10 June 2009

Click here for full results from the Super8 match in Cardiff.

Clouds as dark as Glasgow’s Team vest delivered a rainstorm just half an hour prior to the event start, but  the skies cleared to deliver a cool, dry and breezy evening to the Cardiff spectators attending the inaugural Super8 event.

With Craig Pickering, Tasha Danvers, Charlene Thomas and Amanda Moss all taking victories on the evening, memorable moments also included a hamstring hampered Danvers limping 100m to finish off her opening leg of the medley relay to try salvage a point, and Amanda Moss taking a thrilling victory in front of her home crowd.

Earlier in the evening, Danvers had proved her undoubted class with a swift 100m hurdles to take the first track victory of the night for London South.  A key part of the tactics was displayed early in the night with Danvers also earning her side double points from having played the joker card against her performance. Louise Hazel (Birm) took second in 13.66. In the men’s race, Chris Baillie (Glas) won the nod ahead of Callum Priestly (Birm) after both finished in 14 secs flat.

In the men’s 400m, Richard Strachan braved the windy conditions to take victory for Sheffield in a superb personal best of 45.96, with his team having played the joker against his performance, it was an important 16 points gained for the reigning Indoor City Challenge champions.

“I am so chuffed, I was the joker for the team so it was really important to get maximum points – I knew a PB was there – it was just getting it on the day.”

Vicki Barr (Newc), winner of the women’s 400m battled hard to hold off the challenge of Jenny Meadows (Manc) in the home straight. Barr, who was disappointed with her time of 53.96 but pleased with her points, showed strength in blustery conditions to help her home team along: “It’s not a quick time, it was important to win the points for Newcastle.”

Cardiff’s Amanda Moss made an emotional comeback to racing with an impressive 800m victory in front of her home crowd in 2.02.05 ahead of Susan Scott for Glasgow. Moss, who last raced for GB in 2006 when she was tripped at the European Championships in Gothenburg, took the support from the crowd to power away in the final 200m and whipped the local faithful into a show of cheering following her post event interview.

“You never know what to expect first race out,” she said “I slipped a disc in January which kept me out for eight weeks.”

Paul Bradshaw was a surprise winner of the men’s 800m for Manchester in 1.50.04 ahead of European Bronze medallist Sam Ellis (Shef) and Richard Hill (Birm). The BUSA champion took control of the race and stretched away in the home straight although Ellis was finishing strongly in second.

The 1500m races saw Charlene Thomas (Shef) storm away at 600m to go for a win in 4.15.01. Having made a major breakthrough last weekend with a 4.05.06 clocking and A standard qualification for the World Championships, she was delighted with how her season was setting up:

“I really want to go to the Worlds, but it’s going to be tough – there’s five girls there with qualifying times and it’s all about making those top three in the trials,” she said. Jermaine Mays (Lon S) was victor of a tactical men’s race in 3.50.33 although the fast finishing David Forrester (Manc) also looked in good form in second place.

Other results from the evening were:

Phyllis Agbo led by example for London North in taking the long jump with 6.40m; Steph Pywell took maximum points for Birmingham with a high jump of 1.80m, Chris Tomlinson won maximum joker points for Newcastle in the long jump with a 7.96m leap and Carl Myerscough produced a season’s best of 20.26 in taking the shot win for Manchester. Samson Oni was a London South winner of the men’s high jump with 2.22m whilst Chris Hughff helped Sheffield to maximum points gain with 73.67m in the javelin.

Elaine O’ Neill was a deserving 100m winner for London South into a headwind ahead of London North’s Kadi Ann Thomas, whilst Craig Pickering was impressive in blasting away from the field over the men’s 100m for a 10.24 sec win.

Overseas athletes played their part with the Dutch pairing of Robbert Jansen and Melissa Boekelman helping their teams to maximum points. Jansen won for Birmingham in the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 5.11m, whilst Boekelman won the women’s shot for Newcastle with 16.69m. Anna Massey took the women’s pole vault win for London North with a PB of 4.07m.

Finally the medley events finished with victories for both Birmingham men and women’s teams. The spectacle of Craig Pickering running 200m, Danvers’ heroics and the exchange between 200m and 400m athletes proving an entertaining and competitive end to a unique night’s action.

Final Result:

London South    117

Birmingham        116

London North    116

Sheffield              113.5

Manchester       99

Glasgow               96.5

Newcastle           92.5

Cardiff                  82.5