| More disappointment for Michael Rimmer 31
August This is a season that Michael Rimmer will probably want to forget. Dogged by illness he has not performed anywhere near his best. At the Gateshead Grand Prix he did everything correct leading briefly down the final back straight of the 800m but slipping behind on the bend and struggling home in fourth spot in 1.48.14. Clearly there are problems he and his coach, Norman Poole, will be sorting out this winter. Michael is a huge talent and should only view this sort of set back as one that all athletes operating at the top level experience at some time or other. He will be a force once again in 2010. Report Charles Gains |
 LPS
Vest takes prize Down Under 30 August News from our dear friend and long time Pembroke member Ken Beisty from down under. His son Michael who is not a club but loves to run in the club vest as he loved his time at Pembroke as youngster claimed the over 50s title in the Lake Macquaire a classy half marathon in 78:35. Which makes him a bit quicker than his Dad was at that age. Ken (now 75) competing at the same event did the quarter marathon in 70:45 but found it hard giving 15 years away in M60+ age group.
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| A frustrating World Champs for Michael Rimmer
23 August Michael Rimmer's preparations for the World Championships in Berlin were good and the prospect of making the final was excellent. The 800m was clearly an open race. However, he did not look entirely at ease in his heat, was boxed in at one point but was able to extricate himself and qualify for the semis, albeit by the narrowest of margins and in a slow time of 1.48.20. This may well have made him nervous for his semi-final heat and although well placed with 300m to go there was nothing in his legs for the final sprint and he faded to seventh in 1.46.77. He later commented that the qualifying times were something he had run on many occasions and it was a horrible and frustrating feeling not to be able to replicate his best form here in the Worlds. He will have ruefully noted that his personal best time was also comfortably inside that of the eventual medallists. To put things in perspective Michael has taken the national title on four consecutive occasions, has been in the final of a European Champions and made the semis in an Olympic Games and World Championships. At 23 that is still mightily impressive. This simply has not been his year but things like that happen in sport. After the anguish wears off we are confident that the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton club's most successful athlete will be back and in excellent shape for next year's European and Commonwealth Games. We wish him well. Report Charles Gains |
Bronze for Andrew Williams 9 August Birkdale
High School is gaining a reputation as a hot bed of athletics. Their
latest star is Andrew Williams. Only in his first competitive season he
showed considerable composure in the Under 15/Under 17 England
Championships at Bedford to secure a bronze medal in the U15 400m with
an excellent time of
52.08 after qualifying with a 52.56 heat posting. Other Liverpool
Pembroke Sefton club mates in the same age group were Alistair Nelson
12th in the 1500m final with 4.25.96 and George Curran who went out in
his 800m heat with a 2.15 timing.Another Birkdale student Toby Loveridge ran a superb qualifying time in his Under 17 1500m race of 4.03.96 understandably slowing a bit in the final with 4.6.30 in 11th spot. Adam Thomson also progressed from a 400m heat time of 50.15 to a semi of 51.13, good but insufficient to make a very competitive final. Results Report Charles Gains Photos Steve Nelson |
| Good day out at Blackpool 2 August The Liverpool Pembroke Sefton senior men and women were at Stanley Park, Blackpool for the final fixture of their Northern League division. The club struggled in the first two matches and then staged a magnificent recovery in the final two encounters to surge through the field. From early season relegation fodder they clawed their way to second place here at the seaside resort and with a final flourish of third overall. Some minor adjustments and this league title could be theirs next season. The men's side were unstoppable with nine nine straight A victors and four B winners. The sprinters excelled, Michael Zaim and Harry Doran both running a 11.3 100m and Doran spreadeagling the field in the 200m with 22.3. Not to be outdone Danny Higham came home ahead of the St Helens international distance star, David Forrester, in the 400m with 49.6. Something he will remember. Paul Milburn made a useful double contribution in the 110m (18.1) and 400m(60.6) hurdle races while stalwarts Mike Line (Javelin 44.04m) and Dave Brown(B winner at Discus with 30.08m and Javelin with 40.42m) were thoroughly comfortable in the throwing circles. Dean Matthews was well clear in the triple(13.12m) and Mark Leicester in the reserve long jump(5.98m). The 4 x 100m squad( Danny Higham, Wayne Ashall, Harry Doran and Mike Zaim) romped home in 44.3 while Wayne, Ross Helms, Danny and Harry were the length of the promenade clear in the 400m(3.27.1). A very satisfactory position and now it was down to the women. Predictably Kirsty Longley was strong enough to take both the 800m(2.17.6) and 1500m(4.49.7) while Isle of Man international Charlotte Christian dominated the Hammer(36.51m). Emma Givens took the B 100m hurdles and Sarah Moore the 400m equivalent with 18.1 and 73.0 respectively. No other winners but the determination of Abbey McComb, Aimee Hall, Annie McLoughlin, Nicole Garner, Emma Binns, Toria Swift, Emily Carr, Grace Stewart, Alice Donnelly and Hannah Roberts had their male colleagues applauding throughout the afternoon. Astonishingly their collective spirit took them to second in their tough section on the day. If sticks of rock had been handed out for effort the LPS team would have overdosed on sugar. Instead they settled for a modest libation on the way home.Results Report Charles Gains |