It was a historic and action-packed weekend for Ryde Harriers as athletes competed in both the London and Manchester Marathons, with Matt Sharp claiming the title of Marathon Champion of England following a remarkable performance in Manchester.
With nearly 100,000 runners taking part in the 2 major UK marathons, all eyes were on the elite fields – and Ryde Harrier Matt Sharp delivered one of the standout runs of the weekend. Racing in a field of over 36,000 athletes on the fast, flat Manchester course, Matt was in the lead group from the outset. He passed the halfway mark in 68min 20sec, with just 6 athletes remaining in contention.
By the 35km point, the lead group had been reduced to 4, and Matt made his move at the next fuelling station, pulling away to create a 50-metre gap. However, Welsh international Josh Griffiths surged late to take the overall win in 2hrs 16min 56sec. Matt crossed the line just behind in 2hrs 17min 22sec – a performance that earned him the English national title, as Griffiths was ineligible as a Welsh athlete.
Geoff Watkin has said:
“This was an outstanding run from Matt, who has very limited time to train as he works full-time as an electrician. He has so much natural ability, and has developed this from his time as an international triathlete in his younger years.
“We believe that this time is a Ryde Harriers record and Island record, based on results going back 45 years.”
In the same race, Simon Newnham, a relative newcomer to distance running, broke the 3-hour barrier with an excellent 2hrs 54min 51sec, the result of months of consistent training.
Meanwhile, in London, Chris Newnham made a stunning marathon debut. Setting out with a steady 5min 35sec mile pace, he reached the halfway point in 72min 36sec. Despite rising temperatures, Chris maintained his form and finished in an impressive 2hrs 26min 56sec – a remarkable achievement for someone new to the sport.
Other Ryde Harriers also took on the London course, with mixed results. Dave Hunt battled through a tough day to finish in 2hrs 49min 12sec, while Carly Scoble made the sensible decision to withdraw at halfway. Jacky May showed great resilience and determination to complete the race in 5hrs 56min.
The weekend marked a significant moment for Ryde Harriers, combining elite performances, personal milestones and national success across two of the UK’s most prestigious marathon events.
Fantastic performances! well done guys, doing the Island, and yourselves proud.