England Athletics Senior & U20 Championships. Incorporating the Senior Para Championships, Powered by Citroën: A standard sort of Saturday
The U20 athletes looked to secure qualifying marks for the upcoming European Championships in Finland early next month, while the senior competition was all about applying finishing touches to a summer of training. For some that meant a much-coveted England title, while for others this was a handy benchmark and form test for next week’s British Championships. Plus, of course, this weekend is always the biggest date in any combined eventers’ diary as the U20s completed day two of their championships and the seniors kicked off their quest for gold. Here’s how the day unfolded:
With the pressure of attaining qualification marks always lurking the background, it was no surprise to see urgency in the U20 races on the track. The field in the U20 3000m steeplechase splintered very quickly as they chased the sub 9 minutes required to get on the plane for Finland. In the end, it was a pre-qualified athlete who proved strongest as Dillon Millard (Dave Lee, Taunton) who ran out a comfortable winner in 9:06.12.
That was a good race, but a spectacular one came just one race later when Olivia McGhee (Michael Lewis, Rugby and Northampton) front ran her way to 10:27.40 and a place on the GB team for Finland. Given she’s in the U17 age group, that is truly sensational running from the English Schools 1500m champion. “I hope I can make the final in Finland,” she said afterwards, “but really I’m just going for the experience.”
Perhaps the most competitive race of the day was the U20 men’s 800. Six out of the eight running had the European qualifying mark and with just one space guaranteed, this promised to be fascinating. Through one lap in 54.2, the whole field remained tightly-packed but it was William Rabjohns (Mark Pauley, Poole) who reacted first when the pace picked up along the back straight. Always in a perfect position on the leader’s shoulder, he accelerated in the final 100 metres to stop the clock at 1:48.45 and booked his flight to Finland. “I felt great and really strong in the final straight,” he explained, “so I knew I could hold on.”
The wind did pick up as the afternoon progressed, something Charlotte Henrich (Nigel Stickings, Invicta) noticed. She won the Women’s U20 400 in what looked like a relatively modest 53.14. “But it was tough today because of the wind and I’ve missed four weeks with a bad Achilles. Really, I’m just grateful to be running.”
The 100m runners enjoyed the tail wind as Mabel Akande (Denise Timmins, Linc W) flew to a 11.30 win in the U20 women’s race. Teddy Wilson (Shaftesbury Barnet) was equally impressive in the U20 men’s race as he powered to 10.24, a personal best (the wind dropped to a legal +1.4) and for many, the performance of the day. And he stumbled slightly out of the blocks which suggests there’s slightly more to come.
For the seniors, Sunday will be a day of finals, but there were still plenty of races to get excited about. Sam Costley (Southampton) sprinted to victory in the 3000m steeplechase in 9:04.08, while the men’s 800 was a cagey affair won in 1:50.42 by Alex Glew (Katie Hewson, Chorley). Henry Christer (John Davis, Basingstoke and Mid Hants) took the 100 gold in 10.28, a slightly windy time.
Earlier in the day, Harriet Court (Mark Roberson, Thames Valley) won the U20 women’s javelin title with 46.06, which by her own admission, wasn’t a great throw. “It was not great out there,” she confirmed, “At least I already have the European standard (she threw 52.68 to win the English Schools), so I’m relieved and happy to have won,” she continued. Other stand out performances included 6.32 in the U20 women’s long jump from Daisy Snell (Blackheath and Bromley) and 45.84 in the U20 women’s discus by Gabriella Tcheukam (Chris King, Croydon).
Combined Events
Women's U20 heptathlon
Isla Pain (Cheltenham and County) held the overnight lead by two points but with Matilda Quick (Steve Ingram, Swansea), last year’s U17 champion last season that close behind it was always going to be tough to hold on given Quick’s long jump prowess. In the damp conditions, Quick jumped a very impressive 5.60 while Pain was also in great form with 5.27, which meant the top two switched positions in the overall standings. Both would have been PBs had it not been quite so breezy, but it did demonstrate just how competitive this age group is. It was as you were after Quick and Pain’s javelin throws of 29.74 and 25.88 looked to have tightened their individual grips on the gold and silver medals. On paper there wasn’t much difference between the two over 800m but in the end although Pain ran a PB of 2:33.53 to Quick’s 2:35.41, she couldn’t close the gap. Quick won the gold medal with 4965pts to Pain’s 4821.
Both athletes were more than happy with how it had gone. “I think that was three PBs for me in the javelin, long jump, and a big one in the hurdles,” said Quick, while Pain was equally happy with the silver. “That was pretty good,” she concluded. “I did four PBs and one overall. That was pretty good,” she added again.
