14 September 2009

Overseas

IAAF World Athletics Final, Thessalonika, Greece. 12 September [Day 1]

On the first day Simeon Williamson (Highgate) had a disappointing run finishing in eighth place 10.48 (-0.2) behind two of the world’s best in Tyson Gay (USA) 9.88 and Asafa Powell (Jamaice) 9.90. Michael Bingham (Wake Forest University) ran a solid 45.67 to claim fourth spot in the 400m behind the undisputed world’s best this season, LaShawn Merritt (USA) who clocked an untroubled 44.93. The one lap hurdles saw Rhys Williams (Cardiff) run 50.02 in fifth place from lane one with Kerron Clement (USA) maintaining his supremacy with victory in 48.11. World champion, Phillips Idowu (Belgrave) in his second competition since his epic Berlin victory, could only finish in fourth place with 17.03m (1.0) and although not the best way to finish the season, it may well be just the result to give him an incentive through the winter month’s ahead of next year’s European and Commonwealth championships. The winner was Arnie David Girat (Cuba) with 17.45m (1.5).

In the women’s events Emily Freeman (Wakefield) finished in eighth place in 22.91 (0.1) from lane one in the 200m and confirmed her status as Britain’s number one with yet another sub-23 second clocking. However, the race proved to be one of the highlights of the first day with World champion Allyson Felix (USA) winning in 22.29 (0.1) with World 400m champion Sanya Richards (USA) recording the same time and only the photo-finish could separate them. Interestingly, Felix is considering running more 400m races next year in a ‘non championship year’ for the USA athletes. There was no doubt that the British highlight on day one was Hannah England’s second place in the 1500m behind Nancy Lagat (Kenya) 4:13.63. Holding the kerb for most of the race, England entered the final 100m still holding that position and passed three athletes in the final 50m with a final 300m in 44 seconds and that run will give her satisfaction after being overlooked for the World championships and great confidence for next season. Some of the athletes she finished ahead of were World champion Maryam Jamal (Bahrain) and Gelete Burka (Ethiopia). Lisa Dobriskey (Ashford) arguably the pre-race favourite ran a tired-looking race in eighth place 4:15.94 but will take the highlights of this season into her winter’s training with a re-newed confidence for next season.

13 September [Day 2]

Marlon Devonish (Coventry) finished in sixth place in 20.85 (-0.3) in the 200m behind the sensational Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 19.68 who once again decimated the field with Wallace Spearmon (USA) taking the runners-up spot with 20.21. In the 110m hurdles Andy Turner (Sale Harriers Manchester) finished in fifth place 13.57 (-0.3) behind World champion Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados) 13.16. Chris Tomlinson (Newham & Essex Beagles) finished seventh in the long jump with 7.85m (-0.3) behind surprise winner Fabrice Lapierre (Australia) 8.33m who benefited from an illegal tail-wind of (2.4) and a lacklustre World champion Dwight Phillips (USA) 8.24 (-0.2). In the women’s events Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) 51.01 finally finished ahead of Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex Beagles) 51.42 finishing in fourth and sixth respectively behind the unstoppable Sanya Richards (USA) 49.95. Jenny Meadows (Wigan) continued her fine season with third place and after a slow first lap of 61 seconds she ran a negative split to come home in 2:00.41 with Jemma Simpson (Newquay & Par) seventh in 2:00.99 behind winner Anna Willard (USA) 2:00.20. Laura Kenney (Royal Sutton Coldfield) finished in eighth place in the 3000m and was the only British athlete to set a life-time best with 8:50.37 behind Meserat Defar (Ethiopia) with a world leading 8:30.15 the day after winning the 5000m.

Summer Deaflympics, Taipei. 7-14 September

In the 200m John Ruddy (Shettleston U20) finished in fifth place with 22.38 (2.7) after running 22.39 (-0.1) in his semi-final. Joanne Davison (Worthing V45) finished third in the hammer with 47.06m with Bethan Lishman (Wigan) 43.16m in fifth and Beth Sewell (Cardiff) 42.98m in sixth. Joanne Davison (Worthing V45) also finished in tenth place in the discus with a throw of 34.19m. Lauren Peffers (Dunbar U23) finished in a fine second place in the 400m with 55.90.

Disfida di Barletta, Italy . 8 September

Emma Ania (Shaftesbury Barnet) won the 100m in 11.49 (0.4) which was just outside her season’s best also set in Italy in Roverto a couple of weeks ago.

Home

BUPA Great Capital Run, Regents Park, London. 13 September

This three-way contest between England, Australia and a Rest of the World team saw wins for Andy Baddeley (Harrow) and Freya Murray (Chester-le-Street) over the 5km course. Baddeley secured victory in the last 50m, coming home one second clear of Collis Birmingham (Australia) in 13:45 and said: “I’m happy with this win today, it tells me I am still in good shape.” Murray defeated Benita Willis (Australia) by four seconds in a time of 15:42 and said: “I’m really happy to have won my second BUPA Great Run in as many weeks. I felt good and really enjoyed the park run.” The first three in each race were: Men – 1 Andy Baddeley (England) 13:45; 2 Collis Birmingham (Australia) 13:46; 3 Chris Thompson (England) 13:58. Women –  1 Freya Murray (Rest of World) 15:42; 2 Benita Willis (Australia)15:46; 3 Helen Clitheroe (England) 15:58. The ‘Ashes’ Challenge Team Result saw Australia win from the Rest of the World and England.

National Junior League Final, Derby. 13 September

In the men’s events Deji Tobias (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) who is already third in the Pof10 rankings clocked 10.72 (1.6) for victory in the 100m and 21.90 (-0.7) to complete the sprint double. Michael Warner (Notts) moved into the top 10 in the rankings with 47.95 while Orie Lawrence (Birchfield) 14.17 (0.4) improved his pb by 1/100^th second. Thomas Ashby (Herne Hill) already 4^th in the discus rankings threw 51.34m for first place while Andrew Elkins (Shaftesbury Barnet U17) top of the rankings threw a solid 60.19m in the hammer. In the high jump Phinehas Stewart (Birchfield) jumped 2.07m and in the triple jump Nathan Fox (Shaftesbury Barnet) recorded 15.17m. In the women’s events Emily Dudgeon (Edinburgh U17) clocked 2:10.28 for a pb while Serita Solomon (Blackheath & Bromley) ranked second in the Pof10 ran 14.26 for victory. Shaunagh Brown (Blackheath & Bromley) top ranked, threw the discus 47.52m while Sophie Hitchon (Blackburn) who also sits at the top of the rankings, threw the hammer 58.27m and Laura Samuel (Leicester) currently number one in the rankings, jumped 12.48m in the triple jump.

Watford Open Graded Meeting. 9 September

Sophie Riches (Chelmsford U15) went to second on the Power of Ten rankings with a fine 9:59.86 in the 3000m and James McMurray (St Albans U15) also moved to second in the rankings with 1:58.45 in the 800m.