GOURLEY & MILLS LEAD WAY WITH RECORDS AT MICROPLUS UK ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMP

George Mills (club: Brighton Phoenix) and Neil Gourley (Giffnock North) both set new Championship records on the way to impressive gold medals at the Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham as GB & NI athletes booked their place at next month’s continental showdown.

Mills was the first athlete of the day to book a trip to the European indoors, bettering the Championship record in the men’s 3000m by nearly ten seconds to 7:40.16 minutes for his first national title. James West (Tonbridge; coach: Helen Clitheroe) also reaped the benefit as silver secured his place on the British team for Apeldoorn.

Gourley meanwhile showed his class in the men’s 1500m final, clocking a Championship record of 3:38.84 to regain his title. That guaranteed a trip to the Netherlands with Thomas Keen (Cambridge & Coleridge; Mark Vile) similarly benefitting in silver, although he needed a dive at the line to get it.

There was double success in the women’s 400m final as Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove) stormed to gold in 51.40 seconds, pulling Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet; Tony Lester) to a personal best of 51.77. The same occurred in the women’s 1500m as Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell (Belgrave; Trevor Painter) cruised to victory with Revee Walcott Nolan (Luton) second. All four are now guaranteed for the European indoors.

Hannah Nuttall (Charnwood; Helen Clitheroe) had got the job done earlier with victory in the women’s 3000m, while the Championships ended with Justin Davies (Team Bath; Martin Rush) and Isabelle Boffey (Enfield & Haringey; Luke Gunn) following suit in the men’s and women’s 800m respectively. An impressive total of 11 athletes securing a trip to Apeldoorn.

On a day where 18 titles were decided, Otis Poole (Yate; Joy Bray), at 17, was the youngest winner, having smashed a new personal best en route to gold in the men’s high jump. His performance also earning him the coveted Microplus Performance of the Day Award and £500. Scott Lincoln (City of York; Paul Wilson) broke a new Championship record on the way to another shot put title while Paralympic champion Sabrina Fortune (Deeside; Ryan Spencer Jones) set a new F20 world record of 15.50m in the women’s event.

Charles Wheeler (MK Distance Project; James Bennett) set the pace in the men’s 3000m final but with four laps to go, Mills strung the race out by hitting the front. West, also in possession of a European indoor standard, went with Mills and sat on his shoulder to set up a thrilling finish.

However Mills wouldn’t be denied, even going wide down the home straight to ensure he stripped West of his national crown. Mills’ time of 7:40.16 was a huge Championship record by nearly ten seconds, while silver for West secured his place to Apeldoorn.

Henry McLuckie (Isle of Wight; Terrence Mahon) claimed bronze over eight seconds behind and Mills said:

“Today was about winning first of all to secure Euros and Worlds place,” he said. “I came in on a week of heavy training so the legs weren’t fully fresh because I need to peak at the Champs.  It was fun to be out there today but going forward there are much bigger things on the line.”

Gourley, who broke the British indoor 1000m record last weekend, showed his class and experience in the men’s 1500m final to regain his title in a Championship record himself.

In a back and forth race, Gourley waited until Keen took to the front with a lap to go before pouncing around the final bend for victory in 3:38.84. Keen was forced into a tense wait to know his fate after diving alongside Tyler Bilyard (Great Yarmouth; Jethro McGraw) at the line.

Keen was awarded second ahead of Bilyard, which booked his European indoors place, while winner Gourley said:

“Qualification was the goal today; the record was a bonus.  The pace was fast today.  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.”

Olympic bronze medallist Hunter Bell retained her title in the women’s 1500m with a fine performance. She let Walcott Nolan hit the front before surging ahead at the bell to win the title once more in 4:13.23 – and secure her European indoors place.

Walcott Nolan hung on for an important silver, clocking 4:14.57 while Ellie Leather (Team Bath; Jason Michael) finished third. In-form Hunter Bell, who won by over ten metres, said:

“This is such a special race for me as it was my first victory last year so I really wanted to defend my crown!  I didn’t want to lead out and I stayed calm and hit the bell then pushed on.

“I am back to Manchester now for a week of training then wind down a bit for the Euros.  I hope to do all the championships as far as I can so long as I stay healthy.”

Anning was equally impressive in the women’s 400m final. She led from gun to tape to win her first national indoor title 51.40 – even dragging silver medallist Nielsen to a personal best 51.77 and a trip to Apeldoorn as well. Ama Pipi (Enfield & Haringey; Lester) won bronze in 52.10.

Much like the men’s 3000m, the women’s final became a two-way fight for gold over the final laps. Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill) set the challenge for Nuttall and this time the athlete in second did overcome the leader down the home straight.

Muir was competing in her first race this season, while Nuttall had European indoor selection on the line. Courtesy of the two powering away Nuttall had a trip to Apeldoorn secured but she wanted the win and surged around the final bend to get in front. Nuttall clocked 8:49.49 for gold while Innes Fitzgerald (Exeter) took bronze.

Davies guaranteed himself a trip to Apeldoorn with a comfortable victory in the men’s 800m. He let the race develop before moving to the front for gold – and his maiden national title – in 1:47.26.

A scrap behind saw Jack Higgins (Tonbridge; Mark Hookway) win silver and Thomas Randalph (Tamworth; Craig Winrow) bronze. Davies said:

“It hasn’t really sunk in; it means more than I can appreciate just now. There were a lot more here than at BUCS and it was a great atmosphere here.

“Going at 300m was probably the right decision.  After the Euros which I am very excited about I will need to do a lot of base work to be ready for the outdoors where I will target the European Under 23 championships.”

In the final event of the Championships, Boffey faced a tougher test in the women’s 800m final but battled to gold.

