WITH the ending of the second period of lockdown Bury Athletic Club has commenced operating again.

The Tier 3 restrictions limit the number of athletes who can train together at any one time and the club, through its Covid officer, is ensuring that the guidance issued by England Athletics is adhered to so the track continues to operate a Covid-secure environment for club members.

Although group training has not been possible over the last month the coaches have continued to set sessions for athletes to be carried out remotely and in observance of the lockdown conditions.

There have also not been any competitions during the lockdown but the men’s team captain Byron Edwards has used his ingenuity to arrange a senior 5k time trial that will count towards the club Grand Prix competition.

Members needed to post a time for 5k using GPS equipment and on a course that met certain criteria. A total of 16 members took part.

Fastest of the men was Luke Harreld who posted a very impressive time of 16.19. Edwards was second in 16.26 with Jack Griffiths in third with 16.59.

The other male participants were Callum Gaunt (17.57); Dominic Nabb (18.12); Paul Johnston (19.08); Danny Potts (19.09); Curtis Simpson (19.10); Rick Anderson (20.06); Mark Granby (20.08); Colin Smith (21.55); David Flood (23.45) and Roger Morley (23.50).

Sarah Thomas was the fastest for the women in a nippy 18.38, followed by Susan Wheeldon-Gorst (23.06) and Lizzi Cheshire (23.36).

A number of Bury athletes competed in the Trafford Open at Stretford on Saturday. Luke Harreld took third in the senior 3,000m in a PB of 9.17.41, with Andy Mellor in fifth in 9.31.56.

Bury’s youngsters put in some brilliant performances with plenty of new personal bests. In the 75m Evie Elliot won her U13s race in 11.21 with Oliver Cooper just behind in 12.00. Faye Gribben took third in her race with 11.98.

In the U15s 100m, Devonne Samuels posted a new best of 14.75 to take third in her heat. Anna Gisbourne clocked 13.52 to take fourth in her race.

Faye set a new best of 23.53 in the U13s 150m event to take third with Evie also third in her heat in 22.16. Anna took second in her 200m race in 26.98.

In the 300m U17s, Connie Potts set a season’s best of 48.94 to take third ahead of U15s Corrine Newton in fourth (51.07).

In the U15s 800m there was a brilliant one-two for Bury with Polly Fordham winning in 2.47.83 from Corrine (2.48.06), both lifetime bests.

U20 Charlotte Speakman-Farnworth took sixth in her 800m in 2.40.91 with U13s Faye in seventh in a new best of 2.52.36. Evie set another best in wining her 75m hurdles in 13.64.

In the field events, Oliver set a new best of 3.86 in the long jump. Coach Alison Dale threw a PB in the shot (6.50) and Connie set a new lifetime best of 8.20 in the event. She then went on to produce a season’s best of 33.40 to win the hammer event. Oliver won the javelin in a new best of 17.92.

Josh Birmingham ran a brilliant 32.03 to take third in the Tatton Park 10k, just two seconds off his PB. Dominic Nabb took 17th in a best of 36.34 with Sarah Thomas running brilliantly to record 37.56 to give her second women prize, frustratingly in the same time as the winner. Curtis Simpson took 51st in 40.13.

There was another Bury one-two on Sunday in the Oulton Park 10k. Byron Edwards ran out as convincing winner of the race in 33.19; just two seconds outside his best for the distance.

Luke Harreld rounded off a great weekend by placing second in 34.28.