22 August 2016 

Godiva Classic, Coventry, 21 August

300 athletes descended on Coventry as a number of athletes fine-tuned their preparations for the Paralympic Games in Rio, which get underway on the 7 September.

Hannah Cockroft (coach: Jenni Banks) was in imperious form over 800m, clocking 1.56.89, which once ratified will be a new T34 world record. In a mixed classification race, it was T53 world 200m bronze medallist Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) who took victory in 1.56.60.

Cockroft turned the tables in an excruciatingly close 100m, edging out Kinghorn 17.44 to 17.46 (+3.3m/s). World bronze medallist Kare Adenegan (Job King) finished just outside her lifetime best in 18.52, with Carly Tait (Rick Hoskins) following in 19.69.  

In the 400m, Cockroft was narrowly outside her season’s best with a time of 60.57, with Adenegan following her compatriot home in 63.97.

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson) showed she’s coming into form at the right time as the F20 shot putter came within six centimetres of her lifetime best with a best series effort of 12.70m.

Also in a mixed race, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Libby Clegg (Joe McDonnell) continued her impressive season clocking 12.24 (+0.1) in the 100m, with training partner and T38 world 100m champion Sophie Hahn (McDonnell) following her across the line in 12.93 with Laura Sugar (Femi Akinsanya) recording 13.56.

After a spell on the sidelines, Hollie Arnold (Anthony Hughes) was back to her very best as the F46 world javelin world champion threw 39.91m to set herself up well for Rio. Training partner and world F41 javelin bronze medallist Kyron Duke (Hughes) followed suit with a season’s best throw of 37.30m.

Dan Greaves (John Godina) produced his third best throw of the season with an effort of 60.45m as the 33 year old prepares to go for his fifth consecutive medal at Paralympic Games.

In the men’s 100m, the ever-improving Richard Chiassaro (Banks) took victory clocking 15.00 while also posting a time of 1:34.53 in the 800m. European T51 100m bronze medallist Stephen Osborne (Jenni Banks) posted one of his fastest times of the year crossing the line in 22.30 (+1.1m/s).  

Rising star Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman) showed his Rio credentials with his third fastest time of his career in the T34 400m. Towers finished in front of his teammate Ben Rowlings (Job King) 54.49 to 55.99.

Zac Shaw (McDonnell) crossed the line in first to win a mixed class 100m in 11.50 (+1.8m/s), with James Ledger (Richard Ledger) following in 11.87 and Rhys Jones (Christian Malcolm) in 11.94. Multiple global medallist Graeme Ballard (Trevor Painter) came through in 12.64

Results: Will be available on Power of 10 this afternoon

British Milers Club Grand Prix, Stretford, 20 August

Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman) took yet another BMC victory as he comfortably won the 800m A race in 1.49.18 on a wet and windy evening in Manchester. Fellow 1500m runner Sarah McDonald (Bud Baldaro) took victory in the women’s equivalent in a modest 2.04.13, with the weather dispelling any real hope of fast times.

Tom Lancashire (Steve Vernon) took the 1500m A race in 3.44.80 from James West (George Gandy), with 800m man James Bowness (William Parker) running a fast last lap to finish third in 3.45.74, a big personal best.

Alison Leonard (Baldaro) won the women’s 1500m in 4.13.77 with Rosie Clarke (David Harmer) and Melissa Courtney (Mark Pauley) enjoying a good battle for second, the former coming home in 4:15.44 to pinch second.

Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin) enjoyed a successful, if busy evening, winning the 10,000m in 29.51.64 as well as finishing third over 3,000m in 8.10.53, five seconds down on winner Jonathan Taylor (Gordon Surtees).

Elsewhere in the 800m A race, Sarah McDonald (Bud Baldaro) broke the tape just ahead of fellow Birchfield Harrier Georgina Outten (Andrew Walling) to claim victory in 2:04.13.

In the women’s 5,000m Lauren Howarth (Steve Vernon) revised her personal best with an emphatic 15.44.28 victory.

Results: http://www.britishmilersclub.com/content/bmcitemdisplay.aspx?itemid=1242

Photo credit: Peter Milsom