Saturday 18th April 2009

GREAT Britain’s NCAA indoor mile champion Lee Emanuel effortlessly transferred his superb form to the outdoor metric version by setting a meeting record in the 1500m on the second day of the 51st Mt. San Antonio College Relays held on the track of the Hilmer Lodge Stadium in California on Friday 17th April.

The University of New Mexico student set a meeting record 3:37.99 to break a 13-year-old Mt. SAC meeting and a 30-year-old New Mexico school record, and his PB of 3:40.77.

“I’m ready to race anyone right now,” a clearly confident Emanuel said. “I step on the track thinking that I can beat anyone in the country.”

Team mate Rory Fraser (OWLS) at New Mexico was also in sparkling form breaking his lifetime best over 5,000m with a mark of 13:39.85 to finish in 18th place overall. Loughborough graduate Joe MacDonald now based at Butler University won the section 3 race in 13:54.73.

Loughborough University’s Andy Blow finished third in the 400m with a time of 47.75secs in the race won by American Kevin Nious in 47.48.

Earlier in the day, former Loughborough student Ashley Gibson moved into fourth place on the New Mexico all-time 1,500m performers list and became the first Lobo woman to qualify for the NCAA regional meet in the event with a time of 4:23.96 in her outdoor debut. The Elswick Harrier finished fifth in the Olympic development section, clocking the fastest time by a Lobo since 1991.

Kenyan Philes Ongori, who was seventh at the 2007 Osaka IAAF World Championships in the 10,000m, was in a class of her own in the women’s 5000m winning in 15:23.33 as former Loughborough students Barbara Parker and Ireland’s Ava Hutchinson finished in 15th and 16th with times of 15:58.53 and 15:58.93 respectively.
Leading Results for British/LSAC athletes:
Men
100 1 (2.2): 6 Toby Sandeman (TVH) 10.70
200 1 (-0.2): 3 Wade Bennett-Jackson (Belg) 21.81. 2 (1.2): 1 Tim Benjamin (Belg) 20.96.
400 1: 3 Andy Blow (BMH) 47.75
1500 1: 7 Stephen Lisgo (Mans) 3:48.56. 2: 1 Lee Emanuel (Sheff) 3:37.99; 4 Kris Gauson (Edin) 3:42.13. 3: 5 Darren Gauson (Edin) 3:44.52; 6 Ross Millington (Stock H) 3:45.04
5000 1: 11 Scott Overall (B&B) 13:34.29; 18 Rory Fraser (OWLS) 13:39.85. 2: 6 Iain Donnan (Loth) 13:53.60; 12 Andy Baker (Yeov O) 13:59.75. 3: 1 Joe MacDonald (Traff) 13:54.73; 4 John Beattie (Win) 13:57.63; 12 Lewis Timmins (Gosf) 14:03.33; 15 Luke Cragg (Mans) 14:05.64; 16 Mathew Ashton (AFD) 14:05.66
400H: 3 Mike Baker (M&M, U20) 53.46
Women

100 2 (1.5): 5 Molly Russell (Rad) 12.25
200 3 (1.1): 1 Helen Pryer (WSEH) 23.73
1500 2: 5 Lennie Waite (Rice) 4:16.09. 3: 5 Ashley Gibson (Els) 4:23.96.
5000 2: 15 Barbara Parker (Norw) 15:58.53; 16 Ava Hutchinson (AFD) 15:58.93. 1: 33 Marbeth Shiell (Edin) 18:03.50. 3: 18 Nicky Archer (Vale R) 16:47.38

www.mtsacrelays.com/archives/2009/results/uo/index.htm

Saturday 18th April 2009

FORMER Loughborough athlete Charlotte Browning continued her very good run of form over in the States by setting a lifetime best of 2:06.93 over 800m at the War Eagle Invitational hosted by Auburn University at its Hutsell-Rosen Track.

The 21-year-old representing the University of Florida Gators team won the event in an NCAA regional-qualifying time slicing three seconds off her previous mark.

