15th April 2019

WEEKEND UPDATE

Grenada Invitational Track and Field Meet, Grenada, 13 April

Competing in his second 100m race of the year, world champion Adam Gemili (coach: Rana Reider; club: Blackheath & Bromley) showed that his injury troubles are behind him as he beat a strong field in a swift 10.11 (0.4m/s) clocking, which puts him top of the early Power of 10 rankings.

Gemili opened his season with a wind assisted (2.6m/s) 10.14 at the Florida Relays at the end of March with this effort in Grenada just 0.01 outside of the qualifying standard for the 100m for the IAAF World Championships later this year.

Miguel Francis (Glen Mills; Wolverhampton & Bilston) smashed the 20.40 IAAF World Championship 200m standard with an impressive 20.16 (1.0m/s) clocking that moves him to eighth on the all-time British list. Delano Williams (Enfield & Haringey) also opened up his season with a 20.46 (1.9m/s) showing in the B race.

Results

 

California, USA, 13 April

Over in California, Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin; Thames Valley) bettered her shot put personal best to 17.51m, a 20cm improvement on her previous best, to climb to eighth on the UK all-time list.

Results: link to follow

 

Brighton Marathon 10k, Brighton, 14 April

Steph Twell (self; Aldershot, Farnham & District) showed her rivals a clean pair of heels as she won by over a minute on the South coast, smashing her personal best in the process. Getting the better of her fellow GB internationals Mhairi MacLennan (Helen Clitheroe; Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds) and Emily Hosker-Thornhill (Mick Woods; AFD), who clocked 32.59 and 33.03 respectively, Twell stopped the clock in 31.58, to put herself 13th on the UK all-time list. Such is the strength in depth in British female distance running at the moment, she sits third on the 2019 rankings.

In a thrilling men’s race, no fewer than seven athletes broke 29 minutes on a great day of racing in Brighton. Having never produced a performance over 10km that is reflective of his ability, Nick Goolab (Craig Winrow; Belgrave) ran a huge personal best to take victory by 30 seconds in 28:22 and go top of the Power of 10 rankings. Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin; Southend) took silver on the day, with the event also doubling up as the English Championships, his time of 28.53 also a personal best by ten seconds and good for second on the 2019 rankings. Bronze went to Andrew Heyes (Steve Vernon; Hallamshire) as he edged out the other four men who dipped inside 29 minutes.

Results

 

Brighton Marathon, Brighton, 14 April

Helen Davies produced a personal best at 39 years of age to win the women’s race at the Brighton Marathon by 14 minutes. After a string of strong half marathon performances during her build up, the Ipswich athlete produced the run of her life to break the tape in 2.34.08 to go top of the Power of 10 rankings for 2019. Peter Le Grice won the men’s race in a huge personal best of 2.16.23, the fastest a Brit has ever gone on this course.

Results

 

Alan Bertram Spring Memorial, Loughborough, 13 April

Blackburn Harrier Charlotte Williams (Mick Hitchon) was in great early season form in Loughborough, the young hammer thrower producing a personal best of almost five metres to go beyond the European Junior Championships qualifying mark as she won the U20 women’s competition with a throw of 59.09m.

Results: link to follow

 

CVEATC Throws, Chula Vista, USA, 11 April

Four Brits were in throws action across the pond in California, with three producing personal bests and one a season’s best. Youcef Zatat (Scott Rider; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) led the way in the shot put with a lifetime best of 18.45m for victory, before George Armstrong (Zane Duquemin; Newham & Essex Beagles) achieved the same feat when finishing fourth in the men’s discus; he launched the plate out to 61.21m, his first time over 60 metres, achieving the European Under-23 Championship qualifying mark in the process.

Two further Duquemin coached athletes were in action in the women’s event, with Kirsty Law (Sale Harriers Manchester) and Shadine Duquemin (Shaftesbury Barnet) finishing sixth and seventh, the former in a season’s best of 56.36m, the latter with a massive personal best of 55.33m.

Results

 

Boston Marathon, 15 April 2019

JohnBoy Smith (Jenny Archer, Weir Archer Academy) warmed up for the WPA Marathon Championships in London in two weeks time with an 11th place finish in Boston. His time, 1:31.55 was ten minutes behind winner Daniel Romanchuk, the youngest ever winner of the men’s wheelchair race in Boston, and the first American since 1993.

Fellow Briton Simon Lawson (Ian Thompson, Carlisle Tri) was 14th in 1:40.44.