The Hat-trick – BRAT seniors achieve the threepeat!
After the closest of campaigns, the BRAT senior team have been crowned the MCAA Senior League Champions for the third year on the trot. The final day victory, beating Burton by just 20 points put us top of the table after five fiercely contested meetings throughout the season. Having finished a distant second to Burton back in May we knew we were in for a battle this season. Victories in the technical match in June and another top spot over in Rugby in July had given us a half point lead. However, by the time we travelled down to Bristol in early August the holiday season had kicked in and we were somewhat fortunate to finish just one place behind Burton. With Burton now leading the table by half a point, the last meeting at the University on Sunday 30th August was essentially a ‘winner takes all’ affair. BRAT trailled…
Two Leagues. Two Titles. One Absolutely Bonkers Season For the BRAT Junior Team!
At the start of the season, our goals were fairly straightforward: gain promotion to the Premier League and retain our place in the Heart of England League. Simple enough, right? Apparently, nobody told the team to keep expectations realistic. Instead of just meeting our targets, we went completely overboard and won both leagues! Not bad for a season that started with us just trying to stay where we were! After months of travelling, endless spreadsheets, team selections, chasing athletes, and wondering what day of the week it is, it is safe to say it was all worth it—and yes, the team manager’s wife still remembers what he looks like! From “Let’s Get Promoted” to “We’ve Won Both!” Week after week, this team kept improving. Athletes stepped up, performances peaked, records fell, and everyone started to believe. We didn’t just turn up to competitions; we turned up ready to compete. Behind…
YDL MATCH 1 – WHAT A STATEMENT FROM TEAM BRAT!
In our very first season competing in the Youth Development League, BRAT made an unbelievable statement by winning Match 1 with an incredible 579 points — finishing well clear at the top of the table! This was more than just a win. It showed the strength, depth, teamwork, and future of BRAT athletics. Across every age group, our athletes delivered outstanding performances on the track and in the field, with athletes stepping up in both scoring and non-scoring events to contribute valuable points for the club. Some standout performances included: Dominic Francis-Gordon dominating the U16 Boys sprints, winning both the 100m (11.50) and 200m (23.20). Adrian Demanya produced one of the top performances of the entire match, winning the U14 Boys Shot with 11.87m, alongside victories in Discus and Hammer. Charlie Keenan won the U14 Boys Javelin with a huge 30.02m throw. Darcy McDaid impressed across multiple events, winning the…
BRAT Squad Tackles the Wombourne Sprint Triathlon 🏊♂️🚴♂️🏃♂️
While we are usually found training across Birmingham, this past Sunday a group of BRAT athletes headed over to the lanes of South Staffordshire for the Black Country Triathletes’ Wombourne Sprint Triathlon. 🔴⚫️ The event is a local favourite for its challenging “pool-to-trail” format: a 400m swim, a 20km undulating bike leg, and a 5km off-road run. 🌲 The Star Performance: Emily Jones 🥈🌟 The performance of the day came from Emily Jones, who has only recently taken up triathlon. Her massive improvements in the pool and on the bike were on full display as she stormed to a 2nd place overall finish in the Women’s race (20th overall in the entire field). Emily stopped the clock at 01:05:45, showing incredible composure for someone so new to the sport. We are sure there is plenty more to come! 🥈🚀 A Race Against the Clock ⏱️ Because of the staggered start…
English Schools Cross Country Championships 2026 – Sefton Park
The English Schools Cross Country Championships is widely regarded as the most prestigious schools race in the cross country calendar, with all athletes required to qualify through their county championships to earn a place on the start line. The event has a proud history of showcasing future stars, with Olympic champions such as Keely Hodgkinson, who finished 3rd as a student, and Mo Farah, a former winner, both having competed in this elite competition. On Saturday 14th March, athletes travelled to Sefton Park for the English Schools Cross Country Championships. With glorious weather and a firm course underfoot, aside from a few wet patches, conditions were ideal for fast running against the very best athletes in England. There was strong representation, with athletes competing for West Midlands Schools. Our sole female athlete, Amira E, produced a solid performance in the Intermediate Girls race, finishing 278th in 16:07. In the Junior…
Match 3 Report: BRAT Athletes Surge into Podium Contention at Newbold Revell 🚀
Date: 7th December 2025 Location: Newbold Revell (Hosted by Rugby & Northampton AC) The BRAT squad arrived at Newbold Revell yesterday determined to make a mark as we crossed the halfway point of the West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League. On a true cross-country course hosted by Rugby & Northampton AC, our young athletes delivered exceptional performances, cementing the club’s position as a serious contender for the league podium. With three races down and two to go, BRAT sits in a fantastic 3rd position in the Overall League Standings with 16,424 points 🥉 after our FIRST EVER 2nd PLACE FINISH! We have successfully leapfrogged fierce local rivals Birchfield Harriers and are now firmly chasing the top two spots. It was a day defined not just by raw speed, but by intelligent pack running, impressive debuts, and remarkable individual progress. Here are the highlights from a brilliant day of racing…
