All change in the leaderboards for Combined events day 2

Coping with an overnight rest, getting back into the groove and producing performances that matched or bettered day one are what the multi-events are all about. Overnight leaders who take gold are rare but one or two survived - while as ever, athletes down in the pack, quickly established themselves in the morning’s first two events.

Click here to read Day 1 report

U17 Men’s Decathlon

A solid second day saw Pedro Gleadall (Blacheath and Bromley, Neil Gleadall) edge his way up thanks largely to a great discus of 41.45m - not the biggest of the day, but he followed that with an even better 4.17m and it was pretty much game over.

Behind him, there were some very competitive performances. For instance Jami Schluetter (Yeovil) looked magnificent in the hurdles, while eventual silver medallist led the way in the discus with 42.44m. However, as is often the case in this event, it’s the final three disciplines which really make a difference; the pole vault and javelin so often causing problems. Gleadall, however, came through with flying colours. Not only was his pole vault easily the best, but his javelin of 55.21m was even more impressive, more than 10 metres better than his rivals. It’s that kind of performance that allows you a few laps of luxury in the 1500m, but while there were quicker runners, Gleadall by no means let off the gas as he won by nearly 600 points.

U17M Decathlon medals (100m / LJ / SP / HJ / 400m / 100mH / DT / PV / JT / 1500m)

1 P Gleadall (Blackheath and Bromley) (11.98, 6.02, 10.85, 1.95, 53.32, 14.40, 41.45 4.17, 55.21, 4:51.52) = 6600 points
2 P Kastner (Walton) (11.75, 6.22, 13.37, 1.83, 54.37, 14.43 42.44, 2.97, 43.21, 5:22.98) = 6044 points
3 J Schleutter (Yeovil O) (11.64, 6.62, 12.41, 1.62, 53.7, 13.47, 29.52, 3.37, 37.48, 5:17.51) = 5844 points

U15 Boys' Octathlon

Aidan Brindley may be a pole vault specialist, but tell that to his fellow competitors as he overhauled leader Sam Coupland (Stourport Waterloo, Ron Scott) in the final event, the 1000m to win.

Brindley needed something special and so it proved as he demonstrated superb strength and maturity to run away from the field to clock 2:51.8, the best part of a 15 second improvement on his previous best. Coupland could do nothing on this occasion although credit to him for hauling himself up from fourth on day one, thanks in part to a good 1.74m clearance in the high jump, to being in the lead with the finish line in sight! And he recorded a monster PB in the 1000m, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Overnight leader Samuel Reardon (Blackheath and Bromley, Mick Jones) faded to fourth, but he did rally in the final event to win that overall with a fast 2:48.9, suggesting that with work he’ll be one to watch over the coming seasons.

In the meantime, keep your eye on Brindley - pole vaulting apart, he is more than competitive in all eight of the events, barely a chink in his armour.

U15B Octathlon medals (100m / JT / PV / 400m / 80mH / DT / HJ / 1000m)

1 A Brindley (North Ayrshire) (12.96, 31.11, 3.57, 57.8412.73, 31.28, 1.68, 2:51.8) = 4176 points
2 S Coupland (Southport Waterloo) (2.84, 30.98, 2.77, 56.06, 12.51, 33.82, 1.74, 2:57.2) = 4124 points
3 L Michalowski (Charnwood) (12.68, 31.18, 3.47, 59.67, 12.42, 27.51, 1.77, 3:10.4) = 3984 points

U17 Women's Heptathlon

Overnight leader Jessica Hopkins (Chelmsford, Steve Mitchell) kept her nose ahead to take the gold but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Going into Sunday it had looked like it would be a Chelmsford one-two as Mia Chantree (Chelmsford, Steve Mitchell) was just four points adrift and looking in the mood. Tell that to Abigail Pawlett (Stockport H, Joe Frost) who produced a scintillating 5.79m long jump to really ruffle everybody’s feathers. That took her to the lead, although Hopkins was cool and calm in the javelin responding like the champion she is to re-acquire the top spot. Pawlett needed something very special in the 800m and she gave it a great go, although to be fair Hopkins controlled the situation in true multi-event style and kept within striking distance of her rival to keep her grip on the title.

