U15/U17 and Junior para champs, U20/Senior combined events champs: preview
World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Aston Moore; Liverpool Harriers) is set to feature among some of the country’s top combined-eventers, as well as some potential stars of the future. The three-day meeting includes the England, UK and BUCS championships for the Senior and under 20 combined-events, the England under 17 and under 15 championships and the England junior para championships.
Combined events
Heptathlon
On Saturday, two weeks before she will be one of Britain’s top medal hopes at the Olympics, Johnson-Thompson will start the heptathlon with a view to honing her preparations in some disciplines for Paris.
The 2019 and 2023 world champion is due to appear in her first England Championships for nine years. It is now 18 years since she won her first England title when she scored the high jump win as an under-15. That represented the first of her 22 gold medals in these championships.
Of those likely to be focused on completing the whole two days, Abigail Pawlett (Ashley Bryant; Trafford) is the favourite. A multiple England champion in various age groups, she arrives off the back of an 11th place at the world-class Hypomeeting in Gotzis this summer, where she set a PB of 6011.
Germany’s Laura Voss, who has a PB of 5588, Ireland’s Anna McCauley, who was second in the England Championships indoors last winter, and the much-improved 2023 England under-17 heptathlon silver medallist Eden Robinson, will also be challenging.
In the junior heptathlon, Neve Davenport (Jessica Taylor-Jemmett; Trafford) leads the roster with her PB of 5106. Northern Ireland’s Sophie Doherty, who was second last year, challenges.
Decathlon
Across in the decathlon, three-time England senior winner Lewis Church (David Hull; Tonbridge) is back in action just four weeks after improving his PB to 7852. He is set to continue his long-time friendly rivalry with training partner Harry Kendall (David Hull; Tonbridge), an England Commonwealth Games representative in 2022. Sammy Ball (Michael Dyer; Reading), who set a UK U20 best in the England junior title last year, will be another contender.
Conrad Winter, who won the England indoor heptathlon title this winter, is favourite in the under-20 decathlon to improve on his bronze of last year.
Under 17 women
Some of the representatives from last weekend’s European Athletics U18 Championships in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, will be welcomed home in the under-17 events.
New European youth silver medallist Shakira King, who this month came with 0.11 of Phoebe Gill’s UK age-group best with 2:01.61, is comfortably quickest in the 800m. Meanwhile, 3000m bronze medallist Olivia Forrest (Paul Forrest; Brentwood Beagles) will compete over seven and a half laps.
Isabella Turner (Dacorum), who is fifth on the UK all-time list for her age group with 4.00m, headlines the pole vault. UK under-15 best-holder Olivia Schrimshaw (Amy Billington; Deeside AAC) chases a title defence in the triple jump. The shot put has Issy Stamp (South London), who is second on the UK all-time list with 16.04m. Others following up Slovakia action are Harriet Court (Paddock Wood) in the javelin and Alice Howie (Matthew Evans; Worthing) in the hammer.
After reaching the final in Banská Bystrica with a PB of 11.65 last week, Nell Desir looks to add to her 60m title indoors last winter. Another from those championships in action is steeplechaser Ava James (David Leach; Lewes), who was seventh. Wales’ Darcey Coslett, who is 10th on the UK all-time 300m list for her age group with 38.40, is hoping to follow up on her gold from the indoor championships.
Under 17 men
In the hammer, Ireland’s new European under-18 hammer champion Thomas Williams lines up having thrown nearly 20m further than any of his peers. His world under-18 lead of 77.31m is better than the championship record.
European under-18 bronze medallist Joel Ajayi (Gary Howard; Havering) highlights the 100m, having gone into the top 10 of all time in his age group with 10.49. Joshua Mungin, whose 1:49.87 put him fifth on the age-group 800m all-time rankings, seeks a double, having won the England title indoors. Evan Grime (Ian Grime; Salford), who heads the UK rankings this year at 800m and 1500m with fine times of 1:49.69 and 3:47.72 respectively, has opted to make his debut at 3000m.
Wales’ Luca Phillips, who amazingly won the sprint hurdles, long jump and triple at the England Championships last winter, is entered for all three here. Lawson Capes (Lewis Capes; Peterborough & Nene Valley) is entered for both the shot and discus, at which he won the under-15 titles last year. He is comfortably number 1 in the shot with 17.87m, although Wales’ Owen Garratt ranks top in the discus with 50.94m.
Under 15 girls
Wales’ Aliyah Afolabi is entered for three events and could go for a double in the 100m and 200m, having won both sprints indoors. Over 200m, she is fourth on the age-group all-time list with 24.06 and, over 100m, 10th with 11.89. Annabelle Fasuba (Neal Edwards; City of Plymouth) is her nearest rival in both 100m and 200m. Afolabi is also down for the 300m, where her 39.64 puts her eighth all-time. Lily Hartman (Sarah Robinson; Basildon), Holly Ryan (Ty Holden; Shaftesbury Barnet) and Mary Taylor (James Wright; Rugby & Northampton) are, on PBs, all within a tenth of a second of each other, just the other side of 40 seconds.
Discus thrower Bethany Pendlebury (Michael Martin; Trafford) tries to defend her title. Her 42.11m puts her third on the UK all-time under-15 list.
Although top also in the 800m, Jorjia March (John Clarke; Barnet) has opted for the 1500m, where she has clocked 4:25.83 for eighth on the UK all-time list for her age group. In the 3000m, which has seen great strength in this age group this year, Kitty Scott (Mick Woods; Aldershot, Farnham & District) leads the way with her 9:39.62. Izzy Rae (Bracknell), who is seventh on the UK all-time under-15 list with 10.90 over 75m hurdles, is looking to follow up on her England indoor win last winter.
Under 15 boys
Divine Iheme (Nkiruka Iheme; Radley), who has set UK U15 bests in both 100m and 200m this year, will line up in both sprints. After completing the sprint double at the England Athletics championships indoors last winter, he has gone to 10.65 and 21.73 respectively this summer so far.
Chu Ononogbu (Clyde Gordon; Shaftesbury Barnet), who improved his PB by more than four metres to record 51.06m and go to seventh on the UK all-time list for his age group, is the big favourite in the discus.
Para
A small but high-quality contingent in the para championships includes Elizabeth Dodds (Shrewsbury), who won the England under-20 para long jump indoors. She is competing in that event, as well as the 100m and 200m. Amy Thompson (Dave Brown; Liverpool Pembroke Sefton) will compete in the discus and shot, at which she is number 1 and number 2 respectively on the world junior rankings.
Information
Champs webpage for tickets and programme Roster for start lists, timetable and resultsphotos by Pat Isaacs (Abigail, Lewis, Thomas), Sakura Sports Media (Issy)