Matthew and Matty prove just champion

ATHLETICS STEVE DUXBURY THE Lancashire Track & Field Championships took place at Witton Park, Blackburn over the weekend and it proved successful for the small contingent of Harriers who took part, with two athletes winning gold medals and everyone achieving personal bests.

The conditions were ideal, sunny and very little wind on both days.

U17s Ryan Heneghan and Max Cunningham were in action on both days and on Saturday faced each other in the 1500 metres in which Ryan just edged out Max for sixth place in 4mins 23.7secs.

Max finished in seventh position in 4mins 24.4secs and both lads knocked sizeable chunks of time off their personal bests, so excellent performances all round.

On Saturday Callum Davidson made a rare appearance on the track in the Senior 5000 metre race in which he finished in second place, just missing out on the gold medal to Salford’s David Rigby in 15mins 13.5secs. Callum looked comfortable for most of the race but was outkicked in the final lap.

Nevertheless it was a fine performance and a very good time for the U23 year old.

U15 Isabelle Cunningham was in action on Sunday in the 800 metres and 200 metres but it was in the longer distance where the promising youngster won through to the final after finishing second in her heat.

Isabelle ran personal bests in both races and finished a creditable fifth position for the two lap race in 2mins 24.8secs.

Brothers Max and Ryan Henehgan both contested the U17 800 final and both again, ran personal best times finishing in 2mins 06.6secs in fifth place for Ryan and 2mins 07.9secs in seventh place for Max.

It was a very successful weekend for Matty Harris and Matthew Mackay who both became Lancashire champions on Sunday.

Matty Harris, having run a personal best of 1min 52.12secs the previous day at Sports City in the British Milers Club event, cruised to victory on Sunday in the Senior Men’s 800 metres final in 1min 55.7secs, a great performance.

Matty Mackay ran in only his second 3000 metre track race on Sunday and won by over two seconds from Blackburn’s promising youngster Matt Ramsden.

His first race at Stretford on 24th April was somewhat of a milestone for the U17 year old as he clocked 8mins 51.03secs to briefly top the UK rankings in his age group.

On Sunday, running on his own for most of the ●● Max Cunningham and Ryan Heneghan seven and a half laps, he finished in 8mins 56.1secs to add his track title to the county cross country title he won in January and the County Schools title in February.

Matty’s next big race will be in Lanzada, Italy in a month’s time when he will be part of the England Mountain Running team, having won the selection race in Mytholmroyd last Monday. ●● Callum Davidson