Herne Hill Harriers news – May 16-17

Rising Herne Hill Harriers star Reiss Senior climbed into the top-20 UK-ranked hammer throwers as the 16-year-old breached the 50-metre mark for the first time in competition.

Senior recorded a throw of 50.19m at a UK Youth Development meeting at Chelmsford, propelling him to 16th on the U17 national list for 2015 and breaking the Harriers age-category record.

Senior – whose progression has seen him go from a 39.74m throw to open his outdoor season in April to beyond 50 metres six weeks later – was among a string Herne Hill athletes who impressed at the weekend.

John Travers was in superb form as he placed fourth in the high-quality A race at Highgate Harriers Night of the PBs 10,000m track race, clocking 29 minutes, four seconds. Kojo Kyereme had earlier won his respective race in 30.08, while Simon Messenger was 13th in the first race of the event in 36.40.

Further north at the Trafford BMC Grand Prix meeting, Katie Snowden and Hannah Edwards posted promising early-season times given they are in the middle of their university final exams, with both just one second outside of their 800m personal bests, clocking 2.04.64 and 2.10.93 respectively. Having come up against Jess Judd at the recent BUCS championships, Snowden was this time in the same race as Lynsey Sharp, placing fifth to Sharp’s second, behind another international, Alison Leonard. Mike Cummings was outside his own lifetime best for 1500m by a similar margin as he was timed at 3.57.70 at Manchester.

Racing in his university colours, Lewis Lloyd was third in the 800m in 1.53.45 at the Oxbridge varsity meeting at Cambridge. Competing at the Loughborough International, Gavin Johnson-Assoon was sixth in the javelin with a throw of 63.87m, Jay Rossiter third in the 3000m steeplechase in 8.59.87, Jessie Knight was first over the 400m hurdles in 61.37, and Jamal Rhoden-Stevens seventh in his 400m heat in 49.72.

A clutch of Herne Hill athletes also helped Stock Exchange AC secure third place and winners of the mixed gender team category in the annual Greenbelt Relay around London. Captained by Harriers’ Alan Barnes, the team also featured Cathy Ansell, Jeff Cunningham, Jack Hillier, Jonathan Ratcliffe, Karen Ellison and Matt Munro.

Meanwhile, Chris Busaileh showed hopeful signs of a return from injury as he clocked 16.29 to win the Brockwell parkrun. Gary Ironmonger further improved his best time for the course to 17.06, while Laura Dowsing was first woman in 20.20. Simon Thompson was fourth at Dulwich parkrun in 17.11 and Jonathan Cowie fifth in 17.29.

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