Athletes impress on Day Two at Bedford
The second day of the England Athletics U23 and U20 Championships produced more great competition and impressive performances.
In the very first track event of Day Two Cameron Corbishley (Club: Medway & Maidstone, Coach: Andi Drake) took the U20 men’s 10,000m walk title and also booked his place in the World Juniors courtesy of the 42:18.94 win from Guy Thomas (Club: Tonbridge, Coach: Martin Rush, 42:28.20). And once again the action continued to the very last events of the day. A crowd thrilling series of sprint hurdles races ensured that the weekend finished on a high.
The U20 men’s 110m saw a great three-way battle to the line with Matt Treston (Reading, Adrian Brown) coming home in 13.48 (+1.9) to not only take the title but also clock the World Junior qualifying time and secure automatic qualification as James Weaver (Enfield & Haringey, Julie Hollman) also bettered the 13.65 standard in second with 13.53 as Robert Sakala (Croydon Harriers, Piotr Spas) claimed bronze in 13.66.
Alicia Barrett (Chesterfield, Antonio Minichiello) had set a new PB of 13.58 (-1.0) earlier in the day and went quicker again in the U20 women’s final. She clocked 13.45 (-0.4) to come home ahead of Mollie Courtney (Cheltenham, David Warner) who ran 13.68. Significantly for ensuring selection for the championships her time saw her achieving the standard for the World Juniors (13.50).
The U23 men’s race saw David King (City of Plymouth, James Hillier) crowned champion in 13.57 (-0.2) as David Omoregie (Cardiff, Benke Blomkvist) found his lunge for the line sent him crashing to the track as he broke the line in 13.65. Khai Riley-La Borde (Enfield & Haringey, Ray Gibbins) was the bronze medallist in 13.87.
Hollie Pattie-Belleli (Woodford Green, Bob Corbett) and Stephanie Clitheroe (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow, Neil Dodson) were separated by just one hundredth of a second in the U23 women’s 100m hurdles as the Woodford athlete was given the verdict 13.70 to 13.71 (+0.4). Heather Paton (Birchfield) was a mere further 0.07sec back in bronze medal position in a race where Lucy Hatton (Corby, Antonio Minichiello) and Niamh Bailey (Corby, John Anderson) both failed to finish.
The performances in the Under 18 events also included Ethan Akanni (Bexley, Tony Jarrett) and Jason Nicholson (Gateshead, Janice Kaufman) below the European Youth Standard of 13.90 in the 110m hurdles with 13.61 and 13.75 (-0.1). In the women’s equivalent Holly Mills (Andover, James Coney) and Isabella Hilditch (Blackheath & Bromley, John Blackie) also both hit the European mark of 13.80 with 13.79 and 13.80 (+0.5).
Ryan Gorman (Notts, Karen Buck) went away from Cameron Tindle (Edinburgh, Henry Gray) to take the U20 men’s 200m title and secure selection for the World Juniors. He already had the standard of 21.00 (with 20.95) but came home under the standard again to win in 20.98 (+1.3) to Tindle’s 21.12, with Gerald Matthew (Shaftesbury, Jane Dixon) edging bronze with 21.25. It was a 21.13 (-0.4) for Leon Reid (Birchfield, James Hillier) in winning the U23 title.
Finette Agyapong (Newham & Essex Beagles, Coral Nourrice) impressed in women’s 200m as she pulled away to win in 23.74 (+1.8) ahead of Alisha Rees (Edinburgh, Willy Russell, 24.11) and Jazz Crawford (Blackheath & Bromley, Piotr Spas, 24.62). The U23 title was taken by Beth Dobbin (Edinburgh, Leon Baptiste) in 24.25.
The U20 men’s 800m saw Daniel Rowden (Woodford Green, Richard Thurston) controlling the race and repelling a series of attacks to win in 1:49.55 from a fast finishing George Mills (Harrogate H, Joanne Day, 1:49.73) as Spencer Thomas (Brighton Phoenix, Jon Bigg, 1:50.06) claimed bronze. Rowden already has the World Junior standard of 1:48.50 (1:48.13 this year).
Aimee Pratt (Sale, Vicente & Diane Modahl) set a new PB in winning the Under 20 steeplechase in 10:19.08 and going under the 10:20 standard for the World Juniors.
