July 2004
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Northern League Final Match
31 July
Liverpool Pembroke Sefton senior athletes made their way to Deeside for the final track and field meeting. Among the women competitors only Ashley McComb in the High Jump and June Swift in the 800m B recorded wins but throwers Natalie Walsh and Anne-Marie Pennington gathered a clutch of second placings.
Dave Readle`s astonishing return to domestic
athletics after a sojourn in the United States continued with overwhelming
victories in the Hammer, Discus and Shot. He is no mean sprinter either
and was second in the 100m and was well clear in the 200m B event. He even
teamed up with Adam Morris, Michael Rimmer and Phil Taylor in the 4 x 100m
relay to rout the field and set a brilliant new club record of 43.1.
International and World Championship 800m performer Michael Rimmer dropped
to the 400m but cruised away from the opposition in 48.9. He also linked
up with Adam Clansey, Steve Donegan and Mark Leicester to destroy the rest
in the 4 x 400m relay.
Phil Taylor predictably took the 200m but
one of the afternoon`s best performances came from Adam Clansey who showed
astonishing progress to win the 1500m in in 4.12. Ultra-reliable veteran
Mark Line popped up everywhere winning the B Hammer, Discus and A Pole
Vault, the latter together with B support from Dave McComb. When the
points were totalled LPS were second in the match to Trafford but their
early season disappointments left them third overall and out of the
play-offs for promotion. The new scoring system does not favour the local
club but significant progress across the board this season indicates
highly optimistic prospects for 2005.
Results
Report Charles Gains |
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Under 20s Report 25 July The competitive athletic season draws to an end and the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton Under 20 team went to Macclesfield for the final match with both Men and Women well placed. The girls were under strength and had a relatively poor time with only Anna Taylor recording wins in the B Hammer and Javelin events. Nevertheless they placed 5th and when the overall scores were added together took the local league title from Wigan. The men were also weakened but recorded a string of first placings, Adam Morris(100m B), Mark Ogden(400m B), Mark Leicester(800m A), Joe McKenna(800m B), Carl Williams(2000m Steeplechase and 3000m), Matthew Brooks(3000m B), Phil Berry(Javelin B). But not even the customary easy relay wins in the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m could prevent them losing, albeit narrowly, to the North Wales combined team. Overall the club finished third in the league and will be reasonably satisfied with this result. At Millfield School in Somerset an unusual `biathle' event took place consisting of a 1500m run, followed by a 200m swim and a final 1500m run. LPS provide both the gold and silver medals in the Womens events with Courtney Birch and Maria Barrett. This also included the trial for the Great Britain team in the world championships to be held in Bavaria in September. Report Charles Gains |
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Snowdon 2004 24 July It
seems that this event comes around so quickly but it is only once every 12
months and does fly as you get older. This was the 29th running of the event
and since I have missed only a few during that time I was once again posted
off my entry last month hoping that this year I might have a better run, a
lack of training and being two stones over weight saw to it that I once
again struggled although I did complete yet another Snowdon race. Taking it
easy(ish) I reached the summit in 64:56 and bimbled down to finish in
1:49:03 my slowest yet although not the normal sore legs.
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Courtney & Maria take top spots 17 July The 2004 National Biathle Championships were staged at Millfield School in Street, Somerset on 17th July with over 200 entries all trying to secure their places in the British Team for the World Championships to be held in Marktoberdorf in Bavaria on 4th September. LPS had a double interest in the junior ladies event as both Marir Barrett the bronze medalest at last year world championships and Courtney Birch twice national cross country champion came up against each other. The event which consists of a 1500m run followed by a 200m swim followed by another 1500m run was held in almost perfect weather conditions. Courtney Birch covered the distance in 13 minutes 27.9 seconds to win from Maria Barrett who did 14:14:2, the girls now await news of selection which should be theirs foir the world championships 1 Courtney Birch
13:27.9 |
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 Mike
Rimmer 8th in Final at world Junior Champs 16 JulyAfter qualifying late for the Great Britain squad for the World Under 20 Championships in Italy 800m star Michael Rimmer was far from any body`s favourite. However, he surprised by running his heat in 1.49.64 and qualifying for the semi-finals. His heat there was quick and in finishing fourth he had an anxious 30 mins wait to see whether his time would take him through as fastest loser. It did and he lined up with the best in the world in a tense atmosphere. On paper it still looked an open race and Cobanoglu from Turkey took the field through the first lap in 53 seconds. Rimmer had placed himself a handy fourth and still looked a medal prospect at 200m to go. Clearly the three races in 4 days had taken it out of the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton runner but it was only in the closing stages he lost ground and finished 8th in 1.50.59 with Quatar runner Sultan winning in 1.47.33 from the Kenyan Yego 1.47.39 and Cobanoglu 1.47.71. No fewer than five runners posted personal bests.
