Happy Birthday from this Thursday 27 August to Daniel Bainbridge, Theo Boden, Michael Callegari, Jadah Charles-Williams, Gintare Dargeviciute, Decarie Davies, Amber Duverney, Alex Ellis, Henry Fulton, Tanmunoibiye Harry-Brown, Paddy Hicks, Rebecca Keating, Oliver Laurens, Olivia Lava, Philip Llewellyn, Scott McKenzie, Dempsey McGuigan, Mohamed Ismail Mohamed, Iona Newbegin, Donovan Reid, Philip Shelley, Karan Somani and Rebecca Wheeler-Henry
BRITISH ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS – Takes place on Friday 4 September and Saturday 5 September at the Manchester Regional Arena behind closed doors. The event will be televised on BBC2 on Friday 18.30-21.00 and Saturday on BBC1 13.15-16.30.
SBH RELAYS AND HURDLES MEETING – Takes place on Saturday 5 September at Lee Valley. We are promoting the “Club Connect 4x100m Relays” for Under 13, 15, 17 & 20 Men & Women. Also there Hurdles events for U15G 75m, U15B 80m, U17W 80m and U17M 100m, if you wish to enter please contact GEOFF MORPHITIS at geoffrey.morphitis@capeandd.com closing date 31 August.
SBH U20, SENIOR AND MASTERS OPEN MEETING – Takes place on Sunday 6 September at Lee Valley. The events are 100m, 400m, 3000m, Sprint Hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump, Shot and Discus. Online Entries via Opentrack. The final list of events will depend on the terms we can agree with LVAC in order to comply with their Covid-19 requirements.In addition U17s can enter the 100m, 400m, 800m and 3000m. If you want to compete, can you please enter ASAP by clicking on the link below. The cost is £4 per event. Due to Covid-19 restrictions you can only enter 1 event. Sunday – https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2020/GBR/liccr3/ please enter ASAP as we expect demand to be very high and numbers are limited.
2020/2021 METROPOLITAN LEAGUE UPDATE – The fixtures are as follows 10 October at Hainault, 7 November at Welwyn, 5 December at Alexandra Palace, 16 January at Ruislip, 13 February at Trent Park. We have just been advised that the first 3 fixtures have now been Cancelled, and a decision later this year on how the fixtures will be restructured.
2020/2021 NORTH WEST LONDON LEAGUE UPDATE – The fixtures are as follows 28 September at Horsenden Hill, 24 October at Kingsbury and 21 November at Trent Park have been Cancelled. Brian Fowler will advise us later in the year how 2020/2021 fixtures will be restructured.
CAN YOU HELP PLEASE – During the period when all competitions are suspended, I will do my upmost in keeping the Newsletter information and other content going.
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.
HUNTINGDONSHIRE INTRA-CLUB SERIES – Took place at St Ives on 24-25 August.
100m – SX 4 MORGAN WEBSTER U23 1st (PB 11.0 nwr) taking .30 of a second off his 2018 time
400m – SX 3 SOPHIE FORBES-LAIRD U17 1st (PB 59.4)
COLCHESTER HARRIERS THROWS DEVELOPMENT MEETING – Took place at Colchester on 23 August.
Hammer 5kg – SW PHILIPA DAVENHALL U23 1st (PB 51.29m)
Hammer 6kg – SM OLIVER GRAHAM U20 1st (61.55m)
Hammer 7.26kg – SM OLIVER GRAHAM U20 1st (PB 55.79m) adding 51cm to his 2019 throw
JERSEY SPARTAN OPEN SUMMER SERIES – Took place at St Clement on 23 August.
Shot 4kg – U20W LUCY WOODWARD U20 1st (PB 9.26m)
Shot 6kg – U20M EVAN CAMPBELL U20 1st (13.98m)
Discus 1kg – SW JADE LALLY 1st (57.70m), SHADINE DUQUEMIN 3rd (SB 53.57m) adding 1.15m to her 18 August throw, and is ranked UK No.3 in 2020
Discus 1.75kg – U20M EVAN CAMPBELL U20 1st (41.27m)
Discus 2kg – SM NATHAN THOMAS U23 1st (42.89m), CAMERON CAMPBELL U23 2nd (37.77m)
BFTTA OPEN – Took place at Dagenham on 23 August.
