Personal bests for Mansfield Harrier Lauren McNeil

Mansfield Harriers have had another successful week competing on the road, track and field with some exceptional performances in all disciplines.

The highlight of the week was some tremendous performances at both the British Milers Club Grand Prix and PB Classic events at Sportscity Manchester and Milton Keynes.

Lauren McNeil had a phenomenal week, racing the 1500 metres at the Grand Prix and 800 metres at Milton Keynes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Going with the pace over her preferred 1500, McNeil produced a superb PB of 4.33.67, which ranks her eighth currently in the UK at under-17 this summer.

She followed this with a new best over 800 metres of 2.12.28, which puts her fourth this summer at the distance.

Luke Duffy continues to flourish this summer, recording a new best time of 3.48.26 at Manchester, which also put him into the UK top five at under-20 this summer.

Amber Scott opened her 1500 metre steeplechase season, racing to 5.20 at Lee Valley in London and then improving significantly to 5.12.20 at Milton Keynes — a time that also puts her in the UK top five this season in her age group.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ben Smith had his run of the season at Milton Keynes, recording a big PB time of 4.07.94 for 1500 metres three days after running 4.12 at Watford, as he tries to mix his GCSEs with racing and training.

In a similar situation. Jenson Connell recorded 9.03 for 3000 metres at Watford but struggled in the heat of Milton Keynes as he recorded 9.18.01. Dylan George, recovering from illness, also struggled in the second half of the race as he recorded 9.27 for the 3000 metres. Grace Manson ran a new best of 5.05.67 and a two-second PB — and Alex Foster ran her second fastest ever 800 with 2.26.67. Beth Hamilton completed the athletes at Milton Keynes as she too recorded her second fastest ever time and another English Schools time of 4.47.20, only five days after recording 2.22 for 800 at a windswept Grimsby open meeting.

Competing as part of a joint team with Sutton Harriers and Rushcliffe AC, the Mansfield team travelled to Burton to run in the second of the Youth Development Fixtures.

In difficult race conditions the five athletes put in a tremendous effort. Ellie Sheppard fired the shot out to a massive new best of 11.19 metres to win her A string event as well as gaining second in the hammer with 26.40 metres and second in the B string 100 metres in 13.0.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jessica Lake continued her fine summer, winning the 300 metres A string in 46.8, taking second in the long jump with 5.22 metres and second in the B 200 with 27.2.

Ben Madeley ran the B string 100 and 200 double with 11.9 and 25.3. Louis Phillips fired his shot to 11.76m to win his A string and Henry Bullough placed second in the A string 3000 metres in 10.29 for 2nd in the A String event.