13th June 2010

Weekend Round-up

13 June 2010

 

British athletes were out in force this weekend at venues all over the world recording some excellent performances as the season starts to gain momentum. Jessica Ennis (Tony Minichiello) set a life-time best in the long jump in New York despite finishing marginally behind Hyleas Fountain in a special three-event challenge. Steph Twell (MickWoods) had a busy night in the BMC Grand Prix at Watford recording a PB in the 800m 2:02.59 and coming back later in the evening to claim victory over 5000m in a season’s best of 15:28.99. Martyn Rooney (Nick Dakin) dipped under the 45 second mark with 44.99 in Geneva and in the same meeting Nathan Woodward (Nick Dakin) and Conrad Williams clocked PB’s with 49.70 and 45.45 in their respective events. In Turin, Perri Shakes-Drayton moved to No.4 on the all-time lists with a 54.91 victory. At the Northern Championships in Manchester Holly Bleasdale set another UK under-20 record with a clearance of 4.27m in the pole vault.

 IAAF Diamond League, New York, USA June 12

Despite narrowly being beaten by American Hyleas Fountain in a specially arranged three-event challenge, world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis (Toni Minichiello) came away with a long jump PB and her second-fastest ever hurdles performance.

After her below-par 13.61m in the shot took the lead, Ennis went out to 6.51m to add eight centimetres to her outdoor PB. Then the Sheffield athlete’s 12.85 in the 100m hurdles was just four hundredths outside her best, although Fountain finished the victor by 15 points overall.

Meanwhile, world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu (Aston Moore) was third with a solid 17.31m as France’s Teddy Tamgho produced the best mark since 1998 with 17.98m.

In the high jump Samson Oni set a season’s best of 2.27m to finish third, although he was unable to complete his third attempt at 2.30m as he pulled up clutching his calf. Tom Parsons (Fayyaz Ahmed) was ninth with 2.24m.http://www.diamondleague-newyork.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

 

BMC Grand Prix, Watford June 12

Steph Twell (Mick Woods) enjoyed a great day out, winning the 5000m with her second-best ever time of 15:28.99 – just two hours after taking 1.21 seconds off her PB in the 800m with 2:02.59.

In the two-lap race, she was just behind the in-form Emma Jackson, who clocked 2:02.25.

The 5000m brought back memories from a few years ago as Twell and Emily Pidgeon (Andy Hobdell), close rivals in their junior days, were together at the front of the field again. With Pidgeon in her best shape for years, she took more than eight seconds from her 2006 PB with 15:32.27. Both were just outside the European Championships B qualifier of 15:25.0 as they went top two on the Power of 10 rankings.

In the 1500m Emelia Gorecka (Mick Woods) recorded a lifetime best of 4:16.79 to move up to No.4 on the UK all-time under-17 rankings.The men’s 1500m saw Colin McCourt take victory in 3:38.7 in a close tussle with Alastair Hay 3:38.9 to justify his selection for the European Team Championships this weekend. The B 1500m was won by under-23 Ross Murray (Craig Winrow) in a PB of 3:43.51 after missing the whole of the winter season through injury. Another significant performance came from James Shane in the B 800m with PB of 1:47.99.http://www.britishmilersclub.com/bmcstorydisplay.aspx?storyid=554

 

Atletica Genève EAP Meeting June 12

Martyn Rooney (Nick Dakin) became the first Briton this year to duck under the 45-second mark. His 44.99 sets him up nicely for next weekend’s European Team Championships.In the same race Conrad Williams ran a fine PB of 45.45 to finish in third, also the position he holds on the Power of 10 standings.Over the one-lap hurdles Nathan Woodward (Nick Dakin) was another to record a lifetime best. His 49.70 represented his first time under 50 seconds. In fifth place, David Hughes continued his incredible start in the event this season. The Commonwealth and European representative at 110m hurdles has now run four races at 400m hurdles and his fourth PB of 50.33 has been bettered by only three Brits in 2010.Lee McConnell (Rodger Harkins) won the women’s 400m in 51.67 and also clocked 23.60 in the 200m, while Ashlee Nelson (Michael Afilaka) clocked 11.56 in the 100m.

http://www.eap-circuit.org/IMG/pdf/100612.pdf

 

