28th January 2019

LAKE EQUALS BRITISH INDOOR HIGH JUMP RECORD AND BRITS SECURE WORLD LEADS

Weekend Update – 28.1.19

Indoor Combined Events International Match, Cardiff, 26-27 January

Day one report

Day two report

 

Hustopece Skeskakani, Hustopece, Czech Republic, 26 January

At this infamous high jump meeting in the Czech Republic, Morgan Lake (coach: Fuzz Caan) produced an indoor personal best to equal the British indoor record in her first competition of the year. A clearance of 1.97m saw her match Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s record, as she finished third behind Ukraine’s Kateryna Tabashnyk and Yaroslava Mahuchikh who both went over 1.99m.

In the men’s event, Chris Baker (Graham Ravenscroft) went one better with a runner-up finish thanks to a very pleasing 2.26m jump, like Lake his jump equalling his clearance to win the British Outdoor Championships last summer. Down in 11th there was also a 2.23m jump for Tom Gale (Denis Doyle) in his first competition of 2019, equalling his best result of 2018.

Results

 

PSD-Bank Indoor Meeting, Dortmund, Germany, 27 January

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge) once again showed her prowess over 60m as she took victory and a world-leading time over in Germany in a season’s best and Power of 10 topping 7.12, having won her heat in 7.20.

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas) also won her heat in a personal best of 7.30, before going on to finish third in the final in 7.34.

Results

 

Meeting de Paris, Paris, France 27 January

David King (James Hillier) was in fine form in the French capital, the sprint hurdler producing a good pair of runs over the 60m distance, runner-up in his heat in 7.74 before finishing third in the final in a season’s best time of 7.68. That time put him within 0.05 of his personal best.

In the flat sprints, Ojie Edoburun (Steve Fudge) produced a pair of 6.74 clockings, whilst Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist) returned to action for the first time since a serious Achilles injury to run a promising 6.75. In the women’s race, Imani Lansiquot (Fudge) produced a brace of 7.32 runs, good for fourth in the final.

Results

 

London Senior & U20 Games, Lee Valley, 26-27 January

Andrew Robertson produced the quickest time of the day at Lee Valley, winning his second round race in a 6.65 season’s best. He didn’t have it all his own way however, as in his first race he was beaten by Theo Etienne (Ryan Freckleton) who ran 6.68, also a season’s best.

Adam Thomas (Leon Baptiste) clocked a pair of personal bests, with a 6.66 run to win his first race, before coming second to Robertson in the second in 6.67. Also in that race was John Otugade who clocked a 6.69 season’s best. In a separate race, Dom Ashwell (Marvin Rowe) also clocked a season’s best of 6.69. After that flurry of fast times, eight British men have now gone under 6.70 this season, headed by Robertson.

In the women’s sprint, Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste) went quickest with an impressive 7.43 personal best, to see off the challenge of Corinne Humphreys who clocked 7.50. In the men’s 800m Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg) was a routine winner in 1.49.89, backing up his 3.44 1500m clocking in Sheffield earlier in the week, whilst in the field Jade Ive was the big winner as she cleared a lifetime best of 4.41m to win the pole vault.

Results

 

Elán Míting, Bratislava, Slovakia, 27 January

An England team were in action over in Bratislava, Confidence Lawson (Clarence Callander) leading the way with a 6.68 60m time as he took two victories; that time was a season’s best and just 0.01 shy of his personal best. There were also strong runs in the sprint hurdles with Cameron Fillery (Michael Baker) setting yet another personal best this season as he finished third in 7.92, while Alicia Barrett (Toni Minichiello) headed an English 1-2 as she ran 8.37, Jessica Hunter (Scott Grace) running a personal best of 8.45 not far behind.

In the field, Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen) is getting better with every competition, another season’s best, this time a 13.68m effort to take victory, putting her top of the UK rankings.

