14 May 2012

While it was county championship weekend in Britain, most of the major action came abroad.

Ignis Asset Management Womens 10K, Glasgow, May 13

Freya Murray (coach: Steve Jones) had her first race since her 2:28:10 marathon debut in London and she won in 33:36 from fellow Scot Susan Partridge who timed 34:05.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=64845

Montgeron, May 13

James Dasaolu (Michael Khmel) made a great start to his 2012 campaign. After winning his 100m heat in 10.30, he equalled the Olympic A standard of 10.18 when he won the final to go top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings.

Results: here

Oxfordshire Championships, Horspath, May 13

The week after setting an Olympic A standard in the 110m hurdles in the Olympic standard, Lawrence Clarke (Malcolm Arnold) set a PB at 100m, winning in 10.64.

Results: http://mcs.open.ac.uk/mkac/12bucksoxontfday1.htm

Surrey Champs, May 12/13

Former European and Commonwealth long jump medallist Jade Johnson (John Herbert) won with 6.25m/0.7.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=56752&event=LJ&venue=Kingston&date=12-May-12

Yorkshire Champs, May 12/13

World silver medallist Jessica Ennis (Toni Miniciello) showed good form close to her best to win the shot with 14.33m and javelin with 44.13m.

Results: http://www.noeaa-athletics.org.uk/Pages/Article.aspx?id=262

Basel 24hr, May 12/13

Men’s summary

Commonwealth 24 Hour Champion John Pares showed once again what a top world class performer he as he put in a tactically great performance for victory.

The early hours of the race were dominated by a group of runners going out hard; in fact, the lead runner had gone off at a clearly unsustainable pace and predictably faded badly with only a third of the race gone. The Welsh and English men were assembling behind, however, and it soon became a UK one-two-three with Pares, Steve Holyoak and Robbie Britton.

As Pares hit the front he relaxed and his confidence grew with some extreme bursts of pace which saw him lap the entire field a number of times.

Steve Holyoak (based in Norway) – eventually finishing second – took a different approach with a relaxed, steady and consistent pace which he held continuously throughout the race.

Britton, making his debut in the 24-hour event, was the youngest competitor in the event at 25-years old. He ran alongside John Pares for many hours and although an injury curtailed his exuberance towards the latter part of the race, he showed that he’s definitely one to watch for the future and finished in a credible fifth.

• 1st John Pares (Buckley Runners) 235,588kms

• 2nd, Steve Holyoak (Road Runners Club) 233,454kms

• 5th Robbie Britton (North Norfolk Beach Runners) 222,578kms. 

Women’s summary

The ladies race was one of excitement and drama.

Karen Hathaway established herself in second place early in the race as a local runner took an early lead, while Heather Foundling-Hawker, also representing England, was running steadily in third spot.

In an almost direct repeat of the men’s race, the leading lady dropped out at half way with an injury and Hathaway took the lead and continued to run strongly through the night.

Foundling-Hawker had to revise her race strategy after an injury flared up but she got on with the task in hand and finished well in fourth.

In a twist, the early leader re-entered the fold after dropping out at half way and soon had her sights on Hathaway. With four hours remaining she was gathering pace and eventually pulled back the 10km gap, and with ten minutes remaining took the lead.

From a British point of view the day however belonged to Hathaway, however, and she was delighted and exhausted to achieve the Aviva GB & NI team selection criteria for the IAU 24-Hour World Championships in Poland 8-9 September by just 126m (the total distance required was 206km).

• 2nd Karen Hathaway (Reading Road Runners Club) 206,126kms

• 4th Heather Foundling-Hawker (Honiton RRC) 176,972kms.

May 12 (World Challenge Series)

Tiffany Porter (Coach: James Henry) continued her good start to the 2012 season with a top class 100m hurdles win in 12.79. The Olympic A standard is 12.96.

Michael Bingham (Kevin Tyler) was fourth in the men’s 400m in 45.87, whilst Dwain Chambers was sixth in the 100m in10.55, though it was run into a headwind of 1.9mps. Fellow Brit Tyrone Edgar (Monte Stratton) beat him in 10.42.

Atlanta, May 12

Shana Cox (Lloyd Cowan) set a season’s best of 51.66 which puts her second in the McCain Power of Ten rankings. The Olympic A standard is 51.55.

Results: http://www.deltatiming.com/results/events_byschedule.aspx?yf=2012&mf=2012-georgia-tech-invitational.