Golden Jubilee of Service: Gordon Ainsley Wins Prestigious Award for 50 Years in Athletics
This year, Gordon Ainsley celebrates an incredible milestone: 50 years of volunteering in athletics. And in fitting tribute to his half-century of dedication, this extraordinary individual has been recognized with the very award for which he was nominated, cementing his place as one of the sport’s most impactful volunteers. A Passion Turned Lifelong Vocation Gordon’s journey began in the 1960s as a competitive athlete, specializing in the 400m hurdles at Chelmsford AC. Following a back injury, he transitioned his passion into coaching after moving to Birmingham in 1970. This marked the start of a deep commitment that would see him become a significant figure through several club evolutions—from Warley AC to Borough of Sandwell AC, then Birmingham Rowheath AC, and finally to the formation of the Birmingham Running, Athletics & Triathlon (BRAT) club in 2010. Gordon was instrumental in each merger, ensuring the club always focused on serving both the…
HEART OF ENGLAND: SEASON WRAP-UP – WE CAME, WE SAW, WE WON (A LOT)
A couple of months ago, Colin asked if I’d take over the Heart of England team. I looked him in the eye, smiled politely, and thought:“These are some very big shoes to fill… but hey, why not jump straight in and see what happens?” Fast-forward to comp season: fixture clashes everywhere, athletes flying off to senior events, U15s and U17s disappearing to represent West Midlands Schools at the Mason Trophy, others vanishing for exams (how dare they prioritise education?), and the final meeting landing right in the middle of holiday season. Perfect timing! Was I panicking?Absolutely not (okay, maybe a little). But I looked at our talent pool, counted heads, and realised: we’re still in great shape. We filled every event. Everyone held their own. And some stars even stepped up an age group to compete in the age above, special shout-outs to Gabriella Blake and Amerai White, total legends.…
BRAT Round-up (WC 2nd June 2025)
Sandeep didn’t include himself in his weekly roundup, so i’ll include him. Attempting the Bolton 70.3 on Sunday, he managed to take an amazing 1 hour and 10 minutes off his previous best! He is simultaneously vowing never to do another one whilst scoping out future races, so I all think we know which way this is going! Well done Sandeep, a great performance, one to be proud of 👏👏👏 Super BRAT Leonie Goodwin finished in an awesome 5th in age group at the Eastbourne Triathlon. Tough swim with a windy and very hilly bike. Well done you. Super BRAT Jez smashed his way through Blenheim Triathlon. Well done Sir. Now how would you fancy running 56 miles in the blazing sun with 4000 feet of elevation??? Well take a bow Super BRAT Dan Robinson and Super BRAT Naomi Mitchell they did this at the weekend. What a monumental achievement…
BRAT Round-up (WC 26th May 2025)
So its another sunny week and well done to all BRAT’s at the B’ham Uni track event last Wednesday. Some PB’s and much improvement was seen by all. Really pleased to see the training paying off during race season. Please can I request you to fill in the below form so we can shout about all the BRAT’s and your magnificent achievements. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeu1afWfAugDKe908HTPe11nk-J-5sCnHrF3PFL43rFpITBSA/viewform Many of you are completing long rides and runs at the weekends and the nice weather is really helping. Bittell on Thursday evenings is now attracting approx 20 swimmers per week! Please support the session as we always need volunteers to support. This session is now open to members £6 and also non-BRAT members at £8 per session. Link is below https://clubspark.net/BirminghamRunningAthleticsTriathlonClub/Coaching/Summary/e8bb4836-8cc4-49cd-a0fa-33ae9e4bb60f Sunday morning BRAT rides: BRAT Coach Simon Pearson wrote…. After a delayed start, due to a technical fault with the ride leaders alarm clock, six…
Heart of England League – Results are in!
Huge thanks to everyone for your amazing effort! Special mentions: Matty, Alba & Robert – GCSEs + 2 days competing 👏 Amerai & Gabrielle – U15 girls stepping up to U17 with brilliant performances! Club records broken today:Muayyad – 300m (U15 boys)Jaya – High Jump (U13 girls)Austin – Equalled U15 boys High JumpAlisia – Equalled U15 girls 75m HurdlesU15 Girls Relay – smashed the old record by ~3 seconds! 🔥Hope I haven’t missed anyone!Massive shout-out to all the officials who put in a shift 💪And a big thank you to all the parents for bringing the kids and making it such a great day. 📅 Next match: 22nd June in Banbury – please save the date! Overall, an amazing performance from everyone. Wish me luck picking the next team with such a talented squad! 😅🙌 Results are here: https://hofe-league.org.uk/results-division-1/
BRAT Round-up (WC 12th May 2025)
Well, Super BRAT Claire Keene, 1st Place Roadford Lake Tri! Super BRAT’s John McKeon (5:19:34) and Leonie Goodwin (5:31:18) and Super BRAT Abbie Saker comes 7th 4:46:53………Wow you guys excelled at Outlaw Half yesterday….Amazing BRAT performance Super BRAT’s Paul Cannon and Helen Pike raced at 51 Fiver Triathlon. Helen finished 4th in Age group (2:52:41) It wouldn’t be a BRAT week without Ron Cattle competing Veterans Athletic Club 5 mile champs Battersea Park. 34:55 And Super BRAT Mark Ince setting another V50 record this weekend…..He did!!! James c Colclough M45 200m, Simon Pearce M40 PV, Karen Bailey W40 DT, Louise Robinson SW 400H, Alba Smith Pena 2000m S/C and Jenny Scott W35 HJ. What a BRAT team we have. Super BRAT Joseph Tuffin 2nd in the 3000m Loughborough International. Oh and what a day we had at Banbury Triathlon yesterday. BRAT Cleaned up the awards with the announcers stating…….”BRAT seem…