Away from the British Athletics Inter Counties Cross Country Championships and Cross Challenge Final, there was plenty of action taking place around the world this weekend.

European Throwing Cup, Leiria, Portugal, 12-13 March

Great Britain and Northern Ireland won the senior women’s team cup at the European event, beating Italy and Hungary to top spot, while Charlotte Payne won silver in the women’s U23 hammer.

Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson, Reading) was an impressive second, winning silver. Her throw of 66.72m was just 2cm outside her personal best, so one of the outstanding results of the weekend for the British team.

In-form Katie Head (Paul Head, Newham and Essex Beagles) was 10^th in the women’s hammer with a solid mark of 66.97m, while Jess Mayho (John Pearson, Birchfield) threw 63.88m for fourth in the B final.

Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin, Thames Valley) finished seventh in the women’s shot put with a mark of 16.91m, while Kirsty Law (Zane Duquemin, Sale Harriers Manchester) threw a season best in the women’s discus – her best effort of the series was 56.78m which saw her finish in ninth overall. Over in the javelin, Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath and Bromley) finished fourth in the B final, the best throw of her six throws registering at 51.05m.

In the men’s events, Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet) made significant improvements as he landed a SB of 72.66m in the men’s hammer for ninth position.

Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York) warmed up for the world indoors with sixth place in the men’s shot put – the furthest throw of his series coming in at 20.09m. Meanwhile Nick Percy (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet) was 11^th in the discus with 57.01m.

Elsewhere, Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth) was fourth in the U23 shot put, throwing 15.81m, while Taia Tunstall (Stuart Carlaw, Harrow) was 13^th in the U23 discus, her furthest throw coming in at 48.89m.

Results

FISU World University Championship Cross Country, Aveiro, Portugal, 12 March

Izzy Fry (Steve Vernon) was crowned World University champion as she ran the race of her life to top the podium in Portugal.

The Newbury athlete was the top finisher for GB&NI in the U23 race at the European Cross Country Championships in December, and she continued her excellent cross-country form into this event, sealing the gold medal in style.

She was joined on the podium by compatriot Saskia Millard (Luke Gunn, Herne Hill) who followed to take the silver medal, while Megan Keith (Ross Cairns, Inverness) was fifth and Kirsty Walker (Rob McKim, Reading) ninth as the British women dominated the contest.

World University Crosscountry. Gold and Silver for GB women. pic.twitter.com/0esI9cfJpV

— England Athletics Endurance (@EnglandRunning) March 12, 2022

A second medal came for the British team in mixed relay as they finished around 20 seconds behind France who took the gold but beat Spain comfortably to secure the silver.

The quartet of Alexandra Millard (Peter Mullervy, Invicta East Kent), Edward Potter, Sabrina Sinha (Bud Baldaro, Cambridge Harriers) and Justin Davies (Martin Rush, Team Bath) produced a solid display to achieve the medal moment.

In the men’s race, Cameron Allan (Mick Woods, Houghton Harriers) was the top British finisher in 11^th, followed by Alex Ediker (Chesterfield) and Joe Hudson (Alan Buckley, Keighley and Craven) in 17^th and 18^th respectively.

Results

NCAA Div I Indoor Championship, Birmingham AL, USA, 11-12 Mar 22

Charles Hicks laid down his track credentials as he bagged third place in the men’s 3000m at the NCAA’s. The Stanford University student who won European Cross Country gold in the U23 age group last December, clocked a time of 8:00.23 to earn the podium place.

In the senior women’s mile, Ellie Leather (Jason Michael, Yate) was also third after a time of 4:35.62.

On Saturday, Yusuf Bizimana (Victoria Park and Tower Hamlets) and Tiarman Crorken (Andy Bibby, Preston) starred in the men’s 800m final, with the pair finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Bizimana clocked 1:48.09, while the Preston athlete crossed the line in 1:48.60 – both went quicker in the heats.

In the pentathlon Isabel Wakefield (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Harrow) scored a personal best points tally of 4176 after an impressive series of events.

She started with a time of 8.17 in the 60m hurdles which was just 0.02s outside her PB, and then followed that with a PB clearance of 1.69m in the high jump.

A mark of 10.83m followed in the shot put, with 6.07m in the long jump, which was just 4cm off her personal best. After a 2:22.67 clocking in the 800m, she finished the event in seventh overall.

Results