22nd January 2018
WEEKEND UPDATE
Larry Wieczorek Invitational, Iowa City, USA, 19-20 January
Reigning Diamond League champion CJ Ujah (coach: Stuart McMillan) opened his 2018 campaign with a pair of strong 60m outings in America. He won his heat in 6.66 seconds before finishing runner-up in the final in 6.60, a time which puts him equal top of the Power of 10 rankings. Ujah will now have his eyes firmly focused on victory at next month’s SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships, which would secure him a place on the British team for the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham in March.
Meeting Elite en Salle de Nantes, Nantes, France, 20 January
Kyle de Escofet (Andy Paul) opened his indoor season with 6.67 and 6.68 clockings in France to take victory in the men’s 60m. Imran Rahman was third in the final in 6.69, whilst Power of 10 leader John Otugade ran 6.72 in qualifying but did not start in the final. Jake Porter (Andy Paul) was fourth in the 60m hurdles final having run a 7.87 personal best in the heats while Khai Riley-La Borde (Ray Gibbins) produced a 7.84 performance in his heat to top the Power of 10.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collegiate Invitational, Albuquerque, USA, 19-20 January
Josh Kerr (Joe Franklin) stepped down to 800m with great effect, notching up a 1:48.87 minutes victory at altitude in his first race in two months. Having run over two seconds quicker than he did on the same weekend last year, he’ll be optimistic about his forthcoming NCAA mile title defence in March.
Kent St vs. Akron Dual, Kent OH, USA, 19 January
In this classic dual meeting format, Lucy Bryan (Alan Richardson) took pole vault victory for her university, Akron, clearing a season’s best height of 4.27m, which also puts her top of the Power of 10 rankings.
IAAF Cross Country Permit, Seville, Spain, 21 January
As is so often the case in Spain the British juniors produced a string of top performances, Grace Brock (John Knowles) leading the way in the women’s race as she took gold ahead of Hannah Hobbs (Pat Gallagher) and Ella McNiven (Lynn Webb), the trio sweeping the podium.
In the junior men’s race Loughborough University student Tom Mortimer (Christopher Brown) backed up his strong run in Edinburgh last weekend with a second-place finish, with his teammates Alfie Manthorpe (John Wood), Ricky Lutakome (Nick Hancock) and Ben Davis (Warren Roe) coming home in the next three positions.
In the senior women’s race Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin) looked strong over the mud once again, rewarded with an eighth-place finish, just 13 seconds down on the first European, Spain’s Trihas Gebre. In the men’s race it was under-23 Patrick Dever (Andy Bibby) who led the way with perhaps his best run of the winter so far, less than 20 seconds down on the likes of Ayad Lamdassem. The Preston Harrier finished 14th with Mahamed Mahamed (Peter Haynes) 15th and Alex Teuten (Roderick Lock) 25th.
European Athletics Cross Country Permit, Hannut, Belgium, 21 January
Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau) produced his best run of the winter so far with a strong second-place finish in Hannut, Belgium, only beaten by Soufiane Bouchikhi who was fourth at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country last weekend.