19 March 2012

 New York Half Marathon, March 18

In a top class race, European 10,000m silver medallist Chris Thompson (coach: John Nuttall) clocked a 61:23 PB in seventh to go top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings while Scott Overall (Rob Chapman) – already selected for the London Olympic marathon – also smashed his PB  when finishing eighth in 61:25 to go second in the rankings. Jon Mellor (David Evans) went third with his debut half-marathon in 19th in 62:59.

Freya Murray (Steve Jones) set a PB in the women’s race with 72:32 to go second in the women’s rankings while Claire Hallissey ran 72:58 to go fourth.

Results: http://web2.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/aes-programs/results/startup.html?result.id=b20318&result.year=2012

10th Memorial Mario Albisetti, Lugano, Switzerland, March 18

Tonbridge AC’s Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake) went to the top of the McCain UK Power of 10 Rankings and to 15th on the UK All-Time list when taking a minute and a half of his PB with 1.25.49 in a world class field at the10th Memorial Mario Albisetti event in Lugano, Switzerland.

In one of the greatest 20km’s ever, reigning Olympic 50km Champion Alex Schwazer (Italy) laid down his intent for London in a titanic battle with European 50km Champion Yohann Diniz (France), the pair finished first and second in 1.17.30 – the sixth fastest time in history – and 1.17.43 respectively.

The English duo of Alex Wright (Andi Drake) and Bosworth set off to attack the Olympic B standard of 1.24.30. Wright was slightly ahead of Bosworth at the 5km point (20.52 to 21.04) and maintained this lead through 10km, however, Wright was soon to fall foul of the judges. Bosworth began to slow in the third quarter of the race but held it together to smash his PB to come home in 28th. Ben Wears (Redcar RWC) set off on PB schedule, passing halfway in 44.10. He slowed over the second half to come home in 1.29.52, his second fastest ever and to go second in the UK Rankings.

In the junior women’s 10km, Heather Lewis (Martin Bell) moved into the top 10 in the UK All-Time list when clocking a new Welsh Junior record of 50.26. She made an aggressive start and passed half way in 24.33, only just outside her 5km PB. She paid for this effort in the second half but hung on to smash her PB in third place behind Ireland’s World Youth Champion Kate Veale (47.01).

In the under-18 race, which was incorporated within the junior race, Tasha Webster (Martin Bell) and Ellie Dooley (Andi Drake) made their England debuts. Webster finished in fifth place just  outside her PB in 53.08, while Dooley, who only took up race walking in July last year, took a minute off her best in sixth clocking 53.53.

In the junior men’s race, Jamie Higgins (Andi Drake) was in the leading group of eight athletes and passed halfway in 22.24. Between 7km and 8km Higgins made a decisive bid for glory but was removed by the judges at 8km. Alex Eaton (Manx Harriers) in his international debut took seventh in 51.55.

Results: http://www.lugano-racewalking.com/Official_results_Lugano_2012.pdf

ESAA Championships, Ilton, March 17

Following up his McCain CAU Inter Counties victory in the under-17 category, there was an impressive senior boys’ win for Jonathan Davies (Rob McKim), once again beating older athletes.

The Intermediate boys race was won by Scott Halstead (Jeff Seddon) who went one better than the Southern and Inter Counties Championships.

The Junior boys’ race was won by Jamie Dee (Scott Doyle), son of former international Billy, who had finished fourth in both the Southern and National.

Emelia Gorecka (Mick Woods) won the senior girl’s race from Jessica Judd (Jeremy Freeman). Gorecka has remained unbeaten this winter and won the European, Inter Counties, National and Southern events as well as this English Schools event.

Bobby Clay (James Roberts) has also dominated throughout the winter with victories in the National, Inter Counties and Southern Championships, and on this occasion, up against older athletes, she won the Intermediate race with her older sister Alex (Pete Mullervy) in third.

Katherine Shiel Rankin (Mick Woods), who was fourth behind Clay in the Inter Counties in her first year in the age group, won the junior race.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=56043&pagenum=1

Watch the races via Athleticos.org http://ow.ly/9JCf6

European Cup Winter Throws, Bar, Montenegro, March 17/18

Results didn’t quite match the performances of the outstanding Winter Trials at Loughborough, but the British highlight at this prestigious event was Goldie Sayers (Dan Pfaff) finishing second in the javelin with an Olympic qualifying distance of 62.75m to go top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings.

Brett Morse (self-coached) was fifth in the discus with 61.63m which also puts him top of the rankings.

Alex Smith (Shane Peacock) was fifth in the hammer with 72.13m, Mervyn Luckwell (Esa Utriainen) was sixth in the javelin with 74.98m and Jade Nicholls (Andrew Neale) was ninth in the discus with 56.92m which goes top of the outdoor rankings.

Sarah Holt (Robert Weir) was second in the B Hammer with 64.17m.

Results: http://www.ecwt2012bar.org/results.html