21 September 2015

IAAF Combined Events Challenge, Talence, France, 19-20 September

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (coach: Mike Holmes) suffered with injury setbacks in the final IAAF Combined Events Challenge meeting of the year, the annual Decastar event at Talence on the outskirts of Bordeaux. The European indoor pentathlon champion travelled to France with the aim of securing  the Olympic heptathlon qualifying standard of 6200 points but suffered from a torn adductor muscle which saw her withdraw before the 800m.

Johnson-Thompson overcame the frustration of a missed connection in Amsterdam and a 13-hour trip to France to post a leading score on the opening day. The Liverpool Harrier made a steady start, clocking 13.46 (+0.6) in the 100m hurdles and clearing 1.87m in the high jump, before drifting from first to fourth in the overall standings with 12.07m in the shot put.

She finished day one in style, winning the 200m in 23.17 (+1.1) to take the lead with 3851 points, 23 more than Nadine Visser, who was cheered on from the grass terrace by her Dutch compatriot and training partner, the newly crowned world 200m champion Dafne Schippers. 

It was clear in the opening event of day two, though, that Johnson-Thompson was struggling. Suffering from a torn adductor muscle, she managed just one valid effort in the long jump, a second round 6.17m (-1.4), then attempted just a single throw in the javelin, managing 29.15m off a short run up. At that stage, with 5214 points on the board, she made the decision to bow out, missing the final event, the 800m.

“This is meant to be a relaxed, joyful heptathlon, where I just go through the stages,” Johnson-Thompson tweeted. “Still find it impossible not to give myself a hard time.”

Her six-event tally was still good enough to earn joint seventh place. Hungary’s Gyorgyi Zsivoczky-Farkas won with 6303 points, ahead of Ukrainian Anastasia Mokhnyuk (6269) and Visser (6257). South Africa’s Willem Coertzen, who competed for Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers during a spell based in Britain, won the decathlon with 8157 points.

http://www.ademdecastar.fr/index.php/fr/2015/resultats-en-direct-du-heptathlon-2015

Worcester City 10k, Worcester, 20 September

European 10,000m champion Jo Pavey (Gavin Pavey) celebrated her 42nd birthday with a victory in the women’s section of the Worcester City 10k road race. The Exeter Harrier clocked 33:31, beating Kenya’s Hilda Cheboi by eight seconds and finishing seventh overall.  Worcester’s Jennifer Nesbitt (David Walker) was third in 33:43. It was the second race in Pavey’s autumn road racing schedule as she looks to build the foundations towards a challenge for what would be a fifth Olympic appearance next year.  The mother of two decided to miss the main part of the track season after finishing seventh in the European Cup 10,000m race in Chia, Italy, in early June. Last weekend she finished fifth in the two miles in the Great North CityGames on Tyneside and next month she intends to contest both the Great Scottish Run half marathon and the Great South Run ten mile race. 

Kenyans Victor Boit (28:41) and Jonah Chesum (31:02) filled the first two places in the men’s race. They were followed home by Leamington’s Andrew Savery who was third in 32:23, and Shaftesbury’s 43-year-old former Olympian Anthony Whiteman, fourth in 32:30.

http://www.chiptiming.co.uk/results/?sport=1&year=2015&event=509&race=3365

Northern 6 and 4 stage road relays, Blackpool, 19 September

Derby AC led from virtually start to finish to take the men’s six stage title at Blackpool’s Stanley Park. They slipped to second on the penultimate leg but Richard Weir anchored them to victory in 2:01:24. Liverpool Harriers held on for second place in 2:02:05, with Morpeth third in 2:02:06. Derby’s victorious sextet comprised Ben Connor (20:15), Alex Pilcher (20:23), Daniel Haymes (20:43), Joshua Bull (20:11), Luke Gunn (20:24) and Weir (19:52). Liverpool’s Daniel Cliffe clocked the fastest individual leg of the day, 19:28, followed by Andrew Heyes of Hallamshire (19:32) and Morpeth veteran Ian Hudspith 19:38.

Victory in the women’s four stage event went to Lincoln Wellington in 1:13:18. Their quartet was Natalie Burns (18:16), Abbie Donnelly (18:17), Rebekah Ward (18:58) and Sophie Cowper (17:47). Kendal’s Rebecca Robinson recorded the fastest leg, 17:06, followed by Lauren Howarth of Leigh (17:14) and Sale’s Jenna Hill (17:34).

http://www.northernathletics.org.uk

South of England 6 and 4 stage road relays, Rushmore Arena, Aldershot – 19-20 September

Highgate Harriers were the victorious senior men’s team in Aldershot, winning by over a minute ahead of Belgrave Harriers A team and Aldershot Farnham and District A. Highgate moved into first place on the third leg and never looked back, recording an overall time of 1:50.14. The team comprised of Robel Behelbi (18:27), Chris Rainsford (18:36), Danny Russell (18:26), Andy Maud (17:57), Audun Nordtveit (18:16) and Shaun Dixon (18:32). The fastest man overall was Phil Wicks (17:45) representing Belgrave with Jonathan Davies second quickest (17:55) for Reading AC. 

