Sunday 4th May 2008

MO FARAH produced the fastest 10,000 metres performance by a British athlete for eight years when finishing fifth in the Stanford Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitation meeting in California.

Kate Reed, also debuting over 10,000m, was ninth in a time of 31:31.87secs, making her the fifth fastest-ever British woman at the 25-lap distance. Shalane Flanagan won ahead of Kim Smith with a superb USA record of 30:34.49secs.

Farah, making his debut over the distance, clocked an encouraging 27 minutes 44.54 seconds, a time which was last bettered when Karl Keska ran 27:44.09secs for eighth place in the 2000 Olympic Games final.

The European 5,000m silver medallist's display at the Californian venue was also the first occasion a Brit had broken the 28-minute barrier for five years since Keska was ninth at the 2003 IAAF World Championships in Paris with a mark of 27:47.89secs.

Farah, who prepared for the race in the United States after finishing second in the Carlsbad 5,000m road race a month ago, has already announced he will concentrate on the shorter distance at this summer's Beijing Olympics.

Australia's Craig Mottram claimed victory in 27:34.48secs ahead of Gunther Weidlinger who set an Austrian record of 27:36.46secs and Josphat Boit of Kenya who recorded 27:36.46secs.

Andrew Lemoncello, who is based in the United States and topped the UK rankings in 2006 and 2007, failed to finish.

In the Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase Britain’s former UK record-holder Jo Aniker finished in 6th place in a time of 9:59.16 in the race won by American Anna Willard in 9:37.73.

Full results are avaialble on the following link: www.sml1.com/recordtiming/stanford/pjc08/

2008 Leicestershire & Rutland and Northamptonshire County AA 10,000m Track Championships

Saffron Lane Sports Centre, Leicester

Thursday 1st May 2008

MARK POWELL successfully defended the Leicestershire County 10,000m track title holding off the challenge of Leicester Owls team mate Gordon Lee for the second consecutive year at the Saffron Lane Sports Centre.

Powell, the 29-year-old two-time reigning Birmingham District Cross Country League champion crossed the line in a time of 30mins 36.9secs to complete a comfortable victory with Lee, following his recent fine victory at the Kelmarsh 15 mile race, taking second almost a minute adrift in 31:20.2 with Charnwood’s James Douglas third in 32:26.5.

Stuart Nelson representing Rugby & Northampton finishing in fourth place overall in a time of 33:38.9, combined with Wellingborough’s Jeanette Vango winning the women’s race in 50:10.6, took the Northamptonshire individual titles. The Leicestershire women’s championships were not contested.
Full Results:
Men
1 Mark Powell (Owls) 30:36.9
2 Gordon Lee (Owls, M40) 31:20.2
3 James Douglas (Charnwood) 32:26.5
4 Stuart Nelson (Rugby & Northampton) 33:38.9
5 Chris Jordan (Hinckley) 34:04.1
6 James Sewell (Rugby & Northampton) 34:49.8
7 Carl Sommer (Huncote) 35:33.4
8 William Clapp (Harborough, W40) 35:45.1
9 Chris Talbot (Nuneaton) 36:42.8
10 Vince Carroll (Rugby & Northampton) 36:44.4
11 Chris Dunne (Corby) 38:17.9
12 Shane Edge (Huncote, W50) 40:26.1
13 Dominic Coleman (Wellingborough & District, U20) 43:47.8
Women
1 Jeanette Vango (Wellingborough & District) 50:10.6
2 Tracey Craker (Rugby & Northampton) 52:07.5

San Diego, California, USA

Saturday 26th April 2008

MARK EDWARDS followed his superb lifetime best Beijing Olympics 'A' standard qualification performance of 20.70m earlier this month with a fine victory in the Shot competition at the UCSD Triton Invitational Meeting in San Diego, California.

The 33-year-old Charnwood athlete recorded a best of 20.14m to finish ahead of American Zack Lloyd (19.95).

Fellow Charnwood athlete Dan Greaves, the Athens 2004 Paralympic gold medallist, finished in third place in the 2kg Discus with a new personal best of 49.76m.

Full results are available on the following link: www.ucsdtritons.com/downloads1/40956.rtf?ATCLID=1448769&SPSID=93286&SPID=11064&DB_OEM_ID=5800

Thursday 10th April 2008

LEICESTERSHIRE’S Mark Edwards was in superb early outdoor season form as the 33-year-old Charnwood athlete smashed his lifetime best in the Shot competition with a terrific throw of 20.70 metres at the Notts Spring Spruce meeting at the Harvey Haddon Stadium on Sunday (April 6th), but more importantly this impressive performance achieved the Olympic ‘A’ qualifying standard for the Beijing Games.

This new mark improves Edwards previous best of 20.25m set indoors back in February this year at the Saucony Loughborough Open meeting.

American Adam Nelson leads the current IAAF World-list with a throw of 22.40m recorded in Fayetteville, Arizona, also in February.

Poland's Tomasz Majewski's bronze medal throw of 20.93m set at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, heads the European rankings for 2008.