This is Rimmer`s second world championship
final and he is learning all the time. Interestingly there were only two
Europeans in front of him so his prospects for the European Championships
look good next year. Coach John Bradshaw made the trip and comments ` He
did everything right. He showed aggression to get himself in a good
position just after the bell. He was still looking good with 200m to go
but gradually ran out of steam'. The Ormskirk based athlete goes to
Liverpool John Moores University in September on a sports scholarship.
Report Charles Gains |
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A Team win at Streford 4 July Stretford was the venue for the penultimate Northern League Senior Track and Field match. Dave Readle was again a massive point scorer recording wins in his favourite throwing events, Discus, Shot and Hammer, in all cases easily outclassing his opponents. He is also an excellent sprinter with a win in the B 100m race and third in the 200m. Naturally he turned up in the winning 4 x 100m squad. Veteran Mark Line is a great supporting act with B wins in the Shot, Discus and Hammer. LPS dominate the throwing events in this League. Other winners among the Men were Phil Taylor at 400m, Ben Jones 5000m, Adam Clansey 800m, Adam Morris Long Jump and another rejuvenated vet Mark Barrow in the B 400m Hurdles. Local women were also having a fine day. The Edge Hill College throwing squad is equally as impressive as the Men. Natalie Walsh was a good second in the Discus with team mate Kerri Massey taking the B event. They switched positions in the Hammer and with Kerri and Annmarie Pennington doubling winning the Javelin opponents were left scratching their heads at the LPS virtual monopoly. The club is also developing a reputation in the jumps. Rising star Helen Quirk was a comfortable winner of the Long Jump, adding to her second spots in the 100m and 200m. Rachel Green was first in the B Long Jump and Triple Jump. Club stalwarts Kiera Vogel and Maria Barrett were everywhere collecting points. Kiera was an was an easy winner of both the 400m and 800m and Maria the B 800m. Helen Green stole the 400m B race. An excellent afternoon was capped when the club beat the much fancied Trafford club in the match result. This edged LPS into the frame for a possible promotion next season. The final match is at Deeside. Report Charles Gains |
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Rimmer's 1.48.64!!!
4 July
After an extremely disappointing run in the
trials for the Under 20 World Championships in Italy, Liverpool Pembroke
Sefton 800m star, Michael Rimmer, was consigned to sitting it out at home.
However, a phone call from the selectors, keenly aware of his potential,
revived his spirits. He was offered a guest place in an International
match, Great Britain v Australia, at Manchester's Sport City to see if he
could achieve the qualifying time.
After a nervous week Rimmer lined up against
some class athletes in equally poor and windy conditions that had seen his
downfall at Bedford. Tom Lancashire of Bolton who had already been
selected set the pace and it was 54 seconds at the bell. Rimmer stuck to
his steady running plan worked out with coach John Bradshaw and struck
only 40 metres from home. He swept majestically past the entire field
recording an astonishing personal best of 1.48.64 and well within the
selectors demands.
Rimmer`s performance is the talk of the
athletic`s world and comparisons with Craig Winrow, coincidentally another
local star athlete of yesteryear, are rife. He will go to Italy in two
weeks time with real medal possibilities.
Report Charles Gains |
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Taylor looks for relay place at World Junior Champs
28 June
It was a frustrating time for some of our local athletes at the AAA Under 20 Championships at Bedford. The meeting included selection for the World Championships in Italy next month. Michael Rimmer the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton 800m star only had to finish in the first two to qualify but in poor windy conditions ended up in a bunch crossing the line in a modest time. After impressing all season and recently running a tremendous 1.49.7 he will be bitterly disappointed at possibly missing out on selection in such a galling way.
Phil Taylor, on the other hand, ran superbly
in the final of the 400m finishing fourth in 48.6 but third Englishman
home. He will be looking anxiously at the selectors for a potential spot
in the 4 x 400m relay squad. The rapidly improving Mark Grimshaw made to
to the semi-finals in 50.0. Elsewhere Ben Jones was delighted with a
fourth placing in the 5000m in an excellent 14.58 and only seconds away
from also catching the selectors eye.
Report Charles Gains |
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