The middle of the afternoon saw some intriguing jumps competition. Rory Dwyer (Stratford Upon Avon, Fuzz Caan) won a thrilling U20 men’s high jump from Tom Gale (Team Bath, Denis Doyle). Both Dwyer and Gale broke their PB’s in going clear at 2.17 and then had close attempts at 2.20. Dwyer secured automatic World Junior qualification with both he and Gale equalling the qualification standard. Joel Khan of (Worcester, Deidre Elmhurst) who is still an Under 17 cleared 2.09 for the bronze medal, adding 1cm to his PB and another clearance above the European Youths qualifying mark (2.07).
Morgan Lake (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow, Eldon Lake) took the U20 High Jump title with 1.90. Second was Niamh Emerson (Amber Valley, David Emerson) with a 1.83 clearance and Abby Ward (Wakefield, Ian Hill) took bronze with 1.79. All of the top three had already achieve the World Junior qualifying mark of 1.83 making Lake’s significant in terms of securing her qualification for Poland.
There was also great action in the horizontal jumps. The U20 long jump at one point saw both Holly Mills (Andover, James Coney) and Eleanor Broome (Rugby & Northampton, Ian Roberts) on 6.11 with Broome ahead due to a 6.03 second best to Mills’ 5.97. However, Mills then went to 6.12, with Broome responding to inch back ahead with a 6.15. In the final round Broome extended her lead with a 6.21.
George Evans (Shaftesbury Barnet, Colin McCulloch) threw out to a competition winning 58.43 in the very first round of the U20 men’s discus to add to his shot title. Significantly the distance also surpassed the World Junior Qualifying standard as George Armstrong (Leeds City, Michael Swain, 56.58) took silver and Patrick Swan (Cornwall AC, Mo Pearson, 51.47) the bronze.
Another thrower in good form was Sophie McKinna (Great Yarmouth,Mike Winch) who extended her own championship best performance to 16.67 in the U23 event.
Hannah Williams (Herts Phoenix, Colin Gaynor) was once again in great form in the Under 20 women’s 400m. Ahead at 200m Lily Beckford (Shaftesbury Barnet, Linford Christie) was closest to her coming into the last straight. But as Williams pulled clear to win in 53.64 it was Ella Barrett (Chesterfield, Daniel Duke, 54.63) who moved through to take silver ahead of Beckford (55.22).
The Under 23 women’s 400m final saw PBs for the first two athletes as Lina Nielsen (Enfield & Haringey, Frank Adams) went sub 53sec to win impressively in 52.97. Nikita Campbell-Smith (Birchfield, Antonio Minichiello) ran 53.60 for silver with a 53.70 securing bronze for Jessie Knight (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow, Neil Dodson).
Cameron Chalmers (Guernsey) was just a hundredth of a second off his PB in winning the U20 400m title in 46.88 from Owen Richardson (Basingstoke, John Davis, 47.53) and Lee Thompson (Rotherham, John Henson, 47.86). It was Owen Smith (Cardiff, Matt Elias) who took the U23 men’s 400 title in 47.22 from Jack Wightman (Newquay & Par, Mike Baker, 47.98) and Joseph Reid (Cardiff, Matt Elias, 48.06).
The U23 800m was a last lap shoot out. After Patrick Taylor (Vale of Aylesbury, Bud Baldaro) made a bold move along the back straight it was Elliot Giles (Birchfield) who launched a fierce kick along the homestraight to come well clear and win in 1:49.97 as Nicholas Landeau (Ealing Eagles, Steve Mann) fought into second with 1:51.54 and Taylor held on for third in 1:51.86.
Revee Walcott-Nolan (Luton) charged down the home straight to pass long-time leader Mhairi Hendry (Victoria Park) and take gold in the U23 women’s 800 with 2:06.51. Georgina Outten (Birchfield, Andrew Walling) moved into second with 2:07.10 edging out Hendry who took bronze (2:07.44).
Another to kick away from the long-time leader was 16-year-old Isabelle Boffey (Enfield & Haringey, Douglas Stone) whose home straight charge saw her to a decisive victory in the U20 800 in 2:06.90. Charlotte Cayton-Smith (Cornwall, John Scott) who had led through the bell and pushed hard down the back straight held off the rest of the chasers to take silver in a lunge for the line with 2:08.44 as Millie Howard (Harrogate, Kieron Hall) took bronze by one hundredth of a second with 2:08.48.
