25th March 2019
Weekend update
Dudinská European Athletics Race Walking Permit, Slovakia 23 March
Cameron Corbishley (coach: Andi Drake) made a sensational 50km debut in the 39th Dudinska 50km in Slovakia, the 21-year-old storming to the second fastest ever performance by a British athlete as he clocked 3.53.20. The event, which was the British trials for the IAAF World Athletics Championships, saw the Leeds based walker make a brilliant debut to secure his place in Doha, his time well inside the qualifying standard of 3.59.00. Double Olympian Dom King (George Nibre) was second Brit home in 3.56.35 to also secure automatic selection for Doha. This is the first time ever that two British athletes have gone under the four-hour barrier in the same race.
Corbishley passed the halfway point on 1.55.24, ahead of Chris Maddocks’ British record pace (3.51.37) set in 1990. Despite slipping behind British record pace, Corbishley put in a solid last 5km to clock a brilliant 3.53.20 for a British under 23 record to take seventh overall on the day, with King producing his second-best time ever in 14th place.
Parelloop 10k, Brunssum, The Netherlands, 24 March
Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) smashed her 10km personal best for the second time in 2019 as she finished third in The Netherlands. Having run an impressive 31.59 at the Trafford 10k just two weeks ago, the European and Commonwealth medallist on the track sliced another 19 seconds off that, crossing the line in 31.40.
That performance puts the Morpeth athlete fifth on the UK all-time list, with only Paula Radcliffe, Liz Nuttall (nee McColgan), Wendy Sly and Gemma Steel having run quicker.
In the men’s race Cambridge & Coleridge’s Jack Gray (Mark Vile) was in personal best form; running for England he revised his best to 29:21 with Paulos Surafel the next Brit home, also running a PB of 29:46.
Results
Northern 12 & 6 Stage Road Relays, Birkenhead, 24 March
Leeds City AC took gold in the men’s race and silver in the women’s on a great day of action in the North West. Taking the lead on leg two of twelve, Leeds romped to victory by over five minutes, with Emile Cairess (Phil Townsend) and Philip Sesemann (Andrew Henderson) running the fastest long and short legs respectively.
Earlier in the day Rotherham overhauled their Yorkshire rivals on the sixth and final leg of the women’s race to take the title, Nicola Devine (David Tune) running the second quickest short leg of the day to break the tape first. In her second race of the weekend, Jess Judd (Mick Judd) produced the quickest long leg of the day by some margin, stopping the clock in 25.43.
Midlands 12 & 6 Stage Road Relays, Sutton Park, 24 March
The big three Midland’s clubs enjoyed a great tussle in the men’s 12 stage event, which went down to the wire. Notts AC led until three legs to go, but Bristol & West and Birchfield fought back, the former eventually taking the win by a mere 13 seconds, with Notts having to settle for bronze. Helping them into an early lead, Doug Musson (Luke Gunn) produced the quickest long leg of the day with a 25.59 run, whilst middle distance man Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg) ran the quickest short leg with an impressive 14.59 run.
Birchfield did lift the title in the women’s race, leading from gun to tape to finish over 10 minutes clear of their nearest rivals. Naturally the Birchfield individuals were quickest, with Hayley Carruthers and Bryony Gunn (Peter Stewart) producing the quickest long and short legs respectively.
Southern 12 & 6 Stage Road Relays, Milton Keynes, 24 March
Herne Hill were perhaps surprise winners in the South of England, with Aldershot, Farnham & District usually odds on to take the title, a feat they did achieve in the men’s race.
Results to follow
Scottish National Road Relays, Livingston, 24 March
North of the border Cambuslang and Central were named Scottish Road Relay champions, the former winning the men’s race for the first time since 2016, whilst the latter improved from 11th last year. With a strong series of middle legs, the Glasgow club built an unassailable lead in the men’s race, holding off a last leg charge from runners-up Inverclyde, in the form of GB mountain runner Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett). Running the opening leg as his last race before the World Cross Country Championships, Luke Traynor (Robert Hawkins) went quickest on the short legs, with Calum McKenzie (Moray Anderson) running the best long leg.
Central were helped to the title by Morag Miller’s fastest short leg of the day, but in truth their strength in depth told; Elspeth Curran (Lawrie Spence) produced the fastest long leg for Kilbarchan. Second team on the day were Shettleston, with Edinburgh University third.
Self Transcendence 100k/50k Ultra Races, Perth, 24 March
Moving up a tad in distance, the British 100k Championships and Scottish 50km Championships took place on Sunday at North Inches Park in Perth, Scotland, with three men bettering the seven-hour barrier. In the men’s 100km event England’s Charlie Harpur was victorious in a time of 6.44.05, with Scotland’s Rob Turner second in 6:51:36 and his fellow countryman Kyle Greig close behind. Sophie Mullins was delighted to take the 100k title in 8:03:39, with Morgan Windram second in 8:21:36 to make it a Scottish 1-2.
In the 50km races the women’s title was Hannah Oldroyd’s, as she crossed the line in 3:28:07 to get the better of Beth Pascal, who ran 3:35:19. Italy’s Paolo Natali took the win in the men’s equivalent in 3:02:14, but it was Kerry Liam-Wilson who finished first Brit and took the Scottish title in 3:13:45.
Coventry Half Marathon (2.km Wheelchair race), 24 March
Kare Adenegan (Job King) graced the streets of her home city, winning the 2.5km wheelchair race in a time of 8:33. With a host of Coventry Godiva wheelchair racers in action, the first male athlete home was Joel James in 9:49.
Cheshire 10k, Arley Hall, 23 March
Jess Judd (Mick Judd) was the star of the show on the roads on Saturday, as she clocked a lifetime 10km best of 32.42 to take the win, before going on to road relay success the next day. In the men’s race Mohammad Abu Rezeq was victorious in 29.18, with Phil Sesemann (Andrew Henderson) second 10 seconds back, whilst Patrick Martin (David Turnbull) also went sub 30 in third.
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