16 May 2013

The outdoor season has really kicked off this week following on from last Friday’s opening Diamond League fixture in Doha, and there has been some impressive performances, particularly in the middle distance events.

Stretford, May 14

At the Trafford Grand Prix at Longford Park in Manchester, Laura Weightman (coach: Steve Cram) opened her season over 3000m. Smashing her lifetime best by over 20 seconds, the Olympic 1500m finalist’s time of 8.43.46 would be a world outdoor lead, had it not been recorded in a mixed race. Weightman’s time sends her straight to the top of the Power of 10, and will stand her in good stead as she works towards the European U23 Championships in Tampere, Finland and the IAAF World Championships in Moscow later in the season.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=82112

Watford, May 15

On Wednesday evening Jessica Judd (Rob Denmark) ran her first 800 metres of the season, eclipsing her old personal best by over half a second as she won the BMC Gold Standard women’s 800m A race in 2.00.37. Not only was it a personal best, but it takes Judd to the top of the Power of 10, is an IAAF World Championship ‘B’ qualifying standard and is the fastest outdoor time in the world this year. In the same race, Loren Bleaken (Adrian Clover) finished third in a time of 2.05.43 to go second in the 2013 under 20 Power of 10 rankings and secure the European Junior Championships qualifying time.

Also at Watford, under 20 Liam Dee (Simon Doyle) won the Men’s 1500m A race in 3.50.65, which is inside the World Youth Championship qualification time of 3.51.00. In the Women’s A race Bobby Clay (Peter Mullervy) ran 4.22.17 to cement her place at the top of the McCain Power of 10 rankings and also go inside the World Youth Championships qualifying standard of 4.24.00 for the second time this year.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=81474

Loughborough, May 15

There were further European Junior Championship qualification marks achieved in Loughborough, with Lucy Hatton (Alex Clark) lowering her 100mH personal best to 13.75 and Dan Gardner (Alan Richardson) vaulting 5.20, also a new lifetime best. There was also a Power of 10 topping 13.71 for William Sharman (George Mackiewicz) in the 110mH.