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for Michael Rimmer and new club record 29 July
Michael Rimmer continues to make fantastic progress at 800m and has
finally ducked under 1.45.00. In a star studded field in Monaco Michael
was brilliantly placed third with 200m to go when the pacemaker, Sammy
Tangui (Kenya), failed to get out of the way in time and Rimmer ran into
him. By now the leaders were gone but Michael stuck gamely to the task
and came home 6th behind the winner Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia
((1.42.79). He was, however, rewarded with a personal best time of
1.44.68 and will be greatly encouraged as he makes his way to Beijing.
This run places Michael 13th on the UK all time list at 800m just one
place ahead of Curtis Robb (fastest short stage leg at this years 12
stage relay) Interestingly 8 out of the top 14 places in the UK senior
men's 800m rankings are occupied by Northern Athletes
Report Charles Gains
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Michael Magnificent 27 July
Michael Rimmer was at the Aviva London Grand Prix meeting at Crystal
Palace, the
last major event before he heads off with the British Olympic team to
their pre-Olympics camp in Macau. The UK 800m champion was conscious
that the week previous in Barcelona he had run a quick time even though
elbowed badly into sixth spot in the finishing straight. He was
determined to stay out of trouble on this occasion and it paid off
handsomely as the Canadian Gary Reed fell in the early stages of the
race disrupting those around him. Michael stayed wide and tracked the
pacemaker, Tangui of Kenya, through a first lap of 50.69. As the field
bunched on the final bend Rimmer accelerated and chased the winner
Abraham Chepkirwok to the tape narrowly failing to catch the Ugandan in
a season`s best time of 1.45.76. His preparations for Beijing now look
back on course after some early season problems.
At the other end of the scale Liverpool Pembroke Sefton were at Deeside
for the final match of the National Junior League (Mersey Division).
With only 9 athletes available the club should have been on the
receiving end of a thrashing but with three other clubs in a worse
position LPS ran out third on the day and third overall. Harry Doran's
400m in 50.4 won him the Male Athlete of the Match award but there were
other useful results from victors Nathan Hilton(200m in 22.9) and Billy
Williams (High Jump with 1.80m). The club dominated, as usual, the 4 x
100m relay with 46.3(Ross Nelms, Callum Burns, Doran and Hilton) and the
4 x 400m relay in 3.39.3(Wayne Ashall, Nelms, Doran and Hilton). Grace
Stewart also took the 400m Hurdles race in 76.1. Toria Swift and Niciole
Garner toiled hard for points elsewhere but there is no doubt this
competition is dying on its feet as only the two composite clubs, North
Wales and Cheshire Tigers, look at all presentable. There has been a
stubbornness among clubs to face the reality of all this and consider a
radical overhaul. `Never mind, it will be better next year' just won't
do anymore.
Report Charles Gains
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Les Williams Retires 22 July
 After
serving Pembroke and now LPS for over 40 years Les Williams has finally
retired. As a coach, official and administrator he had made a huge
contribution to the sport both at club level and Merseyside County. At a
special presentation ceremony he was given some quality glassware from
the club and county to remind him of his time in the sport. His wife,
Brenda, was presented with a beautiful bouquet, appropriately purchased
from Bill Hartley`s farm shop. The club will miss his gentle presence.
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Rimmer moves up another Gear 20 July
Michael Rimmer's 800m Olympic preparations continued as he tackled
another strong international field in Barcelona. A slow first lap of 54
seconds guaranteed a close, sharp finish with barely a second covering
the first six. The Moroccan Laalou edged the verdict with a time of
1.44.85 with three Kenyans, a Spaniard and Rimmer in close attendance.
Michael was given sixth in 1.45.89 a season's best time and he will be
well satisfied with this Iberian outing. He goes into a final Aviva
Grand Prix meeting in London with his confidence boosted as Beijing
begins to loom.
The final Northern Premier Young Athletes meeting took Liverpool
Pembroke Sefton athletes across the Pennines to Hull. Currently the
club's strength is at Under 17 and it was not surprising that there was
a cascade of first placings in this age group. Adam Thomson led with a
200m win in 23.5 followed by an impressive middle distance collection of
results. Sean Dignam(800m 2.05.0), Mike Bride(1500m 4.21.3) partnered
with Jake Helm(4.32.2) and a similar result for Toby Loveridge9 9.46.3)
and John Meakin(10.32) at 3000m. Inevitably Chris Hesketh collected the
1500m steeplechase at his leisure(5.00.3). The throwers and jumpers were
also on form, Michael Carmona Jones winning the Discus with 30.14m and
Billy Williams the High Jump(1.81m). The coaching of Dave Street was
also in evidence with his two triple jumpers Dean Matthews(11.69m) and
Stuart Dolman(9.88m) mopping up. The Girls also pitched in with fine
wins from Jess Broady (Hammer 29.35m) and Faye Atkins (High Jump 1.55m).