100m – U13B 1.1 OBINNA NWOKEJI U13 1st (PB 12.96 w2.1) taking .47 of a second off his 2019 time, 2.1 OBINNA finished 1st (13.04 w0.9) and is ranked UK No.6 U13 in 2020
100m – U13G 1.3 SIENNA CORBYN U13 1st (PB 13.85 w3.2) taking .14 of a second off her 1 August time, JESSICA GIBBS U13 2nd (PB 13.85 w3.2) taking .17 of a second off her 2019 time, 2.2 SIENNA finished 5th (PB 13.76 w2.0) taking .09 of a second off her1.3 time, JESSICA finished 8th (14.08 w2.0)
100m – U15B 1.3 ZICO JONES U15 2nd (PB 11.65 w3.5) taking .80 of a second off his 2019 time, 1.4 MALACHI AMADI U15 1st (PB 11.17 w2.6) taking .27 of a second off his 1 August time, 2.3 MALACHI finished 1st (11.20 w0.4) and is ranked UK N0.2 U15 in 2020, ZICO finished 6th (11.97 w0.4)
100m – U17W 1.3 AMBER STONE U17 6th (SB 13.26 w1.1) taking .11 of a second off her 1 August time
100m – SM 1.7 CHARLIE DOBSON U23 (HCA) 1st (PB 10.12 w2.5) taking .20 of a second off his 2018 time, ANTONIO INFANTINO 4th (SB 10.37 w2.5) taking .04 of a second off his 15 August time, DOMINIC ASHWELL U23 6th (10.58 w2.5), 2.5 ANTONIO finished 3rd (SB 10.37 w2.1) equalling his 1.7 time, DOMINIC finished 7th (10.72 w2.1)
300m – U15B ZICO JONES U15 2nd (38.40)
300m – U15G 1 LOLA MCCANN-EZEKIEL U15 1st (45.01), 2 LUCY MARCUS U15 5th (50.46)
800m – U13 1 DINA SILVERMAN U13 1st (PB 2:25.46) taking 9.83 seconds off her 26 January time, and is ranked UK No.5 U13 in 2020. Photograph of DINA at the 400m mark.
800m – U17W 1 AIMI WEIGHTMAN U17 2nd (PB 2:18.61) taking .01 of a second off her 2019 time
800m – SW SCARLETT KENT U20 1st (PB 2:17.92) taking 1.49 seconds off her 29 January time
BIRCHFIELD 4 CLUBS INTER CLUB – Took place at Nuneaton on 23 August.
100m – SM 1 JNR GIBRIL MANSARAY 4th (SB 12.83 w1.8) taking .24 of a second off his 2 August time, 2 JAMI SCHLUETER U20 2nd (PB 11.1 w0.0) taking .01 of a second off his 11 August time
200m – SW 3 HANNAH FOSTER U20 4th (SB 24.51 w3.5) taking .43 of a second off her 2 February time, and is ranked UK No.9 U20 in 2020
800m – SM JEREMY DEMPSEY U23 2nd (PB 1:51.96) taking 1.51 seconds off his 2017 time, SW 1 ALEXA EICHELMANN U23 3rd (PB 2:24.96) taking 2.92 seconds off her 11 August time
400m Hurdles – SW 2 HAYLEY MCLEAN 1st (SB 57.61) taking 1.10 seconds off her 16 August time, and is ranked UK No.3 in 2020
Discus 2kg – SM NICK PERCY 1st (60.97m)
Hammer 6kg – U20M JAMES LANCASTER U20 1st (50.18m)
Javelin 600g – SW 1 ALEXA EICHELMANN U23 8th (31.35m)
ST ALBANS SUMMER 10K ROAD RACE – Took place at St Albans on 23 August.
THOMAS KEARNS 6th (PB 33.14)
TRAFFORD OPEN SERIES – Took place at Stretford on 22 August.