Cambridge and Coleridge won the women’s race with the team consisting of Georgina Schweining (13:08), Claire Wilson (13:18), Katy Hedgethorne (13:52) and Charlie Christensen (13:33). They pipped Bedford & County AC and AFD A team to the team gold in a time of 53:51. Amy Clements from Kent AC set the fastest leg of the day just four seconds ahead of Luton’s Rosie Keane in 12:54. 

http://www.afd.org.uk/2015-results/  

English Schools’ Combined Events and Walks Championships, Bedford 19-20 September

Kingston and Poly’s Pippa Earley (John Shepherd) was just 0.01 shy of the UK best for the 75m hurdles, clocking 10.86 (+0.2) in the opening event, en route to victory in the junior girls’ pentathlon. The 15-year-old scored 3462 points overall, following up with 10.07m in the shot, 1.42m in the high jump, 5.71m in the long jump and 2:20.67 in the 800m. 

North Devon’s Isabel Wakefield won the intermediate heptathlon with 4929 points. Her individual marks were: 80m hurdles,11.36 (+1.3); high jump, 1.59m;  shot, 9.36m;  200m, 26.86 (+1.0); long jump, 5.49m (+0.9); javelin, 37.73m; 800m, 2:28.20.

Coventry’s Annabelle Pask (Paul Harrison) won the senior girls’ heptathlon by 116 points with a tally of 4918. Training partners Katie Garland (Julia Machin) and Beth Crocker (Julia Machin) from Sussex took silver and bronze with 4802 and 4778 points respectively.  Park’s individual performances were: 100m hurdles, 14.70 (+0.4), high jump, 1.65m; shot, 10.45m; 200m, 26.35 (+0.8); long jump, 5.46m (+0.8); javelin, 32.67m; 800m, 2:32.09.

Lewis Church (David Hull) won the senior decathlon with 7056 points – from Harry Lord (Christopher Bertram), second with 6583, and Will Markllew (Norma Harris), third with 6525. Church’s marks were: 100m, 11.75 (-0.9); long jump 6.88m (+0.7); high jump, 1.97m; 400m, 51.89; 110m hurdles, 15.05 (+1.7); discus, 40.74m; pole vault, 4.10m; javelin, 44.95m; 1500m, 4:36.47.

Kristian Brown (Jim Everard) won the intermediate octathlon, scoring 5494 points. His marks were: long jump, 6.20m (-0.1); discus, 40.61; javelin 60.75m; 400m, 51.93; 100m hurdles, 13.98 (+0.9); high jump 1.73m; shot 17.95m; 1500m, 4:41.02.

Cumbria’s Joe Connelly (John Birkett) took the junior boys’ pentathlon with 3260 points. His marks were: 80m hurdles, 11.04 (-0.2); shot, 13.82m; long jump, 6.20m (+1.9); high jump, 1.76m; 800m, 2:16.18.

Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake) led a clean sweep of Kent athletes in the senior boys’ 5km walk, clocking 20:37.54. The Medway and Maidstone walker was followed home by Guy Thomas (Peter William Selby), second in 21:39.65, and Luc Legon (Noel Carmody), third in 23:29.13. Chris Snook (Verity Snook) won the inter boys’ 5km in 22:33.80, with Ben Allen taking the junior 3km in 15:38.73.

British senior indoor 3km champion Emma Achurch (Steve Arnold) won the senior girls’ 5km in 25:53.66, with Heather Butcher (Carmody) second in 27:28.37 and Rebecca Greatbatch third in 30:25.95. The inter 3km went to Sophie Lewis-Ward in 15:30.75 and the junior girls’ 3km to Pagen Spooner in 16:01.80.

http://www.esaa.net/v2/2015/ce/ce15intro.php

Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, 18 September

Zak Seddon and Georgia Peel (Josh Seitz) made it at British double as the cross country season got underway in the USA. Seddon was joined in the top ten by Jack Goodwin (Simon Goodwin) (4^th) and Toby Loveridge (John Bradshaw) (7^th) in the men’s race.

http://www.hokiesports.com/cc/recaps/20150918aaa.html

*Still awaiting results from the Midland 6 & 4 stage road relays. These will be updated shortly.