20 July 2015

The final day of the IAAF World Youth Championships drew to a close with the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team finishing highly in several finals on another satisfying day for the team.

Emily Wright (Dan Cossins, Bristol & West) agonizingly missed out on medal in the Girls long jump by one centimetre in a very close final with second to seventh separated by just five centimetres. The Welsh athlete was sat in the bronze medal position with a lifetime best of 6.21m until the final round when Slovenia’s Maja Bedrac jumped 6.22m to snatch the medal from her grasp.

Wright commented: “I’m really glad I jumped a PB. Coming into the competition I was ranked 10^th and I gave everything out there. I was jumping from a run up I haven’t tried this week but I think it was a good decision to make. I’m gutted that third got taken off me in the final round but I guess that happens sometimes. I was really surprised when I looked at the first jump because it didn’t feel that far.

She added: “It wasn’t easy to compete the next day after qualification but if it wasn’t for the medical team, I probably wouldn’t have been jumping today so thanks to them for putting me back into one piece.”

Carys McAulay (Philip Hicken, Warrington) produced one of the performances of her life to finish fourth in a high quality Girls 800m final and grab a personal best of 2:05.31. After coming into the home straight in sixth place, the Scot battled hard to out dip the Ethiopian Foziya Niguse for another high placing by the Brits in the middle-distance events.

McAulay battled till the finish line and said afterwards: “It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be but I just tried to give everything I had at the end. I got what I wanted – which was top five – so I’m very pleased. Those girls were amazing in that race.

When asked if her endurance teammate’s displays had given her confidence ahead of the final, she said: “Definitely – everyone else has been competing well so I tried to do my best as well.”

Toby Harries (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix) recorded a personal best of 20.92 (-0.4) in the Boys 200m with Cameron Tindle (Henry Gray, Edinburgh) in eighth recording 21.13 in  world class final. Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown won in Championship record of 20.34 to add to his 100m title.

Harries produced the best race of his career and said afterwards: “I’m happy with a PB. Sani Brown who was in the lane next to me was going to win it from the start, he is amazing. I wasn’t very proud of my bend but overall I’m happy with my race. To finish inside the top eight in the world is something I’m really chuffed about.

“The crowd gets you up and the nerves going but it was a great experience to run out here in front of thousands of people. I’ve been surprised how good sprinting is across a number of nations – they are all amazing and have a great attitude”

Tindle admitted he wasn’t satisfied with the result but took the positives from racing in his first global final: “I’m disappointed with myself – I got into the blocks and as soon as I set off, my legs weren’t turning over like they had been all week.”

He added: “However, there are a lot of things I can learn from my first championships. It’s been a big learning curve – been away with the team has been a good experience. All the team staff have been great; getting us ready and in prime positon to compete. All the teammates have helped us all along every step of the way – just the whole experience has been great.”

Alex Yee (Kenneth Pike, Kent) had to battle in the men’s 3000m after the top five broke free after three laps. The Briton fought all the way and left everything on the track to seize sixth place in a time of 8:28.26. Additionally, South Devon’s William Battershill (Kirk Salmon, Erme Valley) was involved in a tough Boys 2000m steeplechase but maintained his form to finish in 14^th in 6:03.39.

Unfortunately, Joel Leon Benitez (Alan Richardson, Notts) no heighted in the pole vault earlier in the afternoon leaving him in twelfth place in his first world final.

Team Leader, Alan Richardson commented: “This has been a successful Championship for the British team and the athletes have conducted themselves in a professional manner throughout. They will have learnt a lot from the experience and we hope they will build upon this opportunity.

“We have enjoyed medal success and had a number of athletes raising their performances in Colombia. There have been a number of finalists and top eight performances across all events which is a particularly encouraging sign.”

Great Britain and Northern Ireland finish the Championships 31^st in the medal table with three bronze medals courtesy of George Evans (Duncan Flockhart, Shaftesbury Barnet) (Discus), Rechmial Miller (Ryan Freckleton, Hercules Wimbledon) (100m) and Catherine Reid (Din Shimmel, Manx) (400m) and had 16 athletes finishing in the top eight.

Full results can be found here: http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-youth-championships/9th-iaaf-world-youth-championships-2015-5408/timetable/byday

Highlights of day five can be found on British Eurosport 2 on Monday 20 July – please check listing for broadcast times.

Medallists and Top 8 performers

George Evans – Boys Discus bronze

Rechmial Miller – Boys 100m bronze

Catherine Reid – Girls 400m bronze

Oliver Bromby – Boys 100m fourth place

Harriet Knowles-Jones – Girls 1500m fourth place

Carys McAulay – Girls 800m fourth place

Emily Wright – Girls Long Jump fourth place

James Gormley – Boys 1500m fifth place

Hannah Brier – Girls 100m sixth place

Alicia Barrett – Girls 100m Hurdles sixth place

Toby Harries – Boys 200m sixth place

Hannah Williams – Girls 400m sixth place

Ada’ora Chigbo – Girls High Jump =sixth place

Alex Yee – Boys 3000m sixth place

Jake Norris – Boys Hammer – seventh place

Cameron Tindle – Boys 200m Eighth place