Shot 7.26kg – SCOTT LINCOLN (HCA) 1st (20.16m)
SOUTHAMPTON THROWS COMPETITION – Took place at Winchester on 22 August.
Discus 2kg – NICK PERCY 1st (SB 62.04m) adding 65cm to his 2 August throw, and is ranked UK No.2 in 2020
BIGISH JUMPS FEST – Took place at Lee Valley on 22 August.
High Jump – SM A CHARLIE KNOTT U20 7th (2.01m), D JAMI SCHLUETER U20 1st (PB 1.85m) adding 2cm to his 1 February height, SW F ALEXA EICHELMANN U23 4th (1.55m)
Long Jump – SM OGO ANOCHIRIONYE (2nd Claim) 1st (7.04m nwr), PAUL OGUN (HCA) 3rd (6.83m nwr)
SOUTH LONDON ATHLETIC NETWORK SPRINT OPEN – Took place at Tooting Bec on 22 August.
300m – SX 1 DECARIE DAVIES U20 1st (PB 35.11) taking 4.99 seconds off his 2016 time, and is ranked UK No.1 U20 in 2020
400m – SX 1 COLUMBA BLANGO 2nd (49.39)
BLACKHEATH AND BROMLEY OPEN – Took place at Bromley on 22 August.
100m – SX 4 SEYI FARI U23 7th (PB 12.45 w0.9), 14 KACEY WALTERS U17 2nd (PB 13.46 w0.2) taking .35 of a second off her 1 August time
300m – SX 2 SOPHIE FORBES-LAIRD U17 5th (SB 41.91) taking .85 of a second off her 9 February time
400m – SX 5 SEBASTIANO CORBO U20 2nd (PB 56.74) taking .88 of a second off his 2019 time
KETTERING AND RUGBY AND NORTHAMPTON OPEN SERIES – Took place at Rugby on 22 August.
800m – SX 9 SAM WIGGINS U23 1st (1:54.14)
BROMLEY TWILIGHT MEETING – Took place at Bromley on 21 August.
1500m – SM 1 PHILLIP CROUT 5th (SB 3:58.85)
3000m – SM 2 MARK PEARCE 1st (PB 8:00.05) taking 5.99 seconds off his 16 February time, LIAM DEE 4th (SB 8:07.87) taking 5.83 seconds off his 30 July time
JERSEY SPARTAN OPEN SUMMER SERIES – Took place at St Clement on 20 August.
Discus 1kg – JADE LALLY 1st (58.54m)
Discus 1.75kg – EVAN CAMPBELL U20 1st (42.40m)
Discus 2kg – NATHAN THOMAS U23 1st (PB 43.63m) adding 34cm to his 2019 throw, and is ranked UK No.3 U23 in 2020, CAMERON CAMPBELL U23 2nd (PB 40.65m) adding 1cm to his 2019 throw, and is ranked UK No.4 U23 in 2020
CHELMSFORD SPRINT OPEN SERIES – Took place at Chelmsford on 19 August.
100m – SX 15 DOMINIC ASHWELL U23 2nd (10.63 w2.7)
MEMORIAL IRENY SZEWINSKEJ – Took place at Bydgoszcz, Poland on 19 August.
800m – SM KYLE LANGFORD 6th (1:46.45)
JERSEY SUMMER THROWS SERIES – Took place at St Clement on 18 August.
Discus 1kg – SHADINE DUQUEMIN 1st (SB 52.72m) adding 21cm to her 11 July throw, and is ranked UK No.3 in 2020
Discus 1.75kg – EVAN CAMPBELL U20 1st (40.70m)
Discus 2kg – NATHAN THOMAS U23 1st (PB 43.29m) adding 53cm to his 2019 throw, and is ranked UK No.4 U23 in 2020, CAMERON CAMPBELL U23 2nd (39.67m)
THE ATHLETICS LANDSCAPE – The following was written by TOM MCNAB, which he completed on 1 January 2020. This is Part 1 of 3.
What follows is my attempt to deal with some of the issues which I believe that athletics has to address, if we are to advance in the coming century. Much of it based on personal experience, starting from the point when I first entered the sport. This is because many of our present problems have historical origins, and may thus have lessons for us. To make them more digestible, I have presented them in a question/answer format.
