Katie Eckersley, Scott Whittle and Will Green all produced winning performances and personal best times in the Northern Knockout Cup last weekend. With all eyes on next weekend's British League Plate Final, and then the Northern League Divsion One Promotion Match, Harriers chose not to send a full team to this event, concentrating on individuals who wanted to sharpen up for the events to come.
Eckersley was in fine form, dominating the 400m in a lifetime best 58.4 seconds, and adding 2nd in the 200m in 26.9 and 3rd in the 100m in 13.4seconds. Green also posted a narrow victory in a hand-timed best of 11.1 seconds, just a day after stopping the clock at 11.02 in the Loughboriugh LEAP invitaional meeting. With a 11.09 clocking already to his name this season it seems only a matter of time until the 19 year-old breaks the 11 second barrier.
Team Manager Whittle won the 400m hurdles with ease, taking another few tenths off his best time, which now stands at 58.9 seconds.
Most surprising win of the day came from steeplechaser Ian Bowles. His easy victory in his specialist event was to be expected, but less so was his win in the Long Jump, competing a most unlikely double. Bowles leapt to 6.20 metres, ranking him 2nd in the club this season.
Meanwhile the men's team for the PLate Final in Bedford this weekend has been boosted by the inclusion of middle distance star Tom Lancashire in both the 800m and 1500m, fresh from his 1 minute 48.1 800m win at Stretford last weekend. The event has a new format this year, with 10 events taking place in the space of 100 minutes. Despite the absence of hurdler Tom Hope and Ian Bowles, the small squad contains plenty of quality and seems sure to challenge ro regain the trophy won on the club's last appearance in the final in 2001.