COLCHESTER Harriers continued their rise up the Southern Athletics League division one table with an impressive one-point victory over Blackheath and Bromley.

The Green Vests were spearheaded by man-of-the-match performances from Paul Clifford and Philippa Davenhall, on a swelteringly hot day at the Garrison track.

Clifford clinched victory in the 800 metres in one minute 58.4 seconds in his final race for Harriers, before he moves to university in Manchester.

With victory in the hammer, discus and shot putt, Davenhall led a spirited Women’s team who had various athletes away competing at national championships.

After also competing in the 400m, 1,500m and 4x400m relay, Stacey Eyers somehow found the energy to win the 800m and be part of a winning relay team.

She was supported in the relay by Savanna Harrison, Jennifer Palmer and Heather Rose, who clinched team victory with an amazing sprint finish.

There were victories for Ella Gray in the B race 100m, Maya Rattray in the B race 200m and Helen Taczynski in the B race 800m.

Personal bests (PBs) followed for Jennifer Palmer (64.4s in the 400m), Ellie Cumner (5.22.4s in the 1,500m) and Aliyah Soames (18.76m in the hammer), where she was victorious.

For the distance athletes, Lucy Mapp was second with a PB of 19.21.6s in the 5,000m.

Nicola Martell-Smith was also second with a PB of 6.08.03s in the 1,500m steeplechase.

Natasha Rice, competing in her first Senior League event, claimed PBs in the 1,500m steeplechase and 5,000m.

Callum Mckay did the double in the Men's 100m and 200m, winning the B string of both events in 11.5s and 23.1s respectively.

He followed home Jake Young, who took 200m A string victory in a brisk 22.9s, his third sub-23 clocking of the season.

In an extremely competitive 1,500m, Ermeas Afewerki just pipped Ramadan Osman to second place with a time of 4.13.5s.

Osman's time of 4.14.8s.was good enough to give him B string victory.

Max Caulfield and Michael Smith continued the good performances with PB and second-place finishes in the 3,000m and 3k steeplechase in times of 9.26.4s and 11.11.2s respectively.

In the hurdles, Robert Smith and Matthew Rose continued the Harriers dominance.

Smith won the A 400m hurdles and the B string 110m hurdles, while Rose reversed their fortunes winning the A 110m hurdles and the B string of the one- lap event.

Harriers more experienced athletes really come to the fore in the field events.

Paul Cooper won the discus and javelin while gaining new PBs in the hammer and shot putt.

Rob Earle won the hammer in a season’s best throw of 49.03m while Samuel Higgins won the B string javelin, in 45.52m.

Jack De’Ath registered 2.00m in the pole vault, after having a crash course in the event just a couple of hours before.

Harriers' final league meeting of the season is at Southampton, on August 18.