Q What, in broad terms, is the athletics experience which we should now try to present?
A It begins at local level, a comprehensive athletics education (10-12) involving running, jumping and throwing, embodying a Five Star approach. For those who stay with us, specialist coaching (13-18), though this may involve travelling beyond their clubs. Then, for an elite it will involve governing- body support. And at every point in the compass there must be appropriate competition, which is the reason we take up athletics in the first place; coaching and competition are two sides of the same coin. And all of this should be available regardless of geography.
Q Does this exist?
A No, it never has existed, and possibly never will. Let me travel back to early post-war days. What we had then was an uneven spread of harrier-clubs, created over half a century earlier, parked in clubhouses on the edge of country. There was no coaching and little inter-club track and field competition, except for a handful of the big clubs. The other element was the major universities, who turned their games-fields into grass tracks from May to July, and competed amongst themselves and against the major clubs.
Q What about the others, the athletes outside the big clubs?
A For them, athletics consisted mainly of a sparse May-July diet of handicap-meetings, composed almost entirely of running- events. In effect, for them the sport of athletics barely existed.
Q Couldn’t the governing bodies have required these meetings to include jumping and throwing events?
A Yes, but most our governing body officials derived from harrier- clubs- they had no dog in the fight. And from the start they did not see it as their responsibility to develop athletics, merely to regulate it.
Q So for most club-members, track and field did not exist?
A No, though in Scotland we did have our Highland Games, but these only catered for adult males, and offered money-prizes. In our rural areas, the main expression of track and field therefore lay in these Games and in England in their northern equivalent, the Lakeland Games. Of course, there was school’s athletics, but in the majority of them this meant merely a yearly School Sports, and there was little teaching-content.
Q What about tracks?
A There was a rush of track- building by local authorities in the 1950s, but most of these tracks closed in winter. There were no indoor facilities.
Q What about women?
A Women’s athletics had only arrived in the Olympics in 1928, but for decades our national governing bodies resisted all contact with it. It therefore existed separately, with its own “shadow” coaching scheme and county, regional and national championships.
Q Was there no pressure from the athletes for coaching and competition?
A No, mainly because they naturally assumed that what they were experiencing represented athletics, so they were fairly passive. This was understandable, because they had no frame of reference from which to draw.
Q So what was GEOFF DYSON’S priority on his appointment as Director of Coaching in 1947?
A To speedily create a body of voluntary coaches, to be deployed in clubs, schools and Young Athlete’s courses throughout the nation. The latter meant that in the early 1950s thousands of boys and girls were being exposed to coaching for the first time, albeit only once a year. But even as early as the 1948 Olympics, DYSON had a silver medalist in women’s 80m Hurdles, in his wife MAUREEN GARDNER. In Helsinki in 1952 he had SHIRLEY CAWLEY third in long jump and a fifth in shot in JOHN SAVIDGE. The latter represented a massive breakthrough for us.
Q But the service provided in clubs and schools was surely uneven?
A Desperately so, both in quality and quantity, but at that point they were the only game in town. Looking back, had we asked local authorities to enhance track- provision with paid staff, (as with their swimming-pools) then the story might have been quite different. But to be fair, it was to be 1974 before Parks became Leisure Departments, taking on a broader role, which might well have embraced us. Alas, even then we sought no funding of coaching- provision from them.
Enhancing the AAA coaching scheme was the creation in the 1950s of a battery of specialist clubs, the most prominent being the Hammer Circle and the Kangaroo Club. This was a direct product of the work of DYSON and his colleagues, and an early expression of the need to travel beyond coaching, into competition.
Q Was DYSON in control of the coaching scheme?
A No- that was in the hands of amateur officials, even though they had no knowledge of coaching. No, they saw it as their sport, and there was still a deep distrust of the “professional”. In Scotland, our National Coach TONY CHAPMAN was not allowed to speak at committee-meetings unless first addressed by an amateur!
Q Another world.
