1st June 2022

PRESCOD RUNS 9.93, AND WORLD QUALIFYING STANDARDS ACHIEVED IN OSTRAVA

Reece Prescod ran the third fastest time ever by a Briton, and there were World Championship qualifying standards for Max Burgin, Melissa Courtney-Bryant and Adelle Tracey at the Ostrava Golden Spike, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting on Tuesday.

Prescod (Enfield & Haringey) ran under 10 seconds for the first time since 2019 after a lightning-fast run for lane eight. The European silver medallist surged in the final 30 metres to take the victory ahead of Yohan Blake (JAM), and more importantly, clock a time of 9.93 (-1.2) which only Linford Christie [9.87], James Dasaolu and Zharnel Hughes [both 9.91] have run quicker than.

Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet) was third in the race behind Prescod, crossing the line in 10.05. He also competed in the 200m later in the programme, finishing third in 20.29 (-0.2).

In the 100m B race, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Newham and Essex Beagles) won in a season best of 10.10 (0.1), his fastest time in four years over the distance, and it was also a European qualifying standard. Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Benke Blomkvist, Sutton & District) was fifth in 10.34.

A Great Britain and Northern Ireland 4x100m relay team of Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff), Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty (Michael Afilaka, Gateshead) and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake won with a meeting record of 38.43.

Elsewhere, Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow, Guildford and Godalming) and Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark, Poole) were in superb form in the women’s 1500m. In a fast race, Tracey recorded a PB of 4:02.55 which took her top of the 2022 UK rankings, and also was an Oregon 2022 qualifying standard. In the same race, Courtney-Bryant, after months out with injury last season, showed her quality to achieve a time of 4:04.13.

Olympic finalist in the 800m, Alex Bell (Andrew Henderson, Pudsey and Bramley) earned a season best of 4:08.71 for 16th place in the same 1500m race.

Max Burgin (Ian Burgin, Halifax Harriers), racing on the track for the first time since Ostrava 2021, showed his potential yet again as he finished third in the men’s 800m in an impressive time of 1:44.54 to go straight to the top of the 2022 UK rankings.

The Halifax man burst away from the large pack on the opening lap, going with the pacemaker in confident style. As they turned into the home straight, several athletes closed him down, but only Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) and Slimane Moula (ALG) found a way past him. Daniel Rowden (Matt Yates, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) finished ninth in a time of 1:45.65.

There was a UK best for Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong) in the rarely run 300m hurdles. A few days after running the fourth fastest time by a Briton for 400m hurdles, the Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow athlete showed her impressive form to finish fifth in 38.84. The race was won in a world best of 36.86 by Femke Bol (NED).

In the men’s 3000m steeplechase, Phil Norman (Tomaz Plibersek, Woodford Green and Essex Ladies) achieved another European standard with a time of 8:26.90 which earned him eighth place. Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon, Bracknell AC) was tenth in 8:32.22, Jonathan Hopkins (Tomaz Plibersek, Swansea)  13th and Mark Pearce (Luke Gunn, Shaftesbury Barnet) 14th in times of 8:42.75 and 8:44.75 respectively.

Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Zivile Pukstiene, Leeds) was fifth in the men’s long jump with his sixth and final jump of 7.85m the furthest of his series.

Results