11th August 2020

POZZI SETS WORLD LEAD AS COURTNEY-BRYANT & SAWYERS SECURE WINS

15 British athletes headed to Turku in Finland for the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting which saw a world lead and three wins for the Brits.

Andrew Pozzi (coach: Santiago Antunez; club: Stratford-upon-Avon) ran the second fastest time of his career as he won the 110m hurdles in a world leading time of 13.17 (1.1).

It was a second fluent performance from him in a matter of hours having lowered his world lead in the heats, stopping the clock in that one at 13.25 (0.7). On both occasions he ran a smooth race and his technique was near perfection, going so close to his personal best which stands at 13.14.

David King (City of Plymouth) was also in good form, placing third in the final in 13.57 which followed his heat win in 13.70.

Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman; City of Stoke) carried on from where she left off in Nuneaton last week as she won the women’s long jump with a best of 6.54 metres, just two centimetres ahead of her compatriot, Abigail Irozuru (self-coached; Sale Harriers Manchester).

Sawyers’ competition came to life in round two when she jumped 6.54m (+1.4) which was backed up during her series with marks of 6.53m, 6.41m and 6.39m. Following a wind-assisted mark of 6.74m to kickstart her season in the UK earlier this month, this was another strong showing from the Stoke athlete.

For Irozuru, this was her first competition since February and she pushed Sawyers all the way, her third-round effort of 6.52m putting the most significant pressure on her opponent. They’ll face each other at next month’s Muller British Athletics Championships which is sure to be another evenly matched contest.

Back on the track, Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark; Poole) produced a commanding display to win the women’s 1500m in a time just outside her personal best. After leading the majority of the race, she delivered a stunning turn of pace on the final lap to blow away her opponents, crossing the line in 4:03.69.

Following in fifth was Rosie Clarke (Rob Denmark; Epsom & Ewell) and then Erin Wallace (Andy Young; Giffnock North) in sixth – their times 4:11.25 and 4:16.75 respectively.

Phil Norman (Tomaz Plibersek; Woodford Essex Green Ladies) shaved six seconds off his previous best – set last year – clocking 8:23.60 to place second in the 3000m steeplechase behind Finland’s, Topi Raitanen.  The time moved him the 15th on the UK all-time list behind Andrew Lemoncello.

Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon; Bracknell) followed in sixth place in a time of 8:36.72 with Jonathan Hopkins (Swansea) two spots further back in 8:42.20.

After opening her season on August 1st with a clearance of 4.73m, Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson; Blackburn) was back in action in Finland, and after clearing 4.63m on her third attempt, she secured second place behind Greece’s Nikoléta Kiriakopoúlou. She had three attempts at 4.73m to match her season best but she ended the competition at 4.63m to continue her strong start to the year.

After winning his heat in 10.33 (-0.1), CJ Ujah (Ryan Freckleton; Enfield & Haringey) returned for the 100m final an hour later, improving to a time of 10.17 (1.3) but missed out on the win to Italy’s in-form Lamont Marcell Jacobs who recorded a time of 10.11 (1.3).

Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist; Gateshead) ran in the same heat as Ujah but after a stumble he was fourth in 10.59 which was did not see him qualify for the final.

Over in the triple jump, Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen; Trafford) began her 2020 campaign with a mark of 13.74m, the best of her series coming in the second round which saw her finish in fourth.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, the Netherlands’ Nick Smidt won the contest with Chris McAlister (Marina Armstrong; Thames Valley) following in fourth place, his time, 50.71.

Results

 

On Monday evening, several British athletes were in action in Sollentuna in Sweden.

In the men’s 800m, three Britons blocked out the top four with Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg; Birchfield Harriers), Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh) and Daniel Rowden (Woodford Green Essex Ladies) securing spots second to joint third. Giles clocked 1:44.46 for second while nothing separated the latter two, both given 1:45.55.

In the women’s 800m, Adelle Tracey (Guildford & Godalming) ran a solid race as she came home in second with a time of 2:01.98. Meanwhile, in the men’s 2000m world finalist Neil Gourley (Ben Thomas; Giffnock North) went to second on the Scottish all-time list for the unique distance as he placed third in the race in a time of 5:00.73.

Elsewhere, Daryl Neita (Rana Reider; Cambridge) won the women’s 100m A race in a time of 11.65 (-1.5), Emily Diamond (Benke Blomkvist; Bristol & West) was third over 400m clocking 54.27 in her first outing of the season, and Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams’ Newham & Essex Beagles) ran 47.65 in the men’s 400m for third spot.