19th June 2016

England Athletics U23/u20 Championships - Day Two Wrap

19 June 2016

Another nine athletes secured their ticket to the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz in July during an exciting second day of the England Athletics U23 and U20 Championships in Bedford.

In an entertaining first track event of the day, Cameron Corbishley (coach: Andi Drake) won the U20 men’s 10k walk in 42.18.94 inside the qualifying standard for the championships in Poland. Guy Thomas (Martin Rush) came in second in 42.28.20 with Callum Wilkinson (Mick Graham), who already has the standard, dropping out.

A delighted Corbishley said: “I feel absolutely shattered. I gave it everything especially from the last 3k. I wanted to go from 2k but because of the way the race panned out I had to push on earlier. It was just less than two seconds under the qualifying standard but that’s all it needs to be. I am so pleased to have done the time and be given the chance to represent Great Britain.”

In an impressive final battle in the U20 men’s high jump, Rory Dwyer (Paul Bearman) and Tom Gale (Denis Doyle) both cleared 2.17m obtaining World Juniors qualifying and new personal bests.

Dwyer, who was first on countback, said: “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet but after a topsy-turvey season, to come here and jump when it counts is just perfect. The timing couldn’t have been better. I hope I can do 2.20m at the British Championships next week now the pressure is off.”

In second place, Gale said: “I feel brilliant, over the moon. I wasn’t connecting at first but I got into the rhythm and I do feel 2.20m is a possibility and I am looking forward to the British Champs next week.”

After his shot put win yesterday, George Evans (Colin McCulloch), part of the British Athletics Futures Programme, won the discus with a throw of 58.43m securing his World Juniors place with James Tomlinson (Paul Jenson)  throwing a European Youth qualifying 57.95m with the 1.5kg discus.

Evans said: “It feels absolutely brilliant. After months of training when I wasn’t quite there – 57.21, 57.02, 56.90s and then the first throw out today was 58.40m so I am over the moon, couldn’t be happier. I was a wee bit shocked to win yesterday [in the shot] as I have been concentrating on my discus so it has been a brilliant weekend. I shall be taking a few days off now and then prepare for the World Champs. The World Youths was a fantastic experience last year but qualifying this year has been much harder.”

Aimee Pratt (Vincente Modahl) retained her 3000m steeplechase title in a world junior qualifying standard of 10:19.08. She was delighted and said: “I am very happy. It was a tough race but a fun race. I knew I had it in me although it has been a tough ride this season.”

The U20 sprint hurdles saw two more World Junior championship qualifiers with Alicia Barrett (Toni Minichiello) winning the women’s title in 13.45 (-0.4) while Matt Treston (Adrian Brown) took the men’s title in 13.48. Second place in the men’s, and also within the qualifying standard was James Weaver (Julie Hollman) in 13.53. In the women’s race second place went to Mollie Courtney (David Warner) in 13.68.

Barrett said: “I felt confident but I wasn’t sure I could do it. I can’t wait now for the World Champs. I have one more exam and then I can get back to training. I am sure my experience of the world youths last year will stand me in good stead.”

Last year’s European Juniors high jump champion Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake) took the U20 title once more with a jump of 1.90m with Niamh Emerson (David Feeney) within the Euro Youth qualifying standard second with a jump of 1.83m.

In a close fought race Daniel Rowden (Richard Thurston) won the U20 800m in 1:49.55 with George Mills (Joanne Day) close behind in 1:49.73. Spencer Thomas (Jon Bigg), who along with Rowden has the World Juniors qualifying standard, was third in 1:50.06.

With one qualifying time already Ryan Gorman (Karen Buck) won the U20 200m title inside the qualifying time with 20.98 (+1.3w) just ahead of Cameron Tindle (Henry Gray) in second in 21.12. 

In the women’s equivalent, Finette Agyapong (Coral Nourrice) held off Alisha Rees (Willy Russell) to win the U20 women’s 200m in 23.74. Rees had already secured a European Youths qualifying time in an earlier heat.

Seventeen year old Jake Heyward (Paul Darney), who has already qualified for the European Youths, took the U20 1500m title in 3:55.63 with Tom Holden second in 3:56.11.

Chelsea Walker (Rick Betts) won the U20 women 400m hurdles in 59.06 with Holly McArthur (Iain McEwan) second in 60.23 securing a European Youth qualifying standard. 

Seventeen year old Eleanor Broome (Ian Roberts) won the U20 long jump with a final jump of 6.21m a European youth qualifying standard. Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake) was fourth with a jump of 5.93m, following her earlier victory in the high jump.

Sixteen year old Isabelle Boffey (Douglas Stone) took the win in the U20 Women’s 800m in 2:06.90 from Charlotte Cayton-Smith (John Scott) in 2:08.44 withMillie Howard (Kieron Hall) third in 2:08.48.

BUCS champion, Cameron Chalmers (Dan Cossins) won the U20 Men’s 400m in 46.88 from Owen Richardson (John Davis), 47.53, and Lee Thompson (John Henson), 47.86, in second and third respectively.

In the U20 Men’s 400m hurdles Ajibola Aderemi (Alf Vickers) took the title in 53.94 improving on fourth place last year.

Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson) followed up yesterday’s win with the heavier weight with a 77.44m throw with the lighter 5kg hammer in the U18 event.  Second Place Bayley Campbell (Paul Dickenson) threw a European Youth qualifying 69.71m.

Lina Nielsen (Frank Adams) ran a new personal best of 52.97 to take the U23 women’s 400m title.

In the U20 Women 3000m Lucy Pygott (Mick Woods) took the title in 9:31.84 with a European youth qualifying time.

The U18 trial 100m hurdles race saw Holly Mills (James Coney) 13.79, and Isabella Hilditch (John Blackie), 13.82, achieve European Youth standards.

Full results from today are available from: http://www.englandathletics.org/england-athletics-news/live-events