8 July 2008

Full timetables and results can be found at the World Junior championships website

Day One- Morning session

On the first morning of competition at the 12^th IAAF World Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland the Norwich Union GB & NI team were as unpredictable as the weather. The new stadium’s bright blue track inspired performances from the women’s 100m and men’s 400m but in a twist of fate the men’s 100m heats were tarnished by a heavy downpour.

Curtis Griffith Parker (Cambridge Harriers) opened team GB & NI’s campaign, finishing eighth in the first qualification group of the men’s discus. His 52.64m effort was not enough to see him progress to the final.

Brett Morse (Cardiff) was unable to show his potential in the men’s discus, throwing three consecutive no throws.

Jamie Stevenson (Newham & Essex Beagles) finished 12^th in the second round of the men’s shot, his best throw of 17.69m wasn’t enough to see him progress.

Jordan McGrath (Birchfield Harriers) ran strongly in the fourth of the men’s 400m heats, qualifying for the next round in 47.38.

Nigel Levine (Windsor Slough Eton & Hunslow) ran comfortably to set a new season’s best of 47.38 and qualify in the final round of the men’s 400m heats.

Ashlee Nelson (City of Stoke) stormed to victory in the first of the women’s 100m heats, crossing the line in 11.55 (-1.9m/s). She goes through to the next round as fastest qualifier from the heats.

Elaine O’Neill (Woodford Green Essex Ladies) won the third heat of the women’s 100m clocking 12.00 (-1.9m/s). She will join teammate Nelson in the semi-final field this afternoon.

Sophie Hitchon (Blackburn Harriers) took an early lead in the qualification stages of the women’s hammer. Her first throw of 59.57m was enough to secure second place in the round and take her through to the final tomorrow afternoon. She finished in third place overall at just 16 years old.

Just before the break of morning competition the heavens opened and a ten minute downpour followed, putting extra pressure on James Alaka (Blackheath & Bromley) who ran his 100m heat on the now soaking track.

Racing against eventual winner Yohan Blake of Jamaica, the third fasted man in the world this year, he finished fifth in his race with 10.75 (-0.7 m/s) and will not continue his 100m campaign this afternoon.

He said: "Obviously I’m really disappointed but I need to focus again now and put everything into the relay."