Harriers on form in Northern Ireland races

Claire Watson and Paige Roadley in Armagh.

Mansfield Harriers enjoyed success in Northern Ireland in the Armagh International 5K and 3K.

The race is one of the highlights of the road racing calendar and this year was no exception with a very high quality fields in both the men and ladies race.

The ladies 3K race went out first and a superb run from Harriers' Paige Roadley saw her massively rewrite her personal best time recording 11.22 with Claire Watson having her best run for quite some time as she recovers from illness and injury recording 12.37.

In the 5K event Alex Hampson had his best race to date with a new PB of 14.30 which has also earned Alex selection to represent the Midlands at the Trafford 10K in March. Kristian Watson again shone with 15.03 with Jordan Boam recording a superb 15.48.

At the England age group indoor championships at the English institute of Sport, Sheffield with three athletes placing well in their finals.

On the track Ethan Williams ran two quality races over 60m to place sixth in the U15 boys 60 sprint with a time of 7.50 seconds which was just shy of his personal best.

On day two in his heat of the 200 metres he ran a blistering first 100, placing fourth in a stunning new PB of 24.66 seconds.

Also showing excellent form over 60m was Josh Yanney and Oliver Salmon in the U20 age group. After achieving his first sub-11 second 100m run in his last race of the 2022 season Josh was fired up to go sub-seven seconds in the 60.

He fell just short of his target in his heat, but secured his place in the semi-final with a personal best performance of 7.06 seconds. In a high quality semi-final, he came seventh in 7.11 seconds.

Oliver Salmon kept the PBs coming, finishing sixth in his 60m heat in 7.31 seconds.

In the field events Mansfield had two athletes in the finals with Serenity Joynt producing three quality throws over 11m to secure sixth in the U17 Shot Put with a best throw of 11.43m, which was less than one metre behind the medallists

In the U20 Triple Jump Brandon Lee not only finished in a very respectable seventh place in his first year in the age group but also added nearly half a metre to his PB with a jump of 13.85m.