There was a lot of endeavour in the lower age groups including useful
victories by Under 15`s Drew Atherton (Javelin 39.46) and Annie
McLoughlin(75m Hurdles 12.2) but the indications are that next season
the club will have to raise its game to survive this tough league. As it
was LPS finished third on the day and in the final comfort zone but it
is going to require a tough winter's training to keep up this pace in
2009.
Report Charles Gains
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Beijing Bound 13 July
Michael Rimmer stormed to a third
consecutive National and Olympic Trials 800m title at Birmingham. He
crossed the line with three fingers raised to signify the first
person in 32 years to achieve the feat since his hero the legendary
Steve Ovett. His time was a modest 1.49.13 but the manner in which
he controlled the race before destroying the opposition in the
finishing straight was extremely impressive. His Olympic dream is
realised and he is bound for Beijing. He becomes the fifth man in
the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton combined history to achieve the honour
after Jack Rimmer (Paris 1900, distance running), Billy Clarke
(London 1908, Marathon), Ken Anderson (London 1948, sprints) and
Alex Kruger (Seoul 1988, Decathlon
Results
Also now dreaming of distant glory will
be Tarleton's Chris Hesketh who took a major step in winning the
bronze medal in the English Schools Intermediate 1500m Steeplechase
in Gateshead in a personal best time of 4.29.87. Two stronger
runners were in front but coach, John Bradshaw, in describing his
flawless technique declared him the only serious steeplechaser in
the field. We will hear a lot more about Chris. Senior Nathan Hilton
nearly made the podium in finishing fourth in the 400m(48.82) with
club mate Harry Doran(48.88) a hairsbreadth away in fifth. Both were
Merseyside and with Greater Manchester colleague, Jack McGinn, also
finishing 8th(49.52) the LPS club had an astonishing final three
with England international, Wayne Ashall, sidelined. It`s hard to
think of any club in the country that can match that sort of depth
of one lap talent.
Intermediate Adam Thomson made his 400m
final with a prior semi-final time of 50.22, a personal best, but he
will rue suffering a disqualification for a lane infringement. Also
on the down side other LPS athletes Danny Higham(200m) and Dave
Forrester(1500m) failed to progress through their heats and the
club's throwers Tom Johnson and Mike Carmona Jones had a similarly
dismal afternoon. However, they will all have learnt from competing
at this very high level. English
Schools
Report Charles Gains
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Gloom at Carlisle 6th July
Poor weather and a poor turn out contributed to the LPS gloom at
Carlisle for the third of the Northern League encounters. But the one
person who can always raise a smile is Kirsty Longley who took the 1500m
once again in 4.59.2 and secured a second spot in the 3000m with
10.42.8. Rachel Hutchinson was another good winner with a Hammer Throw
of 31.8m. Abby McComb, Grace Stewart and Becky Foster completed the
women's squad and there can be no praise too high for the points they
garnered across a variety of events.
The men were better represented, the performances that stood out
probably most were those coming from Michael Zaim and Phil Taylor who
combined to take both the 100m and 200m, 11.4/11.4 and 22.8/23.3
respectively. Phil also won the 400m, his favourite event, with 50.4.
With the track events on a roll Adam Clansey snatched the 800m(2.00.1)
and only just missed out on the 1500m(2nd in 4.12.6). Bernie Murphy was
solid in the 3000m SC(2nd 10.17.6) and 5000m(3rd 16.04.3). Elsewhere
Ross Nelms, Paul Rudkin, Paul Jamieson, Mike Dandy, Dave McComb and the
indefatigable Mark Line were mopping up minor placing across a raft of
events. All hands to the pump but their efforts were in vain as the club
limped home in 6th and last place. The good news was that LPS clung on
to its overall third spot and a decent performance in the final match at
Litherland should confirm this.
Results
Report Charles Gains
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 Halsall
Village Carnival 6 July
In a final desperate attempt to get a personal best for the season Mike
Bride takes up unicycling and snatches the lead in the Halsall Village
Carnival procession. But tracking him and looking distinctly unimpressed
is Wayne Ashall who was using the occasion as part of his build up for a
place in the England Junior Commonwealth Games in the autumn. A tense
finish ensued but they both sadly lost out to the Village Queen
who came past on a skate board in the later stages making unladylike
gestures.
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Rimmer back on course 2 July
By his high standards Michael Rimmer has
had an indifferent run up to the Olympics. Among other performances
he has recorded a 1.47.2 800m in Berlin and a 1.47.10 in Ostrava,
season`s best by a UK runner but some way off other international
performers. However, this was turned around in Milan as he won a
quality race in 1.46.10 with something to spare.
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