Photo by Jim Burgess.

Saturday 11th April 2009

BRITS Lee Emanuel and Rory Fraser led a 1-2-3 over the line over 800m for the University of New Mexico as the aptly named Tailwind Invitational was blighted by four weather delays due to incessant rain at the Great Friends of UNM Track Stadium.

The meeting was barely underway when the first of four 30-minute lightning delays forced the mandatory suspension of the event. Meeting officials were able to squeeze in the women's 4x100 metre relay after the second delay before sending the athletes off for an hour wait.

However, the NCAA indoor mile champion Lee Emanuel (City of Sheffield) was able to line-up with compatriot Rory Fraser (OWLS) in the 800m as the duo made their outdoor debut for the Lobos producing a fine performance as Emanuel took control of the race after 200 metres to pull clear to take victory.

Emanuel clocked an altitude-adjusted time of 1:49.21 in his first race since winning the NCAA Indoor mile title exactly four weeks earlier.

Team mates Rory Fraser (1:52.58) and Jacob Kirwa of Kenya (1:52.94) finished second and third respectively for the Lobos in the event, combining with Emanuel for a total of 24 points. It was also Fraser's outdoor debut after last competing in the 5,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

The New Mexico men won the team title by a margin of ten points ahead of second place Wyoming.

Full results are available on the following link: www.golobos.com/sports/c-track/stats/2008-2009/results.html

Friday 3rd April 2009

CHARLOTTE BROWNING finished second over 1500m as the University of Florida track and field teams posted 20 NCAA regional-qualifying marks and secured three individual event victories to highlight a successful opening day of competition at the 65th-annual Pepsi Florida Relays held in Gainsville.

Former Loughborough athlete, Browning (21), recorded the fastest time of any first-year Gator (freshman or transfer) in their program history, clocking an NCAA regional-qualifying time of 4mins 20.22secs. A mark that surpassed the previous record by more than 10 seconds and was the fourth-fastest time overall in the university history

http://halfmiletiming.com/Datafiles/Spring2009/Florida/FlRelays09/Results/

Saturday 28th March 2009

A large selection of British athletes were in action at the high profile 2009 Stanford Invitational Track & Field meeting held at the Cobb Track and Angell Field in Palo Alto, California, between 27th-28th March, that featured both university and collegiate athletes.

On the track Chris Gowell (Swansea) produced the top performance of the weekend the 23-year-old representing Baylor University clocked a massive personal best with a time of 3mins 41.85secs to finish second overall in the 1500 metres Section 1 race. Gowell's time ranks as the second-fastest time in Baylor history. American Austin Abbott of Washington claimed victory in 3:41.62. Ross Millington (Stockport Harriers) running for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos team finished 10th in the 1500m Section 2 race with a mark of 3:50.79.

Representing the Tulsa University’s Golden Hurricane’s team, Junior John Beattie (Southampton) set an NCAA Midwest Regional qualifying time of 29:06.49 in the 10,000 metres, smashing his own school record of 29:30.88 which he set last year. Beattie finished ninth out of 38 competitors in Men's 10,000 Metre Run Section 2 race.

Team mate, Senior Lewis Timmins (Gosforth), also clocked a regional qualifying mark of 14:06.55 in the Men's 5,000 Metre Section 2 race where Matt Barnes-Smith (Ipswich) in the colours of the University of Oklahoma ‘Sooners’ team clocked 14:09.92 to finish 12th.

University of New Mexico junior Nicky Archer (Vale Royal) clocked the fourth-fastest 10,000 metre time in their history (34:32.21) to lead a trio of NCAA provisional qualifiers for the Lobos.

Archer who was the top cross country runner for the Mountain West Conference champions, ran nearly 28 seconds under the NCAA provisional qualifying standard on her outdoor debut. The long distance specialist was over 90 seconds better than her previous best in the event. Senior Mat Ashton (Aldershot, Farnham & District) also reached the provisional standard with a time of 29:22.40 in the 10,000 metre Section 1 race.

