11 May 2009

Over the weekend top British athletes put their warm weather training to the test and took to the track. Competitions in Italy, Qatar and Japan resulted in a McCain Power of Ten rankings shake up and plenty of World Championships qualification marks.

Qatar Athletics Super Grand Prix, Doha, 8 May

Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva) made his second outing of the season a successful one over 100m in Doha. He clocked 10.17 (+1.1m/s) in the semi, before going on to place third in the final with 10.19 (+1.4m/s) behind winner Travis Padgett (USA) who won in 10.00 and second-placed Michael Frater (Jamaica) in 10.15.

Also making his second run-out of the year, Andy Turner (Sale Harriers) finished in third place in the 110m hurdles with 13.31 (+1.0m/s) in a race won by David Oliver (USA) who clocked 13.09. Turner now sits at the top of the McCain Power of 10 rankings and well inside the ‘A’ standard for Berlin.

Joice Maduaka (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) finished seventh in the women’s 100m in 11.43. World silver medallist Nicola Sanders (Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) was 7^th in her first 400m race of the summer, clocking 51.95 to go the top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings. The winner was Allyson Felix (USA) in 50.75. 

World Junior 1500m gold medallist Steph Twell (Aldershot, Farnham & District) finished in ninth place in the 1500m with 4:11.15 behind the winner Gelete Burka (Ethiopia). As a result Steph, who stepped up to senior level competition this year, moved to fourth in the Power of 10 rankings.

Osaka IAAF Grand Prix, 9 May

British born Nikki Hamblin (Bays Cougars) claimed victory at the Osaka Grand Prix and set a massive personal best on the way. The New Zealand-based runner, who turns 21 later this month clocked 4:10.30, which is an improvement of seven-seconds on her pre-2009 best of 4:17.01. This performance puts her in third place in the Power of 10 rankings behind the indoor performances of Susan Scott (Victoria Park City of Glasgow) and Hannah England (Oxford City).

Olympic bronze medallist Tasha Danvers (Shaftesbury Barnett Harriers) had a good run at the 2007 World Championship venue in Japan, finishing third in the 400m hurdles with a season’s best of 56.44. She recovered well from a disappointing first outing of the season at the Jamaican International Meeting last weekend with American duo Sheena Tosta (54.64) and Tiffany Williams (55.62) finishing just ahead. The performance boosted Danvers to top of the McCain Power of 10 rankings.

XXII Multistars, Desenzano del Garda, Italy, 9 May

Heptathlete Jessica Ennis (City of Sheffield) recorded a lifetime best of 6587 points, which improved her previous best by 118 points. The impressive performance puts her in contention for a medal in the World Championships in Berlin later in the summer. View full Ennis report: http://www.uka.org.uk/media/news/may-2009/10-05-09-ennis/

Ennis moves to third on the UK all-time lists, with a score only bettered by Denise Lewis (6831 points) and Judy Simpson (6623 points). She tops the McCain Power of 10 rankings and her score is 497 points inside the ‘A’ standard for Berlin.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland multi-eventer Phyllis Agbo (Thames Valley) finished ninth in a new lifetime best of 5826 points while teammate Grace Clements (Dartford H/Team Southampton) also produced a PB of 5701 points to finish in 12th. The duo now occupy second and third places in the McCain Power of 10 rankings behind Ennis.

In the men’s decathlon, Richard Reeks (Bournemouth/Border) finished in 15th place with 7102 points and heads the McCain Power of 10 rankings. Olympic athlete Daniel Awde (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) scored 6133 points before withdrawing from the competition before the final event over 1500m.

Ben Hazell (Basingstoke & Mid Hants) scored 5976 points from the first eight events before withdrawing ahead of the javelin and 1500m.

VII Graziano Della Valle, Pavia, Italy, 10 May

With a huge British turnout at the home of the UKA warm weather training camp, the notable performances were:

In the men’s 100m a huge British contingency in the event was made up of GB&NI juniors, rising seniors and Olympic athletes. The pack was led home by Harry Aikines Aryeetey (Sutton District) who crossed the line in 10.19 (+0.1) followed by James Dasaolu (Croydon Harriers),  who also had an impressive run of 10.15 (+0.1) in the qualifying rounds, in second (Croydon Harriers) in 10.20 (+0.1) and  Leon Baptist in third with 10.31. Both Aikines Aryeetey and Dasalou were inside the World Championships A qualifier with their efforts.

Joey Duck (Marshall Milton Keynes) got the European U23 qualification time as she came home first ahead of Donna Fraser (23.65) and Kadi-Ann Thomas (23.85) in the 200m. Her time of 23.65 (-0.9) was exactly on the standard mark.