Loughborough University

Wednesday 2nd April 2008

THE SPAR Sprints Pre-Season Indoor Competition and Throws events was held at the UK Athletics High Performance Centre at Loughborough University on Saturday 29th March, the full results are listed below.
Full Results:
Sprints
U15 Girls 60m Hurdles Race 1
1-51-6-Yasmin Miller-Derby AC-09.33
2-94-5-Gaby Bangay-Corby AC-09.40
3-97-4-Rebecca Davies-Rugby & N-09.87
3-96-3-Charlotte Davies-Rugby & N-09.87
5-77-8-Chloe Elphick-Mansfield H-10.33
6-4-7-Liberty Thornton-Cannock & Stafford-10.64
U15 Girls 60m Hurdles Race 2
1-95-7-Isobel Brooks-Notts AC-09.70
2-62-4-Katie Rowe-Rugby & N-10.50
3-30-6-Victoria Stokes-Cannock & Stafford-10.61
4-28-5-Saadia Hassan-Charnwood AC-10.69
DNS-98-8-Rachel Griffiths-Derby AC-
U17 Women 60m Hurdles Race 1
1-46-8-Kirsty Warland-Oxford City-08.82
2-13-5-Charlotte Burrows-Rugby & N-09.20
3-55-7-Holly Bleasdale-Blackburn H-09.48
4-67-6-Emma Spragg-Solihull & SH-09.84
U17 Women 60m Hurdles Race 2
1-59-7-Lydia Parker-K'ston upon Hull-09.73
2-43-6-Rosie Kingston-Bicester AC-09.89
3-64-5-Rebecca Baxter-Charnwood AC-10.13
U20 Women 60m Hurdles
1-54-4-Jenny White-Worcester AC-09.38
2-52-5-Louise Feeney-Amber Valley AC-09.87
3-84-8-Emily Moss-Peterborough AC-10.50
DNS-39-7-Danielle Rooney-Sale Harriers-
DNS-32-6-Kerry Best-Solihull & SH-
DNS-75-3-Jenni Smith-K'ston upon Hull-
U15 Boys 60m Hurdles
1-100-6-James Wright-Rugby & N-09.20
2-50-7-Ryan Miller-Derby AC-09.40
3-27-5-Morton Hart-Solihull & SH-09.80
4-25-8-Samuel Baker-Corby AC-10.10
DNS-70-4-Nick Wilson-Solihull & SH-
DNS-61-3-Jack Cabourn-Mansfield H-
U17 Men 60m Hurdles
1-91-7-Brad Garside-City of Stoke-08.23
2-57-6-Themba Luhana-Rugby & N-08.32
3-56-5-Michael Feeney-Amber Valley AC-08.65
4-89-4-Ryan Bloore-Amber Valley AC-09.38
U20 Men 60m Hurdles Race 1
1-7-7-Curtis Holmes-Birchfield H-08.13
2-37-5-Orie Lawrence-Birchfield H-08.38
3-88-6-Sam Worrall-Derby AC-08.78
4-36-4-James Eaton-Rugby & N-08.85
U20 Men 60m Hurdles Race 2
1-104-6-Samuel Stone-Amber Valley AC-08.68
2-10-5-Matt Mayor-Rushcliffe AC-08.98
3-82-4-Oliver Knight-Charnwood AC-09.08
U15 Girls 60m Race 1
1-51-8-Yasmin Miller-Derby AC-08.05
2-69-7-Indira Davies-Doncaster AC-08.44
3-96-6-Charlotte Davies-Rugby & N-08.66
4-97-5-Rebecca Davies-Rugby & N-08.74
5-62-4-Katie Rowe-Rugby & N-09.17
6-49-3-Melissa Goodwin-Charnwood AC-09.34
U15 Girls 60m Race 2
1-95-7-Isobel Brooks-Notts AC-08.43
2-47-8-Niamh Bailey-Kettering Town-08.69
3-99-6-Alice Knight-Charnwood AC-09.28
DNS-26-5-Caitlin Davies-Corby AC-
DNS-48-4-Beth Garvie-Corby AC-
U15 Boys 60m
1-68-7-Jonathan Chin-Rugby & N-07.57
2-50-6-Ryan Miller-Derby AC-07.99
3-110-3-Daniel Dale-Doncaster-08.30
DNS-29-5-Patrick Mildren-Corby AC-
DNS-70-4-Nick Wilson-Solihull & SH-
U17 Women 60m Race 1
1-13-7-Charlotte Burrows-Rugby & N-07.78
2-18-6-Laura Mason-Notts AC-08.02
3-44-4-Grace O'Carroll-Corby AC-08.89
DNS-54-8-Jenny White-Worcester AC-
DNS-24-5-Amelia Wood-Grantham AC-
DNS-71-3-Abbie Langley-Amber Valley-
U17 Women 60m Race 2
1-22-4-Emily Wardle-Charnwood AC-08.24
2-71-5-Abbie Langley-Amber Valley-08.41
3-64-6-Rebecca Baxter-Charnwood AC-08.55
4-75-7-Jenni Smith-K'ston upon Hull-08.64
U17 Men 60m Race 1
1-66-8-Sam Lawrence-Nene Valley H-07.21
2-12-6-Philip Berners-Charnwood AC-07.29
3-45-7-Elijah Skervin-Notts AC-07.41
4-57-3-Themba Luhana-Rugby & N-07.44
5-76-4-Luke Storer-Rugby & N-07.54
DNS-91-5-Brad Garside-City of Stoke-
U17 Men 60m Race 2
1-16-4-Marcel Hodge-Charnwood AC-07.36
2-14-6-Nathan Graham-Corby AC-07.56
3-90-8-Tom Crabb-Corby AC-07.58
4-15-5-Aqeel Hassan-Charnwood AC-07.66
5-19-3-Andrew Morgan-Corby AC-07.70
6-23-7-Joe Williamson-Charnwood AC-08.02
U20 Women 60m
1-33-6-Emma Cluley-Rugby & N-08.39
2-8-8-Emma Hourd-Notts AC-08.43
3-52-3-Louise Amber Valley Feeney--08.57
DNS-32-7-Kerry Best-Solihull & SH-
DNS-71-5-Abbie Langley-Amber Valley AC-
DNS-101-4-Sophie McDonnell-Charnwood AC-
U20 Men 60m Race 1
1-40-8-Antoe Walters-Birchfield H-07.11
2-87-5-Michael Warner-Notts AC-07.21
3-103-6-Adam Goulding-Notts AC-07.21
4-88-7-Sam Worrall-Derby AC-07.52
DNS-31-4-Erik Aselius-Corby AC-
U20 Men 60m Race 2
1-38-8-Kieran Munnelly-Charnwood AC-07.29
2-11-4-James Mitchell-Wakefield & D-07.32
3-83-5-Tom Moakes-Notts AC-07.42
4-85-6-Lewis Summerell-Notts AC-07.48
5-74-7-Adam Storer-Rugby & N-07.49
U20 Men 60m Race 3
1-34-5-Ben Coghlan-Bristol & West AC-07.33
2-6-8-Dominic Friend-Charnwood AC-07.42
3-9-7-Matthew Madden-Notts AC-07.56
4-81-4-Calum Hutchman-Charnwood AC-07.64
5-102-6-Joe Mellor-Notts AC-07.86
U20 Men 60m Race 4
1-35-7-Samuel Cordin-Mansfield H-07.24
2-10-4-Matt Mayor-Rushcliffe AC-07.34
3-63-6-Abdillah Nassir-Charnwood AC-07.39
4-82-5-Oliver Knight-Charnwood AC-07.50
DNS-53-8-Jonathan Stevens-Charnwood AC-
DNS-73-3-Samuel Gordon-Kettering Town-
U15 Girls 75m Hurdles Race 1
1-51-5-Yasmin Miller-Derby AC-11.45
2-94-4-Gaby Bangay-Corby AC-11.74
3-95-6-Isobel Brooks-Notts AC-12.23
4-97-7-Rebecca Davies-Rugby & N-12.28
5-96-3-Charlotte Davies-Rugby & N-12.36
U15 Girls 75m Hurdles Race 2
1-77-4-Chloe Elphick-Mansfield H-13.12
2-28-3-Saadia Hassan-Charnwood AC-13.68
3-30-6-Victoria Stokes-Cannock & Stafford-13.79
4-4-7-Liberty Thornton-Cannock & Stafford-13.94
5-62-5-Katie Rowe-Rugby & N-14.55
U17 Women 80m Hurdles Race 1
1-46-6-Kirsty Warland-Oxford City-11.76
2-55-5-Holly Bleasdale-Blackburn H-12.70
3-13-7-Charlotte Burrows-Rugby & N-12.71
U17 Women 80m Hurdles Race 2
1-59-6-Lydia Parker-K'ston upon Hull-12.95
2-43-7-Rosie Kingston-Bicester AC-13.34
3-67-5-Emma Spragg-Solihull & SH-13.60
4-64-4-Rebecca Baxter-Charnwood AC-14.15
U15 Boys 80m Hurdles
1-50-6-Ryan Miller-Derby AC-12.67
2-100-5-James Wright-Rugby & N-12.74
2-27-4-Morton Hart-Solihull & SH-12.74
DNS-25-7-Samuel Baker-Corby AC-
U20 Women 100m Hurdles
1-54-5-Jenny White-Worcester AC-15.57
2-84-6-Emily Moss-Peterborough AC-18.17
DNS-52-4-Louise Feeney-Amber Valley AC-
U17 Men 100m Hurdles
1-91-6-Brad Garside-City of Stoke-13.36
2-57-5-Themba Luhana-Rugby & N-14.11
3-56-4-Michael Feeney-Amber Valley AC-14.47
4-89-7-Ryan Bloore-Amber Valley AC-15.70
U20 Men 110m Hurdles
1-104-4-Samuel Stone-Amber Valley AC-15.02
2-7-5-Curtis Holmes-Birchfield H-15.19
3-36-7-James Eaton-Rugby & N-16.23
4-37-6-Orie Lawrence-Birchfield H-19.25
U15 Girls 100m Race 1
1-97-4-Rebecca Davies-Rugby & N-14.06
2-49-6-Melissa Goodwin-Charnwood AC-15.06
3-62-5-Katie Rowe-Rugby & N-15.20
DNS-99-3-Alice Knight-Charnwood AC-
U15 Girls 100m Race 2
1-51-4-Yasmin Miller-Derby AC-12.89
2-69-5-Indira Davies-Doncaster AC-13.38
3-96-3-Charlotte Davies-Rugby & N-13.57
4-95-6-Isobel Brooks-Notts AC-13.68
5-47-7-Niamh Bailey-Kettering Town-14.24
U15 Boys 100m
1-68-5-Jonathan Chin-Rugby & N-11.97
2-50-4-Ryan Miller-Derby AC-12.65
3-110-6-Daniel Dale-Doncaster-13.24
U17 Women 100m Race 1
1-13-5-Charlotte Burrows-Rugby & N-12.25
2-18-4-Laura Mason-Notts AC-12.79
3-22-6-Emily Wardle-Charnwood AC-13.20
4-59-3-Lydia Parker-K'ston upon Hull-13.68
U17 Women 100m Race 2
1-71-6-Abbie Langley-Amber Valley-13.54
2-64-5-Rebecca Baxter-Charnwood AC-13.89
DNS-75-4-Jenni Smith-K'ston upon Hull-
DNS-44-3-Grace O'Carroll-Corby AC-
U17 Men 100m Race 1
1-66-4-Sam Lawrence-Nene Valley H-11.27
2-16-7-Marcel Hodge-Charnwood AC-11.40
3-12-5-Philip Berners-Charnwood AC-11.42
4-45-3-Elijah Skervin-Notts AC-11.62
5-76-8-Luke Storer-Rugby & N-11.81
DNS-57-6-Themba Luhana-Rugby & N-
U17 Men 100m Race 2
1-14-5-Nathan Graham-Corby AC-11.75
2-15-3-Aqeel Hassan-Charnwood AC-11.91
3-90-4-Tom Crabb-Corby AC-11.92
4-19-7-Andrew Morgan-Corby AC-12.89
DNS-91-8-Brad Garside-City of Stoke-
DQ-23-6-Joe Williamson-Charnwood AC-
U20 Women 100m
1-33-5-Emma Cluley-Rugby & N-13.73
DNS-8-4-Emma Hourd-Notts AC-
DNS-52-6-Louise Amber Valley Feeney--
U20 Men 100m Race 1
1-35-7-Samuel Cordin-Mansfield H-
2-40-4-Antoe Walters-Birchfield H-
3-87-6-Michael Warner-Notts AC-
4-38-3-Kieran Munnelly-Charnwood AC-
5-103-5-Adam Goulding-Notts AC-
U20 Men 100m Race 2
1-11-5-James Mitchell-Wakefield & D-11.34
2-34-4-Ben Coghlan-Bristol & West AC-11.48
3-63-3-Abdillah Nassir-Charnwood AC-11.51
4-10-6-Matt Mayor-Rushcliffe AC-11.58
5-6-7-Dominic Friend-Charnwood AC-11.78
U20 Men 100m Race 3
1-83-4-Tom Moakes-Notts AC-11.69
2-74-6-Adam Storer-Rugby & N-11.71
3-85-5-Lewis Summerell-Notts AC-11.89
4-82-3-Oliver Knight-Charnwood AC-11.93
DNS-88-7-Sam Worrall-Derby AC-
U20 Men 100m Race 4
1-9-6-Matthew Madden-Notts AC-11.92
2-81-5-Calum Hutchman-Charnwood AC-11.94
3-102-4-Joe Mellor-Notts AC-12.51
DNS-31-7-Erik Aselius-Corby AC-
Throws
U17 Men Javelin
1-92-Charlie Stocks-Derby AC-44.88
2-42-Aidan Bailey-Kettering Harriers-27.69
U17 Women Javelin
1-60-Tesni Ward-Charnwood-43.08
2-58-Bethany Mitchell-Sutton in Ashfield Harriers-27.69
3-99-Alice Knight-Charnwood-24.83
4-94-Gaby Bangay-Corby-24.41
5-55-Holly Bleasdale-Blackburn-20.75
Senior Men Javelin
1-72-Chris Andrews-Charnwood-45.26
U17 Women Hammer
1-65-Kelly Lawrence-Nene Valley H-34.43
2-58-Bethany Mitchell-Sutton in Ashfield Harriers-31.98
3-guest-Vicky Judd-Charnwood-31.91
4-20-Sian Pentin-Chesterfield & D-25.96
5-41-Sophie Allen-Charnwood AC-20.52
U20 Women Hammer
1-5-Zoe Ash-Rugby & Northampton-39.72
Senior Women Hammer
1-79-Carys Parry-Rhondda-64.28
2-1-Lucy Marshall-Woodford G & EL-54.27
3-78-Bolanle Ogun-WSE & Hounslow-51.28
4-2-Dorothy Rubery-Charnwood AC-21.22
U17 Men Hammer
1-93-Tim-Williams-34.69
U20 Men Hammer
1-86-Mike Tommey-Glouster AC-46.54
Senior Men Hammer
1-80-Stuart Thurgood-Watford H-55.29
3-guest-Mark Wiseman-Sale Harriers-40.79
2-3-John Twiddle-K'ston upon Hull-33.28

