National Road Relay Championships, Birmingham, 8 April

Leeds City AC were runaway winners in the women’s race, stopping Aldershot, Farnham & District’s seemingly never-ending run of titles as they took victory by nearly four minutes. GB marathoner Susan Partridge put them second after leg one, as she produced the second fastest long leg of the day, behind only Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin) of runners-up Swansea Harriers.

The third fastest short leg of the day by GB mountain running international Emma Clayton (Andrew Henderson) put Leeds out in front, and they never looked back, extending their lead all the way to the line. Kate Maltby (Christopher Frapwell) clocked the fastest short leg of the day with 16.38, six seconds quicker than Laura Weightman (Steve Cram).

The men’s race was equally one-sided as Swansea Harriers won by five minutes, ahead of Bristol & West and Liverpool Harriers. It did take until the halfway mark for the Welsh team to take the lead, but once they did they were never headed, Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans) helping them on their way with the fastest long leg of the day, a 25.10 clocking.

Results: https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2017/

Paris Marathon, Paris, France, 9 April

Dave Weir (Jenny Archer) fine-tuned his preparations ahead of the London marathon at the end of the month with a commanding victory on his first time racing at Paris’ marathon, with a time of 1:29.25 seeing the six-time Paralympic champion seal the win.

Results: Link to follow

Alan Bertram Memorial, Loughborough, 9 April

In this early season hammer competition, meeting organiser Myra Perkins (John Pearson) opened her season with her longest throw for three years, taking victory with 61.46m. In the U18 men’s event Bayley Campbell (Paul Dickenson) threw a huge 73.53 personal best with the 5kg hammer, whilst Blackburn Harrier Charlotte Williams (Mick Hitchon) revised her personal best three times, throwing 60.53m in her first competition as an u17, to also win performance of the day.

Results: Link to follow

Sun Angel Classic, Arizona, USA, 8 April

Chijindu Ujah (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) made an early start to his outdoor season and was rewarded with a 200m personal best of 20.39 (+1.7m/s). He also posted a 10.29 100m clocking into a strong 2.9m/s headwind.

At the same meeting, Paralympic F42 Shot Put champion Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones) added over a metre to his lifetime best, as a throw of 17.40m saw him unofficially revise* his own world record in the class. 

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=202062

*The throw will undergo ratification as per usual  

Baylor Invitational, Texas, USA, 8 April

400m man George Caddick (Clyde Hart) produced a personal best in his first outing of the outdoor season as he finished runner-up in 45.80.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=202041

Grenada Invitational, Grenada, 8 April

Martyn Rooney (Graham Headman) didn’t quite have what it took to stop local hero Kirani James from having a party on his home track, losing out 45.44 to 46.35, but he did beat some quality athletes to finish second in his first individual outing of the season.

Results: http://www.cfpitiming.com/liveresults/2017_Outdoor/Grenada_International_2017/

Podebrady Walking Race, Czech Republic, 8 April

In the men’s 20km international match race, Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake) finished a terrific eleventh, with a 1.26.00 time, some five minutes quicker than he’s ever gone before. In the women’s race Gemma Bridge (Mark Wall) was tenth in 1.35.03, a two and a half minute personal best and inside the London 2017 qualifying time of 1:36:00.

Results: http://www.podebrady-walking.cz/en/results

Spec Towns Invitational, Georgia, USA, 7-9 April

Tim Duckworth (Toby Stevenson) set a string of personal bests en-route to a personal best decathlon score. Clocking 10.62 and 49.18 in the 100m and 400m, and leaping out to 7.87m in the long jump, Duckworth scored 7973 points, which puts him seventh on the UK all-time list. It is also the second best score ever by a British 20 year old, only bettered by Olympic champion Daley Thompson.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=202037

Skechers Performance Carl Kight Invitational, Texas, USA, 7 April

Steeplechase specialist Lennie Waite (Jim Bevan) made a solid outing over 5,000m, taking victory in a personal best of 16.12.54, seven seconds fastest than her old PB set in 2014.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=202042

Watford Open Graded Meeting, Watford, 5 April

Jess Judd (Mick Judd) translated her strong winter form from the mud onto the track, opening her season with a swift 8.52.16 over 3,000m, a full eight seconds quicker than she’s run before.

Results: http://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=188894