03 July 2010

Individual victories for Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McFarlane), Nathan Wake (coach: Ayo Falola) and Sophie Hitchon (coach: Derek Evely) were the major highlights for the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland junior team on day one of the 17th Bauhaus Junioren Gala in Mannheim (3-4 July).

Williams, the double World Youth champion and UK junior record holder, once again demonstrated her exceptional consistency to take the women’s 100m title in a new Meeting Record of 11.26, her second fastest time ever, ahead of Germany’s Leena Gunther (11.46).

Wake, fourth in last year’s IAAF World Youth Championships, defeated Germany’s Philipp Kleemann to win the men’s 400m in a season’s best performance of 47.17, while in the field, Hitchon, the UK junior record holder and European Junior bronze medallist, won the hammer with a new Meeting Record of 65.91m ahead of Aviva GB & NI team mate Myra Perkins (coach: Alan Bertram) in second (57.88m).

There were also impressive lifetime best performances in the men’s 100m from Deji Tobais (coach: Simon Duberley) and Junior Ejehu (Ayo Falola), who finished second and fourth in 10.30 and 10.51 respectively.

Tobais, who was named in the first wave of selections for the Aviva GB & NI team for this summer’s IAAF World Junior Championships (Moncton, Canada, 19-25 July), maintains his position as UK number one (junior), while Ejehu, who moves up the Power of 10 rankings from fifth to second, was only one one-hundredth of a second outside of the required UKA qualifying standard.

The sprint duo continued their run of success as part of a winning Aviva GB & NI 4 x 100m relay quartet who were awarded first equal with Germany (39.91).

Also making the podium in the high quality international meeting were UK junior record holders Lawrence Okoye (coach: John Hillier) and Holly Bleasdale (coach: Julien Raffalli-Ebezant), who finished second (59.91m) and third (4.20m) in the discus and pole vault respectively.

For day one results and more information go to the Mannheim event website.

The competition continues tomorrow.

Aviva GB & NI Team (updated)

MEN

100m: Deji Tobais (Simon Duberley) – Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow; 200m: Kieran Showler-Davis (John Davis) – Basingstoke & Mid Hants; Danny Talbot (Dan Cossins) – Birchfield; 400m: Nathan Wake (Ayo Falola) – Herts Phoenix; 110mH: Jack Meredith (Donald Moss) – Liverpool; 400mH: Jack Green (June Plews) – Kent; Niall Flannery (Nick Dakin) – Gateshead; Pole Vault: Andrew Sutcliffe (Julien Raffalli-Ebezant) – Sale Harriers Manchester; Matt Devereux (Steve Rippon) – Newham & Essex Beagles; Long Jump: Kadeem Greenidge-Smith (Ian Roberts) – Harrow; Jermain Olason (Jonas Dodoo) – Blackheath & Bromley; Shot Putt: Anthony Oshodi (Ron Bowden) – Woodford Green with Essex Ladies; Discus: Lawrence Okoye (John Hillier) – Croydon; Zane Duquemin (John Hillier) – Jersey; 4 x 100m Relay: Tobais; Showler-Davis; Talbot; Sam Watts (Gladys Bird) – WGEL; Junior Ejehu (Ayo Falola) – WGEL; Liam Clowes (Steve Walker) – Crewe & Nantwich

WOMEN

100m: Jodie Williams (Mike McFarlane) – Herts Phoenix; 200m: Emily Diamond (Jared Deacon) – Bristol & West; Ashlee Nelson (Michael Afilaka) – City of Stoke; 100mH: Rebecca Liddell (Kirk Barclay) – Gateshead; High Jump: Isobel Pooley (George Male) – Aldershot, Farnham & District; Pole Vault: Holly Bleasdale (Julien Raffalli-Ebezant) – Blackburn; Sally Scott (Steve Rippon) – Gateshead; Long Jump: Lorraine Ugen (Frank Attoh) – Blackheath & Bromley; Hammer: Sophie Hitchon (Derek Evely) – Blackburn; Myra Perkins (Alan Bertram) – Falkirk Victoria Harriers; 4 x 100m Relay: Williams; Nelson; Diamond; Marylyn Nwawulor (coach: Harry King/Carol Jackson) – Harrow; Jennie Batten (Roger Walters) – Stroud; Rebekah Wilson (Morris Condon) – Sale Harriers Manchester