8th European Cup Winter Throwing

Split, Croatia

Sunday 16th March 2008

EDEN FRANICIS smashed her lifetime best to take victory in the Under-23 Discus competition at the 8th European Cup Winter Throwing event in Split.

The 19-year-old Loughborough student representing Great Britain continued her fine winter form that has already seen the Leicester Coritanian win the Senior AAA indoor Shot Gold, to break her previous best mark with a throw of 55.90 metres in Croatia.

This completed a busy weekend for the young throws talent where she also finished 5th in the Shot in 15.29m.

Full results are available on the following link: www.tilastopaja.org/staticresults/eaa11482724.htm

2008 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships

Palau Velódromo Luis Puig

Valencia, Spain

Sunday 9th March 2008 – Day 3

PHILLIPS IDOWU smashed the British Triple Jump indoor record to win a stunning Gold medal on the final day of competition at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain.

Idowu knew coming into the competition that he needed to produce a very special performance to have any chance of taking the World title and in the second round the 29-year-old Londoner delivered setting a world-leading mark for the year of 17.75 metres, a mark that was never under threat by his main rivals David Giralt and Nelson Evora, the Silver and Bronze medallists.

The distance was the fifth best of all-time indoors, eclipsing the previous 10-year-old British record belonging to former Olympic champion and world outdoor record-holder Jonathan Edwards.

Giralt of Cuba, a former World junior champion, claimed Silver with a lifetime best effort of 17.47m while Evora, Portugal's reigning World outdoor title-holder, finished third.

Idowu, the reigning Commonwealth champion then cleared another tremendous 17.45m before sitting out in the fifth round. In his final jump of the night with the gold medal assured, Idowu went all-out when flying down the runway but no-jumped.

Idowu will now look towards further success in Beijing later this year with Olympic dreams a reality commenting afterwards: “I knew it was going to be hard beforehand, so I kept on going.

"The aim when I came here was to get the World indoor record and now I have to move forward. Of course I have to be happy with this gold medal. I knew that the medal had to be mine.”

Idowu's victory adds to the four Silver medals won by controversial sprinter Dwain Chambers, Kelly Sotherton, Jeanette Kwakye and Chris Tomlinson, moving the Great Britain team from 15th up to fourth in the overall medals table.

Britain’s Jenny Meadows finished in fifth place in the Women's 800m final where Maria Mutola missed out on a record eighth Gold medal having been boxed in like an inexperienced rookie and letting Tamsyn Lewis of Australia move through to steel the title.

Lewis, the 29-year-old Australian won her first major global title, having been advised during her career by the watching Sebastian Coe, by sweeping past Mutola on the inside with 300 metres of the race remaining.

"I couldn't get around the pack from the outside, so I went on the inside," Lewis said. "I was just hoping to make the final. I did win, didn't I?"

Lewis, the solo member of the Australian Women’s team competing in Valencia had not run indoors in seven years but prevailed to win the slow race in a time of 2:02.57, holding an edge of .09 seconds over second placed Tetiana Petlyuk. Mutola finished in 2:02.97.

Yelena Soboleva had no such problems in the 1500 metre event, running from the front to set the first world record at the championships. It was the second time this season the Russian improved on her own record, finishing in three minutes 57.71 seconds to shave 0.34 off the old mark. The title and record earned Soboleva US$90,000.

Soboleva commented: "I'm really glad about this victory here in Valencia, although I didn't expect to break the world record,

"Yuliya Fomenko and myself agreed before the race to run at a speed that suited us both and that whoever was strongest would win on the last lap."

Canada's Tyler Christopher produced a brilliant performance in the Men's 400m final, taking the Gold medal in a season's best time of 45.67secs.

Christopher let Sweden's Johann Wissman and Bahamas' Chris Brown tussle for position in the first 350 metres before bursting through with incredible power over the final 50 metres.

“The first lap was a very strong one to begin with,” said Christopher who took the lead ten strides from the finish. “They just wanted it a little bit more than I did and I let them have it while I was reserving my energy. I felt very confident and on the last lap I went for it.”

As expected the Women's 400m was an all-Russian affair with Olesya Zykina equalling her world leading time of the year of 51.09 as she managed to hold off Natalya Nazarova by one hundredth of a second in the lunge for the finishing line.

World Shot Put champion Valerie Vili of New Zealand added the indoor title to her portfolio thanks to a throw of 20.19m.

Tariku Bekele took his first major title by winning the Men’s 3,000 metres. In the absence of his brother Kenenisa - the multiple Olympic and world champion - Bekele dominated from the front to beat Paul Kipsiele Koech of Kenya and fellow Ethiopian Abreham Cherkos.

“It was a very good race,” said Bekele, who arrived in Valencia as the world leader at 7:31.09, notably, faster than his brother this year. “Winning is not easy but I have been training hard. My tactic was to run really fast during the last kilometre.”

Britain’s 2006 European cross country champion Mo Farah produced a brave performance to finish sixth clocking 7:55.08 to finish ahead of Australia's Craig Mottram.

Portugal's Naide Gomes, who won the 2004 Pentathlon title, was first in the Long Jump with a leap of seven metres. Brazil's Maurren Higa Maggi took Silver and Irina Simagina of Russia disappointed with Bronze.

Blanka Vlasic deprived Olympic champion Elena Slesarenko of a hat-trick of indoor titles when she won the High Jump.

The tall elegant Croatian cleared 2.03 metres, while the Russian could only manage 2.01, the same height as Bronze medallist Vita Palamar.

In the Men’s Pole Vault Evgeniy Lukyanenko beat defending champion Brad Walker with a clearance of 5.90 metres while the American had to settle for a new personal best of 5.85 ahead of regining Commonwealth champion Steven Hooker of Australia.

Bryan Clay dominated the Heptathlon from Saturday morning till Sunday afternoon to take Gold. If ever there was doubt about it, Olympic multi-event champion Roman Sebrle took it away when he fell in the 60 Hurdles.

Clay won four of the seven events, scoring a personal best 6,371 points for his victory. He also won the world outdoor Decathlon title in 2005.

Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus earned Silver with 6,234 points, and Dmitry Karpov of Kazakhstan scored 6,131 points for the third world Bronze of his career.

Valerie Vili of New Zealand added the indoor world title to her outdoor Gold, setting a continental record of 20.19 metres to beat Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus and Li Meiju of China.

On a good day for Russia, Natalya Nazarova won Gold in the 4x400 metre relay for her seventh overall to tie with Mutola. She missed out on her eighth Gold by just .01 second, losing to Russian team mate Olesya Zykina in the 400. It also left Zykina, who ran the anchor leg in the relay, as the only double Gold medallist of the championships.

Earlier in the day, the British Men's 4x400m team finished third in their heat in 3:08.21 with splits of 47.73 (Steve Green), 47.07 (Richard Buck), 46.61 (Dale Garland) and 46.80 (Rob Tobin). In the final, the same quartet finished fifth in 3:09.21 as the United States won their seventh title.
Final Medal Table:
1 USA (Five Gold, five Silver, three bronze)
2 Russia (Five gold, four Silver, three Bronze)
3 Ethiopia (Three Gold, one Silver, two Bronze)
4 Great Britain &NI (One Gold, four Silver)
Final Overall Placing Table:
1 Russia (129pts)
2 USA (118pts)
3 Great Britain &NI (52pts)
4 Ethiopia (46pts)

Full results of Day 3 are available on the following link:
www.iaaf.org/WIC08/results/eventCode=3656/index.html

The 2010 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships will be held in the Qatari capital city of Doha.