Boffey was challenged hard by Grace Vans Agnew (Brighton Phoenix; Daniel Stepney) on the home straight but held her line to make it difficult to be passed. Boffey clocked 2:04.24 to win ahead of Vans Agnew and teenager Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley; John Skevington) in third.

There was a third Championship record on an action-packed second and final day in Birmingham in the men’s shot put courtesy of Lincoln. He threw 20.86m with his fourth effort in claiming another national indoor title – Patrick Swan (Cornwall; Spencer Jones) placing second and Chukwuemeka Osammor (Sheffield & Dearne; James Taylor) third.

The men’s high jump final was one of the standout events in Birmingham as Poole literally took his career to new heights. Ranked seventh in the UK this season, with a personal best of 2.09m, he entered at 1.95m and cleared all seven heights to 2.18m.

With UK No.1 Kimani Jack (Shaftesbury Barnet; Julian Reid) failing at that height to settle for silver, Poole rode the momentum to clear 2.20m first time. He couldn’t surpass 2.22m but an 11 centimetre personal best sealed gold as Charlie Husbands (Birchfield Harriers; Deirdre Elmhirst) won bronze with 2.11m.

Poole said: “It feels amazing given that I wasn’t even coming here until Wednesday. 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.”

In-form Morgan Lake (WSEH) claimed her third successive national indoor title in the women’s high jump with a string of fine clearances. Having jumped 1.93m in the week, Lake moved up to 1.94m in Birmingham.

The next height of 1.97m, a European indoor standard, was just too much but Lake’s performance was impressive as Emily Borthwick (Wigan & District) took silver on countback ahead Hannah Lake (Cardiff; Elmhirst), both clearing 1.84m.

Lake said: “I am really happy; the goal for today was to get the win and qualify for European Indoors so those two things are done now, so I am super happy. I jumped 1.93m in the week so I did a little better than that by one centimetre so I’m happy.

“It’s about two weeks until Europeans now, so I’ll have one more week of training and then the next week I’ll just keep fresh and keep focused on the goal.”

Alex Haydock-Wilson (WSEH; Dai Greene) put his torrid recent time at this event to bed with a dominant victory in the men’s 400m final. Disqualification and injury had blighted Haydock-Wilson on his last two appearances, but he wouldn’t be denied as he won in 46.70.

Josh Faulds (Rugby & Northampton; James Wright) came from third to win silver in a personal best 46.85 while Alastair Chalmers (Guernsey; Matt Elias) also moved through the places to take bronze.

Serena Vincent (City of Portsmouth; Mike Winch) was among those to claim their maiden national indoor title after dominating the women’s shot put final. Fourth in 2022, Vincent has moved one step closer to gold every year since and she set herself up with a second-round effort of 16.49m.

Vincent would register 16.89m with her last throw to crown a historic personal achievement, over half a metre ahead of silver medallist Nana Gyedu (Blackheath & Bromley; John Hillier). Olympic heptathlon silver medallist Katarina Johnson-Thompson also featured in the event, recording a best of 12.50m.

There was also a notable performance from bronze medallist and Paralympic champion Fortune. She smashed a massive new F20 world record with a second-round attempt of 15.50m – adding 38 centimetres onto the previous global best which won her Paralympic gold in Paris.

The 3000m race walks kicked off the track finals with two-time Olympian Callum Wilkinson (Enfield & Haringey) claiming the men’s title for the second year running, while Hannah Hopper (Cambridge Harriers; Noel Carmody), a silver medallist in 2022, won the women’s crown for the first time.

Wilkinson said: “It is nice to be back indoors. This sets up a great year ahead for me.  I am hoping I can be really competitive in Tokyo this year at the worlds.  Last time [at the 2020 Olympics] it went well for me in Tokyo so I really want to be in the top eight this time. I have worked really hard through the winter to make sure I am in the best possible shape for the season ahead.”

In the 200m finals Alyson Bell (Glasgow Jaguars; Anne Scott) won the women’s title by a margin of three metres, clocking a personal best of 23.12s. Kissiwaa Mensah (Chelmsford; Prince Duwai) claimed second and Jazmine Moss (Gateshead; Richard Kilty) third.

A delighted Bell said: “This feels insane! This is the first season that I have given indoor 200m a real try. Coming into the championships, I thought I was in a good place, but it turns out I was in better shape than I realised.

“The last 50m, the crowd really helped, and that is why I love running indoors. Getting a gold medal as my first indoor medal has given me a huge boost going into outdoors.”

The men’s 200m final was a similar affair with Joe Ferguson (Sheffield & Dearne; Kilty) cruising to victory in a personal best himself. He clocked 20.93 with Harry Taylor (Harrow; Joseph McDonnell) second and Krishawn Aiken (Shaftesbury Barnet; Chris Baillie) third.

There was misfortune for Olympic fifth-place finisher Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Leeds City) in the men’s long jump final as he pulled up injured. He recorded 7.69m with his first jump but injured himself on the approach with his second.

Alessandro Schenini (Glasgow Jaguars) tried his best in Fincham-Duke’s absence to win gold but fell short with a best of 7.65m. Sam Danson (Trafford; Lukasz Zawila) won bronze with a 7.60m personal best.

The first champion of the day was crowned in the women’s triple jump with Georgina Forde-Wells (Woodford Green Essex Ladies; Zawila) also impressively claiming her maiden national title.

Fifth last year, Forde-Wells landed a best of 13.36m in the fourth round to win gold but was pushed close by Adelaide Omitowoju (Harrow; Benjamin Davies) who jumped 13.29m last time up for silver. Amy Warre (WSEH; Keith Fleming) won bronze with a best of 12.72m.