WITH a team much weakened due to illness and injuries, Bolton United Harriers senior men started their season and first year in the National League with a fine fourth place out of eight at Liverpool.

Performance of the day was their U20 3000m steeplechase star, Ian Bowles, who demolished the opposition and his personal best.

With a winning time of 9.22.6 he was over 20 seconds faster than he has ever run. Even more staggering is that only 30 minutes earlier he had won the B 400m hurdles in 57.1secs which was faster than half the field in the A race.

Bolton had only one other race winner in the form of Matt Lockett who won the 5000m B event in a time of 15.39.4. The remaining members of the team each put in solid performances in their individual events, scored the majority of the team points.

Team spirit was as usual very evident and will go a long way to making the difference between a team that struggles and a team that succeeds. With three more meetings to go, Bolton is still well placed to make a run for promotion for the second year running. The results at the next match in July will be decisive in determining if this is a possibility or just a dream.

Bolton's junior girls youth team opened their season's account with a fine second place in their Northern League match at Pendle.

The club's outstanding points winner was county 3000m champion Katie Smith, with a double win in the Under17s. She took the A 1500m in 5.27 and the B 800 in 2.44. Sprinter Katie Eckersley was twice runner up in the 200m and 300m, and Clare O'Keefe won the B 100m.

In the Under 13s Naomi Hall was again a winner, with 8.03m in the shot, while Holly Peatfield snatched a double win in the B string sprints and Sian Pledger was 2nd in both the long and high jumps.

In the Under 15s Elizabeth Holt continued her fine form as runner-up in both the A 1500m and B long jump.