Mansfield Harriers are back with a bang

Most have maintained a high standard of training and begun the racing season prepared.

At the Podium 5K at Barrowford in Lancashire Lauren McNeil and Luke Duffy confirmed training had gone well with impressive personal bests.

First out was 18-year-old McNeil, who put in a superb run to clock 16.49 and improve her best time by a massive 46 seconds.

Then 19-year-old Luke Duffy improved his PB by 12 seconds to record an outstanding 14.00 in the elite men’s race, a time that puts him third in the UK all-time U20 5K rankings.

Another one of the club's highly talented teenagers raced at the British Milers Club road 5K in Oldham last week and, like the others, put in a big personal best time recording 15.06.

Connell then raced again at the iconic Mallory Park 5k, improving on the previous week with 15.00 and will now with confidence look to break the 15-minute barrier.

Elizabeth Sinclair raced in the 10k at Mallory, knocking over five minutes off her PB with a time of 49.11.

The first open track meeting of the season held at Nuneaton saw Eddie Holden, a first year U15 put in a gun to tape victory in his heat of the 800m, taking 13 seconds from his previous best time with a 2.24.77 clocking.

Isabelle Burlington is moving from sprints to middle distance and in her first race put in a fine display to record 2.31 while Beth Hamilton looked strong in recording 4.47.30 in the 1500m.