Wells City Harriers

TeamGB selection, English Schools Championships & Harrier training update

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 04 July 2023

Last Updated: 10 July 2023

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(Above: Harrier Junior male athlete of the year after running his smart 3000m race on Saturday at English Schools - photo by Darren)

This week’s Harrier headlines record the fact that Olie Thorner got the call to compete for TeamGB u23s last Wednesday and he will now join his twin sister, Elise, out in Espoo, Finland at the European Athletics u23 Championships. Well done to both – Ollie goes in the Decathlon, and Elise in the 3000m Steeplechase with the competition taking place between 13^th and 16^th July.

Ollie is currently ranked 9^th in Europe at u23 level whilst Elise is ranked 4^th in Europe. (based on season’s best to date).

Meanwhile, the next crop of talented juniors are in plain sight with their great performances when competing for their County Schools Associations at the prestigious English Schools Championships this past weekend at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham. Just getting to these Championships is a tall order!

Top billing goes to u20 Sophie Nicholls & u17 Daisy Davies who made it onto the podium in their respective events but read on for more details.

Back in Somerset, a more senior contingent of Harriers has been winning age categories at the latest Somerset Series race and we’ve continued training Harriers of all ages to enjoy the sport at our various sessions.

(Below: The Harrier's Monday group has 2 more training sessions left before it's summer break - we tend to finish off sessions at this time of the year with tug of war and this is the after photo by James)

Read more: TeamGB selection, English Schools Championships & Harrier training update

How about a run in the Land of the Midnight Sun?

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 28 June 2023

Last Updated: 29 June 2023

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(LATEST : Ollie Thorner now called up for TeamGB u'23 team to compete in the European Championships to be held in Finland - see last week's web report).

Over in Norway it was a family affair when Andrew Pate and his two sons Fergus & William all made their debuts at the marathon distance when they competed in the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromso.

Closer to home at one of the local Somerset races, Zak Hurrell led from start to finish to gain victory ahead of 383 other runners at the Martock 10k.

The report also includes a great photo of the latest Harrier coached Couch to 5k course, see below, and next week we hope to have a more detailed report. The Harriers have a long history of organising Running Sisters, Up & Running or Couch to 5k courses and our thanks this time around to Sharon Bowles and Lynn Elstob. If you think you'd like to help the coaching team then get in touch....

Good luck to all Harrier juniors competing this coming weekend at the prestigious English Schools Track & Field Championships…

Read on for more detail

Read more: How about a run in the Land of the Midnight Sun?

Finland calls? Birmingham bound? & great running at the June edition of the Yeovilton 5k

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 20 June 2023

Last Updated: 29 June 2023

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Where to start this week?

Maybe with the tantalising prospect that a couple of the Harriers could be hearing today (Tuesday) that they are in the u23 TeamGB team selected to fly off to Finland for the European Athletics Championships? Or with the success of a number of junior Harriers at the SW Schools Championships last Saturday at Exeter who have booked their tickets to compete at the English School Championships? Or to celebrate the success of the road runners competing at last Wednesday’s Yeovil 5k race? (UPDATE - Elise Thorner selected again for TeamGB u23 team and will be competing in Finland!)

I guess the performances of Elise & Ollie Thorner out in Austin, Texas, should lead the way. Competing for their respective Universities – Ollie for Washington State & Elise for New Mexico – they competed really hard at this year’s edition of the National Collegiate Athletics Association Championships. With soaring temperatures and high humidity they both excelled. Elise finishing 5^th in the Championships 3000m Steeplechase (photo above) and Ollie 13^th overall in the Decathlon, setting a new pb in the Shot along the way and running his best ever 1500m in a Decathlon, well ahead of the 2^nd finisher.

Meanwhile, fellow u23 Harry Barton went in the 400m Hurdles race at Chelmsford on Sunday (18th) which was also the trial race for the European U23 Championships. He finished 2nd, in 51.96, just outside the qualifying time. He's done really well given this is his first season running the longer Sprint hurdle distance.

We’ve also just seen some great performances by junior Harriers at their County Schools Championships – a few competing in Dorset and the majority competing at the Somerset version. This led onto their selection to compete at the SW Schools Championships and a number have sealed their places in the County Schools Association teams to go to the English Schools Championships at the Alexander Stadium on Friday 30^th & Saturday 1^st July.

Congratulations to the Harriers (inc the YOAC side of the Club) amongst the Somerset contingent to go to the English Schools: Jemima Davey; Lily Jones; Daisy Davies; Gemma Tolputt; Sophie Nicholls; Alexander Armstrong; Tom Webb. I’ve no doubt that there are also a few in the Dorset Schools team who will be there too! (eg Iris Courtney & Hannah Blundy).

As for Yeovilton 5k ...last Wednesday there was a great turn out of 18 Harriers in the 5k (photo below) and I hear a few juniors competing in the race on the grass too. Well done all.

Read on for details, along with news of forthcoming races and links to entries.

Read more: Finland calls? Birmingham bound? & great running at the June edition of the Yeovilton 5k

Some excellent Track & field performances this past few weeks & AGM 2023 report

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Written by Paul Chadwick

Created: 06 June 2023

Last Updated: 08 June 2023

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Wells City Harrier members have been busy these past few weeks – mainly at Track & field, but also on the road,and a good number have been attending the Club’s Annual General Meeting (no 39!) and making some Annual Awards. (Photo above shows the outgoing Chairman Graham Goldsmid with the Award recipients - Photo by Darren) 

This web report includes the times from this past weekend’s British Milers Club middle distance event at Millfield. This annual event held on the late Saturday afternoon/early evening sees paced races for juniors over 800/1500m and some 3000m races for seniors. I’ve counted 17 Harriers competing and many came away with personal bests despite the wind they encountered.

For all of the juniors it was great to have a pacemaker though in some cases they may have been seeded into a race which was either slightly too slow for them, or too fast – all part of the learning curve.

This report also covers the endeavours of the team at the 2^nd fixture of the South West Athletics League where, in particular, there were a dozen from our Monday training group alongside some other older Harriers as part of the composite team with Yeovil Olympiads. For some this followed up also taking part at the Yeovil Open Meeting on the previous Thursday - Yeovil are hosting these low key Open Meetings on the last Thursday of every month. For details see here.

On the road/off-road running front I’ve received no reports but have heard there were a few Harriers at this past Sunday’s Crewkerne 10k. No doubt some are getting ready for the Yeovilton 5k next Wednesday 14^th June….?

Read on for other results and a report from the Harrier AGM including the Annual Awards, plus an update on how the Harriers on athletic scholarships in the States are progressing. This past Monday we had one come and visit the Monday juniors…that's our Hon Life Member Harry Barton crouching at the front of the group....

Read more: Some excellent Track & field performances this past few weeks & AGM 2023 report