Pac 12 Championships, Eugene, May 12

James Alaka (Clarence Callender) made use of perfect conditions and smashed his personal best in the 200m to set an Olympic A standard (20.55) with 20.45/1.7 and go top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings. He also  finished second in the 100m in a PB 10.22/2.0 to better the Olympic B standard of 10.24.

Results: http://www.flashresults.com/2012_Meets/outdoor/05-12-Pac12Champs/Day2.htm

Samsung Diamond League, Doha, Qatar, May 11

There were Olympic A standards (1:45.60)  in the 800m for World indoor bronze medallist Andew Osagie (Coach: Craig Winrow) who set a PB of 1:44.64 while Michael Rimmer (Norman Poole) ran a season’s best of 1:44.86 and made a super comeback as the pair went one-two on the McCain Power of Ten rankings. In the B race, Mukhtar Mohammed (Mustafa Mohamed) ran1:46.41.

In the men’s 400m, Martyn Rooney (Coach: Nick Dakin) was again inside the Olympic A standard and 45 seconds in fourth place in 44.99.

On the field, Samson Oni (Coach: Trevor Lllewellyn) finished equal fourth in the high jump with 2.27m. After equalling the British long jump record of the week before, Greg Rutherford was fourth with a jump of 7.98/1.0

Emma Jackson (Alan Morris) went top of the women’s 800m rankings with a fifth place in 1:59.37. The Olympic A standard is 1:59.90 marking a further improvement in the youngster’s developing talent. Her former World Junior Championships teammate Stephanie Twell (Mick Woods) led the 3000m by over eight seconds at one point but finished 13th in 9:01.64.

Perri Shakes Drayton (Chris Zah ) made a good season’s debut over 400m hurdles after leading mid-race and finished third in 55.25, which was comfortabley inside the Olympic A standard of 55.50 and puts her top of the UK rankings.

Kate Dennison (Scott Simpson) continued her good form to finish fourth in the Pole Vault with 4.50m to equal the Olympic A standard, whilst Goldie Sayers (Dan Pfaff) in a top class Javelin competition finished fifth with 61.03m.

Results: http://www.diamondleague-doha.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview1/ 

Notts 10, May 11

Juliet Doyle (Coach: Roy Stowell) went second in the UK 10 mile rankings when she finished fourth overall and first woman in 56:27.

Results: http://www.cix.co.uk/~neper/notts10/2012.htm

Forteleza, May 9

Anyika Onoura (Coach: Lloyd Cowan) finished third in the 200m with 23.19 which places her second in the 200m rankings.

Results: http://www.cbat.org.br/competicoes/gp_unifor/resultado.asp

Sainsbury School Games, Olympic stadium, May 9

A lot of Britain’s leading UK Under 17s took advantage of competing in the Olympic stadium with some top class performances.

Liam Dee (Coach: Simon Doyle) went top of the UK Under 17 1500m rankings with 3:52.91. Sean Molloy equalled his PB in winning the 800m in 1:52.32 to go top of the Under 17 rankings.

Other U17 ranking male toppers included Jermaine Hamilton (Julian Golding) who won the 200m in a PB 21.37, Nick Petrou (John Baron) who won the 400m in a PB 48.96, Aidern Davies (Bruce Bewley) who won the 400m hurdles in 54.17, Harry Koppell (John Mitchell) won the pole vault in 4.60m. Montel Nevers won the triple jump with 14.41m and Matt Seddon (Jeff Seddon) won the 1500m steeplechase in 4:21.58.

Top ranking U17 performances by the women included Dina Asher Smith (John Blackie) who won the 200m in a PB 24.01, Sabrina Bakare (Jane Dixon) won the 300m in 38.43 which goes into the all-time top 10, Sophie Ritches (Christian Dailly) won the 1500m in 4:26.74, Amy Griffiths (Mick Woods) won the 3000m in 9:32.86, Shona Richards (Marina Armstrong) won the 300m hurdles  in 43.89, Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake) won the long jump in 5.80m, Nikita Campbell-Smith (Sharon Morris) won the triple jump in 12.05m, Adele Nicoll (Andy Brittan) won the shot with 13.71m and Natasha Wilson (Michael Doran) who won the javelin with 45.20m.

Results: http://www.2012schoolgames.com/2012/results/athletics/index.php