16 May 2015

The British 10,000m Championships take place this evening incorporated in the Highgate Harriers night of the 10,000m PBs. The event at Parliament Hill track also acts as the official trial race for three GB & NI teams.

The men’s race will be hotly contested with two British athletes boasting personal bests under 29 minutes in the field. Welshman Dewi Griffiths (coach: Kevin Evans) leads the entries with a best time of 28:45, closely followed by Liverpool’s Jonny Mellor (Steve Vernon) who has previously run 28:52.

20 year old Jonathan Davies (Rob McKim) will have qualification for the GB & NI under 23 team in his sights as he looks to improve on his best of 29:18 while the likes of Adam Hicky (Eamonn Martin), Ben Lindsay, Ben Tickner (Clive Thomas) and Daniel Cliffe (self-coached) will all also be competitive.

There will also be a strong international flavour with a number of athletes from across the continent set to line up in the men’s A race at 9pm. Ireland’s Mark Kenneally is the fastest  man on paper with a personal best of 28:33.

In the women’s A race the main instigators are likely to be European under 23 cross country champion Rhona Auckland (Joyce Hogg), Elinor Kirk (Tony Houchin), the fastest entrant with a best of 32:17, Commonwealth Games representative Beth Potter (Mick Woods) and her training partner Louise Small (Woods) as well as GB internationals Alyson Dixon (self-coached) of Sunderland and Susan Partridge (Phil Townsend) of Leeds.

Following an injury ravaged couple of years, Jessica Coulson (Woods) is returning to form and will look to challenge the 33 minute barrier, whilst Becky Straw (Bud Baldaro) could also be in contention on her 10,000m debut.

The Night of the 10,000m PBs will feature a DJ, quality food and drink and other unique offerings for a track and field meeting.

For more information visit http://www.highgateharriers.org.uk/hh_open10000m_2013.php