William Paulson (Stroud, Chris Frapwell) regained the U23 1500m title he won two years ago after coming out on top of a last 100m charge for the line and crossing the line in 3:48.36. Josh Carr (Worcester, Phil O’Dell) took silver in 3:48.69 just ahead of Stuart McCallum’s 3:48.80 (Winchester, David Vosser).
Jake Heywood (Cardiff, Paul Darney) claimed the Under 20 men’s 1500m title in a tight finish which saw him come home in 3:55.63 ahead of Tom Holden (South London Harrier, Mark Hookway) and Jamie Williamson (Loughborough Students, George Gandy) with the silver and bronze medallists clocking 3:56.11 and 3:56.44 respectively.
Stephie Pennycook (Fife AC, John Lees) kicked past the front running of Mari Smith (Leicester Coritanians, Bud Baldaro/ Bill Winter) to win with 4:22.76 to 4:23.77. Lucy Pygott (Aldershot, Farnham & District U17, Mick Woods) attacked on the last lap of the U20 3000m to pass Niamh Bridson-Hubbard (Blackheath & Bromley, Andy Frankish) and win the title with 9:31.84 to 9:33.37.
In the U23 women’s 5000m Charlotte Taylor (Nene Valley Harriers) followed as Rebecca Murray (Bedford & County, Alex Stanton) led through 3k in 9.44. With two laps to go she hit the front and ran clear to win in 16:17.90 as Murray came in with 16:32.61. Georgia Malir (Leeds, Andrew Henderson) claimed bronze with 17:24.54.
The U23 men’s 400m hurdles was won by Jack Lawrie (Woodford Green, John Macdonald) in 51.32 as Thames Valley Harriers’ Chris McAlister (Marina Armstrong) took silver in 52.13. Ewan Dyer, another John McDonald coached Woodford Green athlete was bronze medallist with 52.22. The U23 women’s 400m hurdles was taken by Georgia Rogers (Birchfield) in 58.53 from Bethany Close (Brighton & Hove, Trevor Simcox, 58.74) and Hayley McLean (Chelmsford, Chris Zah, 59.37).
Ajibola Aderemi (Victoria Park Harriers, Alf Vickers) took the U20 400m hurdles title in 53.91 from Niall Carney (Solihull & Small Heath, Joe Caines) who ran 54.24. Guernsey’s Sam Wallbridge (Coach: Nick Dakin) who qualified as a fastest loser despite falling in his heat was rewarded for his heroics with a bronze medal (54.82). Chelsea Walker (City of York, Rick Betts) won the women’s U20 event with 59.07 with Holly McArthur (Whitemoss AAC, 60.23) and Danel Jansen-Van-Rensbury (Solihull & Small Heath, Joe Caines, 62.04).
Taylor Campbell (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow, John Pearson) added to his list of honours in the U23 men’s hammer as he threw out to 68.75 to win from Callum Brown (City Of Norwich, Lorraine Brown, 64.93) as New Zealander Matthew Bloxham took third with 61.28. In what was a good day for the Campbell family Taylor’s brother Bayley threw 69.71 to hit the European Youth Qualifying mark in the event put on for Under 18s.
Divine Oladipo (Blackheath & Bromley, John Hillier) added to her medal in Saturday’s shot with a win in the discus, throwing 48.11 ahead of a close battle between two Radley AC athletes Kathryn Woodcock (Kevin O'Hara, 45.89) and Luisa Chantler Edmond (Peter O’Keefe, 45.06).
Jude Bright-Davies (Thames Valley Harriers, David Johnson) produced a title-winning 15.39 (+0.8) leap on his first effort of the competition to take the U20 triple jump title and move to the head of the rankings list. The 16-year-old Wesley Matsuka-Williams (City of Norwich, Denis Costello) leapt to a new PB of 14.96 (+1.4), and beyond the 14.70) European Youths mark, to claim silver as Jamil Hassan (Marshall Milton Keynes) took bronze with 14.46 (+1.1).
The Under 23 Long Jump saw a win for Oliver Newport (Blackheath & Bromley, John Shepherd) with a 7.43 (1.3) giving him the close victory over the 7.41 (+1.3) of Scott Hall (Gateshead, Sam Stanislaus).
A first time clearance at 5.15 secured the U23 pole vault for Jack Phipps (Birchfield, Kate Rooney) ahead of Liam Yarwood (Sale, Kate Rooney) who went clear first time at 5m. Bronze medallist was Samuel Bass-Cooper (Southampton, Brian Hooper) with 4.85.