Individual National Championships
Quemerford Stay On Top As Easton Lights Up Fred Bell Stadium
(Wednesday 10th June 2026)
The Season 106 Great Britain Individual National Championships delivered a superb night of athletics at Fred Bell Stadium, with sunny conditions, personal bests, seasonal bests and one national record giving the championship a fitting sense of occasion.
By the end of the evening, Quemerford Harriers had once again proved the standard bearers of British championship athletics. They topped the medal table with 15 gold, 13 silver and 8 bronze medals, finishing ahead of Iron Road Runners, who claimed second with 12 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze, while Bumble Bees AC secured third with 5 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze.
The top three were the same as last season, but the story beneath them shifted. Weymouth Bay Sharks climbed strongly into fourth with 5 golds and 19 medals overall, while Hacksaws also enjoyed a much improved championship, collecting 5 golds and 20 medals. Yet the main headline remained familiar: Quemerford still had the depth, quality and finishing power to rule the national stage.
Easton Produces The Performance Of The Championships
The performance of the night came from Spencer Easton of Bumble Bees AC, whose magnificent 3:44.47 personal best in the men’s 1500m was the standout individual display of the championships.
Easton’s run had everything: controlled pacing, strength through the middle of the race and a finish that confirmed his place among Britain’s elite middle-distance athletes. In a championship packed with outstanding marks, his 1500m victory was the one that rose above the rest.
The women’s 1500m was also one of the night’s best races, with Sarah Roxburgh of Quemerford Harriers taking gold in 4:07.57, a seasonal best that added another important title to Quemerford’s winning total.
Quemerford Quartet Break National Record
The night’s national record came in the men’s 4x100m relay, where Quemerford Harriers stormed to victory in 45.05.
The record-breaking team was:
Sean Grieveson, Ben Welsh, William Ellis and Darren Wooderson.
It was a perfect example of Quemerford’s championship strength. Grieveson had already won the men’s 400m in 48.85, a personal best, while Wooderson produced one of the finest performances of the night to win the men’s 110m hurdles in 16.26, a seasonal best. Together with Welsh and Ellis, they then delivered the fastest 4x100m relay in national history.
The women’s 4x100m title went to Hacksaws, who ran 49.81, while Weymouth Bay Sharks won the men’s 4x400m in 3:32.24. Quemerford added another relay gold in the women’s 4x400m, taking the title in 3:49.33.
Sprint And Hurdle Titles Shared Across The Leading Clubs
The sprint programme opened with Joe Canning of Iron Road Runners winning the men’s 100m in 10.98, a personal best that gave Iron Road Runners an early championship highlight. The women’s 100m went to Matilda Easton of Quemerford Harriers, who also produced a personal best, clocking 12.11.
In the 200m, David Livingstone of Hacksaws struck gold in the men’s race with 22.14, another personal best, while Kara Sanderson of Weymouth Bay Sharks won the women’s title in 23.99, also a personal best.
Quemerford then asserted themselves strongly in the 400m. Sean Grieveson won the men’s title in 48.85, before Amy Herriot completed the quarter-mile double for the club by taking the women’s race in 55.20, a personal best.
The hurdles produced one of the evening’s strongest sections. Darren Wooderson won the men’s 110m hurdles in 16.26, Kayla Leggat of Iron Road Runners claimed the women’s 100m hurdles in 17.08, Noah Roddie of Caledonian won the men’s 400m hurdles in 57.60, and Evie Gardiner of Bumble Bees AC took the women’s 400m hurdles in 1:04.48.
Middle Distance Brings Big Moments
The middle-distance events were led by Easton’s 1500m, but there was quality throughout.
Jake Low of Hacksaws won the men’s 800m in 1:57.86, a personal best, holding off a strong field that included Craig East of Iron Road Runners, who also ran a personal best in second. The women’s 800m was won by Amy Bradshaw of Quemerford Harriers in 2:11.01, giving Quemerford another valuable gold.
Easton’s 1500m victory in 3:44.47 was the headline act, while Roxburgh’s 4:07.57 in the women’s race reinforced Quemerford’s quality beyond the sprints and relays.
In the steeplechase, Luke McDaid of SG Endschuetz won the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 11:41.08, while Ellen Agyepong of Weymouth Bay Sharks took the women’s title in 13:48.80, a seasonal best.
Distance And Road Events Add Further Drama
The longer track events continued the high standard.
Adam Innes of Quemerford Harriers won the men’s 5000m in 14:02.73, a seasonal best, while clubmate Mia McLeish took the women’s 5000m in 15:44.55, also a seasonal best.