A Yes, and it was the world that I entered when I joined my club-committee at Shettleston Harriers on returning from National Service in 1954. I had an instinctive urge to get involved in the development of the club, and on becoming a committee-member I was fortunate to encounter a group of men who were not averse to change.
A So what did you manage to achieve?
A Lots of movie-sessions at our Barrachnie clubhouse, most of them involving clips from RIEFENSTAHL’S great 1936 Olympic film “Olympia “. It was only sixty years later that I found that one of my audience had been a young “MING CAMPBELL!
But in 1957 I managed to get the club to hold Scotland’s first winter meeting, and the Gods smiled down upon us, because it was a dry sunny day, and was a great success. And then there was the pole vault equipment.
Q Pole vault equipment?
A Shettleston Harriers had none, but I managed to convince our club secretary DAVEY FERGUSON to purchase some, and one day it suddenly arrived. A fortnight later, DAVEY was standing at my side, asking me where all the vaulters were.
Q As if they would suddenly spring up out of the ground?
A Exactly. So I took a wee look across the track and beckoned a big skinny lad across to me.
“No, not him, TOM “said DAVEY “That there is NORRIE FOSTER. He’s fifteen, and he’s run two minutes five for the half mile. “
I ignored DAVEY and in a few minutes, holding the pole in the box I was lugging NORRIE into our ground-level sandpit. NORRIE loved it, and asked if we could do it again next Sunday, after I had finished training.
Q And he came back?
A Week after week. Next summer, NORRIE FOSTER won the national schools title, and four years later the British Junior title. Then I turned him to decathlon, and he won the British title in 1966, and was fourth in the 1954 Commonwealth Games.
Q But you didn’t know anything about pole vault.
A But I learnt, just as I had learnt to triple jump, by trial and error. If you wait until you know all you need to know, then you will never get anywhere.
Q Any other changes?
A I wrote to every meet-organiser in Scotland, thirty-three of them, asking them to include field events. Only three replied, all positive, the rest kept my stamp-addressed envelope! And I then asked the SAAA if they would hold a decathlon championship. In 1960 they did, the first decathlon ever held in Scotland.
Q And did you compete?
Q It depends on how you define the word “compete”! I must have been the first decathlete in history to take part without a single strong event!
My main problem was to be the 110m. hurdles, not only because I had never hurdled competitively, but because Shettleston only had two hurdles. I checked the decathlon tables and realized that if there was a drop to five strides between hurdles, then I would be over twenty seconds and secure low points. And so a fast first eight strides were therefore essential. That and a rear leg round the barrier and three strides all the way.
Thus, on a cold July morning at Redford Barracks track I faced ten three foot six barriers for the first time in my life. Somehow, I maintained three wallowing strides all the way and ran 17.5 seconds. A few weeks later I competed at the AAA decathlon and made 17.1 seconds, and around 6000points.
Q When did you become Southern National Coach?
A 1963, and there I fell on my feet, because their leader was a certain ARTHUR KENDALL. Southern secretary, he was not himself a mover and shaker, but he always supported those who were. And so when in 1964 I suggested to him monthly two-day Southern Decathlon courses for teenage athletes throughout the winter, he immediately backed it.
Q And were these courses a success?
A We were engulfed! And at the courses’ March 1965 conclusion, I proposed the UK’s first-ever Junior Decathlon at the end of April, at the Gosling Stadium Welwyn Garden City. And with senior hurdle-heights and implements.
Q Why?
A So that my lads’ scores would immediately reach the senior rankings, with no qualifying asterisks.
A And did they?
A In the 100m., there was a hundred mile an hour gale behind them. The best was 10.6, with three others inside eleven seconds. Personal bests poured out by the score, and two lads broke 6000points, with a third at 5999 points. We were on our way, and within a few years we had regional and national junior championships, and later an international match.
Q What did you learn from this?
A That positive change can be achieved, at very low cost, and that it ripples outwards. I started off with a set of courses, and we ended up with a rich, diverse competitive set-up, and dozens of young decathletes. And that you can only achieve if you work as a team, that positive change could occur without conflict. And that your real asset would always be people. Men like ARTHUR KENDALL.
Q What was your next project?
