Herne Hill Harriers are celebrating winning the England Athletics Volunteer Awards – Longon Region in recognition for our work in the local community in delivering athletics to all ages and standards from nine year olds upwards. In Olympic year numbers attending the clubs sessions have more than doubled and the club has enjoyed our most successful year with both senior track and field teams being promoted in their National leagues to their highest ever positions.
Our Club Secretary Steve Bosley commented ‘its a superb recognition to all the hard work our volunteers put in in arranging events, coaching in all weathers and developing athletics for everyone. Since the Olympics we have been putting on extra sessions whcih have been very popular and the club is going from strength to strength’.
The club put on a six mile cross country race on Streatham common on Saturday which attracted over 100 runners on a demanding course. The men’s race was won by Joe Morwood and Nicky Sturzaker won the women;s race, both race winners being HHH club members.
One of the clubs young starlets Saskia Millard closed her track season with a huge 1500m PB of 4.48.5 at Biggleswade which is a new club and Surrey County U13 girls record and ranks her no. 2 in the country. At the other and of the age range, club president Garry Power set a new HHH club and Irish national M50 discus record of 45.60m.
In road running, the inaugural Ealing Half Marathon witnessed a great run by Jonathan Stead, who won by a clear minute and a half with a big PB time of 69.51. Over in the USA the week before our veteran track star Dave Peters clocked a fine 4.16.5 in the famous Fifth Avenue Mile road race. Finishing 19th of 26th in the elite race, Dave was then delighted to dine with top Olympians Bernard Lagat and Leo Manzano.