Former Loughborough student, Elswick Harrier Ashley Gibson, led a trio of Lobos over the line in the women’s 5,000m Section 3 race finishing in 16th place with a time of 17:07.56, followed by Carolyn Boosey (VoA) 20th in 17:17.83 and Emma Reed (B&W) 25th in 17:46.05.
Leading Results:
Men
1500 Section 1: 2 Chris Gowell (Baylor) 3:41.85 2: 10 Ross Millington (University of New Mexico) 3:50.79
5,000 Section 2: 7 Lewis Timmins (Tulsa) 14:06.55 2: 12 Matt Barnes-Smith (Oklahoma) 14:09.92
10,000 Section 1: 19 Mathew Ashton (University of New Mexico) 29:22.40 2: 9 John Beattie (Tulsa) 29:06.49
Women
5,000 Section 3: 16 Ashley Gibson (University of New Mexico) 17:07.56; 20 Carolyn Boosey (University of New Mexico) 17:17.83; 25 Emma Reed (University of New Mexico) 17:46.05

10,000 Section 1: 14 Nicky Archer (University of New Mexico) 34:32.21

Full results are available on the following link: www.gostanford.com/sports/c-track/stats/2008-2009/stanford09_res.html

2009 NCAA Indoor Athletics Track & Field Championships


Gilliam Stadium, College Station


Texas A&M University, USA

Saturday 14th March 2009 – Day 2

LEE EMANUEL followed in footsteps of compatriot Hannah England to secure an NCAA middle-distance championship title as the 23-year-old Yorkshireman stormed to an impressive victory over the mile securing victory for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos team on the second day of competition at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Athletics Track & Field Championships in College Station, Texas, whilst, former American Michael Bingham now competing for Great Britain set a superb world-leading time of 45.69secs to take gold in the 400m.

Last summer over 1500m Hannah England won the 1500m title outdoors in Indianapolis and Lee Emanuel from the City of Sheffield club replicated that victory this time indoor over the imperial mile distance in what became a two-man race between Emanuel and Craig Miller of Wisconsin over the final two laps on the Mondo track of Gilliam Stadium.

Miller and Emanuel broke away from the field over the final 300 metres, with Miller making his move for the lead as the duo entered the final turn. Miller moved up on Emanuel’s outside shoulder but, ultimately, could not match the New Mexico senior’s kick down the homestretch.

Emanuel pulled clear to take the title in a time of 4mins 00.36secs, finishing nearly a second ahead of Miller and well in front of third-place Dorian Ulrey of Arkansas, who led the rest of the pack over the line finishing in 4:02.19.

"Our strategy was to come out and run strong the entire way," said a delighted Emanuel. "Coach (Joe Franklin) told me that if I thought someone was catching up to me, to just run harder, and go after it. He knew I would be strong enough to do that.

"There at the end, I knew for sure that I could do it, and that it was a chance of a lifetime. So I pushed harder, and got the victory. I hope this puts my name on the map a bit more. This is just a great experience."

There was a world indoor season lead for Michael Bingham, the former decathlete representing North Carolina’s Wake Forest, who held off the challenge of Texas Tech’s Gil Roberts in the men’s 400m as the 22-year-old crossed the line in a time of 45.69secs taking victory adding gold to the bronze he won in 2007. Bingham transferred nationality from the USA to Great Britain in April 2008 representing Team GB at the Beijing Olympics as part of the 4x400m relay team that finished fourth.

The previous fastest in the world this year was the 45.89secs set by Sweden’s Johan Wissman when winning the European Indoor title last weekend in Turin, Italy.

"Michael ran an awesome race today," said assistant coach Scott Hall of Wake Forest. "He is an experienced runner and he executed the race we talked about. He wanted to get through the first 200 metres with the lead in his heat and then he was strong enough to turn it over the last 200. He worked really hard this winter on his training and it paid off today."

