endurance, in strength, remain almost the same because those are the fundamentals. I think that is what he is talking about. The fundamentals don’t change but the timings and when you accept certain fundamentals change because of the nature of the programme you are trying to achieve.

 Can you tell us about your new assistant – former Olympic and world steeplechase champion BRIMIN KIPRUTO? Did you coach him? – From high school and for his entire running career, from identification to retirement. He has developed an interest to go into coaching. We are looking at different opportunities. So far we sent him to Ghana to train in sports management and administration. It’s one step towards the right direction. I’m not young any more. We need people. Besides BRIMIN we have another world champion [2001 World Cross Country short race champion ENOCH KOECH. We also have Augustine Choge, who was Commonwealth 5000m champion. We are looking at training them to be good administrators and good coaches.

ENGLAND ATHLETICS THROWS COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER – Just received the July issue from NICK RIDGEON of England Athletics – EA Throws Newsletter July 2024

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS ON INSTAGRAM – Since the account was setup, there has been an amazing amount of Videos and Photographs contributed with many comments. There are 3 posts this week.

The first 2 photographs feature ALANNAH FASHANU and KRISHAWN AIKEN after receiving ther National Athletic League Athlete of the Year award for 2023,  they received their awards from GEOFF MORPHITIS.

The final photograph shows RENEE REGIS U20 in the recent UK Championships, in which she finished 3rd in the Senior Women’s 100 semi-final with a seasons best (11.43 w-0.4) taking .08 of a second off her heat time, and is ranked UK No.3 U20 in 2024, and a new club record. RENEE recorded the same time as the 2nd place athlete, and just failed to qualify for the final, following a review of the photo finsh picture.

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.

THE FOLLOWING IS CLUB INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TOPICS

SBH 2024 SUMMER FIXTURE CARD – The 2024 Summer Fixture Card is now published on the SBH Website, in which you can Access/Print a copy for future reference.
The Information on upcoming fixtures will be published in the SBH Weekly Newsletter, plus the majority of fixtures Information can be found on the SBH Website under the ‘Fixtures and Results’ section.
Link to Fixture Card – A SBH Summer 2024 Fixture Card Front Sheet Re-Issued 10-03-24    B SBH Summer 2024 Fixture Card Fixtures Re-Issued 30-03-24 – 8 May LICC Fixture Cancelled

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 2024-2025  The entrance fee on the membership form, cover the period 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2025.

JAMIE BATH MEMBERS MASSAGE SERVICE – Since joining SBH he has been working closely with TY HOLDEN in his quest for Athlete and Athletics Development. To help support the club members he has (with the club’s support) set up a Members Massage Service available on club nights at a small charge of £15 (as compared to outside masseurs who charge £60) to simply cover materials and insurance.
Please contact JAMIE at jamiebath@live.co.uk or text him on 07902 592561. You can also see him on training nights for availability.

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 2024 Summer Fixture Card, which gives full details of Training and Coaching – A SBH Summer 2024 Fixture Card Front Sheet Re-Issued 10-03-24

POLE VAULTERS REQUIRED FOR 2024 – 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 7250.

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 09.11.21StoneX Stadium Certificate

ALAN WELLER – SBH NEWSLETTER EDITOR AND WEBSITE MANAGER