Rebecca ran 4:24.85 for a personal best 1500m in the BMC Regional meeting at Eltham on the 19th of June. At the same meeting, Charlie Haywood ran good competitive race to come 2nd in the ‘B’ 1500m in 4:01.13, following a 5000m in 15:03.48 earlier in the month. Under 23 runner James Millett ran 4:12.02 in the same race.

ROSSITER IS HIGHATE HARRIERS LEAGUE SUPERHERO
 
The order of clubs competing at the 3rd Southern League Division 3 North meeting at Parliament Hill on Saturday 15 June was 1 Ealing Southall & Middlesex 323; 2 Wycombe Phoenix 301; 3 Highgate Harriers & Mornington Chasers combined 283;  4 Ilford AC 223;
and Vale of Aylesbury 63

ROSSITER AMAZES
 
On the 22nd of September this year James Rossiter of Highgate Harriers, will be 50 years old. “My ambition was to do 10 events in one day, before turning 50 years of age” he told Press Secretary Alastair Aitken and he did that on Saturday, as he gained points in the 4x100 & 4x400 relays; 2000 steeplechase, 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles; javelin, hammer, discus, shot and pole vault.

Rossiter, who has the build of a rugby player, first started sport when he was seven years old but now specifically enjoys doing the Metropolitan League cross-countries in the winter.

“It is essential to do that to get the stamina, not only for my work, but also for doing the whole track & field events programme in the summer.’ He added, ‘The twisting, and turning in the mud and the various different courses are ideal preparation for the track and field season and as I say, gives you that special stamina which should not be left out.”

The most prolific competitor on the women’s side was Lauren Longhurst (Mornington Chasers), who was in the women’s relay that came 3^rd; was 3^rd in the ‘A’ 1500m in 5:26.9; 2nd in the 3000m ’A’ in 11:24.2; and 1st in the ‘B’ 400m hurdles in 81.90.

Reliable competitor Amy Rutherford was in both the 4x400m and the 4x100m relays; 1st in the ‘B’ 200m in 28.8 and 3rd in the 400m ‘A’ in 65.8.

Franziska Broker was 2nd in the ‘B’ 400m in 66.1; 3rd in the 200m ‘A’ in 27.9 and 3rd in 400m hurdles ‘A’ in 72.40

Marie Alaphilippe was in form again in the long jump doing 5.27m. Halle Salamon sent the shot out to 9.73m. Isabella Millet’s18.98m in the javelin was good enough for a ‘B’ string win.

Two men ran impressively on the track. In the 1500m James Millett led for most of the way until being taken in the home straight to come 2nd in 4:10.8; and Dominic Smith returned to good running by coming 2nd in the 5000m ‘A’ in 15:37.1 with Jon Laybourn 2nd in the ‘B’ with 16:18.3.
Idan Gal-Shohet was 2nd in the triple jump ‘A’ with 12.48m. Sean Oceng-Engena was 2nd with 1.75m in the high jump and Gal-Shohet was 3rd in the ‘B’ with 1.50m

That ‘Great’ veteran/Master, over 65, Tony Richards put the hammer out to 15.39m but was also 2nd in the shot B’ with 9.02m; and he won the javelin ‘B’ with 35.91m




RECENT PERSONAL BESTS AT WATFORD AND LOUGHBOROUGH
 
At the Watford Open Meeting on 12 June Finlay Sleeman an under 17 runner brought his 800m PB time down to 2.09.20 and Sam Amdor, an under 15 runner, took his PB down to 2:09.02. 

At the BMC Grand Prix at Loughborough on 15 June Alex Lepretre ran a personal best of 14:27.23 for 5000m.
 

In the England AA Championships 10,000 m on the 7th of June at Walthamstow Chris Rainsford ran 30:15.01 to finish 8th and Alex Bampton, who has had such a good year with the club, was 11th in 30:19.6. Highgate’s cross country Captain Robert Wilson made it a trio of good results coming 20th in 31:14.92. The winner was 2018 National Cross Country Champion Adam Hickey of Southend in 29:08.19

Highgate Harrier, Rebecca Johnson improved her personal best 3,000m time, at the Watford Open Graded meeting on 29 May running 9:33.17. Her best time before that was 9:43.94 in 2018. Her current coach is John Lees.

On 15 June Highgate Harriers track & field team combine with Mornington Chasers to compete in the afternoon at the Parliament Hill Track in the Southern Athletics League Division 3 North. Currently top of the League are Ealing Southall & Middlesex. Highgate & Mornington Chasers are 15^th out of 23 clubs but should move up the League, after Saturday’s meeting at Parliament Hill track.
 

