2017 School Games, Loughborough, 1 September

Loughborough University played host to the School Games for the second consecutive year, with athletics one of 12 sports being contested by over 1,600 athletes.

From an athletics point of view the star performer was undoubtedly Pippa Earley (coach: John Shepherd) as she bettered the British U17 80m hurdles record she broke last weekend. Crossing the line victorious in 10.94, Earley was delighted with her run, which was a Championship Best Performance, though a wind gauge malfunction means the time can unfortunately not be ratified as a new British age-group record. Another to bag a CBP and School Games gold was Amber Anning (Stephen King), the Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medallist capping off a great season with a massive 300m personal best of 37.79, which puts her fourth on the British u17 all-time list.

Emma Howe produced an impressive new lifetime best of 50.34m to win the javelin, the Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medallists first time over 50m. In the women’s hammer Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Robert Halliwell) also bettered her lifetime best, a 62.00m throw in the final round seeing her snatch gold.

In a tense men’s 100m race Daniel Afolabi (James Roughneen) stole the top spot in a very tight finish, crossing the line in 10.86, with Amy Hunt (Joe McDonnell) winning the women’s race in 11.92, before adding 4x100m relay gold at the end of the programme.

Meanwhile in the ambulant events the Midland’s Karim Chan (Femi Akinsanya) was victorious in the mixed category long jump, the World Junior Para-Athletics champion leaping to 5.90m. In the wheelchair events Craig Boardman took double gold in the 100m and 800m to cap a fine season where he has won five international medals.

Results

2017 Cardiff Kidney Wales 10K, Cardiff, 3 September

On the roads of his capital city Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans) posted his second fastest ever road time as he was a clear winner in 28:47, a very impressive performance. The women’s race was won by Lily Partridge (Richard Partridge) in 33:37 as she gears up for the Berlin Marathon later this month.

Results

Berlin Fliegt!, Berlin, Germany, 2 September

Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson) took victory at this exciting jumps only meet in Germany, although she’d have hoped for further than 6.46m (+0.2) given the very high standards she sets. In the men’s pole vault, British Athletics junior international Joel Leon Benitez (Alan Richardson) cleared 5.38m, his third best outdoor mark to finish runner-up, a great end to his season.

Results

Palio Citta’ della Quercia, Rovereto, Italy, 29 August

Guy Learmonth (Henry Gray) continued his breakthrough 2017 with yet another 800m personal best out in Italy. In the mix all the way in a quick race, Learmonth dug deep down the home straight to cross the line in fourth place in 1:45.10. There was also a 1:45.54 season’s best for Andrew Osagie (Mark Rowland) as he continues his comeback. Another on the comeback trail is Emelia Gorecka (Chris Thompson) and she ran well in the women’s 3000m, a 9:03.85 season’s best good for eighth.

Racing over one lap Dwayne Cowan (Lloyd Cowan) took victory in 45.63, with Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah) running a season’s best of 52.19 for second in the women’s race. There was also a season’s best for Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie) as she won the B race in 52.32. James Dasaolu (Cowan) was fourth in the men’s 100m in 10.19 (0.9).

Results

Memorijal Borisa Hanžekovića, Zagreb, Croatia, 28-29 August

Dina Asher Smith (John Blackie) was the best placed Brit in Zagreb as a she took second in a high quality women’s 100m in 11.23 (1.0), with Desiree Henry (Rana Reider) fourth in 11.40. Adam Gemili (Reider) was fourth in the men’s equivalent in 10.21, with Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams) also fourth in the men’s 400m in 46.04.

Lynsey Sharp (Terrance Mahon) ran a great race in the women’s 800m, third in 1.58.35, showing she is still in great form at this late point in the season. Elsewhere, Jack Green was fifth in the 400mH, clocking 50.27.

The biggest winners however were perhaps Rosie Clarke (Dave Harmer) and Iona Lake (Pauline Ash) who posted terrific new steeplechase personal bests of 9:32.10 and 9:39.03 respectively, with the former’s time moving her to fourth on the UK all-time list. In the sprint hurdles Andy Pozzi (Benke Blomkvist) was fifth with David King (James Hillier) seventh, the pair running 13.56 and 13.73 respectively.

The sole Brit in field event action was Morgan Lake, who cleared 1.88m in the high jump, good for fifth.

Results

BMC Gold Standard Races, Stretford, 29 August

Double London 2012 T12 medallist David Devine (Anthony Clarke) showed a welcome return to form over 1500m as he clocked a season’s best of 3.54.35, his fastest since winning bronze in London five years ago.