12 January 2008

There were many outstanding performances on the opening day of the England Athletics Senior and Under-20 Combined Events Open Indoor Championships at the EIS Sheffield as athletes began the battles for places in Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland teams for the Senior indoor combined events international against the Czech Republic, France and Spain at the same Sheffield venue on 2 and 3 February and the Under 23 and Under 20 indoor combined events international in France against France and Spain on 1 and 2 March.

Ed Dunford (Birchfield Harriers), who is pre-selected for the Senior international after ending last season by achieving the B qualifying standard for the Beijing Olympics decathlon at the UK Combined Events Challenge Final at Stoke, leads the Senior Men’s pentathlon – but was closely pursued all day by Kevin Sempers (Belgrave Harriers / Brunel University).

Dunford totalled a massive 3271 points from a 60m personal best (PB) of 7.06 seconds, long jump indoor PB of 6.90m, shot indoor PB of 14.68m and high jump PB of 2.05m.

Sempers accumulated 3237 points from a 60m PB of 7.02 seconds, long jump indoor PB of 7.03m, shot of 12.93m and high jump PB of 2.08m.

They were followed by: 3 Louis Eveling-Jones () 3127 (7.16, 7.14, 13.32 PB, 1.96); 4 Roger Skedd (Sheffield AC) 2976 (7.21, 6.66, 13.85, 1.90); 5 Samuel Bishop (City of Stoke AC) 2957 (7.27, 6.71, 13.24 PB, 1.93); 6 Guy Stroud (Exeter Harriers / Brunel Univesity, U23) 2895 (7.25, 6.86 equal PB, 13.24 PB, 1.81 indoor PB).

The first day of the Under 20 Men’s pentathlon was of equal high quality – and ended with only 26 points separating the leading two: 1 Benjamin Gregory (Vale of Aylesbury AC) 2820 (7.56 equal PB, 6.60 PB, 12.41, pole vault 4.55m indoor PB); 2 Daniel Gardiner (Leeds City AC) 2794 (7.12 PB, 6.73, 13.24 PB, 3.65 indoor PB); 3 Ashley Bryant (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC) 2723 (7.52, 6.63 indoor PB, 12.40 PB, 4.15 PB); 4 James Sleigh (Leeds City AC) 2696 (7.41 PB, 6.81 PB, 11.59 PB, 3.95 indoor PB); 5 Michael Holden (Colchester Harriers) 2680 (7.26 PB, 6.33 indoor PB, 12.77 PB, 3.85 indoor PB); 6 Ben Reynolds (North Down AC) 2650 (7.58 PB, 6.47 indoor PB, 12.11 indoor PB, 4.15 PB).

Both of the Men’s competitions resume tomorrow (10.30am), when the Senior and Under 20 Women’s pentathlons will also be contested.

The GB combined events teams for the winter’s indoor internationals will be finalised after the Saucony LSAC Indoor Open Meeting at the East Midlands High Performance Centre, Loughborough University, on Saturday 19 January.