1 February 2016

There were a number of indoor and cross country performances this weekend which are covered below.

Bratislava Indoor Meeting, Bratislava, Slovakia, 31 January

Tom Bosworth (Coach: Andi Drake) claimed his second British indoor walks record of 2016 with a brilliant 5km victory against a world class field in 18:54.18. Three weeks after taking eight seconds off the 3km record at the English Indoor Walks Championships in Sheffield, the 26-year-old Tonbridge athlete improved the 5km record by almost half a minute and claimed the scalps of two World Championship 50km gold medallists, Slovakia’s Matej Toth and Ireland’s Rob Heffernan.

Callum Wilkinson set a UK under 20 record of 19:39.69 in the 5km walk, while 17-year-old Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen) of Trafford AC set a British junior indoor triple jump record of 12.99m. 

http://www.atletikasvk.sk/Content/results/2016/1/VYS855.pdf 

Indoor Track and Field Vienna, Vienna, Austria, 30 January

A year after making her international breakthrough on the boards, Seren Bundy-Davies (Stephen Ball) opened her 2016 season in stunning fashion with a 400m Welsh record and world lead. The 21-year-old Trafford athlete scorched round the two laps in 51.60, slicing 0.12sec off the Welsh indoor record she set at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix in February last year, two weeks before claiming bronze at the European Indoor Championships in Prague.

There were a host of top notch performances by Britons competing in the Dusika Stadion in Vienna, where Jason Gardener (60m) and Colin Jackson (60m hurdles) struck gold at the 2002 European Indoor Championships. Former European U23 400m hurdles champion Sebastian Rodger (Stephen King) won the men’s 400m in 46.48. In doing so, the 24-year-old Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier registered a significant improvement on the indoor PB of 47.13 that he clocked in Linz, also in Austria, in February last year.

There were indoor PBs by British winners in the men’s and women’s 800m races, Guy Learmonth (Rob Denmark) prevailing in 1:47.35 and Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow) in 2:02.15. Dale Clutterbuck (self-coached) also clocked a PB in taking the men’s 1500m in 3:40.53. There were also lifetime bests by the British winners of the men’s and women’s 60m, Kyle De Escort (Andy Paul) equalling his with 6.71 and Louise Bloor (Toni Minichiello) clocking 7.35.

http://lalive.de/index.php?ver=160130ATVIE&typ=120

Welsh Athletics Senior Indoor Championships, Cardiff, 31 January

Adam Gemili (Steve Fudge) returned after injury with a lifetime best performance of 6.59 to beat training partner James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge) to the men’s 60m title at the Welsh Indoor Championships. Tackling his first competition since suffering hamstring damage en route to a 9.97 100m clocking at the Birmingham Grand Prix on 7 June last year, Gemili equalled his four-year-old PB with a 6.68 clocking in the heats and was 0.09 quicker when it came to the final. Dasaolu clocked 6.64 in the final and 6.62 in his heat.  Bristol and West’s Theo Campbell (James Hillier) finished third in 6.77.

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge) won the women’s 60m in 7.21, with 17-year-old Swansea Harrier Hannah Brier (Neal Merry) third in a lifetime best of 7.39. David King (James Hillier) clocked a personal best of 7.68 in winning the men’s 60m hurdles final from David Omoregie (Benke Blomqvist), second in 7.76.

Paralympic F42 discus champion Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones) claimed his first senior able-bodied medal, taking bronze in the shot with 14.05m. Gareth Winter (Zane Duquemin) took gold with 17.36, with Brett Morse (Nigel Bevan) throwing 15.53m for silver.

Additionally, Stephen Morris (James Thie) lowered his British indoor T20 1500m record to 4:01.05.

http://welshresults.athletics-uk.org/

London Senior and Under 20 Games, Lee Valley, 30-31 January

British 100m and 200m record holder Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) opened her 2016 account with 60m wins in 7.20 and 7.22. Daryll Neita (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) was ran a lifetime best of 7.29 after earlier running 7.32 whilst Sophie Papps (Dan Cossins) returned from injury with a best of 7.36.

Lina Nielsen (Frank Adams) was a winner over 400m in 53.74, ahead of fellow teenager Hannah Williams (Colin Gaynor), second in 54.45. European Indoor bronze medallist Serita Solomon (Michelle Bovell) won the 60m hurdles in 8.10. Sean Safo-Antwi (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) took the men’s 60m in a PB of 6.57, with Andy Robertson (Daniel Cossins) second in 6.62.

http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=149744&top=5000

Scottish Senior and Under 17 Indoor Championships, Glasgow, 30 January

A new look Richard Kilty (Benke Blomqvist) opened his 2016 indoor season in familiar style – with a victory and a championship title. Sporting a beard, the 2014 World Indoor and 2015 European Indoor 60m champion was a convincing winner of the 60m final at the Scottish Championships in 6.65 – ahead of Ireland’s Jonathan Browning, who took silver in 6.83 and 17 year-old Scot Cameron Tindle (Henry Gray), third in a PB 6.88.