A The creation of the Five Star Award, in 1964, again through ARTHUR KENDALL.
Q Was it welcomed by the physical education profession?
A No, the initial response at its launch from the P.E. advisors was dismal, but it soon took off like wildfire in our schools, two million certificates a year by 1969. And in that year, I decided to have a wee look at which events were appearing on these certificates.
Q And?
A Hammer, triple jump, hurdles, discus, pole vault, none of these events appeared once in ten thousand certificates. So, I created a decathlon and pentathlon, both of which demanded a jump and a throw, with the “weak” events like hammer offering good points for a relatively modest performance. And my colleague CARLTON JOHNSON created an alternative event, a short-hammer throw, to make it easier to perform.
Q And did this succeed?
A Again, it went like wildfire. We were soon dispatching thousands of certificates in these events, and in 1971 I launched a week-long decathlon/ pentathlon course at Crystal Palace for the cream of our schools’ athletes. And in 1974, DALEY THOMPSON arrived on the course. The rest is history.
Q What did you learnt from all of this?
A I learnt that once you throw a stone into a pond, you have no idea where the ripples will take you. In one fell swoop, at no cost, we established links with thousands of schools, millions of children. We immediately became an educational force, without using legions of Development Officers. And that by linking Five Star up with my decathlon programme we had brought a vast wealth of school’s talent into the sport.
Q And at no cost.
A Quite the opposite. Five Star Award brought in millions, both from badges and sponsorship, profits which ARTHUR KENDALL invested in high-level coaching projects, notably a set of winter camps at Crystal Palace for our top athletes. So, its impact was massive, far beyond anything that I could possibly have foreseen.
Q What role did you play in the formation of the first National League?
A minor one. In 1969 I travelled to Poland, to study triple jump, and managed to bring with me TONY WARD, now a professional advisor to the South. My triple jump venture was a total failure, but what we brought back was the concept of a National League, and we promoted this for several months around the area.
Q And did the AAA agree?
A No- they kicked the idea into touch. But the leading clubs then informed them that they would form their own league, so Tony was delegated by the AAA to create the first National League.
KIPCHOGE, BEKELE AND KOSGEI LEAD LONDON MARATHON FIELDS – The following was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.
Full line-ups for October 4 showpiece confirmed, with world record-holders competing and SIR MO FARAH acting as pacemaker. Event organisers have confirmed the full athlete line-ups for October’s Virgin Money London Marathon, with a number of the biggest names in endurance running preparing to descend upon the UK capital.
As expected, world record-holder ELIUD KIPCHOGE and KENENISA BEKELE – the two fastest marathon runners in history – will headline the men’s event.
While BRIGID KOSGEI, who entered the history books with her run of (2:14:04) in Chicago two years ago, leads the women’s field.
As announced earlier this month, this year’s event will only feature an elite race, with athletes competing on a closed-loop circuit around St James’s Park in central London, yet The 40th Race still looks like being one to remember.
The four-time London winner KIPCHOGE (PB 2:01:39) and BEKELE (2:01:41) will be at the forefront of a field which will include eight athletes who have run sub (2:05) marathons, including Ethiopians MOSINET GEREMEW and MULE WASIHUN, who were second and third to the Kenyan superstar in 2019. Ethiopians SISAY LEMMA, TAMIRAT TOLA, and SHURA KITATA, as well as Kenyan MARIUS KIPSEREM, are the other athletes to have run inside (2:05), while Norwegian SONDRE NORDSTAD MOEN – with a marathon best of (2:05:48) – will also compete.
One other area of real interest, however, comes with the news that four-time Olympic champion and British marathon record-holder SIR MO FARAH will be a pacemaker to those athletes looking to achieve the Olympic marathon qualifying standard of (2:11:30).
“The London Marathon has been so important to me since I was a schoolboy and when they asked me to do this I thought it would be great to help,” he said. “I am in good shape, I’ll be in London that week and it fits in with my training.
“I’ve been training in Font Romeu with some of the British guys who are going for that Olympic qualifying time and they are good lads. I know just how special it is just to compete for your country at an Olympic Games and it would be great to help other athletes achieve this. With the current global situation and lack of races, the Virgin Money London Marathon in October is the best chance for athletes to run the Olympic qualifying time.”