The 10,000m titles went to Kyle McDougall of Hacksaws, who won the men’s race in 31:02.44, and Kate Severin of Weymouth Bay Sharks, who claimed the women’s race in 34:51.83, a seasonal best.
Iron Road Runners then stamped their authority on the marathon. Graeme MacLean won the men’s race in 2h:15:58.49, while Ashleigh Donald took the women’s title in 2h:27:34.05, a personal best that added another major endurance success to Iron Road Runners’ championship.
Walkers Deliver Some Of The Night’s Best Performances
The race walks were one of the strongest areas of the championships.
Logan McPherson of Quemerford Harriers won the men’s 10km walk in 49:52.12, while Sophia Shepherd of TuS Erbse claimed the women’s 10km walk in 55:34.06.
In the 20km events, Joseph Cunningham of Hacksaws produced a personal best of 1h:34:11.54 to win the men’s title, while Tilly McWilliam of Bumble Bees AC took the women’s race in 1h:44:59.74, a seasonal best.
The 50km walks brought two major titles for Iron Road Runners. Jamie McGeechan won the men’s event in 3h:51:09.31, a seasonal best, and Madeleine Davidson won the women’s race in 4h:14:34.94, a personal best.
Field Events Highlight Quemerford Depth
The jumps and throws added plenty of variety to the medal race.
Ashley Ross of Quemerford Harriers was one of the standout field-event athletes, winning the men’s high jump with 1.97m and the men’s pole vault with 5.67m, both seasonal bests.
The women’s high jump went to Melissa Wood of Pineapple AC with 1.75m, while Zara Wayman of Weymouth Bay Sharks won the women’s pole vault with a personal best of 4.10m.
In the long jump, Peter McConnell of nonno bandi track & field won the men’s title with 7.31m, and Rebecca Lewis, from the same club, took the women’s gold with 5.99m. Both were personal bests.
David Soane of Bumble Bees AC secured gold in the men’s triple jump with 14.31m, while Georgina Busby of Iron Road Runners won the women’s triple jump with a personal best of 11.17m.
Gilbride, Hillcoat And Haddock Lead The Throws
The throws produced several commanding victories.
Daniel Gilbride of Quemerford Harriers won the men’s shot put with a seasonal best of 21.94m, another gold in Quemerford’s outstanding evening.
The women’s shot put went to Isla Haddock of Angers club, who threw 20.98m, and Haddock later completed an impressive throws double by winning the women’s javelin with 56.16m.
Aiden Hillcoat of Iron Road Runners was another double champion, winning the men’s discus with a personal best of 70.96m and the men’s hammer with another personal best of 68.01m.
The women’s discus was won by Abigail Darling of Quemerford Harriers with a seasonal best of 69.57m, while Megan Sweeney of Bumble Bees AC took the women’s hammer with a personal best of 61.34m.
The men’s javelin title went to Murray Tierney of Iron Road Runners, who threw a personal best of 74.63m.
McAuliffe Completes Combined Events Double
The combined events produced one of the best all-round achievements of the championships.
Kai McAuliffe of Iron Road Runners won the men’s pentathlon with 4,642 points and then added the decathlon title with 9,458 points, completing a superb championship double.
The women’s pentathlon went to Zoe McClair of LG Potsdam with 4,621 points, while Ellie McColl of Caledonian won the heptathlon with 6,553 points.
These were not just victories; they were displays of stamina, versatility and technical skill across multiple disciplines.
Quemerford Still The Team To Beat
When the final medals were counted, Quemerford Harriers had once again shown why they remain the leading force in British championship athletics. Their gold medals came from across the programme: sprints, hurdles, middle distance, distance, walks, field events and relays.
Iron Road Runners were excellent in second, with strength in the sprints, marathon, walks, throws and combined events. Bumble Bees AC completed the top three thanks to a mixture of headline quality and important victories, led by Easton’s brilliant 1500m, Soane’s triple jump, Sweeney’s hammer, McWilliam’s 20km walk and Gardiner’s 400m hurdles.
Weymouth Bay Sharks and Hacksaws also made major statements, both finishing with five gold medals and showing that the battle behind the established top three is becoming increasingly competitive.
But this was Quemerford’s night at the top, Easton’s night as the outstanding individual performer, and a championship remembered for a national record relay delivered by Sean Grieveson, Ben Welsh, William Ellis and Darren Wooderson.
Under sunny skies at Fred Bell Stadium, the Season 106 Great Britain Individual National Championships gave The Daily Pole Vault readers exactly what they came for: medals, records, personal bests, seasonal bests and a reminder that British athletics remains as competitive as ever.
By Justin Lane