20 July 2016

Women’s team captain, Imani Lansiquot (coach: Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) led by example this morning  smashing her personal best as she won her 100m heat in 11.17 at the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. 

After the race, a delighted Lansiquot said: “I wasn’t really looking for a PB at the championships so I am so pleased. I think my start could be improved, so I know there is a lot more to come. It is just about working on my mental performance now, staying consistent and controlled and then we will see what I can do in the next round. . Every race is a learning curve. This season has been all about accomplishment and I hope I can end it on a high.”

Hannah Brier (Neal Merry) also comfortably made it through finishing second in her heat in 11.63 and will join Lansiquot in the next round, which takes place tomorrow.

Swansea AC’s Brier commented: “The main thing was to get through.  I haven’t raced since the trials so to have a good start and get through the rounds makes me really happy. I slightly eased up at the end as I knew I was through so wanted to save some for the semis.”

Matthew Treston (Adrian Brown) and James Weaver (Laura Turner-Alleyne) both progressed following the 110m Hurdles heats this morning. Treston, who is celebrating his 18 birthday today, finished his heat in second place to gain automatic qualification in 13.66.

Treston said: “It feels really good to be safely through.  My first couple of hurdles didn’t feel the snappiest but I pulled it together so by hurdle seven I had overtaken everyone so I eased up towards the end as there was no point in pushing it.  Second place gets me comfortably through. I am feeling pretty confident now as I was tired this morning so to get that time under my belt is really pleasing.”

Enfield and Haringey’s Weaver was third in his heat in 13.65 and also progresses to this afternoon’s semi-finals as an automatic qualifier.

Afterwards, he added: “I got out okay, but it took me a while to get going. By then I knew I could qualify so I thought just maintain, forget about racing and move on to the next one. I am confident going forward to the semi.”

The men’s 400m heats saw Guernsey athlete, Cameron Chalmers (Daniel Cossins) progress to Thursday’s semi-final.  He finished third in his heat in 46.91 to secure an automatic semi-final place.

Chalmers was pleased to progress and said: “I have run consistently recently with this being my fourth or fifth race within one-hundredth of a second (46.8, 46.9).  I really want to make that little jump up and hope I can get that tomorrow. It was hot but good conditions and I tried to stay relaxed and work that top bend.”

In the 400m hurdles, Chelsea Walker (Rick Betts) struck a hurdle and fell on the backstraight so unfortunately does not progress through to the next round.

The IAAF World Junior Championships run until 24 July. 

Follow the IAAF World Junior Championships via http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-u20-championships/iaaf-world-u20-championships-bydgoszcz-2016-5680/live and on Eurosport 2.