23rd April 2019

WEEKEND UPDATE

PURE Athletics/NTC Spring Classic, Clermont, Florida, USA, 20 April

Known for its favourable winds, Clermont once again delivered, with not a single performance of note taking place with a legal tailwind. The pick of the British action came in the field as Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman; City of Stoke) leapt to 6.59m (5.3m/s) to win the long jump.

On the track, Desiree Henry (Lance Brauman; Enfield & Haringey), in her first individual race for 10 months, produced a 23.25 (3.9m/s) 200m showing which was good enough for third place, while Edmond Amaning (Thames Valley) ran 20.49 in the 200m, albeit with a huge 5.5m/s tailwind.

Results

 

Mt. Sac Relays, California, USA, 19-21 April

GB distance runner Alice Wright (coach: Ben Rosario; club: Worcester) was in action over 5,000m, setting a new personal best of 15.45.51 to finish fourth and also move to fourth on the UK rankings for 2019. Stepping down in distance Jodie Williams (Stuart McMillan; Herts Phoenix) produced a solid early season 100m-200m double, posting times of 11.44 (-0.1) and 23.37 (0.5) respectively. Meanwhile in the field, Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson; Thames Valley) and Jahisha Thomas (John Shepherd; Blackheath & Bromley) finished fifth and ninth in the long jump with marks of 6.48m (-0.3) and 6.29m (0.5) respectively.

Results

 

Michael Johnson Invitational, Texas, USA, 19-20 April

Lily Beckford (Linford Christie; Shaftesbury Barnet) set a fine early season personal best to knock almost a second off her previous time and go third on the Power of 10 rankings with the fastest outdoor time by a Brit so far this year. Competing over one lap of the track, Beckford was fourth in 52.71. In doing so, she achieved the qualifying standard for the European Under-23 Championships.

Results

 

Beach Invitational, Long Beach, California, USA, 19-20 April

Kirsty Law (Zane Duquemin; Sale Harriers Manchester) produced the second best throw of her career and her best effort for seven years to move to the top of the Power of 10 discus rankings. Having thrown 57.79m in 2012, Law produced an impressive 57.68m on Saturday to finish fourth in a quality field. Also in action in the field, Amelia Strickler (Duquemin; Thames Valley) backed up her personal best set just two weeks earlier with a solid 16.92m effort.

Results

 

Bryan Clay Invitational, California, USA, 17-19 April

A whole host of Brits were in action in Azusa, Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin; Swansea) leading the way in the endurance events as she finished fourth in a quality 5,000m field, setting a new lifetime best of 15:40.48 off the back of a breakthrough winter. That run puts her third on the Power of 10.

Results

 

Kansas Relays, Kansas, USA, 17-20 April

Discus man Nick Percy (Vesteinn Hafsteinsson; Shaftesbury Barnet) produced a 62.09m throw in his second meet of the year, that distance just over a metre shy of his personal best, which bodes well for the season ahead. That mark also puts him top of the Power of 10.

Results

 

Scottish 10,000m Championships, Crownpoint, Glasgow, 19 April

Lachlan Oates (John Montgomery; Shettleston) set a personal best of 29:40.79 to take the Scottish 10,000m title in Glasgow on Friday night, the Shettleston athlete winning by over half a minute. First woman home was Northern Ireland’s Scottish resident Fionnuala Ross (Dermot Kerr; Shettleston), making it a club double on the night. Elspeth Curran (Lawrie Spence; Kilbarchan) took silver, her 34:47.82 time a solid debut.

Results

 

BAA Boston Marathon, Boston, USA, 15 April

Now 40 years of age, Alyson Dixon (self; Sunderland Strollers) proved age is just a number as she ran 2.35.43 over in Boston, to move to fourth on the Power of 10 rankings. Scott Overall was first Brit home in the men’s race, clocking 2.17.37.

Results