1 September 2009

Following the excitement of the World Championships in Berlin, it was back to normality once again with some of Great Britain & Northern Ireland’s medallists and finalists competing in Europe; while on home soil other athletes showed that the season is not over yet by putting in some outstanding performances.

Overseas

International Antwerp Athletics Gala, Belgium. 29 August

Selected results from this meeting included: James Ellington taking first place 10.32 (3.0) in the 100m with Leon Baptiste (Enfield & Haringey) third in 10.41. Baptise also finished in the same position in the 200m with 21.03 (1.7). In the women’s events there was a victory and season’s best for Meghan Beesley (Birchfield) 57.30 in the 400m hurdles while Angie Broadbelt-Blake (Thames Valley Harriers) took first place in the 100m hurdles 13.77 (3.0) and in the field Vikki Hubbard (Birchfield) took first in the high jump with 1.82m.

Weltklasse IAAF Golden League, Zurich, Switzerland. 28 August

In the 100m ‘A’ Race Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex Beagles) finished ninth in 10.28 (0.0) while Harry Aikenes-Aryeetey (Sutton & District) finished in sixth place in the ‘B’ Race in 10.20 (0.4) with Marlon Devonish (Coventry) in eighth place with 10.25. In the ‘C’ Race Rikki Fifton (Newham & Essex Beagles) claimed the runners-up spot with 10.32 (-0.5). Will Sharman (Belgrave) took sixth place in the 110m hurdles in 13.37 (0.2) only 7/100ths outside his lifetime best set in Berlin. In the 1500m Tom Lancashire (Bolton) finished in a fine fifth place in 3:34.74 which was also just outside his lifetime best. In the women’s events Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex Beagles) ran 50.41 for fourth place and Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) ran 51.02 in sixth place. Lisa Dobriskey (Ashford) was the star British performer with a lifetime best of 3:59.50 in third place in a closely contested race with the first three under 4 minutes. Kate Dennison (Sale Harriers Manchester) finished in seventh place in a below par 4.41m. The GB team of Rikii Fifton (Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets), Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex Beagles), Marlon Devonish (Coventry) and Harry Aikines Aryeetey (Sutton & District) finished in fourth place in the 4x100m relay with 38.28.

Bank Meeting, Tallinn, Estonia. 25 August

Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun (Kent) returned to competing again and ran a solid 10.31 (0.8) and 20.74 (-0.8) to finish third in both the 100m and 200m respectively. Goldie Sayers (Belgrave) finished second in the javelin with a throw of 59.26m which was marginally outside her season’s best set at Crystal Palace in July.

Home

BMC Gold Standard Races, Watford. 26 August

Jordan Bransberg (Skyrac U15) consolidated his top ranking in the Power of Ten 800m lists with a 1:57.76 clocking in the ‘B’ Race while Jessica Judd (Thurrock U15) replicated that in the women’s ‘A’ Race with 2:08.89 finishing in front of  many top U20 & U17 athletes.

Falkirk Cup, Grangemouth. 26 August – to view BBC iplayer highlights click here

Ben Williams (Stoke U20) jumped a life-time best in the triple jump with 16.09m (1.2) to stay at the top of the rankings while Laura Samuel (Leicester City U20) jumped 12.35 (2.0) and remains at the top of her rankings. Craig Pickering (Marshall Milton Keynes) took the 100m in 10.27 (1.4) and 800m specialist Darren St. Clair (Enfield & Haringey) stepped down to the 400m and took the victory in the ‘A’ race with 46.60 while Greg Louden (Lasswade U17) took the ‘B’ race in a pb of 48.16. In the hammer Mark Dry (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) 69.46m and Andy Frost (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies) 65.21m took first and second places respectively. In the women’s events Claire Gibson (Kilbarchan) won the 800m in 2:02.90 and Freya Murray (Chester-le-Street) 33:01.43 claimed top spot in the Power of Ten rankings. Meghan Beesley (Birchfield) continued her consistent form with victory in the 400m hurdles 58.48.