22nd May 2017
Weekend Round-up
22 May 2017
Away from the Loughborough International, Hightgate 10,000m and the European Racing Walking Cup, there was plenty of athletics action taking place around the world. Find out what happened with our round-up below.
USATF Distance Classic, California, USA, 18 May
Sir Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) got his outdoor season off to a very strong start as he finished second over 1500m, only beaten by Olympic champion Matt Centrowitz. After a hard block of altitude training, the 5,000m and 10,000m champion tested his speed at the shorter distance, and will be pleased with his 3.34.19 run, less than a second down on Centrowitz. In third place was Chris O’Hare (Terrance Mahon), the Scot almost pipping Farah on the line as he improved his personal best with a terrific 3.34.35 time.
Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) chose the America meeting as the place to make her 5,000m debut, and it was a good choice as she took victory in 15.08.24, well inside the London 2017 World Championship qualifying standard. In the steeplechase, America based Brit Rob Mullett (David Leach) was second, his 8.30.06 a season’s best, and also a London 2017 qualifier.
In the 800m, Adelle Tracey also bagged the London standard as she finished second in 2.00.35, a season’s best and just three tenths outside her lifetime best. In the men’s event Kyle Langford (Jon Bigg) led the way with a 1.46.77 season opener, just ahead of Andrew Osagie’s (Mark Rowland) 1.46.93, a season’s best, the duo coming in second and third. Michael Rimmer (Bigg) finished seventh in 1.48.83.
Results: http://www.flashresults.com/2017_Meets/Outdoor/05-18_USATFDistanceClassic/
IAAF World Challenge Meeting, Kawasaki, Japan, 21 May
Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson) opened her season with a terrific throw of 73.97m, her second best throw of all-time, good for second in this Hammer Challenge meeting. Only her bronze medal winning throw in Rio has gone further, showing she’s had a good winter and is ready to contest for a medal at this summer’s World Championships.
Also in field event action was Shara Proctor (Rana Reider) who was long jumping for the first time this season, producing a best jump of 6.65 (1.0m/s) to take second place.
Second was the theme of the day, as Tiffany Porter edged out younger sister Cindy Ofili as the duo recorded times of 13.00 and 13.08 (0.0), the former a season’s best. Michael Rimmer (Jon Bigg) also produced a season’s best of 1.48.29 for fourth in the 800m, whilst Tom Burton (Nick Dakin) did the same in the 400mH, his 50.07 good for sixth.
Hallesche Werfertag, Halle, Germany, 20-21 May
A small cohort of British athletes travelled to this well-renowned throws meeting in Germany, hoping for big throws across the board. Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson) was the pick of the bunch at he threw 76.81m for third in a world class men’s hammer competition. Taylor Campbell (John Pearson) won the U23 competition with a 71.96m throw, whilst Harry Hughes (Michael McNeill) was fourth in the javelin with a best effort of 74.69m.
In the shot, Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson) wasn’t far down on his season’s best, his 18.55m good for seventh, with Adele Nicoll (Vladimir Zinchenko) eighth in the women’s equivalent in 15.85m.
In the discus, Zane Duquemin (John Hillier) was fourth in the B comp with 60.80m, George Evans (Colin McCulloch) fourth in the U20 comp with 56.40m, and Jade Lally (Andrew Neal) 11th in the women’s event with 53.76m.
Results: http://www.cosa-software.de/Veranstaltungen/2017038/
Jamaica International Invitational, Kingston, Jamaica, 20 May
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Hughes) was the highlight of the Brits competing in this IAAF World Challenge meeting in Jamaica, the young sprinter in familiar surroundings at his training base. He was third in a 200m race won by Rio 2016 silver medallist Andre de Grasse, his 20.29 just down on de Grasse’s 20.14 winning mark.
In the women’s 400m, Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan) was seventh in a strong field, her 53.25 clocking a season’s best, whilst Marilyn Okoro (Jonny Gray) was fifth in the 800m in 2.03.44.
Meeting Pro Athlé de Baie Mahault, Guadeloupe, 17 May
Also in the Caribbean, Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson) was in action in Guadeloupe earlier in the week, producing a very solid 6.76m (0.4) in the long jump, enough for second place behind American Brittany Reese’s 6.98m leap.
SoundTrack 2017, Tübingen, Germany, 20 May
A handful of Brits made the trip to Germany for this festival of middle distance running, with both Sarah McDonald (Bud Baldaro) and Robbie Fitzgibbon (Jon Bigg) coming away with second place finishes and 1500m season’s bests. McDonald missed out on victory by just over a tenth of a second, but will be pleased with her 4.09.70 time at this stage in the season. Fitzgibbon was similarly just edged out, again his time of 3.40.38 not far off his lifetime best.
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