2008 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships

Palau Velódromo Luis Puig

Valencia, Spain

Saturday 8th March 2008 – Day 2 Evening Session

BRITISH Long Jump record-holder Chris Tomlinson collected Team GB’s fourth Silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia.

Having led from the opening of the competition with a leap of 8.06metres the 26-year-old from Middlesborough was overtaken by Godfrey Mokoena.

South Africa's record holder cleared 8.08m in the fifth round to deny Tomlinson a first major championship gold medal. All three athletes on the podium earned the first medal of any colour for their countries in this event, and Mokoena’s winning leap was the shortest Gold medal leap ever at a World Championship.

Tomlinson matched the Silvers of 60m sprinters Dwain Chambers and Jeanette Kwakye, and Kelly Sotherton in the Pentathlon the previous evening.

Allan Scott reached the Men's 60m Hurdles showdown but was run out of the final which was won by Olympic 110m Hurdles champion Liu Xiang. Liu had not raced indoors before arriving in Valencia but his world class shone through as he raced to Gold in the Men's race in 7.46secs.

American Allen Johnson became the oldest ever world indoor medallist as he claimed Silver at the age of 37 ahead of joint Bronze medallists Russian Evgeniy Borisov and Latvia's Stanislavs Olijars.

Scotland's British number one Scott came home sixth in a time of 7.65 after producing a brilliant semi-final performance following conceding a false start.

Jenny Meadows ran a superb 800m race to qualify for Sunday's final, the 26-year-old AAA champion from Wigan maintained an even pace to finish second in a new lifetime best of 1:59.58 behind Tetiana Petlyuk of Ukraine to qualify through where she will line-up against the seven-time champion Maria Mutola.

Meadows revealed afterwards that she had been sent a message of support from double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes: "Kelly left me a lovely voicemail yesterday to support me and told me to ring her back. I have a plan now and I thought that when we are in the Championships I had better just stay focused on that but I'm going to ring her back when I get home.

"It's going to be a very tough final with six world-class girls in it but I'm hopeful. We've lost some close family members recently; my nan and my husband's grandad have both died so I want to go out and run for them and make everyone proud of me."

In the Men's event, Notts AC’s Richard Hill went out after battling to fourth place in a hard fought semi-final in a time of 1:47.82.

Sarah Claxton was unlucky not to make it through to the Women's 60m Hurdles final after finishing joint fourth with Aleksandra Antonova in her semi-final. They both ran 8.07secs, as nine athletes qualified for the final. However, with only eight lanes at the Palau Velodromo stadium, organisers judged the Russian had beaten the Brit by 0.001secs.

American Lolo Jones won the final in 7.80secs ahead of compatriot Candice Davis and Cuban Anay Tejeda, this after the world record-holder and firm favourite for the Gold, Sweden’s Susanna Kallur pulled out after straining a hamstring in the warm-up.

A delighted Jones said: "I got a good start and got to the first hurdle ahead of the rest, and knew I could definitely win a medal. This winter season has been preparation on my start and working on the first five hurdles. To win is fantastic, however outdoors will be a different ball game when you have to face five more hurdles."

Loughborough-based duo of Helen Clitheroe and the reigning Commonwealth 1500m champion Lisa Dobriskey followed each other across the line in 9th and 10th position with times of 8:52.77 and 8:52.92 respectively in the final of the 3,000m as Ethiopian superstar Meseret Defar flew to victory.

Defar kicked at the bell and pulled away from the field to cross the line in a time of 8:38.79 and claim a third straight World Indoor Gold. Second was Melkamu 8:41.50 with Selsoluli (8:41.66) holding off a late charge from Kibet to cling on to the Bronze medal.

Defar commented afterwards: “Today it was an easy race for me, because of that I didn’t have to run too fast,” she explained. “I feel that I’m ready for Beijing now.”

Kenya's Daniel Kipchirchir Komen claimed the 1500m title after race winner Deresse Mekonnen was disqualified for stepping off the track. The result also witnessed country Spain win their first two medals with Juan Carlos Higuero second ahead of Arturo Casado.

Brit Richard Buck clocked 47.60 in his 400m semi-final, but he was trailing at the bell and moved up to fifth by the finish, however, this was not good enough to progress to the final.

Russia's all-conquering World record-holder Yelena Isinbayeva needed just two clearances at 4.65m and 4.75m to win her third World Indoor Pole Vault title.

Cuban world outdoor Triple Jump champion, Yargelis Savigne, added the indoor title to her collection with a jump of 15.05m. Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece had led the competition with her fourth-round leap of 15.00m until Savigne pulled out her winning leap in the final round.

Super Swede Stefan Holm and Russia's defending champion Yaroslav Rybakov produced a true world-class competition befitting of the championships in the Men’s High Jump.

Holm, the 31-year-old Athens Olympic champion failed twice at 2.30m but finally secured victory when he raised the bar and cleared 2.36m. Rybakov's best clearance of 2.34 comfortably gave him the Silver.

Bryan Clay leads the Heptathlon ahead of Czech Olympic champion Roman Sebrle after dominating the first four events. The American won the opening 60 metres in a time of 6.71secs, and followed that with a leap of 7.75m in the Long Jump before producing a personal best throw of 16.21m in the Shot. Finally ending the day with a height of 2.09m in the High Jump to amass a 174-point lead over Sebrle.

Full results of Day 2 are available on the following link:
www.iaaf.org/WIC08/results/eventCode=3656/index.html

2008 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships

Palau Velódromo Luis Puig

Valencia, Spain

Saturday 8th March 2008 – Day 2 Morning Session

GREAT BRITAIN’S athletes had a very mixed start to the second day of competition at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, with hurdlers Allan Scott and Sarah Claxton progressing through to the semi-finals, but there was disappointment for Steve Lewis in the Pole Vault as he failed to make the final and on the track Susan Scott and Jemma Simpson missed out on qualification in the 1500 metres.

Allan Scott survived a scare to qualify for tonight's 60 metres Hurdles semi-final as the Scottish record-holder looked as if he would fail after hitting the first hurdle but made a remarkable recovery to win his heat.

Given the circumstances, his time of 7.64 seconds was excellent as he dismissed the challenge of the three-time former champion Allen Johnson.

The 37-year-old American former champion finished 0.03secs behind in second place - with Paulo Villar, of Colombia taking third in 7.68.

Dayron Robles, a big favourite for the Gold medal, crashed out in his heat after a lack of concentration at the start. Having arrived in Valencia in top form, the 2006 Silver medallist had high hopes of taking Colin Jackson's 14-year-old record of 7.30secs.

The 21-year-old Cuban, who has a busy European schedule this season, moved to second place behind the Welshman's time when he clocked 7.33secs in Dusseldorf last month. But today he was left in his blocks and finished the race in last.

Stanislav Olijar, the 2000 European indoor Gold medallist, won the race in 7.72secs - just 0.01secs ahead of the Olympic 110m champion Liu Xiang.

Liu, who has concentrated on preparing to defend his Games title in Beijing this summer, was contesting his first race of the indoor season.

Loughborough-based Commonwealth Bronze medallist Steve Lewis was eliminated from the Pole Vault, and Susan Scott and Jemma Simpson both failed to make progress in their 1500m heats missing out as fastest losers.

Lewis after clearing 5.35m he strategically decided to skip 5.45m and jump for 5.55m, at which he fell short with all three attempts.

Defending champion Brad Walker looked supreme, needing a second attempt at a season’s best equalling 5.70 after also opening at 5.55. Walker, also the outdoor champion, is aiming to become the first to ever successfully defend in the men’s Pole Vault. Vault legend Sergey Bubka did win the inaugural title in 1987 after winning the World Indoor Games in 1985.

Newquay's AAA champion Jemma Simpson ran a personal best of 4:11.17 in the 1500m, as Susan Scott finished just one place away from progressing with her 4:10.39 effort.

Team GB’s Sarah Claxton clocked 8.12secs to finish fourth in her 60m Hurdles qualifier and went into tonight's semi-finals as a fastest loser.

Gold medal favourite Susanna Kallur of Sweden, who recorded a new world record of 7.68 in Karlsruhe earlier this season, stopped the clock in 7.87 to cruise to a comfortable victory in heat one. Behind Kallur, the other two automatic qualifiers were Lacena Golding-Clarke of Jamaica in 8.01 with Belgian Eline Berings in third setting a new national record of 8.05.

Full results of Day 2 are available on the following link:
www.iaaf.org/WIC08/results/eventCode=3656/index.html

2008 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships

Palau Velódromo Luis Puig

Valencia, Spain

Friday 7th March 2008 – Day 1 Evening Session

GREAT BRITAIN’S athletes secured a superb hat-trick of Silver medals in the evening session of the opening day’s action at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, with Dwain Chambers and Jeanette Kwakye in the 60 metres - and Kelly Sotherton narrowly missing out on Gold in dramatic fashion where in the final event of the Pentathlon, Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut collapsed over the line at the end of the 800 metres to edge victory.

