Emeka Udechuku (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) was today confirmed as the UK Challenge Athlete of the Month for July.

The discus thrower, who made news earlier this year by going on a diet as part of his campaign to improve his fitness and qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, wins an adidas kit package and a bottle of Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne.

He contested five Challenge meetings during the month, scoring a total of 1101 points, including a new UK Challenge record at the ThrowsFest in Birmingham and victory at the Norwich Union World Trials and UK Championships in Manchester.

The two winning distances – 63.79m at a Birmingham venue that has since been categorised as ‘downhill’ and 60.83m at Manchester’s Regional Athletics Arena – place him top of the Power of 10 rankings as well as the clear leader of all male competitors in this summer’s UK Challenge.

Udechuku is also in prime position to win the UK Challenge major prizes of an Alfa Romeo GT Sports Car for a year and a share of a £5000 bonus. For the only athlete ahead of him in the overall combined points table after 36 of the 50 meetings is Jessica Ennis (City of Sheffield AC). She will be competing at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka when the UK Challenge takes place at Crystal Palace on 25 August.

The leading 10 points scorers from their best four Challenge performances currently are:

1 Jessica Ennis (City of Sheffield AC) 914 points; 2 Emeka Udechuku (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) 908; 3 Zoe Derham (Birchfield Harriers) 874; 4 Adam Scarr (Enfield and Haringey AC) 830; 5 Carys Parry (Rhondda Harriers) 820; 6 equal Tom Parsons (Birchfield Harriers) and Stephanie Pywell (Sale Harriers Manchester) 815 each; 8 Andy Frost (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) 812; 9 equal Susan Moncrieff (Trafford AC) and Eilidh Child (Pitreavie AAC) 810.

But there are still 14 opportunities for athletes to improve their standings – and earn automatic invitations to the Final – starting with this weekend’s final fixtures of the summer in the British League and UK Women’s League.

For details of the UK Challenge please click here