Charlotte Browning (Aldershot, Farnham & District), competing in her first NCAA Championship meeting finishing eighth in the women’s mile final in a time of 4mins 40.25secs representing Florida.

Welshman Chris Gowell (Swansea) clocked 1:48.78 to secure fifth place in the men's 800m final for Baylor.

In the field events Yasmine Regis (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) competing in the colours of the hosts Texas A&M University placed fourth in the women's triple jump final with a leap of 13.42 metres in the competition won by Florida States Kimberly Williams with a mark of 13.81m.

Full results are available on the following link: www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/track/index.html

2009 NCAA Indoor Athletics Track & Field Championships

Gilliam Stadium, College Station

Texas A&M University, USA

Friday 13th March 2009 – Day 1

RORY FRASER claimed a top-twenty finish on his debut at the NCAA Track & Field Championships at College Station, Texas.

The 21-year-old from the Leicester OWLS club, now benefitting from the guidance of world-class coach Joe Franklin at the University of New Mexico, running in the final of the men's 5,000m clocked a time of 14mins 10.35secs to cross the line in 11th place overall matching his pre-championship seeding position.

Fraser finished just over 10 seconds shy of eighth place and a spot on the All-America team in his NCAA Championships debut season. The outstanding American talent Galen Rupp in the colours of Oregon, the reigning NCAA cross-country champion, won the race with a stadium time of 13:41.45.

After the field settled into a tactical pace Rupp was content to run between third and fifth for the first nine minutes. At the 9:15 mark, Liberty’s Sam Chelanga picked up the pace as the lead pack began to string out. Rupp bided his time in third, never losing contact with Chelanga. Then with 800 metres remaining Rupp made his decisive move.

Rupp increased his lead on each of the remaining laps and cruised to victory in 13:41.45, Chelanga was second in 13:44.57.

Fraser’s team mate and compatriot Lee Emanuel (City of Sheffield) was on top form on the track of the Gilliam Stadium for New Mexico recording the fourth-fastest time in the mile (4:01.61). The 23-year-old Yorkshireman had the benefit of running in the second and fastest preliminary section that witnessed six of the seven athletes move on to the finals.

Charlotte Browning (Aldershot, Farnham & District) representing the University of Florida ‘Gators’ team continued her fine indoor form by finishing third in her heat and fifth overall in the women’s mile to qualify for Saturday’s final with a time of 4:41.38. Browning reached the NCAA’s by running an automatic-qualifying time of 4:36.09 – the ninth-fastest time in the US this indoor season.

Full results are available on the following link: www.aggieathletics.com/ncaa2009/track/index.html

2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships - Preview

Wednesday 11th March 2009

THIS weekend (13th-14th March) will see the staging of the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the brand new $36m Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium part of the impressive sports facility at the McFerrin Athletic Center situated on the campus of Texas A&M University in the city of College Station.

British Under-23 international Rory Fraser will be making his debut at the 45th edition of the men’s championships lining-up in the all-red strip of the University of New Mexico ‘Lobos’ team.

Fraser, from the Leicester OWLS club will run over his preferred outdoor distance of 5,000m following a stellar breakthrough season having benefitted enormously from being based in the rarefied atmosphere of the high altitude mountains of Albuquerque - the favoured USA-training base of Britain’s world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe. He gained his place at the NCAA Championships by setting a lifetime best at Washington's Husky Classic on February 14th clocking a time of 13mins 49.57secs.

The 21-year-old reigning 800m Leicestershire champion has also been in record-breaking form this season for head coach Joe Franklin’s impressive squad claiming his first major honour on American soil by collecting a well-deserved silver medal in the men’s 3,000m as the ‘Lobos’ men's track and field team capped a historic meeting with a second place finish at the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships on February 28th hosted by the United States Air Force on the track of the Cadet Field House Arena in Colorado Springs. Fraser crossed the line in the race with an altitude-adjusted time of 8mins 21.44secs.