Loughborough University graduate Jeanette Kwakye led the way with an impressive Silver medal in the Women’s 60 metres. The 24-year-old AAA champion just missed out on Gold by two hundredths of a second when edged out in the last few strides by Angela Williams, the American winning in 7.06 seconds.

However, Kwakye, who equalled the 22-year-old British record of 7.13, set by Bev Kinch in the semi-final, broke the mark with a time of 7.08 in the final.

Kwakye had equalled the record finishing second in her semi-final heat recovering from a poor start to produce a superb pick-up to finish runner-up to Tahesia Harigan who set a British Virgin Islands record of 7.12.

Fellow Brit Laura Turner failed to join Kwakye in the final when finishing fourth in a time of 7.28.

Athens Olympic Bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton lost out on Pentathlon Gold and her first global title by just 15 points following a dramatic finale to the 800m event.

The 31-year-old Birchfield Harrier from the Isle-of-Wight had to beat Belgium's European indoor and outdoor High Jump champion Tia Hellebaut by a margin of seven seconds to take victory, and with a brave front running performance almost pulled off the feat.

Sotherton ran a personal best time of two minutes 9.95seconds and then the exhausted Hellebaut well short of preparation for the distance event collapsed over the line to take a surprise victory.

Sotherton reflected on her performance saying: "It just wasn't good enough, if it wasn't for two fouls in the long jump and a poor shot-put it was there for the taking for me.

"But, I didn't give it up without a fight and the better girl won on the day, I've got five months now to tweak a few things, get it right in my running, and I'll be flying by the Olympics in Beijing."

Dwain Chambers failed to win the world indoor 60metres title by just 0.03seconds as Nigerian favourite Olusoji Fasuba took the title with a brilliant performance.

The current IAAF world leader's powerful finish helped him clock a time of 6.51secs with Chambers achieving a lifetime best in second edging the 2003 Paris 100 metre outdoor champion, Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis, into third place given the same finishing time.

Earlier in the semi-final heats Chambers had matched his lifetime best to blow away the opposition flying out of his blocks to pull away from Uche and win by one hundredth of a second in a time of 6.55 seconds.

Chambers commented afterwards: "I would like to have gone out and won, but I can't complain with a PB,

"I wanted to go and win, and I put my self under more pressure than anything. The better man won on the day."

The 29-year-old Londoner had described Friday's final as his "Olympic Games" - but Chambers refused to rule out a High Court appeal against his lifetime Olympic ban.

"I want to check my situation, check if it's worth appealing and if there's a chance of me winning then it's something we will consider," he said.

"But for now I just want to celebrate with my team-mates and go and have some fun."

Britain’s other representative in the final, Simeon Williamson, drawn in the difficult lane one after qualifying as a fastest loser, finished seventh in 6.63.

In the Women's 800m Jenny Meadows finished second in her heat with a time of 2:00.60 to progress. However, team-mate Marilyn Okoro finished third in 2:05.09 and failed to advance as a fastest loser.

Team GB’s Damien Moss ran a decent tactical race in his heat of the Men's 800m but wound up fourth in 1:51.39. Notts AC’s Richard Hill finished third in his heat in 1:49.06 - qualifying for the semi-finals as the seventh quickest athlete.

Richard Buck came second in his 400m first round heat with a time of 47.54, qualifying for the semi-final on Saturday but compatriot Steve Green failed to progress in the same event finishing fourth in his heat in 47.44.
the next stage of competition as a fastest loser.

The 2002 Commonwealth champion Michael East finished in fourth place in the first of the 1500m heats but failed to qualify for the next stage of competition as a fastest loser. After finding himself towards the back of the pack he made up ground on the last lap, passing two athletes on the home straight to cross the line with a time of 3:41.68.

James McIlroy pulled out of the 1500m with only one lap to go in a disappointing end to his World Indoor’s campaign

In the Triple Jump, Gold medal favourite Phillips Idowu qualified easily with a leap in excess of 17 metres.

Full results of Day 1 are available on the following link:
www.iaaf.org/WIC08/results/eventCode=3656/index.html

2008 IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships

Palau Velódromo Luis Puig

Valencia, Spain

Friday 7th March 2008 - Day 1 Morning Session

GREAT BRITAIN'S Dwain Chambers secured his place in the semi-final of the 60 metres winning his heat in a time of 6.69 seconds on the opening morning session of the 12th IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships that began today on the track of the Palau Velódromo Luis Puig in Valencia, Spain.

Fellow Brit Simeon Williamson also clocked the same time in his 60m heat to join Chambers in the semi-finals.

Chris Tomlinson, as with Chambers has a genuine chance of collecting a gold-medal in Valencia, made a good solid start by achieving the qualifying distance to make the final of the Long Jump.

The 26-year-old British record-holder from Middlesborough cleared 7.95m and was the second athlete to progress with his first attempt alongside Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Salman Al Khuwalidi.

Kelly Sotherton began her World Indoor Championships by winning the 60m Hurdles. Sotherton is another GB athlete with golden ambitions as she lined-up as one of the favourites to win the Pentathlon in the absence of Sweden's Carolina Kluft.

Sotherton was in a class of her own as she won in 8.25secs, well clear of Anna Bogdanova and Belgian high jumper Tia Hellebaut.

Her victory and score of 1,073 points gave her an advantage of 32 over the Russian champion who clocked 8.39, and a big lead ahead of Hellebaut whose time of 8.54 scored 1,008.

Earlier Loughborough-based Lisa Dobriskey and Helen Clitheroe both qualified for the Women's 3,000m final.

Reigning Commonwealth 1500m champion Dobriskey clocked 8:56.56 to finish fourth with Clitheroe joining her as a fastest loser after finishing seventh in her heat in a time of 8:52.48.

Ethiopian Meseret Defar’s dream of securing a hat-trick of World Indoor 3000m titles is firmly on track after she cruised into the final by taking a comfortable victory in Dobriskey's heat with a time of 8:51.02.

The Olympic and World 5000m champion bided her time before passing New Zealand’s long-time leader Kim Smith with three and a half laps to ease through qualification. Smith was rewarded for her aggressive front-running tactics by taking second in 8:52.81 after she injected some much needed pace into the race at halfway.

Mo Farah struggled in the Men's event finished third in 8:04.65 in the heat won by Kenya's Edwin Soi in an impressive 8:03.5.

However, Loughborough-based Nick McCormick's hopes are over after he finished ninth (8:00.01) in the second heat as Kenyan Paul Kipsiele Koech (7:54.46) led Ethiopian Abrehem Cherkos (7:54.51), Australian Craig Mottram (7:54.51) and Moroccan Ali Maataoui (7:56.26) to automatic qualification.

In the Men’s Shot, Carl Myerscough threw 19.86m to finish 12th in his qualifying group failing to make the final eight. American Reese Hoffa led the group with a huge throw of 21.49m.

Loughborough graduate Samson Oni in the High Jump, however, missed out on making the final. He needed 2.27m to qualify, but his best height was only 2.24m.

The Olympic champion and three-time winner Stefan Holm of Sweden, along with American Andra Mason, had a clean sheet through the deciding height; whilst world leader and defending champion Yaroslav Rybakov needed two attempts at 2.27 as did Cuban Victor Moya at 2.20 before sailing over at 2.24 and 2.27.

Full results of Day 1 are available on the following link:
www.iaaf.org/WIC08/results/eventCode=3656/index.html

GE Galan IAAF Indoor Grand Prix

Globe Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

Thursday 21st February 2008

LISA DOBRISKEY, the reigning Commonwealth champion smashed her lifetime indoor best for the 1500m at the GE Galan IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.

Dobriskey, the 24-year-old Loughborough-based athlete clocked a time of 4mins 08.88secs when finishing in fourth place on the track of the Globe Arena in the Swedish capital in the race won by the Osaka World champion over 1500m and favourite for Olympic Gold in Beijing, Bahraini Maryam Jamal, in 4:04.30.

“I felt awesome,” Dobriskey commented, “I left it a bit late and still had more to give, but that’s the best I’ve felt since I won the Commonwealth Games.”

Fellow Brits Susan Scott and Helen Clitheroe were 5th and 7th respectively with Scott also recording a personal best and new Scottish indoor record of 4:09.07, Clitheroe clocked 4:12.22.

The new AAA indoor champion over the distance, Newquay’s Jemma Simpson, finished in 9th place in 4:16.42.

Full results available on the following link: www.gegalan.se/start/index.cfm

Tuesday 19th February 2008

TEAM Sheffield easily retained their title at the 2008 UK Athletics Indoor City Challenge final at their home EIS venue on Sunday (17th February).

Sheffield built up a strong lead in the second half of the competition, finishing in first place with more than one hundred points between them and their closest rival Team London North, who challenged them throughout match with great team spirit.

The remaining teams finished from third to eight place in the following order; Birmingham, London South, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol.

Luke Cutts of Sheffield and Loughborough student Paul Walker representing Cardiff, who tied in the Pole Vault with a height of 5.30m, a personal best for both were jointly awarded the ‘Male Performance of the Match’ winning an adidas kit package worth £550.

Jessica Ennis helped Sheffield to their comfortable win over London (North) and London (South) with the other five teams trailing.

Ennis finished second in the Long Jump with 6.14 behind Scottish International Gillian Cooke and she was also runner up in the 60 metres sprint (7.50).

