27th February 2012
Weekend Update
27 February 2012
Saucony English National Cross Country Championships, Parliament Hill, London, February 25
The National Cross Country Championships saw some top class competition held in glorious spring sunshine with big crowds spectating on the famous London course.
Former junior winner Keith Gerrard of Newham and Essex Beagles was a clear winner of the 125th senior men’s 12km race in 35:56, with defending champion Steve Vernon of Stockport (coach: David Turnbull) second and Newham’s John Beattie (John Nuttall) in third. There were 1688 finishers. Leeds City took the team honours from Tipton.
The senior women’s 8km race, held for the 80th time, was won in 27:06 by European bronze medallist Gemma Steel (John Nuttall) of Charnwood who gained her first ever National medal having been fourth the previous year.
Three seconds back Stephanie Twell (Mick Woods) continued her comeback from serious injury to be a close second, just outsprinting Sonia Samuels (George Gandy) of Sale Harrier Manchester. Hatti Dean (Bud Baldaro), who won the race last time it was held in London, finished fifth and led Hallamshire Harriers to a narrow team win over Bristol and West.
Jonny Hay (Mick Woods) continued his superb start to 2012 by retaining the junior title over 10km in 31:50 with a very fast final mile. His Aldershot clubmate Harvey Dixon (Mick Woods) came through strongly for second 21 seconds back, while long time leader Charlie Maclean (Tom Watson) held on for third.
Aldershot won the team event.
Aldershot also won gold – both individual and team – in the junior women’s race. European champion Emelia Gorecka (Mick Woods) was an untroubled winner in 21:02. Midland champion Annabel Gummow (Chris Wooldridge) of Bristol, who fell midrace, was second while Spenborough’s Northern champion Jenny Walsh (Deborah Rowlands) was third.
An exciting under-17 men’s race was won by a single second by Liverpool’s Matt Sherling (Adrian Webb) in 19:42 from Ryan Isaacson (Simon Goodwin) from Bedford. Aldershot again won the team race. Tonbridge’s George Duggan (Peter Mason) won the under-15 race in 14:58 by nine seconds from the Asgodom twins from Enfield and Haringay. Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow won the team event.
The under-13 race was won by Woodford Green and Essex Ladies’ Canaan Soloman (John Stow) in 10:51 by four seconds from Markhim Lonsdale (Keith Lonsdale) of Gateshead. Bedford and County were easy team winners.
The under-17 women’s race, led for the most part by defending champion and World Youth medallist Jessica Judd (Jeremy Freeman), was won by Becky Straw (Bud Baldaro) of Cannock and Stafford in 18:00 by just a second from South of England champion Alex Clay (Pete Mullervy) of Invicta East Kent. Aldershot again won the team event.
The under-15 race was won by Alex’s sister Bobby Clay (James Wilkinson) of Invicta East Kent. Annabel Mason of Wakefield was second as Aldershot again won the team honours.
Cambridge Harriers’ Sabrina Sinha (Mark Newell) won the under-13 girls race in 11:40 by seven seconds. The Goddard twins, Hope and Grace (Beverley Kitching) took the other medals and led Bracknell to team victory.
Results: http://www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=78
Athleticos Video Clips: http://bit.ly/zzF9hq
Aubierre, France, February 26
British junior record holder Katie Byres (Julien Raffalli) continued her good form to finish first equal with a world class pole vault of 4.42m.
British Universities Championships, Sheffield, February 26
Shakira Wright (Keith Fleming) set a huge PB of 13.23m in the triple jump to go fourth in the McCain Power of Ten rankings. Sally Peake (Scott Simpson) won the pole vault in 4.20m while Isobel Pooley (Fuzz Ahmed) won the high jump with 1.84m.
Results: http://www.bucs.org.uk/homepage.asp
England Under-20 Championships, Birmingham, February 25/26
European junior 100m silver medallist Adam Gemili (Michael Afilaka) set fast personal bests of 6.68 in the 60m and 21.20 in the 200m to go top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings in both events.
Exciting Heptathlon talent Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes) won both the long jump in a top class 6.30m and the high jump in a personal best 1.85m which puts her top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings.
European junior champion Jodie Williams (Mike McFarlane) won the under-20 women’s 60m in 7.47.
Results: http://www.justiming-live.co.uk/ea2012/schedule.html
Athleticos Video Clips: http://bit.ly/wzK6Yp
XL Galan, Stockholm, February 23
Holly Bleasdale (Julien Raffalli) continued her great start to 2012 with a second place with her second best ever vault of 4.72m, as Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva broke her world record with 5.01m.
Joe Thomas (Arwyn Davies) continued his run of personal bests with a world class 1:46.33 in fourth place in the 800m to keep him top of the McCain Power of Ten rankings.
Yamile Aldama’s (Frank Attoh) 14.44m for third in the triple jump easily increased her lead at the top of the triple jump rankings, while with her sixth place in the 1500m, European Indoor 3000m champion Helen Clitheroe (John Nuttall) narrowly went top of the women’s rankings with 4:09.70, as Hannah England (Bud Baldaro) and Stephanie Twell (Mick Woods) are both within 0.14 of a second of her.
Results: http://88.131.109.176/folksam/xlgalan12/result.php
Cotswold 35.2, Temple Guiting, February 19
UKA held their ultra distance trials and there were wins for Andrew James in 3:40:03, closely followed by Allen Smalls on 3:50:26. In fourth place overall, 2:36:13 marathoner Sue Harrison (Les Barnet) showed world class form to win in 4:06:14 from fellow international and Commonwealth 24-hour silver medallist Emily Gelder in 4:23:03.
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