06 August 2010

The cream of Britain’s field athletes will descend on Barnet Copthall Stadium in Greater London this weekend for the McCain JumpsFest and ThrowsFest.

Top performances are produced year after year at this event-specific festival and the McCain Power of Ten rankings look set to be revised once again.

Newly-crowned IAAF World Junior Champion Sophie Hitchon (Derek Evely) tops the bill and will take on Power of Ten leader Zoe Derham (Lorraine Shaw) along with American thrower Britney Henry in the women’s hammer.

Sally Scott (Steve Rippon), who joined Hitchon in the Aviva GB & NI Team in Moncton, will be looking to improve her on her best in the women’s pole vault while UK Indoor champion Vikki Hubbard (Graham Ravenscroft), ranked second on Power of Ten behind European Heptathlon Champion Jessica Ennis, goes in the high jump.

The women’s triple jump sees Nadia Williams (Keith Flemming) and World Junior silver medallist and UK junior record holder Laura Samuel (Glenys Morton), the top two ranked athletes on Power of Ten, go head-to-head.

Eden Francis (Glenys Morton) is going for double PB joy, taking on Power of Ten number two Phillipa Roles in the discus and current Power of Ten leader Rebecca Peake in the shot.

The men’s high jump competition will be a close battle as European Championship High Jump finallistTom Parsons (Fuzz Ahmed) returns from Barcelona to take on Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Ahmed) and Samson Oni (Trevor Llewelyn), with just 2cm separating the three so far this season. Former Commonwealth Champion Larry Achike (Frank Attoh) will go into the triple jump ranked third on this year’s Power of Ten.

UK Champion Alex Smith (Shane Peacock) will be looking to extend his lead in both the UK Challenge Power of Ten rankings in the hammer, while the discus will see UK Challenge and Power of Ten leader Brett Morse (Nigel Bevan) face tough competition from England Champion Emeka Udechuku  and England U23 Champion Chris Scott (Andrew Neal).

One of the most intriguing contests will be in the men’s javelin as Aviva World Junior Trials Champion Daniel Pembroke (Kevin Pembroke) comes fresh from the IAAF World Junior Championships to face international competition in the form of Australian Matthew Outzen.

Also taking place around the meeting, UKA National Event Coach for Throws Shaun Pickering will host the first of a week-long series of Masterclasses and Coaching Workshops for the heavy throws with this first Masterclass featuring top American Coach Don Babbitt and former World Champion Adam Nelson.
For more information on McCain JumpsFest and ThrowsFest, please visit: http://www.uka.org.uk/competitions/uk-challenge/jumpsfest-throwsfest/

For more information on Shaun Pickering’s Masterclass, please visit: http://coaching.uka.org.uk/event/detail/uka-ea-throws-masterclasses-and-workshops-august-2010/C19/