To complete a good workout Ennis also competed as a guest in the Shot having competed the previous day at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham recording 8.24 in the 60 metres Hurdles.

Three Leicester athletes were in action for Sheffield, in the Women's Shot; Eden Francis was unable to repeat her feats of the previous weekend when she won the AAA Indoor senior title for the first time in her career.

Having thrown a lifetime-best of 16.11 metres at the same venue eight days earlier, Francis, who has been struggling with a back injury in recent weeks, had to settle for 15.04m and fourth place in a competition won with 15.79m by Sheffield team-mate Rebecca Peake, the reigning British Universities champion who finished second the Francis at the AAA’s.

Sprinters Somto Eruchie took fifth place in the 200m in a time of 22.13secs, whilst Loughborough student Sarah Adams was 9th in the 400m in 57.96.

Full results are available on the following link: www.ukathletics.net/competitions/indoor-city-challenge/results

Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix Meeting

NIA, Birmingham

Saturday 16th February 2008

ETHIOPIA’S Kenenisa Bekele with a stunning world-best performance over two miles combined with Sweden’s Susanna Kallur brilliant 60 metre Hurdlers victory lit up an afternoon of true world-class athletics - dazzling the sell-out crowd assembled at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena for the Norwich Union Grand Prix meeting, Mark Woolley reports from Birmingham.

Kenenisa Bekele produced a magnificent world-best performance over two miles with another imperious and powerful display. Bekele, on the same track where compatriot Haile Gebrselassie achieved the previous fastest time, sliced 0.34secs from his fellow Ethiopian's mark when clocking 8mins 04.35secs in another demonstration of this remarkable athlete’s ability.

Bekele, despite being a second adrift of the required time at one stage kept his cool and concentration to produce a very fast final 200m lap to achieved his target of breaking the world-best, holding off the challenge of steeplechaser Paul Koech. For his efforts Bekele collected the $US30,000 bonus on offer for setting a global mark at the world’s richest indoor meeting.

Britain’s Mo Farah finished 6th in a personal best of 8:20.95, one place ahead of Nick McCormick, also clocking a lifetime best of 8:20.95. Both finished outside of John Mayock’s British record of 8:17.06.

A delighted Bekele said afterwards: “I’m very happy to break the record today, it was not easy but I knew I could do it, this is great here in Birmingham, and it helped me with the fast time today.”

Bekele also said afterwards he is still undecided whether to defend his World Indoor 3,000m title in Valencia as well as run at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh also next month.

Sweden’s Susanna Kallur, celebrating her 27th birthday was simply sublime powering away from the field in the 60 metre Hurdles, looking smooth and confident after surviving a false star conceded by Britain’s former indoor champion Sara McGreavy, to outclass the opposition to win in a stadium record time of 7.75 seconds, narrowly outside of 7.68 she achieved last Sunday (February 10th) in Germany, but nevertheless this was an extremely impressive victory.

Kallur commented afterwards: "It was good but, I think my start was a little bit worse than in Karlsruhe."

American Kellie Wells was second in 8.05 with new UK champion Sarah Claxton third in a season’s best of 8.07. Loughborough University graduate Sara McGreavy trailed in 8th place after the false start in 8.27.

Allen Scott produced a terrific run in the 60m Hurdles but found himself passed by the powerful late finish of the high-class American David Oliver.

Oliver’s speed off the final barrier saw him win by four one-hundredths of a second in 7.55sec with Commonwealth 110m Hurdles Silver medallist Andy Turner, recovering from his disc problem in his spine, taking third in 7.74.

Britain’s Simeon Williamson laid down his credentials to be selected to partner Dwain Chambers over 60m at the Valencia World Indoors following a superb sprint display. Williamson, was narrowly beaten on the line despite a false start to lower his personal best by three hundredths of a second to 6.57secs as Norwegian Jaysuma Saidy Ndurea recorded a national record of 6.56.

Williams reflected: “It was a PB and that’s all I can do at the moment. I love running in Birmingham and I felt good on the track, I only hope I have done enough to be selected.”

In the Women’s 60 metres Loughborough graduate Jeanette Kwakye moved to second on the UK all-time list with a semi-final time of 7.16 seconds, but was edged into third place in the final behind Angela Williams of the United States and Belgium's Kim Gevaert European champion.

Kwakye commented afterwards: “I was quite nervous after two false starts which did not help as I didn’t get away as well as I’d have liked. I’ve had a good day though, I’ve beaten Kim (Geveart) for the first time (in the semi-final) and I’m pretty close to the British record, maybe Valencia will be the time.”

Jenny Meadows continued her winning streak on home soil when she retained her 800 metres following on from her victory at the Glasgow International last month and the World Indoor Championships trial in Sheffield last weekend.

The 26-year-old Wigan-based athlete having recently given up her job to become a full-time athlete went straight into the lead with 300m to go, turning on the afterburners Meadows pulled clear of the chasing duo of Jemma Simpson and Eva Follnerova over the final 150m to win in a time of two minutes 00.74 seconds.

Simpson - the winner over 1500m at the trials sporting a dazzling pair of red shoes recorded a personal best of 2:01.25 to take second place.

"I am very pleased with my season so far," said Meadows, "I don't think I am running as fast as I can at the moment. I did come here just to win so I'm pleased with that."

Simpson who will represent Team GB in the Valencia next month over 1500m commented: “I’m really pleased with my finish, I expected them to go off very hard but finished well with no lactic in my legs.”

Osaka World 400m outdoor Bronze medallist Tyler Christopher followed in the footsteps of Kallur in the hurdles as he ran gun-to-tape to blow away his rivals when winning the two-lap event in a new Canadian record time of 45.80secs.

Such was the speed of the race second-placed Chris Lloyd set a new Dominican Republic record of 46.02 with British number one Richard Buck also lowering his lifetime best to 46.34.

“I’m pretty happy with that but there is a long year ahead of me. This is the type of fitness I am in at the moment so the time, although not surprising, is a very good mark to have.”

Joice Maduaka, now based in Florida, just held her nerve to hold off the challenge of fellow Brit and Osaka 400m Gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu over 200m making her only appearance of the indoor season. Maduaka won by just 0.04 seconds in a time of 23.37. Both sprinters set personal bests, as did third-placed Moushaumi Robinson of the USA who finished in 23.49.

American Bernard Lagat continued his winning streak setting the second quickest 1500m time of 2008 with a comfortable victory in 3:35.22, a second outside Daniel Komen’s 2006 stadium record. This was Lagat’s third straight indoor victory having won in Glasgow three weeks ago followed by the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York.

"This is exactly where I want to be in terms of preparing for Beijing," said Lagat, who is not planning to run at the indoor World Championships in Valencia.

He continued: "I feel I want to be in good shape by racing. If you doing training, training, training, you don't know what you're going to do in races, so this is my task in the indoor season,

"I have one more indoor race, a 3,000 metres in Sweden next week, and that's it. I'm really looking forward to that. When I ran it here in Birmingham last year I ran a US record."

The 2002 Commonwealth champion Michael East continued his impressive comeback from a long term injury layoff that included two knee operations to finish in 5th place with a season’s best of 3.39.42.

In the final track event, the Women’s 3,000m witnessed a breath taking solo effort from Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka powering to victory in a time of eigth minutes 31.94 seconds, the seventh fastest on the world all-time list.

Burka’s winning time was almost 15 seconds ahead of Portugal’s Jessica Augusto with Loughborough-based Lisa Dobriskey, the Commonwealth 1500m champion clocking a personal best to finish third in 8:50.42 followed by fellow Brit’s Katrina Wootton and Helen Clitheroe also with lifetime bests of 8.50.69 and 8.51.02 respectively.

American Kara Goucher, who defeated Paula Radcliffe in last year’s BUPA Great North Run, finished in 6th place as the New Yorker clocked a PB of 8:57.53.

Phillips Idowu rounded off an exciting afternoon's infield action by winning the Triple Jump with a leap of 17.21m.

Loughborough graduate Samson Oni recovered from a hesitant start to take second behind Stefan Holm in the High Jump as they prepare for battle in Valencia. Despite initially struggling to clear 2.19m, he continued through the heights to clear 2.26m and show why he was a worthy winner of the UK title in Sheffield last weekend.

Loughborough-based Steve Lewis narrowly missed out on further improving his Pole Vault personal best with a 5.65m clearance to finish equal second in a quality competition won by Germany’s Alex Straub with a lifetime best of 5.75m.

Britain’s Olympic Bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton, in her three-event challenge with heptathlon rival, Sweden’s all-conquering World, Olympic and European champion Carolina Kluft, had to settle for third place in the opening discipline, the Long Jump.

Kluft emerged victor with a best effort of 6.46 metres, scoring 994pts. Denisa Scerbova followed with 6.44m to secure 988 points with Sotherton recording 6.27m for 934pts.

Sotherton, then clocked 8.17secs, to set her fastest-ever 60m Hurdles time when slicing two hundredths of a second from her previous time.

Her victory ahead of Gi-Gi Johnson of the USA and Kluft who recorded season bests of 8.24secs and 8.25 did not, however alter the positions in the three-competition challenge.

Kluft continued to lead with a score of 2067pts with Scerbova remaining second with a score of 2053pts just 18pts ahead of Sotherton.

