MANSFIELD HARRIERS: the magnificent seven and the golden girls

Spearheading Mansfield Harriers' success in 2015 were The Magnificent Seven and The Golden Girls. The talented and dedicated seven were the athletes who competed at the English Schools Track and Field Championships, which is some achievement considering only 35 are selected within the county over six age groups and more than 100 disciplines. And the Golden Girls were the club's U13 girls' team, who were outstanding in local and regional leagues and landed the team of the year accolade at the Mansfield Sports Recognition awards.
ARCHIE RAYNER -- leading the way as he sets a new personal-best time.ARCHIE RAYNER -- leading the way as he sets a new personal-best time.
ARCHIE RAYNER -- leading the way as he sets a new personal-best time.

Here, we focus more closely on Harriers’ elite youngsters, reflect on their performances in 2015 and look forward to their aims and ambitions for 2016.

ARCHIE RAYNER

The fact that middle-distance runner Archie clocked the fastest time over 1500m (3.52.88) by a 15-year-old in the UK last year, and was ranked one of the top 35 U17s of all time in the country at that distance, tells you everything need to know about the ability of the Kirklington starlet. He finished third in the English Schools final and fourth in the England AAA final. He also starred in cross-country, representing the victorious England team in a home international against Ireland, finishing fourth in the English Schools event, eighth in the national championships and third in the Midlands Championships, where he was part of the winning team.

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Now 16, Archie faces fresh challenges in 2016 because he steps up from the U17 age group to U20. But he hopes to be competitive in major championships on the track and in cross-country. More specifically, he will be looking to run under 3.51 for the 1500m to get a qualifying time to represent Team GB at the European Youth Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia.

ALEX RIELEY

Seventeen-year-old Alex is another Harrier who successfully mixes 1500m races with cross-country. In 2015, he finished as high as 17th in the National Cross-Country Championships and, in finishing fourth at the Midlands Championships, he was part of the winning U17 team. Over 1500m, he made a dramatic 14-second improvement to his personal-best (PB) time (to 3.58), and made the final at the English Schools, as well as coming fourth in the Midland Championships at U20 level.

The East Bridgford youngster hopes to keep lowering his PB during 2016 and to qualify for national finals.

LUKE DUFFY

Fast-improving Luke, who hails from Nottingham, was ranked as high as fifth in the UK in his U15 age group for the 1500m in 2015 after bagging the silver medal at the England AAA Championships with a personal-best time of 4.11 minutes. He was also second in the 3000m at the Midlands Championships and was ranked tenth in the UK in that event too.

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After bagging 12th position at the English Schools Cross-Country Championships, he is looking to make his presence felt in that sphere again this year. Luke’s particular target is to get close to four minutes in the 1500m and make more national finals as he moves up to the U17 age group.

ELLA HUGHES

Cambridge University student Ella was another Harrier athlete to shine in both 1500m and cross-country races during 2015. On the track, she finished fourth in the English Schools final in a fine time of 4.31 minutes. In cross-country, she was 12th in the national championships, third in the Midlands Championships and represented the Midlands in a home international. The 18-year-old was also part of the Cambridge team that beat Oxford in the annual varsity cross-country challenge.

In 2016, Southwell-based Ella is hoping to earn her first England vest and to be competitive in national events from 1500m to 5k.

BETHANY WILLIAMS

Sixteen-year-old Bethany was crowned county champion at 800m and 1500m in her U17 age group last year and was also third in the 1500 at the Midlands Championships before making the 1500 final at the England AAA event. The Ollerton teenager proved herself to be no mean cross-country runner too, taking a bronze medal in the team event at the Midlands Championships.

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In 2016, she steps up to the U20s but hopes to continue her improvement, reach major finals and edge closer to her ambition of attaining an athletics scholarship in the USA.

MAY ROBERTS

Described as “one of the gutsiest runners you will see”, 15-year-old May was Nottinghamshire Schools and mini-leagues cross-country champion in 2015, as well as finishing second in the 1500m and third in the 800m at the county championships. She also recorded progressively better times in all her events.

This year, the Forest Town youngster wants to qualify for the English Schools and make national and Midlands finals. She even plans to tackle the steeplechase, as well as 800m, 1500m and 3000m.

DAISY SMITH

The Ravenshead Rocket, 14-year-old Daisy competed successfully at local fixtures during 2015, clocking a fine 12.93 seconds for the 100m. But she also achieved a personal-best in the long jump of 5.11 metres at the English Schools.

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In 2015, as she moves up from U15s to U17s, Daisy plans to stretch her versatility to the limit in 200m and 300m races, as well as 100m and the long jump, and aims to be competitive in national and regional events.

THE U13 GIRLS

If there was one age group at Harriers that caught the eye above all others in 2015, it was the U13 girls. Expect to see them feature prominently in national and regional championships throughout this year.

Of those worth a special mention, Kelsey Pearce was ranked ninth in the UK in the shot putt and 15th in the javelin in 2015, while Jessica Lake established herself as an excellent high-hurdler and multi-eventer.

Courtney Spencer emerged in 2015 as a high-class 800m and 1500m competitor, while Paige Vick shone as a middle-distance runner and multi-eventer and club newcomer Tania Smith is still young enough to remain in the U13s’ age group in 2016 and looks sure to be a dominant force.

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