27th July 2018

Preview: Senior Disability Championships at CAU Inter Counties

Many of the world’s top para athletes will compete at the Senior Disability Championships at the CAU Inter-County Championships at SportCity in Manchester over the weekend.

After throwing a world lead in the F20 shot put earlier this month, Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson) will continue her preparations for next month’s World Para Athletics European Championships in Berlin.

Her 13.70m throw puts her at the head of the European field, and she will be looking for further consistency in Manchester.

Elsewhere, after her victory at the Muller Anniversary Games last weekend – ahead of Paralympic champion Marie-Amelie Le-Fur – Stef Reid (Aston Moore – T64) goes in the long jump. Also in the women’s ambulant long jump is world finalist Martina Barber (Paddy O’Shea – T20) and Ali Smith (Paul MacGregor – T38). The latter will also contest the 100m and 400m on a busy weekend for the Guildford & Goldalming athlete.

In the men’s ambulant long jump, Zak Skinner (Aston Moore-  T13) – who posted a PB of 6.75m at last month’s British Championships – is looking to round into form nicely ahead of the Europeans.

As season’s best of 58.18m from Dan Greaves (self-coached – F44) a couple of weekend’s ago set the Charnwood athlete up perfectly for his European title defence next month. Improving with every competition he attends, Greaves will be looking for those final tweaks to his preparation to place him in the best possible position as he goes for the medals in Germany.

F46 javelin world record holder Hollie Arnold (David Turner) fine-tunes her European preparation while Stephen Miller will also be in action in the field, in the F32 club throw.

The women’s ambulant 100m carries a host of multi-global medallists with Olivia Breen (Aston Moore-  T38), Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk – T64) and Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie – T35). Lyle will also race over 200m and will also be joined by Northern Ireland’s Eve Walsh-Dann (Roger Sexton – T36) who goes over the two sprint distances.

In the men’s ambulant 100m, Berlin-bound Graeme Ballard (Trevor Painter – T36) continues his solid form over 100m and 200m. Rhys Jones (Christian Malcolm – T37), Kyle Keyworth (Kes Salmon – T35) and Javaughan Parks (T36) – all heading to Berlin – will also be racing in the sprints showdown.

In the wheelchair races, ten-time world champion Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks – T34) goes over four distances, the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m as she builds up to the Europeans.

In the men’s races, fresh from PBs on the track, Dillon Labrooy (Jenny Archer – T54) takes on the 400m, 800m and 1500m over the weekend, while Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins – T54) – who turned 21 on Friday – joins him over 400m and 800m, but also races over the two sprint distances as well.

T34 800m world bronze medallist Isaac Towers (Pete Wyman / Jenni Banks) won medals at the WPA Grand Prix in Berlin earlier this month, so with eyes on more success in the German capital in August, he will be targeting the Manchester meeting as a key part of his preparation.

With race running making its international debut at the WPA Europeans next month, British team member Rafi Solaiman (RR3) races over 100m, 200m and 400m at the event over the weekend.

Full entry lists for the Senior Disability Championships can be found here: https://england.athletics-uk.org/ipc_entries.asp