Results

 

Vienna Indoor Classic, Vienna, Austria, 26 January

A second England representative team were in action in Vienna, Rachel Miller (Linford Christie) one of the stars having briefly headed the European 60m rankings thanks to a 7.20 personal best in her heat, before going on to win the final in 7.26. Third in that one was junior Amy Hunt (Joe McDonnell) who shows rapid progress, her 7.39 run a second personal best of the day. In the men’s race Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Blomkvist) produced a 6.71 run for second place in his first competition of 2019.

Not competing for England but also running well was Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle), the 2018 World Indoor bronze medallist setting a season’s best of 53.08 as she took the win, but perhaps more notable was Amber Anning’s (Lloyd Cowan) 53.35 effort in race seven, the fastest indoor time by a British junior for half a century. Wales’ Owen Smith (Matt Elias) was quickest in the men’s race as he won his race in 47.30.

In the field there were a pair of European qualifying standards; Sophie McKinna (Mike Winch) went beyond the required mark with all six of her throws in the shot put, her best of 17.37m good for the win, whilst Abigail Irozuru (Tom Cullen) left it until her final jump to win in 6.55m. In the men’s shot Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson) also produced a notable 19.09m effort.

Results

 

IAAF World Indoor Tour, Boston, USA, 26 January

Andrew Butchart (Terrence Mahon) returned to the track for the first time in almost a year, having broken a bone in his foot last February, and hardly looked like he’d been away with a strong run in Boston. Racing over 3,000m, Butchart finished fourth on the night in 7.47.50, just holding off the charge of his fellow Scotsman Chris O’Hare (Mahon) who had stepped up to the longer event. That was in fact O’Hare’s first 3,000m for nine years, so a personal best was always on the cards, but he can be pleased with his 7.47.78 time. Andrew Heyes  (Steve Vernon) was ninth in 8:00.26.

There was more Scottish success with Guy Learmonth (Henry Gray) setting an indoor personal best in his first race of 2019. Fifth on the night, Learmonth ran a well-judged race and will now be targeting a place on the British team for the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

Another 800m runner in action was Lynsey Sharp (Mahon) who competed in the rarely run 600m, finishing second in 1.29.11.

Results

 

Razorback Invitational, Fayetteville, USA, 25-26 January

Long jumper Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Zivile Pukstiene) continued to build momentum on the collegiate circuit out in America as he produced a season’s best of 7.85m for second place in this invite meet, a mark that puts him top of the UK rankings.

Results

 

Midlands Cross Country Championships, Newbold Comyn, 26 January

The Midland Cross Country Championships saw run away winners in both the men’s and women’s races, Jack Gray (Nick Price) and Kate Holt (Alan Morris) breaking the tape in fine style. In the junior races Ben Dijkstra (Alan Maddocks) returned from a lengthy lay-off to take the title, whilst Amelia Samuels (John Abbiss) won the women’s equivalent.

Results

 

Northern Cross Country Championships, Pontefract, 26 January

The women’s race turned out to be one to remember at the Northern Championships with the three medallists separated by just 12 seconds after an 8km tussle. Scot Mhairi MacLennan (John Lees) defended the title she won 12 months ago, getting the better of Lauren Heyes [nee Howarth] (Steve Vernon) and Jess Judd (Mick Judd).

In the senior men’s race Emile Cairess (Phil Townsend) took the spoils for his first senior title, whilst Rory Leonard got the better of Euan Brennan (Andrew Henderson) in the race for the junior men’s title.

Results

 

Southern Cross Country Championships, Parliament Hill, 26 February

Young marathon runner Henry Pearce (Alan Storey) took a surprise victory on the famous Parliament Hill course to win his first major title, breaking clear of Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin) in the closing stages.

In the women’s race GB international Pippa Woolven took gold, with steeplechaser Iona Lake (Pauline Ash) beating Naomi Taschimowitz (Charlotte Fisher) in the battle for the other medals.

Amelia Quirk (Mick Woods) and Lachlan Wellington (Vince Stamp) were victors in the junior races.

Results