MATURE RICHARDS CONTINUES TO SHINE
 
Tony Richards won the men’s over 65 Southern Counties shot put title at Abingdon on 25 May with a put of 10.99m with a 5kg shot. Richards also threw the hammer 31.93 for the bronze medal in the same championships.  

 
Robel Bahelbi, one of Highgate Harriers’ ‘A’ team, chased home Richard Goodman of Shaftesbury Barnet AC, who ran 14:44. That was in in the Last Friday in the Month Serpentine 5k (31 May).
Robel finished second and was timed at 15:19; he had of 293 timed finishers in his wake.

In the Regents Park 10K road race on 2 June, in which 436 finished, Highgate’s over 50-year old, Nadi Jahangiri came in 18th in 40:40. Rob Walker was 23rd in 41.08. Over 40 runner Neil Richards was 50th in 45:36.
 

ALEX IS BACK ON FORM
 
After fairly recent injury, Alex Lepretre, who won the Fraternity cross country Cup at Trent Park last year, was back in form. He did his fastest 10k time on the road in the Vitality London 10k (27^th May) finishing 32^nd in 30:31. The field had many internationals taking part in the race so that was encouraging for the Highgate man who joined the club from Barnet & District AC, mainly because all his training colleagues train at Parliament Hill track.

The second Highgate man was Alex Bampton (39th) in 30:41, just one place ahead of Shaftesbury Barnet’s international Richard Goodman; of the other Highgate competitors in the race Ben Noad, now into his 40’s, did 33.39 for the course. Mo Farah was the winner in 28:15 with fellow Olympic finalist Andrew Butchart 2nd in 28:28.
 

ROGER POOLMAN SMASHES THE HIGHGATE HARRIERS’5000m RECORD
 
Roger Poolman showed his improving talent in no uncertain terms by becoming the new 5000m club record holder with a time of 13:50.78. He took Ian Manners’ club record time of 13:57.84 (set in 1992) off the books. Manners was the National 10-mile road Champion of the UK.
The winner of the international race on 25 May at Oordegem-Ledein Belgium was Germany’s George Markus in 13:45.1 but not far behind and in 11th place came Roger Poolman. From a modest club runner the year before last he is now a sub 14-minute man by a reasonably large margin.
 

OGBECHIE SHOWS HIS CLASS AGAIN
 
Dominic Ogbechie, known nationally as the best ‘Under 20’ high jumper in the UK, turned to competing in the long jump in the World Schools Cup in Split, Croatia. On the 15th May it was another fine win for Dominic, who leaped 7.36m, which was his personal best outdoors for the event but, the Highgate man, has long jumped even further indoors. He continues to impress, which his Highgate coach, Marius Guei, would be pleased with no doubt.

In the Ipswich Twilight 5k road race on Saturday 11 May a ‘Class- Field’ took part. The winner was Nick Goolab of Belgrave in 13:34 and Adam Hickey, the 2018 National Cross Country Champion from Southend, came third. Highgate Harriers had a personal record breaking run by Roger Poolman, who came 8th of 608 in a best Highgate club time of 13:51. Alex Lepretre ran very well to do a personal best of 14:26 for 23rd and Robel Bahelbi was another one with a personal best time of 14:38 in 27th place. Popular Highgate Irishman, Brendan Donnelly, was 74th  in the 16:13. Yasmin Goater was finished 117 in 17.14.
 

THE GLITTER OF 6 COUNTY GOLDS FOR THE CLUB
 
Highgate Harriers obtained six gold medals at the Middlesex County Championships at Lee Valley over the weekend (11-12 May). 

Idan Gal-Shohet won the Men’s long jump with 6.41 m. Three Under 17’s were winners. In the high jump Sean Oceng Engene jumped 1.75m for a new PB. Zavier Achiampung did 11.80 in the triple jump and also won the shot with 9.60. Marie Alaphilippe did 5.24 for the long jump.Hammer competitor, Aisha Mohammed-Mariche won the Under 15 women’s event with a good 32.36m throw.

There were several close calls in events. Jemima Lee was 2rd equal in the Under 15 women’s high jump with the same height at the winner (1.40 m).

In the Under 17 men’s 800m final two personal best times were done:  George Bayley ran 2.03.41 in 4th spot and Finlay Sleeman did 2:10.77. In the under 13 men’s 800 Final Highgate came away with a silver and bronze with Jamie Cameron recording 2:34.31 and Arthur Awenat 2:36.35.  Also in the Under 13’s Liam Bailey continued to show great promise by coming 2nd in the 1,500m final in a personal best of 5:00.96.

Ellen Donald was 3rd in the Under 17 women’s 1,500m final in 5:19.56. Clara Mee was 2nd with 1.40m in the under 17 women’s high jump.