Wakefield Harriers teams compete well in Yorkshire Road Relays event

The Harriers’ senior men’s ‘A’ team of Mark Bostock, Daniel Franks, Ben Butler and Andrew Cartwright finished an excellent second, after leading for most of the race.

Mark got them off to a flying start on leg one, with what turned out to be the second fastest individual time of the day.

The Harriers also had a strong ‘B’ team of Stewart Knowles, Adam Peers, Darren Hewitt and Steve Lowe, who finished 10th, and a ‘C’ team of Chris Rippon, Robert Brailsford, Daniel Benjamin and Thomas Sellers, who were 16th.

In the senior women’s race four teams were in medal contention, including the Wakefield line-up of Suzanne Brooke, Helen Beck, Rebecca Sheppard and Nicola Steel.

Suzie ran the Harriers’ fastest leg of the race and got the team off to a fantastic start on leg one against tough opposition, coming in fifth.

They then picked off the positions, leaving Nicky with the toughest task as she battled to hold the third place position with only seconds between her and the fourth position runner.

However, in the end she could not quite hold on and the Harriers had to settle for a strong fourth place.

In the road races for the younger age groups, Libby Cree and Rosie Thistlewood had an excellent one-two in the U13 girls’ race, while Jessica Watson was second in the U15 girls’ race.

Picture Gallery: Athletics clubs travel to Wakefield for Yorkshire Road Relays

Harriers runner Keith Brindle, meanwhile, took part in the Boston Marathon, in Lincolnshire, and became the first known member of Wakefield Harriers to complete a marathon at the age of 70.

Way back in 1983 Keith ran a two hours, 46 minutes marathon, but long term injuries have held him back in recent years.

However, he was able to put in enough training to complete his latest marathon in four hours, 17 minutes and 18 seconds, which is not only an inaugural M70 marathon club record, but also a new M65 marathon club record, as he was well inside the previously listed M65 best, held by Brian Cooper.

The West Yorkshire Track & Field League got off to a good start, with the first meeting at Cleckheaton producing no fewer than three new league records.

One of those was achieved by Wakefield Harrier Lily Keeler in the U11 girls’ shot, with an excellent performance, throwing a new U11 girls shot club record of 7.47m. This easily bettered the previous record of 6.96m, set by Molly Dunbavin in 2009.

There was another good shot performance with Lucy Holmes throwing 11.26m in the senior women’s shot, which is a Grade 2 performance.

There was a good turnout of younger members of the Harriers and as a result the Wakefield club have taken an early lead in the league standings.