01 June 2010

On an action packed bank holiday weekend there were superb performances all round with UK Records for young sprint talent Jodie Williams at the UK Inter Counties championships, and Mo Farah improving his own road 10k record.

Although missing out on a possible UK record in poor weather conditions, Jessica Ennis put in another dominant heptathlon performance to win the Gotzis stage of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge.

There were also World Junior qualifying performances at the Manchester BMC from Laura Weightman over 1500m and a UK U17 5000m best from Emilia Gorecka.

BUPA London 10,000, London 31 May

Mo Farah (Newham & Essex Beagles) smashed his own UK 10km road record in retaining his title in a sprint finish with new figures of 27:44 which was a six second improvement on last year’s performance in the same race.

Behind Farah came Micah Kogo (Kenya) the Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist 27:49 and the resurgent Chris Thompson (Aldershot, Farnham & District) in third 28:17. Phil Wicks (Belgrave) claimed fifth spot 29:09 and marathoner Dan Robinson (Stroud) sixth 29:41.

After the race Farah said: “I knew I was in great shape coming into today and I was confident after returning from a period of training in Kenya. My aim was to come out and run hard and if the pace was good just to go with it. I love London and I get loads of support and with 200m to go I just went ‘boom’! I’m now excited and looking forward to the European 10km next weekend.”

The women’s race saw Emily Adams (Aldershot, Farnham & District) as the first British finisher in fifth place clocking 35:01 with Hollie Rowland (City of Norwich) close behind in 35:08. www.thepowerof10.info/ www.athletics-leics.com/ www.london10000.co.uk/

IAAF World Combined Events Challenge, Gotzis, AUT 29-30 May

Day One: Jessica Ennis produced a good first-day tally with strong hurdles and shot performances to set an overnight lead of 277 points over Olympic silver medalist, Hyleas Fountain (USA).

In the first event the 100mH she clocked 12.89 (0.7) to take second behind the American. In the high jump a clearance of 1.91m took her into the lead with a 150 point margin over Fountain.

In the shot a PB of 14.25m extended her lead to 204 points with a total of 3071. In the 200m a victory in 23.31 (1.0) increased her lead further to 277 points and total for the day of 4119. Phyllis Agbo (Thames Valley Harriers) finished the day in 21st position (3437) and Louise Hazel (Birchfield) 23rd (3365).

Day Two: The second day started with a seventh place in the long jump 6.13m (0.3) for Ennis which reduced her lead to 223 points over Fountain. In the sixth event, the javelin, Ennis’ 43.40m throw kept her in the lead which was now down to 77 points going into the last event with Tatyana Chernova (RUS) now menacingly close.

The final event, the 800m saw Ennis back in the driving seat with a win in 2:11.19 to take her overall score to 6689 points, just 42 points short of her PB and world championships gold medal performance. Fellow Brit Louise Hazel had a good second day and moved up to 17th place. Ennis’ mark is not only top Power of 10 but a world-leading performance. www.thepowerof10.info/ www.iaaf.org/

IAAF World Challenge Meeting, Hengelo, NED 30 May

A strong British contingent were represented at this annual meeting and there were mixed fortunes for the team in the windy conditions.

Top performances included success in the 110mH where Andy Turner (Sale Harriers Manchester) claimed the victory 13.34 (2.5) already top Power of 10 with Lawrence Clark (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) in sixth place 13.73 already third Power of 10.

In the high jump Samson Oni (Belgrave) clinched first place with a leap of 2.24m already top Power of 10 and Tom Parsons (Birchfield) was fifth 2.15m already second Power of 10.

In the women’s 200m Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex Beagles) finished in third place 23.52 (2.4) with Lee McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet) in fourth 23.64.

The 800m saw Jemma Simpson (Newquay & Par) take third place 2:02.88 to go seventh Power of 10 and Jenny Meadows (Wigan & District) finished in sixth place 2:03.14.

In the 1500m Hannah England was top performer on the night with a finish of fifth place 4:07.97 to go third Power of 10. For these results in full and much more from other GB entrants visit www.thepowerof10.info/ www.iaaf.org/

CAU Inter Counties Championships, Bedford 30 May
Despite tough winds sending readings sky high, highlights from the weekend included:

An outstanding performance of the championships with Jodie Williams (Herts Phoenix U17) speeding to an 11.24 (0.8) 100m to obliterate the UK junior record one week after recording a UK Youth record over 200m.

Her performance is also a European youth record and lowered Kathy Cook’s UK-20 record and is equal seventh on the world all-time U17 lists. Her time not puts her well clear at the top of her Power of 10 age group rankings but in the age groups above including the senior rankings.

Other highlights included: Nick Smith (Shaftesbury Barnet) 10.26 (5.2) in the 100m and Conrad Williams (Kent) 47.49 in the 400m.

Goldie Sayers continued her strong comeback from injury with (Belgrave) 63.15m in the javelin to increase her lead at the top of the Power of 10 and Freya Jones (Team Southampton U17) 51.58m PB and UK U17 record to move to third Power of 10.