Fraser gained his place at the University of New Mexico on the back of his excellent form over the 2008 outdoor season in the United Kingdom and currently has an outdoor personal best of 13mins 49.02secs over 5,000m set at the (BMC) British Milers Club Nike Grand Prix meeting in Manchester on May 31st and is currently on a full scholarship in the US – which basically means he will receive full funding for all tuition and living expenses and additional kit. Fellow Brit and university team mate Lee Emanuel will compete over 800m.

Also lining-up at the 27th edition of the women’s NCAA Championships in the one-mile section is Charlotte Browning, the 21-year-old former Loughborough College student from the Aldershot, Farnham & District club, part of the highly successful Kelly Holmes mentoring programme, will be representing the University of Florida ‘Gators’ team based in Gainsville.

Browning earned her place at College Station by clocking an automatic-qualifying time of 4mins 36.09secs recording the second-fastest women’s indoor mile time in the ‘Gators’ team history, finishing in third place overall at the Alex Wilson Invitational at South Bend, Indiana, on the campus of Notre Dame University on March 7th.

Preview by Mark Woolley.

Venue:
The superb brand new $36m Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium is the home of the Texas A&M Aggies men's and women's collegiate indoor track and field teams. Opened on 24th January 2009 the facility has a capacity of 5,000 and a super-fast IAAF championships standard 200m-banked Mondo surfaced track.
Timetable:
(All times are USA Central Daylight / GMT -5hrs)
Day 1 - Friday 13th March 2009
Combined Events
10:00am 60m Hurdles W Pentathlon
10:50am High Jump (2 pits) W Pentathlon
12:00pm 60m Dash M Heptathlon
12:40pm Long Jump (2 pits) M Heptathlon
12:45pm Shot Put (2 rings) W Pentathlon
1:45pm Long Jump (2 pits) W Pentathlon
1:45pm Shot Put (2 rings) M Heptathlon
2:45pm High Jump (2 pits) M Heptathlon
2:45pm 800m Run W Pentathlon
Field Events
4:00pm Weight Throw W Trials & Final
4:15pm Long Jump W Trials & Final
4:30pm Pole Vault M Final
6:30pm High Jump W Final
6:40pm Long Jump M Trials & Final
6:50pm Shot Put M Trials and Final
Track Events
3:55pm National Anthem
4:00pm Mile Run W Prelim
4:15pm Mile Run M Prelim
4:30pm 60m Hurdles W Prelim
4:45pm 60m Hurdles M Prelim
5:00pm 400m Dash W Prelim
5:15pm 400m Dash M Prelim
5:30pm 60m Dash W Prelim
5:45pm 60m Dash M Prelim
6:00pm 800m Run W Prelim
6:15pm 800m Run M Prelim
6:30pm 200m Dash W Prelim
6:45pm 200m Dash M Prelim
7:05pm 5,000m Run W Final
7:30pm 5,000m Run M Final
8:00pm 200m Dash W Final (2 section final)
8:10pm 200m Dash M Final (2 section final)
8:20pm DMR W Final
8:40pm DMR M Final
Day 2 - Saturday 14th March 2009
Combined Events
12:00pm 60m Hurdles M Heptathlon
12:45pm Pole Vault (2 pits) M Heptathlon
3:15pm 1,000 m Run M Heptathlon
Field Events
3:30pm Triple Jump W Trials & Final
3:45pm Shot Put W Trials and Final
4:00pm Pole Vault W Final
4:15pm High Jump M Final
4:30pm Triple Jump M Trials & Final
5:00pm Weight Throw M Trials & Final
Running Events
4:55pm National Anthem
5:00pm Mile Run W Final
5:10pm Mile Run M Final
5:20pm 60m Hurdles W Final
5:30pm 60m Hurdles M Final
5:40pm 400m Dash W Final (2 section final)
5:50pm 400m Dash M Final (2 section final)
6:00pm 60m Dash W Final
6:10pm 60m Dash M Final
6:20pm 800m Run W Final
6:30pm 800m Run M Final
6:40pm 3,000m Run W Final
6:55pm 3,000m Run M Final
7:10pm 4 x 400m Relay W Final (2 section final)
7:25pm 4 x 400m Relay M Final (2 section final)
7:50pm Awards Ceremony
Start lists:
Men

