04 August 2008

Last weekend’s Challenge fixtures suggest next weekend’s final will be a thrilling affair with event standings changing by the moment. Here are some of the key results from BAL and UKWL action from 2–3 August.

BAL Premiership- Hendon, London

Loughborough based athlete Leon Baptiste (Enfield & Haringey AC) won the 200 in 20.90, whilst Tim Abeyie (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) 21.45 moved up into the top 8 of the UK Challenge rankings. Graham Hedman (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) finished 2^nd in the 400m with 47.52 and secured a top 8 position in the Challenge.

William Sharman (Belgrave Harriers) crossed the line in 13.95 for the 110m hurdles, leaving him top in that discipline for the Challenge Series.

A new personal best from Steve Green (Newham and Essex Beagles) of 50.12 in the 400m hurdles takes him into first place overall in the rankings.

Samson Oni (Belgrave Harriers) will be hoping to defend last year’s high jump title after clearing 2.15m in the last qualifying event of the Challenge series. However, he is likely to face tough opposition from Adam Scarr (Enfield & Haringey) and Robbie Grabarz (Bedford & County) in the absence of top ranked high jumper Tom Parsons (Birchfield) who completes his final preparations for Beijing.

Jonathon Moore (Birchfield Harriers), JJ Jegede (Newham and Essex Beagles), and Chris Kirk (Newham and Essex Beagles) now lie in first, second and third places in the Challenge following successful jumps of 7.65m, 7.80m and 7.69m respectively at the BAL.

A shot (17.42m) and discus double win (59.29m) leaves Emeka Udechuku (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) well placed to defend both his titles for shot and discus in the UK Challenge Final.

BAL Division 1- Liverpool

A personal best of 66.01m in the hammer ensured a place in the final for Matt Lambley (City of Sheffield).

UKWL Division 1- Hendon, London

A second place in the 400m – clocking 54.49 seconds brought Carey Easton (Edinburgh AC) to the top of the 400m table for the Challenge.

Nicola Gauld (Aberdeen AAC) clocked 4:17.10 over 1500m to jump to the top of the qualifying table, from a previous ranking outside the top 8. She will be aiming to defend her UK Challenge 1500m title at Eton.

Wins in both the shot 16.08m and discus 54.32m gives Eden Francis (Birchfield Harriers) a boost to secure two titles in the Challenge Final.

After throwing 64.29m in the hammer, with defending Champion Zoe Derham absent due to

team TeamGB commitments in Beijing, Carys Parry (Rhondda AAC) is favourite for the

hammer title at Thames Valley Athletics Centre on 9 August.