UK WINTER LONG THROWS CHAMPIONSHIPS HEADS TO LOUGHBOROUGH ON SUNDAY

Loughborough plays host to the UK Winter Long Throws Championships on Sunday 19 February.

The invitational event provides long-throws athletes with an opportunity to show current form ahead of selection for the European Throwing Cup which take place next month in Portugal.

The women’s hammer continues to be an event to keep an eye on with several athletes improving their personal bests last season. Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson) moved to third on the UK all-time list last year when she threw 70.59m at the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester. It continued an excellent season for the Reading athlete after she won bronze in the U23 age group at last year’s European Throwing Cup. She will take on Katie Head (Paul Head, Sale Harriers Manchester) who also improved her lifetime best in 2022, throwing a mark of 69.72m.

In the men’s hammer, Commonwealth finalists Osian Jones (Carys Parry, Liverpool Harriers) and Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet) will be looking to start the season strongly, while Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) – the 2018 World U20 champion – is another athlete who will feature near the top of the leader board. Jones won the hammer event at the Championships last year and went on to finish sixth for Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games.

Seven-time UK champion Eden Francis (Glenys Morton, Leicester) and World U20 finalist Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath and Bromley) are involved in the women’s discus event, while Gregory Thompson (Neville Thompson, Shaftesbury Barnet) will be the favourite for the men’s event.

In the javelin events, Freya Jones (David Callaway, Newham and Essex Beagles) returns to competition for the first time since 2021 with Emma Hamplett (Birchfield) another contender for the win. Daniel Bainbridge (Tom Dobbing, Shaftesbury Barnet) leads the way in the men’s event.

Results can be found on the Roster app.