www.trackshark.com/rankings/d1men_declare.php

www.trackshark.com/rankings/d1women_declare.php

Athletics-leics.com will bring full reports and results as the action unfolds at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

www.ncaa.com

Saturday 7th March 2008

GREAT BRITAIN’s Charlotte Browning ran the second-fastest women’s indoor mile time in the University of Florida ‘Gators’ team history, finishing in third place overall at the Alex Wilson Invitational at South Bend, Indiana, on the campus of Notre Dame University.

The 21-year-old former Loughborough resident clocked an NCAA Indoor championships automatic-qualifying time of 4mins 36.09secs.

Fellow Loughborough Alumnus Ashley Gibson also lowered her own University of New Mexico record in the mile race with time of 4:44.58 to take 9th place.

Wednesday 4th March 2009

CHARLOTTE BROWNING representing the University of Florida Gator's team claimed a top five finish in the women’s mile at the 2009 SEC Indoor Championships, hosted by the University of Kentucky on Sunday 1st March.

Browning, the 21-year-old former Loughborough resident from the Aldershot, Farnham & District club, was the league’s runner-up with a time of 4mins 45.56secs.

Saturday 28th February 2009

RORY FRASER claimed his first major honour on American soil by collecting a well-deserved silver medal in the men’s 3,000m as the University of New Mexico ‘Lobos’ men's track and field team capped a historic meeting with a second place finish at the Mountain West Conference Indoor Championships hosted by the United States Air Force on the track of the Cadet Field House Arena in Colorado Springs.

Fraser, the 21-year-old from the Leicester OWLS club, crossed the line in the race with an altitude-adjusted time of 8mins 32.94secs in the race won by Sean Houseworth of the United States Air Force with 8:26.74.

Former Loughborough student Ashley Gibson ran an altitude-adjusted time of 5:06.80 in the women’s mile to finish in fifth place.

There was also very impressive performance from compatriots Lee Emanuel, who has already secured his place at the NCAA Indoor Championships in the mile, earned a silver medal in the 800m with an altitude-adjusted time of 1:50.15, whilst, David Bishop ran an altitude-adjusted time of 4:14.87 in the mile for a bronze medal finish.

Nicky Archer finished fifth with an altitude-adjusted time of 9:51.44 in the women’s 3,000m.

The Lobos had never finished higher than fifth place and improved on last seasons sixth place finish. New Mexico's 102 points is the most since the 2005 and 2006 indoor seasons when the Lobos posted 67 team points in both MWC Championship meets.

New Mexico's second place finish also tied a programme record. The last time the Lobos earned a second place conference finish, was in 1990 as a member of the Western Athletic Conference. The Lobos 102 team points are the most since the 1990 team scored 118.

Full results are available on the following link: http://golobos.cstv.com/sports/c-track/stats/2008-2009/saturdayresults.html

Saturday 28th February 2009

A record-breaking performance in the distance medley relay highlighted the performance of the Butler University track squad on the first day of the 2009 Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championship at the DePauw Tennis and Track Center in Greencastle, Indiana, on Saturday 28th February.

The Butler's men’s quartet of British Under-23 international Andy Baker and fellow former Loughborough student Joe MacDonald combined with compatriot Steve Lisgo and American Tyler Kos to clock an Horizon League record time of 9mins 53.82secs to capture the distance medley relay.

The winning time was nearly nine seconds faster than the previous league mark of 10:02.24, set by Milwaukee in 1997. It was also 26 seconds faster than runner-up Loyola.

Saturday 14th February 2009

RORY FRASER led the way in Seattle for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos team at Washington's Husky Classic and likely secured his place in the NCAA Indoor Championship field with a time of 13mins 49.57secs in his first 5,000-metre race of the winter.