The women’s 800m was missing World Championship fifth placer Laura Muir (Andy Young), who withdrew because of illness, but the event produced a notable step up for Kirsten McAslan (Trevor Painter). Competing in her first race at the distance since 2011, when she set an outdoor PB off 2:08.39, the 2016 World Championship 4 x 400m relay bronze medallist took the title in a new lifetime best of 2:04.48. McAslan said afterwards that she needed more endurance to consider a permanent move up to 800m and would be reverting to 400m for the rest of the season. Mhairi Hendry (Andy Young) came through to take second place in a PB 2:04.97 with Maddie Murray (John Lees) third in 2:05.47.

The men’s 800m title was won by Ben Greenwood (Catriona Helm Tavendale) in 1:51.78, while Sarah Inglis (Mark Bomba) claimed the women’s 1500m in 4:13.11, an indoor PB.Anna Gordon (Eamon Fitzgerald) won the women’s pole vault in 3.92m, a Scottish junior indoor record, while Allan Smith (Bryan Roy) won the men’s high jump ahead of David Smith (Fuzz Caan), both clearing 2.20m. Gillian Cooke (John Scott) took her tally of Scottish Championship medals to 30 with an effort of 11.60m for victory in the women’s triple jump, while in the under 17 women’s 800m Erin Wallace (Dudley Walker) clocked a Scottish and British under-17 best of 2:06.59.

http://www.janetnixon.info/scottish/2016/IndSen17/index.php

Loughborough Students Open Meeting, Loughborough, 30 January

British outdoor shot champion Rachel Wallader threw 17.30m to go fifth on UK all-time indoor list. In the men’s high jump Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Caan) equalled his season’s best clearance of 2.29m.

Kirchberg Indoor Meeting, Kirchberg, Luxembourg, 30 January

European junior 200m champion Tommy Ramdhan (Ryan Freckleton) stepped up to 400m in Luxembourg posting a career best of 49.40.

Harrow’s Josh Swaray won the men’s 60m final in 6.69, the same time as runner-up Robert Polkowski of Germany, nicking 0.01 off his four-year-old PB. He clocked 6.73 in the heats.

http://indoormeeting.fla.lu/

Terrier Indoor Invitational, Boston, USA, 30 January

European outdoor and indoor 1500m bronze medallist Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon) opened his indoor season with a solid mile win in 3:56.00.

South of England Cross Country Championships, Parliament Hill, London, 30 January

Aldershot’s Jonny Hay (Mick Woods) broke clear on a muddy Parliament Hill Fields course to win the senior men’s 15km title in 49:08. He finished just under a minute ahead of American Chris Zablocki of Chichester, with Thames Valley’s Portuguese international Antonio Silva in third.

Shaftesbury Barnet’s Naomi Taschimowitz (Charlotte Fisher) won the women’s 8km event in 30:34, nine seconds ahead of Highgate’s German athlete Svenja Abel. Aldershot’s Georgie Bruinvels (self-coached) took third place.

http://www.seaa.org.uk/results/cross-country.html 

Midlands Cross Country Championships, Loughborough, 30 January

City of Stoke’s Alex Brecker (John Danahay)  took the senior men’s 12km title on a sticky new course at Prestwold Hall in 37:22, finishing nine seconds clear of Alastair Watson with Jonathan Thewlis (Thomas Watson) in third.

Charnwood’s Jane Potter won the women’s race from  Katie Holt (Alan Moss) and Juliet Potter (Roy Stowell).

http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=147558

North of England Cross Country Championships, Blackburn, 30 January

Sale’s Charlie Hulson (Steve Vernon) took the senior men’s title at Witton Park, ahead of Barrow and Furness’ Peter Huck and Stockport’s Jack Morris (David Turnbull).

Claire Duck (Mike Baxter) of Leeds City won the senior women’s race from Kendal’s Sarah Tunstall and Durham City’s Rosie Smith (Bryan Mackay).

http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=147503

Matbocross Cross Country meeting, Breda, Netherlands, 31 January

Bristol and West’s Stephanie Barnes (coach:unknown) finished runner-up to Dutchwoman Andrea Deelstra, seven seconds down on the 7.62km course in 26:38.

San Sebastian Cross Country Meeting, San Sebastian, Spain, 31 January

Former World Junior 1500m champion Steph Twell (Mick Woods) finished fourth in a high class women’s race in 27.39. Ethiopia’s Hiwot Ayalew won in 26:57.

Cinque Mulini Cross Country Meeting, San Vittore Olona, Italy, 31 January

Reigning English cross country champion Lily Partridge (self-coached) was the first European finisher, in fourth, in the senior women’s 5.16km race. The Aldershot, Farnham and District athlete clocked 19:25, behind runaway winner Faith Kipyegon of Kenya, who triumphed in 19:25.

Rockingham 10k

Despite battling tough weather conditions, IPC world finalist Ben Rowlings (Job King) took over two minutes off his lifetime best to get his summer preparations off to a flying start. The 19 year old clocked 24:53 and the middle distance specialist will look to continue his impressive form over the last 12 months.