21st January 2019
WEEKEND UPDATE
Weekend Update – 21/01/19
Houston Half Marathon, Houston, USA, 20 January
Welshman Dewi Griffiths (coach: Kevin Evans; club: Swansea) went within 11 seconds of his half marathon personal best with an impressive performance across the pond in this high calibre half marathon. With his usual aggressive style, Griffiths was mixing it with some of the best Kenyan athletes, eventually crossing the line eighth in 61.44.
Cross Internacional de Italica, Seville, 20 January
On a warm January afternoon the next leg of the IAAF Cross Country Permit series took place in Seville, Jess Piasecki (Robert Hawkins; Stockport) continuing the positive momentum she’s built over the last few months as she finished first Brit, seventh in a stellar international field. One place and just four seconds back came Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin; Swansea) who has continued to impress this winter. In the men’s race Mahamed Mahamed (Peter Haynes; Southampton) was the leading British finisher in a solid 16th place.
South of England Indoor Championships, Lee Valley, 19-20 January
Ojie Edoburun (Steve Fudge; Newham & Essex Beagles) produced the quickest 60m time of the weekend at Lee Valley with a 6.71 effort in the semi-finals, but chose not to run the final, which was won by Ronnie Wells (James Hillier; Bournemouth) in 6.77. It was a similar story in the women’s event, Asha Philip (Fudge; Newham & Essex Beagles) clocking 7.30 in the semi-finals, whilst Paige Fairclough (Simon Duberley; Shaftesbury Barnet) won the final in 7.55, a personal best performance.
In the sprint hurdles, David King (Hillier) was the class act, winning in 7.77 from Khai Riley-La Borde (Ray Gibbins; Enfield & Haringey) who took silver in 7.86 – those two times put the duo first and second on the UK rankings. In the women’s final Marilyn Nwawulor (Lloyd Cowan; Harrow) took the spoils in 8.37, a season’s best and the fastest by a Brit this year.
Cardiff Met Grand Prix 2, Cardiff, 20 January
After a 1500m personal best last weekend, Jamie Webb (Adrian Webb; Liverpool) stepped down to his regular 800m distance and showed he really is in exceptional form, winning in Cardiff by some five seconds. Crossing the line in 1.47.63, Webb was just three tenths shy of his indoor personal best and goes well clear at the top of the Power of 10.
In the men’s 60m junior Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James; Cardiff) set an impressive 6.73 personal best, the Cardiff athlete, like Webb, going well clear at the top of the UK rankings.
Larry Wieczorek Invitational, Iowa City, USA, 19 January
Jahisha Thomas (Blackheath & Bromley) went leaping to the top of the Power of 10 women’s long jump standings thanks to an impressive 6.50m effort in Iowa, good for the win on the day and just 19cm shy of her outdoor personal best.
Texas A & M Triangular, College Station, USA, 19 January
U23 Lily Beckford (Linford Christie; Shaftesbury Barnet) showed her potential with an indoor 400m performance that threatened her outdoor best for the distance; she finished second in 53.62, just over tenth outside her lifetime best and good for second on the Power of 10 behind Eilidh Doyle.
Vanderbilt Invitational, Nashville, USA, 19 January
Preston Harrier Jamaine Coleman (Helen Clitheroe) kick started his indoor season with a bang, posting a huge mile personal best in his first race since the European Championships last summer. Best known as a steeplechaser, the GB international went sub four for the mile for the first time, winning in 3.59.89 in his first race for professional outfit Furman Elite.
Pole Vault Summit, Reno, USA, 18 January
Lucy Bryan (Alan Richardson; Bristol & West) produced a 6cm season’s best out in America where she attends Akron University, her 4.36m clearance good for eighth place and extending her advantage at the top of the Power of 10 rankings.
Newham & Essex Beagles Indoor Open, Newham, 16 January
A number of the country’s leading sprinters showed their hands for the first time in 2019 at the popular Newham midweek sprint meeting, with Imani Lansiquot (Steve Fudge; Sutton & District) and Hannah Brier (Glyn Hawkes; Swansea) asserting their authority at the top of the Power of 10, for a few days at least!
Lansiquot got the better of Brier in both races run on the night, running 7.35 in the first and going one hundredth quicker with 7.34 in the second round. Meanwhile Brier posted 7.39 in the first of the two races, equalling the fastest time she ran last year.
In the men’s races, Brier’s fellow Loughborough University student Adam Thomas (Leon Baptiste; Bracknell AC) went quickest to win both A races, 6.69 in the first before posting 6.67 in the second, both of which were inside his old personal best. Runner-up Rueben Arthur (Ryan Freckleton; Enfield & Haringey) also joined him inside 6.70 with a 6.69 effort in the second race, a big season’s best and just 0.01 shy of his personal best.
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