Full results are available on the following link: www.ukathletics.net/results/20080216_birmingham/

USA Track and Field on Saturday afternoon signed a memorandum of understanding to use Birmingham as their preparation base for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

There have been regular consultations between the world's most dominant athletics nation and USATF announced their intention to prepare for the Games in the West Midlands 12 months ago.

The training camp will particularly make use of UK Athletics' High Performance Centre at the city's Alexander Stadium.

Council leader Mike Whitby said: "We are absolutely thrilled that an agreement, which was made in principle last year and is a major coup for Birmingham, will now be formally agreed.

"Clearly USA Track and Field are more than delighted now they have had an opportunity to view the fantastic facilities, programme and events management we have on offer in the city and I cannot wait to welcome the team to Birmingham."

World 1500 metres and 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat said before competing in the Norwich Union Grand Prix: "The US team will be made to feel particularly at home in Birmingham.

"This is a city that knows track and field so well. I have always had happy experiences including setting a US 3,000m indoor record in Birmingham and I've always been made to feel especially welcome."

John Chaplin, the men's chair for USATF acknowledging the excellent facilities, said: "The signing of this memorandum shows our commitment to coming to Birmingham ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"Final details will be agreed following the 2008 Beijing Olympics and after the selection of the USA Track and Field staff for the 2012 Olympic Games."

Norwich Union World Indoor Trials & AAA Championships 2008 – Day 2

EIS Arena, Sheffield

Sunday 10th February 2008

DWAIN CHAMBERS stormed to victory in the 60 metres on the track of Sheffield’s EIS Arena on the second day of competition at the Norwich Union World Indoor Trials & AAA Championships to confirm his qualification for Team GB for next month's World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, Mark Woolley reports.

The 29-year-old Belgrave Harrier powered away from the field to win in a time of 6.55 seconds - the fastest time set in the United Kingdom this year.

Chambers, who UK Athletics had tried to ban from the event, powered through his heat in 6.60 seconds with something to spare and was quickest by some distance from young star Ryan Scott in 6.70secs.

The announcement of Chambers name at the start of his heat was greeted by widespread cheers and there were shouts of 'Go on Dwain'.

He joined the likes of British number one Craig Pickering, Christian Malcolm - who lost two relay medals because of Chambers' drugs test - European Under-23 100m champion Simeon Williamson and Loughborough-based world junior 100m champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey in the semi-finals.

In the semi-final Chambers ran in lane three and powered through the final with a season's-best time of 6.56 ahead of Simeon Williamson in second.

Chambers commented afterwards his success in the final saying: "I'm going to let my legs do the running and the lawyers do the talking,

"I would like to believe that the selectors would do the right thing and let me compete. It is my goal to compete in the World Indoors and this race is one step on the ladder to doing that.

"Drugs are wrong and I feel I have served my time and shown that I can come back and win races as clean so I feel I am a good example to people, a lot of things have been said and maybe the media have put me under pressure but the support I have received from the public here was fantastic.

"I kept my cool on the track and came out first so I am happy with that, the support of everyone here meant a lot. I acknowledge I have made a mistake in the past and I want to move on with my life and enjoy running again."

UKA had attempted to prevent Chambers - who served a two-year suspension after he tested positive for Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) in August 2003 - from competing as they claimed he had retired to take up a career in gridiron, but the athlete maintained this was not the case.

Helen Clitheroe out sprinted the 2006 Commonwealth 1500m champion Lisa Dobriskey following a tight and epic battle between the two athletes that use Loughborough University as a training base in the 3,000m.

The race came down to a group of four with Clitheroe, Dobriskey, and the steeplechase specialists Tina Brown and Jo Ankier. As Dobriskey applied the pressure with under two-laps to go Clitheroe tracked her all the way before the 34-year-old Preston Harrier out sprinted her younger rival in the final 30 metres to take victory in a time of 8:56.13.

The Charnwood duo of Hannah Whitmore, the new Midlands cross-country champion, and Sarah Maude, reigning BUSA 10,000m Gold medallist, finished in 6th and 8th places with times of 9:26.76 and 9:39.26 respectively, a new lifetime best for Whitmore over a rarely run distance indoors for the 23-year-old and a season’s best for Maude.

In the Women’s 1500m, Jemma Simpson representing Newquay & Par, as with many of the GB squad fresh from her training spell in South Africa produced a very impressive performance on her 24th Birthday to finish clear of Susan Scott and Katrina Wootton in a time of 4.13.99 to take the title. Loughborough graduate and World Universities Bronze medallist Charlotte Best recorded a new personal best of 4:16.61 to take fourth place.

The Men’s 1500m witnessed 800m specialists dominate the race as pre-race favourite James McIlroy claimed Gold in a time of 3:44.90 ahead of the 2002 Commonwealth champion Michael East.

Loughborough students Lewis Moses and Ben Green finished in 7th and 8th positions with times of 3:48.97 and 3:49.90, a new lifetime best for Moses.

Wigan’s Jenny Meadows won the 800m with a powerful performance in a time of 2.01.97.

Sarah Claxton representing Woodford Green won the 60m Hurdles in a time of 8.09, edging out Loughborough graduate and defending champion Sara McGreavy into second place with Jessica Ennis taking Bronze ahead of fellow Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton.

Leicestershire’s Nicola Robinson representing Coventry Godiva Harriers was narrowly edged out of a place in the final in the opening qualifying heat won by Claxton, however, this was another encouraging performance from the 21-year-old former junior British international part of Colin Bovell’s sprint squad at Bath University, this having missed the whole of the outdoor season last year due to ankle surgery. Robinson clocked 8.73secs to finish third, this a week after setting a season's best of 8.59 when winning the Birmingham Games.

Notts AC’s Richard Hill held off European Bronze medallist Sam Ellis at the start of the final lap of the 800m to claim victory in a time of one minute 48.26 seconds, good enough to qualify for Valencia.

Tamworth’s Meghan Beesley won a surprise but well deserved 400m Gold following a messy race. Pre-race favourite Mel Purkiss was left in Beesley’s wake as the 18-year-old ran away from the field over the last 100m to take her first senior title.

Yorkshireman Richard Buck comfortably won the Gold in the Men’s 400m ahead of Steve Green of Newham with a personal best of 46.53.

In the field events the much anticipated tussle between Commonwealth champion Philips Idowu and Loughborough Sports Scholar Nathan Douglas did not quite live up to expectations as Idowu was a comfortable winner with an opening round leap of 17.24m.

British record-holder Chris Tomlinson won a close battle with Jonathan Moore in the Long Jump. Tomlinson winning with a leap of 7.80 metres. Loughborough student JJ Legede claimed bronze with 7.63.

Local athlete Jessica Ennis competing in her home city and training base won the High Jump with a leap of 1.92m ahead of second placed Loughborough student Steph Pywell representing Sale Harriers who set another personal best of 1.85m following her fine performance in the Glasgow international last month, to finish ahead of Kelly Sotherton who cleared 1.79m to take Bronze.

Loughborough-based Kate Dennison followed in the footsteps of her training partner Steve Lewis to defend her AAA indoor Pole Vault title with a winning height of 4.25m produced with a first time clearance.

Full results of Day 2 are available on the following link:

www.ukathletics.net/results/20080209_sheffield/

Norwich Union World Indoor Trials & AAA Championships 2008 – Day 1

EIS Arena, Sheffield

Saturday 9th February 2008

LOUGHBOROUGH graduate Samson Oni smashed the stadium High Jump record to qualify for the Valencia World Indoor Championships on the opening day of the Norwich Union AAA Trials at Sheffield’s EIS Arena.

Other highlights included a superb performance for Leicester Coritanian Eden Francis winning her first senior national title with a stunning victory in the Shot following a lifetime best throw of 16.11 metres, Mark Woolley reports.

Samson Oni, despite not feeling his best was a class apart in the competition winning with a height of 2.30 metres achieved with his second attempt to win the gold medal and retain his AAA title, but more importantly book the 26-year-old Belgrave Harriers place on the plane for Valencia to represent Team GB at next month’s World’s having achieved the qualifying height with this victory.

This fine performance also underlines that Oni has also hit the qualifying standard for the Beijing Olympics Games that take place in August.

Birchfield’s Osaka World Championship finalist Tom Parsons finished second with a mark of 2.19m on count back from Martin Lloyd and Robert Mitchell.

A delighted Oni reflecting on his victory said: "I didn't even expect a top-three place today and I don't feel 100%. To win, get a PB and to get the qualifying height is great."

In the Women’s Shot Eden Francis underlined her undoubted talent when at the age of just 19 the Leicester Coritanian athlete collected her first senior AAA title with a brilliant personal best performance of 16.11 metres (x, 15.08, 16.11, 15.28, x, x) achieved in the third round of the competition.

Francis comfortable held off the challenge of reigning British Universities champion Rebecca Peake (15.67) and Woodford Green’s Joanne Duncan (15.56) to take the title in fine style.

American Garrett Johnson won the Men’s Shot with an impressive throw of 20.66 ahead of Loughborough graduate Emeka Udechuku in second.

Competing for the Shaftesbury Barnet club, Johnson won with a best of 20.66m, 3cm futher than the 31-year-old championships record set by Geoff Capes, three-times a European champion and the most capped British male athlete of all time.