For full results including other top performances visit. www.thepowerof10.info/

European Champion Clubs Group B, Berne, SUI 30 May

Highlights included: Katherine Endacott (City of Plymouth) 11.56 (1.7) in the 100m to take the victory (already seventh Power of 10), whilst youngster Shaunna Thompson (Sale Harriers Manchester U20) ran a 23.76 (1.9) 200m to go top of the Power of 10 U20 rankings. www.thepowerof10.info/

BMC Nike Grand Prix, Sports City, Manchester 29 May

Top performances on the evening included youngster Laura Weightman taking the 1500m A race victory 4:14.43 (first junior Power of 10) from Morag MacLarty (Central) 4:14.64 and Faye Fullerton (Havering Mayesbrook) 4:15.57.

The women’s 5000m saw Emma Pallant (Aldershot, Farnham & District U23) take the victory in 15:55.18 (second Power of 10) from Emelia Gorecka (Aldershot, Farnham & District U17) 15:56.87 in a new UK U17 record (third Power of 10 overall and first Power of 10 U20).

Full results for all races are available on www.thepowerof10.info/ www.britishmilersclub.com/

Friidrettsfestival, Florø, NOR 29 May
Richard Yates (Trafford) maintained his sixth place Power of 10 with a 50.96 victory in the 400mH. www.thepowerof10.info/

Bank of Scotland Hammer Grand Prix, Grangemouth 29 May

Andrew Frost (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) threw 70.93m to stay fourth Power of 10 whilst in the women’s events Susan McKelvie (Edinburgh) threw 60.77m (already fourth Power of 10), Myra Perkins (Falkirk Victoria Park U20) 55.20m (already second Power of 10) while Kimberley Reed (Edinburgh U17) threw a PB of 43.83m to go sixth Power of 10. www.thepowerof10.info/

European Clubs Senior Championships, Vila Real, POR 29/30 May

Newham & Essex Beagles finished in fourth place against the best clubs from all over Europe.

Top results included: 100m Tyrone Edgar third 10.68 (-3.5). In the 200m Chris Clarke finished second in 20.85 (-0.6). Over 400m Rabah Yousif won in a fine 45.90.

In the 5000m Moumin Geele was sixth 13:52.83, whilst over 400mH Nathan Woodward took first in a solid 50.06. www.thepowerof10.info/ www.tilastopaja.org/

Internationals Leichtathletikmeeting, Dessau, GER 28 May

A sizeable British contingent took part in the popular meet in Dessau with some good early season marks – highlights were: Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva) finished runner-up in the 100m with a 10.34 (0.0) clocking to go equal seventh Power of 10 and in the 200m claimed victory 20.87 (0.3) to go equal fourth Power of 10 with Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun (Kent) second 20.89 to go equal sixth Power of 10.

Lawrence Clarke (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) finished in second place in the 110mH 13.76 (0.1) to maintain his third place Power of 10. www.thepowerof10.info/

Zlatá Tretra IAAF World Challenge Meeting, Ostrava, CZE 27 May

A sizeable British contingent took part in Ostrava with many events affected by torrential rain but there were encouraging signs from William Sharman in another solid hurdles race and David Green and Rhys Williams also looking strong over 400m hurdles.

Highlights:

In a 100m race won by Asafa Powell (Jamaica) in a world leading 9.83 (-0.5), Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex Beagles) finished in fifth place 10.37 with Craig Pickering (Marshall Milton Keynes) sixth in 10.43. Earlier in their heats Edgar ran 10.23 (1.2) to go third Power of 10.

In the endurance races Michael Rimmer (Liverpool Pembroke Sefton) finished in seventh place in the 800m 1:46.47 (already first Power of 10) with Andy Baddeley (Harrow) in ninth 1:47.46 to go fifth Power of 10.

William Sharman (Belgrave) finished in third place in the 110m hurdles in the worst of the conditions clocking 13.57 (0.3) to go second Power of 10 ahead of Andy Turner (Sale Harriers Manchester) 13.76 (already first Power of 10).

David Greene (Swansea) opened his 400m hurdles account with a solid 49.05 to go top Power of 10 in second place but after hitting the final hurdle and losing his momentum it could have been even faster and Rhys Williams (Cardiff) had a good run in fourth 49.28 to go second Power of 10.

www.thepowerof10.info/ www.iaaf.org/

Grande Prêmio SESI/Caixa de Atletismo, Uberlandia, BRA 26 May

Dwain Chambers (Belgrave) finished in first place clocking 10.19 into a strong headwind (-3.2) and is already top Power of 10 with 10.11. www.thepowerof10.info/

Also available in full on the Power of 10 website are results from the:

• Midland Counties U15/U17 Championships, Birmingham 29/30 May
• Northern Counties U15/U17 Championships, Leigh 29/30 May
• Southern Counties U15/U17 Championships, Ashford 29/30 May