10th February 2020
WEEKEND UPDATE
Millrose Games, New York, United States of America, February 8
Jemma Reekie (coach: Andy Young; club: Kilbarchan) made it three British records in the space of a week as she revised training partner Laura Muir’s British 1500m indoor and mile record with a stunning 4:17.88 effort in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games.
Her 1500m split of 4:00.52 shaved over a second off Muir’s previous best set in Birmingham last year, before she crossed the line third, eclipsing Muir’s 4:18.75 from last year to claim yet another British record.
The race saw national records aplenty as winner Elle Purrier (USA) and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen recorded national records of 4:16.85 and 4:17.26 respectively.
Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon; Edinburgh AC) took victory in the men’s mile with a strong performance, cutting the tape in 3:55.61. O’Hare made his move with around 400m remaining to sit on the shoulder of Filip Ingebrigtsen (NOR) and then showed his strength to hold off Olli Hoare (AUS), who clocked 3:56.47 for second.
Shelayana Oskan Clarke (Derek Thompson; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) opened her season with a 2:06.22 effort over 800m for fifth place overall, with Amy-Eloise Neale (Wakefield) ninth in the women’s 3000m in 8:58.14.
World Indoor Tour Torun, Poland, February 8
Reigning IAAF World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi (Santiago Antunez; Stratford-upon-Avon) took a narrow victory from world indoor silver medallist Jarret Eaton (USA) as he continued his excellent start top the season in Poland.
A clean run from the Brit saw him home in 7.53s, just 0.01s outside his world leading mark and only 0.01s ahead of Eaton, who clocked a season’s best of 7.54s.
In the 60m, Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist; Gateshead) cut the tape third in a season’s best 6.60s as European Indoor champion Jan Volko (SVK) took the spoils in 6.56s, with James Dasaolu (Michael Khmel; Croydon) making his return after 29 months away from competitive action with a 6.82s effort in the heats.
In the women’s equivalent, Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas; Herne Hill) sixth in the women’s equivalent in a season’s best 7.34s to move second on the British rankings for 2020.
Lorraine Ugen (Dwight Phillips; Thames Valley) took third place in the women’s long jump as Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk set a personal best and another world leading mark of 6.96m to take the win.
Hustopece Skeskakani, Hustopece, Czech Republic, February 8
Tom Gale (Denis Doyle; Team Bath) underlined his Olympic Games ambition as he sailed clear of 2.33m to hit the Olympic qualifying standard in the men’s high jump and set a new personal best.
Having failed his opening two attempts at the height, Gale ensured it was third time lucky as he moved up to sixth on the all-time British list with victory. Compatriot Chris Baker (Graham Ravenscroft; Sale Harriers Manchester) came tenth, clearing a best of 2.20m.
Nikki Manson (Giffnock North) moved to within touching distance of the Olympic standard in the women’s event as she cleared a new PB of 1.93m to take victory. A perfect card up to the 1.93m mark, she failed her first attempt but guaranteed herself after clearing the second time around.
Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake; WSEH) opened her season with a 1.90m effort for third spot, with Bethan Partridge (Graham Ravenscroft; Birchfield Harriers) sixth following a best of 1.87m.
Perche Elite Tour, Rouen, France, February 8
Harry Coppell (Scott Simpson; Wigan & District) hit the Olympic pole vault qualifying standard after a second-time clearance at 5.80m to set a new personal best and take second place overall.
Having cleared 5.70m in France last weekend, went one better as he moved to the top of the British rankings, beating the Olympic champion Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA) in the process. World champion Sam Kendricks (USA) won the meet with a third time clearance at 6.01m.
Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson; Blackburn) continued her unbeaten start to the season with a 4.63m effort to take top spot in the women’s equivalent with a perfect card before three fouls at 4.71m.
PSD Bank Indoor Meeting, Dortmund, Germany, 9 February
In her first race since September 2019, Melissa Courtney-Bryant stormed to victory over 3000m in Germany. She dominated in the closing stages, pulling away from Albania’s Luiza Gega and Kenya’s Roseline Chepngetich to win in a time of 8:49.78.
Cameron Fillery (Michael Baker; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) won two 60m hurdles races on the evening, his fastest time recorded at 7.85, and his earlier race win coming courtesy of a time of 7.94.
In the men’s 1500m, European U23 championship silver medallist, Piers Copeland (Bob Smith; Wimborne), won in a time of 3:40.25.
Akron Invitational, Akron OH, USA, 7-8 February
Lucy Bryan (Alan Richardson; Bristol & West) cleared a personal best of 4.51 metres in the pole vault, improving her previous best by one centimetre, and winning the competition in the process. She consolidated her fifth place on the women’s all-time list.
Internationales Hallenmeeting, Chemnitz, Germany, 7 February
Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen; Trafford) jumped a season best in the women’s triple jump as she claimed third place. The best mark of the series came in round three as her jump was measured at 13.82 metres.
CrossCup Rotselaa, Belgium, 9 February
A large contingent of athletes from the UK headed to Belgium to compete in the cross country competition in Belgium with a trio of Brits sealing wins.
Kate Holt (Alan Morris; City of Stoke) triumphed in the senior women’s race with Izzy Fry (Mick Woods; Newbury) just missing out on the podium as she finished in fourth.
In the senior men’s contest, Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin) was second, just three seconds behind Belgian, Lahsene Bouckikhi. Ellis Cross was the other British athlete in the top ten as he crossed the line in sixth.
Shannon Flockhart (Mark Vile; Cambridge & Coleridge) and Matthew Stonier (Peter Mullervy; Invcta East Kent) were victorious in the junior women’s and men’s races respectively.
In the women’s race, Flockhart led home a one-two-three as Alexandra Millard (Peter Mullervy; Invicta East Kent) and Phoebe Anderson (Alan Hewson; Herne Hill) followed home within a matter of seconds.
The junior men’s race saw a clean sweep from positions one through to four in favour of the British athletes. There was just six seconds separating Stonier from Oliver Newman (Mark Vile; Camridge & Coleridge), Tomer Tarragano (John Clements; Brighton & Hove) and Charlie Brisley (James McNeil; Invicta East Kent).
International Gugl Meeting, Linz, Austria, February 8
Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong; WSEH) produced a cracking 400m run to surge to the top of the British rankings with a 52.21s performance in Austria. Knight’s time shaved almost a second off her previous best of 53.16s and earned her top spot.
Other notable performances came from Toby Makoyawo (Peter Griffiths; WSEH), who dipped to 6.70s for second place in the men’s 60m and Phil Sesemann (Andrew Henderson; Leeds City), who set a season’s best 7:58.09 in the men’s 3000m.
Tarawera ultra, New Zealand, February 8
Tom Evans (Alison Benton; Lewes) seamlessly transitioned from cross country back to ultra-distance racing as he won the Tarawera ultra in New Zealand. He covered the 102 km course with 3000 metres of climbing in a new course record of 8:03:26 winning by over 30 minutes.
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