Event Director HUGH BRASHER added: “This is the greatest Olympian in British track and field history coming to run as a pacemaker to help others achieve their dreams of making the Tokyo Olympic Games. It is a wonderful gesture of togetherness from SIR MO and I’m sure his presence and support will inspire the athletes chasing that qualifying time on Sunday 4 October.”
Other than FARAH, only CALLUM HAWKINS, who is pre-selected for the Olympic Games marathon, and JONNY MELLOR (2:10:03) are the British athletes to have run inside this time. MELLOR will feature in London and is joined by CHRIS THOMPSON and debutants ROSS MILLINGTON and BEN CONNOR. Details of the full elite men’s field can be found here
The elite women’s field is headlined by Kenyan star KOSGEI, with last year’s London winner joined by five other women who have run inside (2:20). Those are current Kenyan world champion RUTH CHEPNGETICH, Ethiopia’s 2019 Valencia Marathon champion ROZA DEREJE, Kenyan 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon champion VIVIAN CHERUIYOT, Kenyan 2019 Frankfurt Marathon winner VALARY JEMELI and Ethiopian Amsterdam Marathon champion DEGITU AZIMERAW.
Ethiopia’s ASHETE BEKERE, winner of last year’s BMW Berlin Marathon, compatriot ALEMU MEGERTU, the 2019 Rome Marathon champion, plus American SARAH HALL and Australian SINEAD DIVER are also included in a star-studded race.
Among the leading British women confirmed to race are STEPH TWELL, who ran a personal best of (2:26:40) in Frankfurt last year to go sixth on the national all-time rankings, and 2018 British marathon champion LILY PARTRIDGE.
British athletes ALY DIXON, DANI NIMMOCK and CHARLOTTE ARTER will also be on pacemaking duties, with the women’s Olympic qualification standard (2:29:30).
Details of the full elite women’s field can be found here
The races, which will also include a wheelchair race, will be held in a secure biosphere as has been the case with other major sporting events such as Test Cricket and Formula 1. No spectators will be allowed on the road-side to watch. BBC Sport, however, is planning eight hours of live coverage of the event.
UPDATE ON PROCEDURES FOR USING ALLIANZ PARK FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – Which is now open to SBH members subject to the conditions below.
We have now negotiated the use of some Track & Field facilities with Saracens compliant with current guidance issued by the UK Government and England Athletics.
At the present time, the track & field groups will be limited to a maximum of five ‘Competing Club Athletes’ and one coach for each session e.g. 5 athletes on track and 5 athletes at the throws area.
Throws
Athletes should have their own implements. However, one implement of each weight will be left in the SBH store beside the sanitising equipment. Arrangements will have to be made in advance with TY HOLDEN.
Jumps
Following Government Guidelines up to 5 athletes with a suitably qualified coach can now undertake Jumps training utilising jump beds and sand pits. We have updated our guidance documents, based on information and advice from our partners and government, to include guidance specific to Jumps areas (such as Cleaning requirements before, during and after sessions). Athletes, coaches, clubs and venues must follow the latest guidance – please read our updated guidance documents at: ???? https://bit.ly/2ATiU7R
The indoor track and the clubhouse gymnasium cannot be used.
Athletes invited to train by their coach must be sent the attached Allianz Park Track & Field Agreement in advance of starting training at Allianz Park. The athlete and parent (if under 16) to sign and return to me and TY before they can train. Athletes should meet their coach promptly at their booking time outside the SBH Clubhouse where they will be asked to confirm that they do not have, and that no one in their household has, (or has had within the last 14 days) any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
The athletes will then be escorted using social distancing (2 metres) into the SBH Clubhouse to sign the attendance record with times in and out of the stadium (black A4 folder on photocopier). There is also some hand sanitiser on the table for use. Athletes must follow the instructions of the coach and observe social distancing during warm-up, the session and cool down.
Stadium Booking details
Please let me and TY know the names of the athletes and your preferred time slots for the following week (Monday to Sunday) before 6pm on the Saturday. We will confirm the availability and distribute the schedule to Saracens and to all coaches.
Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
All 1 hour 35 minute slots (Saturday & Sunday – last slot finishes at 7.20)
9.00 – 10.35, 10.45 – 12.20, 12.30 – 2.05, 2.15 – 3.50, 4.00 – 5.35, 5.45 – 7.20, 7.30 – 9.00
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
There are 3 x 1 hour 35 minute slots and 7 x shorter 50 minute slots
9.15 – 10.50, 11.00 – 11.50, 12.00 – 12.50, 1.00 – 1.50, 2.00 – 2.50, 3.00 – 3.50, 4.00 – 4.50, 5.00 – 5.50, 6.00 – 7.25, 7.35 – 9.00
There is a 10 minute gap between each session for transitioning.
If you haven’t got a key fob for gaining access through the clubhouse, then please contact GEOFF MORPHITIS Mobile: 07976 994302 who will arrange to issue one to you. Please do not enter the clubhouse until the coach/athletes from the previous session exit. No parents will be permitted to enter the stadium unless there is a child protection issue i.e. one coach and one athlete aged under 18.
There is a single disabled toilet (unisex) that can be used within the indoor area.
When going in and out of the Clubhouse from the carpark please make sure the door handle is left in the upward locked position at all times.
Link to the SBH Athlete and Coach Track & Field Training Agreement, which will sent to all participating athletes, and then to be returned signed by the athlete and parent – SBH – Allianz Park Track & Field Areement During Lockdown Period
Please let me know if you have any questions – JEREMY SOTHCOTT Mobile: 07764 621424 email jeremy.sothcott@btinternet.com
ENGLAND ATHLETICS CORONAVIRUS HELP FOR ATHLETES – Many thanks to TUNJI who as reported on the 19 March newsletter is the father of NIAH AKINTOKUN.
In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw the club’s attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here
There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.
In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11yr olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part in FUN activities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home. You can access the videos here TUNJI AKINTOKUN MBE – Non Executive Director, England Athletics
THE FOLLOWING SBH DOCUMENTS/INFORMATION CAN EITHER BE VIEWED, DOWNLOADED OR PRINTED
SBH 2020 Summer Fixture Card Front Sheet – Summer 2020 Fixture Card Front Sheet Final Issue 12-02-20
SBH 2020 Summer Fixture Card Fixtures, Updated 08-08-20 – Summer 2020 Fixture Card – Updated 08-08-20 With Current Information
Track and Field Team Managers Details – http://sbharriers.co.uk/athletics/track-field/team-managers/
Road Running Team Managers Details – http://sbharriers.co.uk/athletics/road-running/team-managers/
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION OF INTEREST CAN BE FOUND ON THE SBH HOME PAGE BY USING THIS LINK, THEN SELECT THE LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW – http://sbharriers.co.uk/
Allianz Park Membership, which gives SBH members 10% discount on entry to the Allianz Park stadium – Membership details and Form can be either printed or downloaded
Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Club Hoody, information on how to purchase one, please go to the bottom of this Newsletter
SBH MIDWEEK JUMPS CLUB AT ALLIANZ PARK – Currently Suspended. POLE VAULTERS REQUIRED FOR 2020 – Currently Suspended. STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT ALLIANZ PARK – Currently Suspended.
PARKRUN 5K RESULTS – Currently Suspended
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.
UPCOMING SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS FIXTURES AND OTHER FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS – Currently there is a small number of fixtures planned to commence from Saturday 1 August, details to be published on the current status in the 23 July SBH Newsletter.
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 used. Also, I would appreciate if you could send me any photographs, which I can then publish on the website and newsletter.
CLUB EMBROIDERED RED HOODIES – Currently there are now over 750 Hoodies in circulation, this is the link giving details on how you can order your Club Hoody for £35, which includes having your name embroidered on the front Club Hoodies Updated 01-07-19
FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.
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 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
ALLIANZ PARK – Main Switchboard telephone number is 0203 675 7250.
CHARGES FOR USING ALLIANZ PARK – Currently the stadium is open for limited use.
ALAN WELLER