Following on from Colchester Harriers’ recent record-breaking haul of medals and runners at the Essex Road Relays, success has again been forthcoming elsewhere, highlighted by the performance of race walker Dominic King.

The impressive King, a twice Olympian race walker, continued his superb form with his second fastest 50km walk, and the fifth fastest-ever in the UK all-time rankings.

King’s time of 3hrs 56mins 35secs, achieved at the Dudinska race in Slovakia, gave him the qualifying time for the World Championships, to be staged in Doha later this year. His PB is 3:55:48, set in Germany in 2016.

King went through the half-marathon mark in 1:38 and reached the marathon distance (26.2 miles) in 3:17, a truly superb effort.

He has twice represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, in the 50K race, at London 2012 and Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Meanwhile, fellow Harriers fielded a 12-stage road relay team at the South of England Road Relay Championships, held at Milton Keynes.

And for the first time in many years, the Harrierds had a six-stage ladies’ team at the same event.

Although missing some elite men and ladies, due to Colchester Half-Marathon, both teams still did very well against top class opposition – the Harriers’ ladies were 19th and the men were 31st.

The Harriers’ ladies’ squad comprised Sarah Stradling, Aiko Hennington, Becky Cooke, Stacey Eyres,Heidi Steele, and Denise Morley.

And the Harriers’ men’s team was made up of Edward Mitchell, Paul Rodgers, Adrian Mussett, Doug McGillvray, Nath Filer, Colin Ridley, Dean Williamson, Tom Cresswell, Chris Sellens, Jon Nears, James Wright, and Cameron Humphries.

Both teams finished second Essex teams, with Woodford Green & Essex Ladies narrowly beating the Harriers ladies by one place, not helped by the fact that Stradling was sent on the wrong route.

The men were pleased with finishing only four places behind Woodford’s male squad.

Meanwhile, Allen Smalls took on the 33-mile Lulworth Cove Challenge in Dorset, where he finished in third spot. This off-road event boasts a total of 6,600 feet of climbing. Fay Smalls completed the half-marathon event at the same venue.