NCAA Championships, Eugene, USA June 9-12

Charlotte Browning took the 1500m title recording 4:15.84 with Charlotte Browning took the 1500m gold in these prestigious event, a gathering over the top athletes from all over the United States. The 22-year-old produced her second-quickest-ever time of 4:15.84, beating Gabriele Anderson (4:16.25) and the highly touted Jordan Hasay (4:16.43). Lee Emanuel finished sixth in the men’s race in a slow tactical race with 3:48.61.http://www.flashresults.com/2010_Meets/outdoor/NCAA/

 

Cezmi Or Memorial, Istanbul, Turkey June 12

Dwain Chambers, Britain’s No.1 this year in the 100m, took victory with 10.18, which into a headwind of 0.9mps compares well with his season’s best of 10.11.

http://www.cezmior.org/

 

Primo Nebiolo Memorial, Turin, Italy June 12

Perri Shakes-Drayton (Christopher Zah) lowered her lifetime best over the 400m hurdles with a 54.91 victory, which moves her to No.4 on the UK all-time lists behind Sally Gunnell, Tasha Danvers and Gowry Retchakan. She also goes above Eilidh Child on the Power of 10 rankings. In the 100m hurdles Lawrence Clarke took one hundredth off his PB to clock 13.72 and go to fourth on the UK rankings, while Darren St Clair set a season’s best over 800m with 1:46.94 – a time beaten only by Michael Rimmer among Britons this year.http://www.memorialprimonebiolo.org/ENG/risultati.aspx

 

Asics Gouden Spike, Leiden, Netherlands June 12

Robbie Grabarz set a season’s best of 2.26m to win the high jump and go to third on the Power of 10 rankings.http://www.goudenspike.nl/index.php?type=news&id=185

 

Welsh Senior Championships, Cardiff June 12-13

Highlights from the opening day included world 400m hurdles finalist David Greene (Malcolm Arnold) competing over the flat, clocking a winning 46.38 over one lap.

Olympic 200m finalist Christian Malcolm found 10.57 enough to win the 100m. Lee Doran’s 71.98m in the javelin was among the best throws marks, while Cary Parry, who is fourth on the Power of 10 rankings, set a marginal season’s best with 62.79m in the hammer.

http://www.welshathletics.org/media/82476/welsh%20championships%20&%20cwg%20trials%2012th%20-%2013th%20june%202010%20-%20sen_u15_u13.pdf

 

Northern Athletics Senior and U20 Championships, Sports City Manchester June 12-13

Holly Bleasdale added two centimetres to her own UK under-20 pole vault record with 4.27m, which took her to fourth on the world junior rankings for 2010. The only Brits in history to have gone higher are UK record-holder Kate Dennison and Janine Whitlock. The 18-year-old Blackburn Harrier increased her PB from 4.05m to 4.25 at Loughborough last month.

Meanwhile, UK hammer No.1 and former world youth bronze medallist Alex Smith (David Smith) recorded his second best-ever mark of 71.10m.

Luke Cutts (Trevor Fox) set a championship best of 5.45m in the pole vault.

http://www.northernathletics.org.uk/FileUploads/SENIOR2010.rtf

 

Scottish U23 and U20 Championships, Grangemouth June 13

Performances of note included under-23 Josephine Moultrie scoring a middle-distance double with a 2:09.04 (800m) and 4:21.84 (1500m).

Andy Frost, fourth-ranked in the UK this year, was just short his season’s best with 70.91m in the hammer, while Susan McKelvie took the women’s event with 60.21m.

 

Southern Counties Senior and U20 Championships, Crystal Palace June 12-13

World championships representative Mervyn Luckwell (Chris Watts) went to the top Power of 10 rankings with 80.08m in the javelin. Competing for the first time this year, this was his second best-ever throw and a European Championships B qualifier – the A standard is 81.00m.

Kim Wall took a notable victory in the 400m in 53.21 over Nicola Sanders (Tony Lester), who will represent Britain in the European Team Championships this weekend. The 2007 world silver medallist ran 53.95 for second in her first 400m competition of the year.

In the under-20 javelin, Dan Pembroke recorded 72.54m to go to seventh on the UK under-20 all-time rankings.

Jack Green, who is inside the top 10 junior 400m hurdlers in the world this year with 51.49, duly took gold in his event with 51.88m.

Amir Williamson added 35cm to his best to take the senior hammer title with 69.72m.

Other championship bests included Jermain Olasan’s 18cm PB to take the under-20 long jump with 7.53m, Izzy Jeffs 46.81m in the under-20 javelin and Sarah Luck’s 6:48.20 in the 2000m steeplechase.