8th January 2024
PAWLETT AND TALBOT SECURE UK COMBINED EVENTS TITLES
Abigail Pawlett (coach: Ashley Bryant, club: Trafford AC) and Sam Talbot (John Lane, Sheffield & Dearne) were crowned UK pentathlon and heptathlon champions respectively at the England Athletics Combined Event Championships in Sheffield on 6-7 January.
Abigail Pawlett started her campaign strongly on Sunday as she opened with an 8.32 clocking in the 60m hurdles, a time that was just 0.02s outside her lifetime best. She was the quickest overall in the sprint hurdles which got her off to the best start across the five-event discipline.
The Trafford athlete followed her impressive hurdles display with a clearance of 1.72m in the high jump, before throwing 13.75m in the shot put to continue her march to the UK and England titles.
A mark of 5.93m in the long jump put her in a commanding lead ahead of the 800m, and with a clocking of 2:22.93 over the four laps, an outright PB over the distance, she ended the competition on 4325 points, a personal best overall in the pentathlon, and the UK title.
Northern Ireland’s Anna McCauley (John Lane, Sheffield and Dearne) was second overall with a lifetime best score of 4118 with impressive marks across the board, including a clearance of 1.75m in the high jump – the best in the field – and 5.77m in the long jump which was just 1cm outside her outright PB.
Lauren Evans (Mike Guest, Cardiff) was third overall with 4041 points, just 16 points ahead of Jordanna Morrish (Rafer Joseph, Basingstoke & Mid Hants) in fourth place.
Sam Talbot was a convincing winner of the men’s heptathlon with 5624 points ahead of Lewis Church (David Hull, Tonbridge) on 5493 and Oliver Adnitt (Kingston upon Hull) on 5194.
Talbot started his seven-event campaign strongly as he was the fastest overall in the 60m, clocking 6.94. 7.10m in the long jump and 13.89m in the shot put further consolidated his position after three events. With a 1.96m PB in the high jump, 1.87m was a fraction down on his best but 8.23s, the quickest time overall in the 60m hurdles, was the boost he needed.
He completed the seven events with a 4.30m clearance in the pole vault, before clocking 2:42.52 in the 1000m to seal the UK and England title.
Church bagged UK Championships silver after a solid series, including a lifetime best in the shot put. His throw of 14.78m was an outright best, and it was also the furthest of the whole field.
Adnitt secured his first senior UK medal with an overall PB score of 5194. He also achieved PBs in the 60m [7.25] and high jump [1.93m].
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