3rd August 2020

WEEKEND UPDATE - 03/08/2020

Triveneto International Meeting, Trieste, Italy, 1 August

Jemma Reekie (coach: Andy Young; club: Kilbarchan) continued her incredible 2020 season by clocking an 800m European lead and second-fastest time in the world this year of 1:59.52 as she won an enthralling women’s 800m.

With just over 200m, teammate Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill) was leading the field round the final bend before Reekie made her move and kicked for home with just over 100m to go. The rest of the field gave chase, led by Muir who came within a whisker of snatching victory, stopping the clock just behind Reekie in 1:59.54.

There was more joy on the track for World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi (Santiago Antunez; Stratford-upon-Avon) as he continued his unbeaten season with a 13.36s (1.4) 110m hurdles win, just 0.06s outside his season’s best for the season.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin; Liverpool) also wasted no time in lowering her own 100m hurdles season’s best set last week, shaving over three tenths of a second off as she stopped the clock fifth in 13.73s.

Results

 

Motonet GP, Kuortane, Finland, 1 August

British pole vault record holder and reigning Müller British Athletics Championships champion Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson; Blackburn) made good on her first competition since the coronavirus pandemic with a 4.73m winning clearance in Finland.

Showing a clean card up to 4.73m, she put a first time failure behind her and with some adjustments, made light work of the bar to move up to third on the world rankings for 2020. Not content on stopping, the Blackburn athlete tried her luck at a new British outdoor record of 4.82m, but unfortunately could not make history.

Fellow Briton and reigning British indoor pole vault champion Sophie Cook (Scott Simpson; Birchfield) cleared a 4.40m outdoor personal best as she finished as runner-up behind Bradshaw.

Results

 

Nuneaton Senior & U20 Open Meeting, 2 August 2020

Efe Okoro (Tony Hadley; Birchfield) secured a 400m hurdles personal best as he dipped under 50 seconds for the first time, recording a time of 49.68s. In second place, world championship semi-finalist Chris McAlister (Marina Armstrong; Thames Valley) crossed the line in 50.11s.

Over the 400m flat, Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) was another athlete in PB shape, clocking 46.45s to go second in the UK rankings as he finished ahead of Toby Harries (David Sadkin; Brighton Phoenix) who posted a time of 46.61s.

In the long jump, Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman; City of Stoke) leaped 6.74 metres (+3.0) – wind assisted – in her first competition of the outdoor season. Despite the helpful wind reading, the effort is her best jump since 2018.

Results link to follow

 

London Inter Club Challenge Round One, Lee Valley, 2 August 2020

Competitive track and field action got back underway at Lee Valley in London with a string of stellar performances.

British indoor champion Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin; Thames Valley) started her outdoor season strongly with a best of 17.43 metres which coupled as a stadium record at Lee Valley.

In the discus there were encouraging season openers for Nic Percy (Vesteinn Hafsteinsson; Shaftesbury Barnet) and Jade Lally (Duquemin; Shaftesbury Barnet). Percy opened with a best of 61.39 metres while Lally threw 58.13 metres with Kirsty Law (Duquemin; Sale Harriers Manchester) narrowly behind with a best in her series of 56.74 metres.

Over in the long jump Sarah Abrams (John Shepherd; Blackheath & Bromley) also faced windy conditions, but nonetheless began her season with a wind-assisted mark of 6.41 metres (+3.4). In the men’s event, World Para Athletics junior champion Karim Chan (Shepherd; Charnwood) opened his season with 6.36 metre the furthest in his series.

In the hurdles, European U18 champion Sam Bennett (Steven Surety; Basildon) came through to win the men’s U20 110m hurdles in a time of 14.27 (-0.7), while Lucy-Jane Matthews (Alan Richardson; Birchfield) – another medallist from the U18 Championships in Gyor two years ago – began her campaign with a time of 13.58 (-1.5) on the U20 women’s 100m hurdles.

Partial results

 

 Pfungstadt Gala, Pfungstadt, Germany, 1 August

European Under-20 1500m bronze medallist Josh Lay (Anthony Love; Rugby & Northampton) backed up his impressive 800m win at Stretford last weekend with a near three-second 1500m personal best in Germany to take victory in 3:38.75.

The time obliterates his previous best of 3:41.38, set in Watford last year and moves him up to fifth on the British rankings for 2020 in his first race of the season over the distance.

Results

 

Big Friendly 3, Newburg, Oregon, United States of America, 31 July

On Friday evening, Josh Kerr (Danny Mackey; Edinburgh AC) bagged his second consecutive win of the season with a 3:34.53 1500m showing, securing victory by more than a second in Oregon and earning himself the fastest time in the world in the process.

Having won over 1000m a week ago, Kerr made the step up to 1500m for the first time this season and had to be patient to get the victory, lingering towards the back of the field early on, but made his move as the field hit the bell, taking the lead and holding it right through until the finish to clock the fastest time by a British athlete over 1500m this season.

Fellow Briton Jake Heyward (Mark Rowland; Cardiff), who flanked Kerr over the 1000m a week ago, stopped the clock in 3:39.04, which saw him home in seventh position.

Results

 

City of Lisburn AC Meet, Northern Ireland, 30 July

Laviai Nielsen (Christine Bowmaker; Enfield & Haringey) opened up her 2020 season in Northern Ireland with a gun to tape 400m victory, eventually stopping the clock in 52.69s, with twin sister Lina coming home in third position.

Results link to follow