U17W Heptathlon medals (80mH / HJ / SP / 200m / LJ / JT / 800m)

1 J Hopkins (Chelmsford) (11.98, 1.68, 14.13, 27.27, 5.38, 33.62, 2:35.15) = 4965 points
2 A Pawlett (Stockport H) (11.67, 1.65, 11.44, 25.95, 5.79, 26.47, 2:32.73) = 4921 points
3 M Chantree (Chelmsford) (11.66, 1.74, 10.93, 26.19, 5.09, 25.13, 2:29.63) = 4788 points

Under 15 Girls' Hexathlon

It would have take something very special to beat Ella Rush (Amber Valley & Erewash Athletic Club, Martin Bishell), which looked vaguely possible after the first day thanks to a sensational opening few events from Freya Witheat (Watford, Lee Grint).

The Watford Harrier actually stretched that lead even more thanks to a mighty 11.45m in the shot, but from that point on, Rush showed the field just what she’s about and put together as solid 1.65 in the high jump before running away with it all in 2:29.33 for an 800m, her fastest ever outdoors. Mind you, she had to be in that kind of form over the two laps as Rhiana Burrell (Birchfield Harriers, Pam Rayment) kept her on her toes with an equally impressive closing two events - a great 1.68m and a very quick 2:32.15,

U15G Hexathlon medals (75mH / LJ / JT / SP / HJ / 800m)

1 E Rush (Amber Valley) (12.19, 5.52, 16.76, 10.51, 1.65, 2:29.33) = 3647 points
2 R Burrell (Birchfield H) (12.43, 5.05, 20.51, 10.40, 1.68, 2:32.15) = 3550 points
3 F Witheat (Watford H) (12.14, 4.86, 33.72, 11.45, 1.41, 2:46.14) = 3380 points

Home Countries International Decathlon

Andrew Murphy (Kilbarchan, Colin Sinclair) hauled himself up from fourth after the first day to take this one, holding off a late charge from Lewis Church (Tonbridge, David Hull) who started Sunday back in eighth.

In a classic war of attrition, Murphy simply put one competitive performance after another together while Church did a similar job a couple of places back. For Church it was just too big a job come the 1500m which he gamely cruised around in 4:33.51 - the kind of time that can overhaul medal contenders. But Murphy, controlled and always in command, had it under control and clocked 4:42.47. The overnight leader was always going to be in trouble on day two, but with work in the hurdles and pole vault, theres much to suggest a much better day two is close.

HCI Decathlon medals (100mH / LJ / SP / HJ / 400m / 110mH / DT / PV / JT / 1500m)

1 A Murphy (Scotland) (11.42, 7.08, 12.83, 1.86, 50.38, 15.72, 40.09, 4.57, 53.44, 4:42.47) = 7251 points
2 L Church (England) (11.85, 6.55, 12.87, 2.01, 51.32, 15.1, 40.52, 4.37, 52.45, 4:33.51) 7198 points
3 H Kendal (England) (11.38, 6.96, 11.93, 1.95, 49.71, 16.3, 36.89, 4.27, 54.95, 4:46.39 7067 points

Home Countries International Heptathlon

It was a case of as you were in the women’s international event as Lucy Turner (Gateshead, Sam Stanislaus) emerged as the winner. Alice Hopkins (WSE, Marcia Marriott), did take advantage of a good long jump to temporarily move to the lead thanks to her 5.94m but Turner was back in control for the javelin, although a 41.19m from Ellen Barber (Yeovil, David Feeney) did indicate it was by no means over going into the final event, the 800m.

Turner, however, is a handy two-lapper and did all that required - and a touch more - to win the race by more than two seconds to confirm the pre-event favourite status many had put on her shoulders. Down the field, Natasha Smith (England, U20), Lauren Evans (Wales) and Lauren Davey (Wales) were all rewarded with PBs.

HCI Heptathlon medals (100mH / HJ / SP / 200m / LJ / JT / 800m)

1 L Turner (England) (13.73, 1.65, 11.26, 25.29, 5.55, 35.03, 2:17.35) 5431 points
2 E Barber (England) (15.61, 1.71, 12,.37, 26.12, 5.40, 41.19, 2:19.85) 5288 points
3 A Hopkins (England) (14.23, 1.68, 11.07, 25.03, 5.94, 29.28, 2:29.21) 5257 points

Photos by David Griffiths: www.fotoccompli.com