Fraser from the Leicester OWLS was just three seconds shy of the NCAA automatic qualifying time and four seconds off All-American Matt Gonzales' 2005 school record in the event.

Fraser's was one of a string of fine 5K performances for the Lobos at the Dempsey Indoor Facility. Senior Matt Ashton clocked an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14:06.61 (20th, section 4), while junior transfer Jacob Kirwa was also under the provisional standard with a time of 14:07.44. Sophomore Brock Hagerman was just 18 seconds off the provisional time, crossing the line in 14:27.32.

Earlier in the day, junior transfer David Bishop just missed becoming the second Lobo in as many weeks to clock a sub 4-minute mile as he crossed the line in an NCAA provisional qualifying 4:00.38 to win his heat.

Senior teammate Lee Emanuel, who clocked a school record 3:57.91 mile the previous week, ran a remarkable 7:56.35 in his first collegiate 3,000 race. The time broke Fraser's school record by over seven seconds and was just two seconds off the NCAA automatic qualifying time.

Former Loughborough student and Elswick Harrier Ashley Gibson finished in 11th place over 3,000m as the 22-year-old clocked a time of 9:43.20 in the fourth heat.

Full results are available on the following link: http://gohuskies.cstv.com/sports/c-track/stats/2008-2009/09huskyclassic.html

Saturday 7th February 2009

FORMER Loughborough student Ashley Gibson smashed the University of New Mexico’s women’s mile record with superb time of 4mins 47.88secs at the Meyo Invitational held on the track of the Loftus Center on the campus of Notre Dame University in Indiana.

Gibson’s excellent performance was well under the NCAA championships provisional qualifying time.

This was a remarkable performance by UNM athletes because just an hour prior to the race compatriot Nicky Archer running at the New Mexico Classic meeting had ran an altitude-adjusted time of 4:55.59 at the Albuquerque Convention Center to break the 15 year-old indoor school record set in 1993 by Morinne Laughlin.

The other highlight for British athletes in action was produced by Senior Lee Emanuel at the Meyo Invitational as the 24-year-old Sheffield athlete became the first Lobo to run a sub-four minute mile, clocking an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 3:57.91.

Saturday 31st January 2009

RORY FRASER was in record-breaking form for the University of New Mexico’s Lobos team as the 21-year-old from the Leicester Owls qualified for the 2009 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships breaking the 16-year-old record in the 3,000 metres at the Albuquerque Convention Center with an altitude adjusted time of 8mins 03.75secs.

Fraser got a big assist from senior teammate and fellow Brit Lee Emanuel, the Lobos' middle distance standout who set an outstanding pace in the 3,000 before stepping aside midway through the race. After narrowly missing the NCAA provisional standard in winning the mile last week in his Lobo track debut Fraser poured it on over the last few laps to break Chip Smith's 1993 record by 3.25 seconds.

Team GB’s Nicky Archer - New Mexico's top finisher at the 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships - was victorious in her American track debut. The product of Cheshire, England recorded an altitude adjusted time of 9:40.71 - just off the NCAA provisional qualifying standard - after junior teammate and former Loughborough University student Ashley Gibson set a strong early pace.

Saturday 31st January 2009

BRITISH Under-23 international and former Loughborough University student Andy Baker secured a top three finish for the University of Butler ‘Bulldogs’ team over the men’s mile at the Gladstein Invitational, hosted by Indiana University.

Kris Gauson turned in Butler's top performance with a first place finish in the race. He covered the distance in 4mins 08.83secs to finish well ahead of unattached runner Andrew Bayer (4:11.80) in second place with Baker securing third in 4:13.23.

The Bulldogs also picked up third place individual finishes from junior Stephen Lisgo in the men's 3,000 metre run invitational (8:14.59) and junior Andy Barbeau in the men's 800m (2:00.05.). Senior Tommy Davies placed fifth in the men's 3,000m invitational (8:15.93).