Men's U20 decathlon
Saturday morning saw Tom Bennett (Taunton) pick up where he left off late Friday by winning the 100H. Fifth overnight, his 14.47 scored 915 points while overnight leader Samuel Newton (Tonbridge) clocked 15.14. William Alexander (Michael Dyer, Reading) ran 14.77 which meant he moved into the lead, Newton slipped back to second and Bennett climbed to third. A throw of 37.00 in the discus kept him in pole position as Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid (St Marys Richmond) moved back into second thanks to his event winning 44.34. Newton remained a name to keep on eye on with 36.27 meaning just 21 points separated the top three at this point. However, nobody could rest easy as the next event up was the pole vault. It was a tremendous competition, Alexander calling it a day at 3.90. However, Bouwmeester-Reid cleared 4.00 and Newton 4.10, which meant it was the Tonbridge man who found himself back in the lead but only by 13 points. Perhaps it was no surprise Bouwmeester-Reid produced a threw a PB of 53.01 in the javelin given his first places in the discus and shot. However, Newton was a man in form and ended the javelin with 54.53 and a small, but significant lead heading into the 1500m.
Women's heptathlon
Saturday morning saw Tom Bennett (Taunton) pick up where he left off late Friday by winning the 100H. Fifth overnight, his 14.47 scored 915 points while overnight leader Samuel Newton (Tonbridge) clocked 15.14. William Alexander (Michael Dyer, Reading) ran 14.77 which meant he moved into the lead, Newton slipped back to second and Bennett climbed to third. A throw of 37.00 in the discus kept him in pole position as Kieran Bouwmeester-Reid (St Marys Richmond) moved back into second thanks to his event winning 44.34. Newton remained a name to keep on eye on with 36.27 meaning just 21 points separated the top three at this point. However, nobody could rest easy as the next event up was the pole vault. It was a tremendous competition, Alexander calling it a day at 3.90. However, Bouwmeester-Reid cleared 4.00 and Newton 4.10, which meant it was the Tonbridge man who found himself back in the lead but only by 13 points. Perhaps it was no surprise Bouwmeester-Reid produced a threw a PB of 53.01 in the javelin given his first places in the discus and shot. However, Newton was a man in form and ended the javelin with 54.53 and a small, but significant lead heading into the 1500m.
Men's decathlon
Jack Turner (Exeter, Rob Jarvis) got things rolling with a very good 100 in 10.88 given the drizzly, cooler conditions competitors faced early on. Currently studying at the University of Arkansas, he’s coming off a solid season in the USA where he finished seventh in the prestigious NCAA Champs. Behind him Harry Kendall (David Hull, Tonbridge) was also under 11 seconds with 10.95. It was Kendall who moved into the lead thanks to his 7.09 in the long jump, while Turner was close behind with 7.01. Stephen Simmons (David Hull, Tonbridge) kept things close with an impressive 7.14 (along with his 11.05, 100m). The shot saw Kendall stretch his lead thanks to a 14.37 throw.
Behind him, Scotland’s Craig Moncur (Jade Surman, Birmingham Uni) moved into second (11.27, 7.04 and 14.06). But the Scot lost ground on Kendall after the Tonbridge man went over 1.86 first time in the high jump compared to Moncur’s 1.80. However, the 400m proved Kendall’s undoing as he pulled up injured (as had Turner earlier), all of which meant it was now Simmons who found himself in the lead as they headed back to the hotel for the evening. His 49.43, 1.92 high jump and 12.51 along with his earlier 100m and long jump gave him 3906 points for a 47-point lead. Bouwmeester-Reid did beat Newton to the line, but only by two seconds, 4:48.44 to 4:50.59, which meant the final result read: 1, Newton 7061, 2, Bouwmeester-Reid7038 and 3, Alexander 6934.
*In the para competition, Ozioma Nlewedum, F55 (Alison O’Riordon, Enfield and Haringey) threw a CBP of 12.88 in the seated discus, happy to put what she describes as Friday’s slightly below performance in the seated shot behind her. “I’m really happy with that,” she said. Scotland’s Kirsty Soutar, F32 (Gordon Innes, Victoria Park City of Glasgow) was equally pleased with her category win in the same event, impressed with the officials and the whole stadium atmosphere. “It was brilliant to be part of all of this. I even liked going to the call room,” she joked. Later in the afternoon, Charlie Price, T72 (Robert Purcell, Gloucester) was also in record-breaking form, setting a new CBP in the 100m frame running with 19.04. In the 1500m, Dan Wolff, T20 (Belgrave) found the wind tricky, but still clocked 4:08.94, leading all the way.
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