23rd February 2025

Championship and world records set at 2025 Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships

George Mills, Neil Gourley, and Scott Lincoln all set new championship records at the 2025 Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

Mills (club: Brighton Phoenix; coach: Thomas Dreissigacker) clocked 7:40.16 to pip James West (Tonbridge; Helen Clitheroe) to the men’s 3000m in an enthralling battle, with both men going well under the previous record and booking their places at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn next month.

“Today was about winning first of all to secure Euros and Worlds place,” said Mills. “I came in on a week of heavy training so the legs weren’t fully fresh because I need to peak at the [European] Champs.

“It was fun to be out there today but going forward there are much bigger things on the line.”

Gourley (Giffnock North) took two seconds off the men’s 1500m record as he stormed to the British title in 3:38.84, with Thomas Keen (Cambridge & Coleridge; Mark Vile) joining him in the Netherlands.

“The pace was fast today,” said Gourley. “No heat yesterday didn’t matter although it made it tricky today with so many starters, so I had to be careful but thankfully no-one went down.

“The competition environment is valuable as part of my preparation as it is good practice for championships racing.”

Lincoln (City of York; Paul Wilson) earned his 10th men’s shot put title with 20.86m.

The trio of championship records capped an exciting two days of action at the Utilita Arena, that also saw Sabrina Fortune (Deeside; Ryan Spencer) set a new world record in the F20 women’s shot put.

The Paralympic champion went out to 15.50m, enough to take bronze in the overall event that was won by Serena Vincent (City of Portsmouth; Mike Winch).

“I really wasn’t expecting this today; I really didn’t sleep well last night but it seems to work as I didn’t sleep well before my bronze medal in Tokyo!” Vincent said. “I just wanted to get something that was ok today so I am really happy with that.”

Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell (Belgrave, Trevor Painter) defended her women’s 1500m title in style after an absorbing battle with Revee Walcott-Nolan (Luton).

The women’s 3000m crown went to Hannah Nuttall (Charnwood; Helen Clitheroe), who took her maiden national title courtesy of an impressive kick to beat Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill).

On the first day, Bianca Williams (Thames Valley, Longford Christie) claimed her first senior national title with victory in the women’s 60m.

The Olympic silver medallist continued her fine early season form to clock 7.19s in the final, with Joy Eze (Gateshead) second.

Williams said: “It means so much as I have never been a British champion after all these years. Training is going well. I am feeling great. I am balancing motherhood and everything is aligning.”

The men’s 60m title went to Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff, Helen James) in 6.56s.

The other sprint titles went to Joe Ferguson (Sheffield & Dearne; Richard Kilty) and Alyson Bell (Glasgow Jaguars; Anne Scott) in the men’s and women’s 200m respectively, with both setting new personal bests of 20.93s and 23.12s.

British outdoor record holder Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove) took women’s 400m gold in 51.40s ahead of Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet; Tony Lester), while Alex Haydock-Wilson (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow; Dai Greene) clocked 46.70s for the men’s title.

Abigail Pawlett (Trafford; Ashley Bryant) posted a new personal best of 8.09s en route to women’s 60m hurdles gold while Daniel Goriola (Blackheath & Bromley; Tony Jarrett) added the indoor title to the outdoor title he claimed last summer in the men’s 60m hurdles.

The para 60m titles went to Paralympic medallists Sophie Hahn (Charnwood; Leon Baptiste) and Zac Shaw (Cleethorpes; Leon Baptiste) in 8.12s and 7.07s respectively.

Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Leeds City) retained his men’s long jump title with a leap of 7.69m while Alice Hopkins (Oxford City; Linford Christie) won the women’s event with a personal best 6.59m

Triple jump titles went to reigning outdoor champion Efe Uwaifo (Harrow; Daniel Hooker) and Georgina Forde-Wells (Woodford Green Essex Ladies; Lukasz Zawila).

Morgan Lake (Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow) claimed her third straight indoor title in the women’s high jump with a season’s best 1.94m.

Teenager Otis Poole (Yate; Joy Bray) produced a stunning performance to win the men’s high jump, improving his personal best by 11cm to take victory with 2.20m.

“It feels amazing given that I wasn’t even coming here until Wednesday!” he said. “Then it was all a bit of a rush and I had to change my training plans. It probably helped as it didn’t give me any time to get nervous.

“Every time I cleared I felt there was room to improve so I kept going and I am delighted and surprised to clear 2.20m. I have school tomorrow so no real time to celebrate but reckon I might get a Chinese tonight!”

Owen Heard (Harrow; Kate Rooney) took men’s pole vault victory thanks to a first time clearance at 5.26m, while Nemiah Munir (Thames Valley; Richard Humby) demonstrated her huge improvements as she took women’s gold having finished ninth 12 months ago.

The final events of the weekend on the track saw a pair of intriguing 800m battles. Justin Davies (Team Bath; Martin Rush) took the tape in the men’s event, clocking 1:47.26 for his maiden national title and a place in Apeldoorn.

The women’s title went to Isabelle Boffey (Enfield & Haringey; Luke Gunn), who also secured her trip to the Netherlands with victory in 2:04.24 ahead of Grace Vans Agnew (Brighton Phoenix; Daniel Stepney).

The 3000m race walk titles went to two-time Olympian Callum Wilkinson (Enfield & Haringey) and Hannah Hopper (Cambridge Harriers; Noel Carmody).