Saturday 31st January 2009

FORMER Loughborough athlete Charlotte Browning representing the University of Florida’s Gators team smashed her lifetime best over the mile at the SEC/Big 12 Showdown held at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M University.

This performance earned the 21-year-old an NCAA provisional-qualifying standard clocking a collegiate-best time of 4mins 43.52secs, eclipsing her previous indoor best of 5:00.00 achieved last season in the Washington Invitational as part of the UNLV track and field team.

Browning’s mile time was the fourth-best in school history in the women’s indoor mile and she became just the fourth woman in school history to break the 4:44 barrier in the event.

She also ran a 2:09 800m leg to help her University of Florida team to victory in the distance medley relay.

Saturday 24th January 2009

CHARLOTTE BROWNING competing in her first indoor track and field event for the University of Florida Gators team finished in the top-five of the women’s 3,000-metre race as the 21-year-old former Loughborough resident secured a runners-up position in a time of 9mins 45.32secs at the second-annual Tom Jones Memorial Invitational meeting held on the track of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainsville, Florida.

Report by Mark Woolley.

http://sdc.lboro.ac.uk/shownews.php?news_id=902&cat_id=16&level=1

Saturday 13th December 2008

FORMER Loughborough student, British international Andy Baker, has been named the 2008 Horizon League Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year, by a vote of league cross country coaches. It's the second straight year that the Butler All-American has been tabbed for the league's top cross country honor.

Baker won a second consecutive Horizon League men's cross country individual title at the league championship in November. He won the league's 8K championship race in 24:54.1, while leading the Bulldogs to their 11th consecutive team title. Baker finished 18 seconds ahead of teammate, Rob Mullett to defend his individual crown.

The Butler senior also posted a runner-up finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Meet, while leading Butler to a third place team finish, and he captured All-America honors for a second straight year by placing 40th at the NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Championship. He posted a time of 30:14 on the 10K layout at the national meet, missing a "Top 25" finish by just 13 seconds.

Baker was named Horizon League Athlete of the Year in both cross country and outdoor track and field a year ago. He also was tabbed as the Outstanding Running Performer at the 2008 Horizon League Indoor Track and Field Championship.

2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships

Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

Monday 24th November 2008

GALEN RUPP representing Oregon earned his first individual NCAA title as the senior with US high school, junior and college marks won the Men's cross country title in the cold and windy conditions at the Lavern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana, the same way he finished second last year following a dramatic sprint finish.

In 2007 Rupp lost out to Josh McDougal in a battle to the finish. This year he beat Sam Chelanga over the final 800 metres, as both runners surged, taking turns with the lead until Rupp made his decisive move taking the lead for good with about 200 metres left to complete the 10K course in a time of 29mins 03.2secs with Chelanga second (29:08.0).

"I think last year I (kicked) a little too early," said Rupp, who led Oregon to defence of its team title. "This year I held on."

In the Women's race, Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech won an unprecedented third consecutive title. Kipyego finished the 6K course in a time of 19:28.1 as Florida State's Susan Kuijken was second (19:34.9).

"It was probably the hardest NCAA cross-country race of all the three," said Kipyego, a nursing major. "I am just happy to get through and win."

Two former Loughborough athletes were in action in the Women's race as Aldershot's Charlotte Browning (pictured above) representing the University of Florida Gators team and Ashley Gibson (Elswick) running in the all-red of the New Mexico's Lobos squad finished in 82nd (21:03.4) and 167th (21:43.4) positions respectively.

Fellow Brit's Nicky Archer (New Mexico) were also competed crossing the line in a fine 56th place with a season-best time of 20:53.0 as compatriot Carolyn Boosey (New Mexico) claimed 152nd (21:36.7).

Full results are available on the following links:

Men 10km

www.gosycamores.com/pdf5/353577.pdf?ATCLID=3622343&SPSID=65221&SPID=7268&DB_OEM_ID=15200

Women 6km

www.gosycamores.com/pdf5/353575.pdf?ATCLID=3622343&SPSID=65221&SPID=7268&DB_OEM_ID=15200