Loughborough-based Steve Lewis continued his superb indoor form with another imposing performance in the Pole Vault matching Oni’s feat with a stadium record of 5.61m. Scott Simpson, having recently relocated from Cardiff to join Steve Rippon’s squad that contains Lewis and Britain’s number one female vaulter Kate Dennison at Loughborough finished second with 5.31.

Lewis commented afterwards: "It was a good competition but I felt like I was back-to-back jumping. It's not easy on your own but I felt good.

"I managed the surface really well. I struggled on this surface in Manchester a couple of weeks ago but today was a lot better."

On the track Marilyn Okoro was the fastest qualifier for what is expected to be a fiercely competitive Women's 800m with a season's best of two minutes 04.85 seconds. Loughborough student Rachael Thompson representing Liverpool Harriers clocked a season’s best of 2:10.97 but failed to qualify through.

Richard Hill was quickest in the Men's 800m in one minute 51.69secs with European Bronze medallist Sam Ellis also going through.

Nadia Williams of Shaftesbury won the triple jump with 13.39 metres, whilst Athens 2004 Olympic Heptathlon Bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton won the long jump with her first-round attempt of 6.41 metres.

Loughborough student Sarah Adams, more at home over the hurdles, put in a fine performance over the 400m flat representing Leicester Coritanians, the 20-year-old broke her lifetime best of 55.65secs to qualify through as a fastest loser in the heat won by Loughborough graduate Mel Purkiss in 55.30.

Adams then completed a brilliant day by once again lowering her lifetime best to 55.45 in the first semi to reach Sunday’s final with Purkiss again winning the heat in 54.99.

Morpeth Harrier Nick McCormick won the 3,000m with a season’s best of 8mins 16.73secs to take Gold ahead of Adam Bowden of Harrow (8:19.97) with Loughborough-based Chris Warburton representing Notts AC third in 8:20.40.

Two other members of George Gandy’s squad at Loughborough University Chris Parr and Tom Carter finished in fourth and seventh places with times of 8:20.68 and 8:29.91 respectively, as with Warburton they also recorded season’s best times.

The 2002 Commonwealth 1500m champion, Michael East - back after a lengthy injury, won his semi-final in 3:55.12, qualifying for the final along with Loughborough student Ben Green who finished runner-up in 3:56.23 representing Warrington AC.

The other semi went to James McIlroy in 3:49.18 with Green’s Loughborough team mate Lewis Moses qualifying through in third place in a new personal best time of 3:49.83.

In the Women’s 1500m Loughborough graduate Charlotte Best, a World Student Games Bronze medallist last year over 800m, recorded a season’s leading time to quality through to the final finishing in second place to Bedford’s Katrina Wootton (4:31.26) in 4:31.37 with Faye Fullerton third in 4:31.42.

Allan Scott, put the disappointment of his disqualification at the Glasgow International last month behind him to win the 60m Hurdles in a time of 7.61secs with Trafford's David Hughes and Richard Alleyne of Woodford Green both setting personal bests of 7.71 in second and third places respectively.

Tony Lester, the coach of Olympic sprint relay champion Mark Lewis-Francis revealed the athlete has a calf tear which will keep him out for five weeks.

His other athletes, who include the world 400m silver medallist, Loughborough graduate Nicola Sanders and world 400m finalist Tim Benjamin, are not competing in the indoor season.

Away from the action on the track and infield UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins insisted he was more interested in focusing on the Great Britain team for Beijing and beyond than getting involved in the row over Dwain Chambers appearance in Sheffield.

Chambers presence at the World Indoor trials will overshadowed the programme and will eclipse all other performances over the two days.

The governing body had attempted to ban Chambers - who served a two-year ban after testing positive for THG in August 2003 - from competing at the EIS as they claimed he had retired to take up a career in American football but the athlete maintained this was not the case.

UKA then reluctantly agreed to accept Chambers could compete in Sheffield under International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules as he had constantly informed them of his whereabouts.

Should he win, Chambers would be automatically guaranteed a spot for next month's World Championships in Valencia but if he claims second place it could herald another row.

Collins commented: "I wouldn't really have much comment on that. (UKA chief executive officer) Niels (de Vos) is pushing through important changes that reflect what is being done at world and European level in regard to lessening tolerance. I am focused on the athletes for Beijing and beyond."
Collins added: "I am a member of a selection committee. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

Full results of Day 1 are available on the following link:

www.ukathletics.net/results/20080209_sheffield/

Sunday 3rd February 2008

ON a weekend where British athletes were in record-breaking form Charnwood’s Mark Edwards smashed his lifetime best in the Shot to achieve the qualifying standard for the IAAF World Indoor Championships that take place in Valencia, Spain, on March 7th-9th.

The 33-year-old recorded a distance of 20.25 metres at the Saucony Loughborough Open Meeting on Saturday (2nd February) which places him in second position on the European rankings and more impressively 7th on the IAAF World list.
Full Results:
60m Senior Men 1st Series
-1-3-6-Martyn Rooney-LSAC-07.24
-2-4-7-Erik Aselius-Corby-07.34
-3-18-5-Denis Akinmolasire-LSAC-07.68
60m Senior Women 1st Series
-1-22-5-Fiona Harrison-Trafford-07.97
-2-15-6-Debbie Sin-LSAC-09.13
60m Hurdles Mixed 1st Series
-1-9-6-Nick Gayle-Sale Harriers-08.06
-2-11-5-David Feeny-LSAC-08.47
-3-20-7-Jordan Fleary-LSAC-08.61
-4-7-3-Kylie Robilliard-LSAC (Women)-09.04
-5-21-8-Alex Pope-LSAC-09.21
60m Senior Men 2nd Series
-1-3-6-Martyn Rooney-LSAC-07.19
-2-11-8-David Feeny-LSAC-07.34
-3-4-5-Erik Aselius-Corby-07.37
-4-18-4-Denis Akinmolasire-LSAC-07.71
-5-21-3-Alex Pope-LSAC-07.79
-6-27-7-James Adeogun-LSAC-07.93
60m Senior Women 2nd Series
-1-22-5-Fiona Harrison-Trafford-08.00
-2-26-6-Lisa Henderson-LSAC-08.72
-DNS-15-7-Debbie Sin-LSAC
60m Hurdles Mixed 2nd Series
-1-11-6-David Feeny-LSAC-08.43
-2-20-5-Jordan Fleary-LSAC-08.58
-DNF-7-3-Kylie Robilliard-LSAC (Women)
Shot Put Men
-1-2- -Mark Edwards-LSAC-20.25m (2nd in Europe, 7th on IAAF list)
- -also 19.91m and 19.81m
-2-25- -Scott Thompson-Belgrave-16.27m
-3-13- -Adrian Hemery-LSAC-12.77m
-4-5- -Martin Crutchely-Cannock & Staffs-12.69m
-5-11- -Alex Pope-LSAC-12.12m
-6-21- -David Feeney-LSAC-11.93m
Long Jump Men
-1-13- -Adrian Hemery-LSAC-6.53m
-2-11- -David Feeney-LSAC-6.41m

Saturday 2nd February 2008

GREAT BRITAIN’S Chris Tomlinson broke his British indoor long jump by a centimetre at Saturday's Sparkassen Cup meeting in Stuttgart, Germany.

In one of the finest indoor meetings in Europe Tomlinson went to the top of the world rankings when he cleared a distance of 8.18 metres in the fifth round. The 26-year-old Middlesbrough-born athlete bettered the previous mark he set four years ago in Budapest.

Tomlinson, who has failed to live up to expectations since breaking Lynn Davies 34-year-old outdoor record as a raw 20-year-old in 2002, is confident this is the year he can prove his ability.

"I've had my toughest winter's training ever, where in particular I've practised my technical skills," he said. "Everything has been harder in training and it has been killing me."

Former Commonwealth 1,500m Bronze medallist Helen Clitheroe, coached by John Nuttall at Loughborough University fought bravely against predominantly African rivals to finish fifth over 3,000m in eight minutes 56.22seconds.

However, Clitheroe was no match for Ethiopia's outstanding Meseret Defar, who after setting the world record of 8min 23.72sec at the event last year, was content to post a world-leading time of 8min 27.93sec.

The 25-year-old Ethiopian stayed ahead of her record pace of last year until after the 2000m mark, with kilometre times of 2:47.6 and 5:38.79. In the end, though, Defar could not manage a repeat of history.

Craig Pickering was the only other British winner in Germany. The 21-year-old, who clinched victory for Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland at last weekend’s Norwich Union International in Glasgow, clocked a time of 6.58secs in the 60 metres following a close finish over American Mike Rodgers and Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasuba, both of whom were timed in 6.60. Fasuba had run 6.57 during the heats earlier in the meeting.

Full results available on the following link: www.leichtathletik.de/results/894_stuttgart_020208.htm

Wednesday 30th January 2008

NATHAN MORGAN, the Leicester-born 2002 Commonwealth Long Jump champion was in action for Team England at the Indoor Classic Leichtathletik international meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday evening (29th January) with qualification for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, that takes place in March.

Morgan, (29) returning to international competition following an injury hit 2007 finished third with a best of 7.60m in the event won by Poland’s Michal Rosiak with 7.92m. This performance lifted him to third in the current national rankings, led by UK record holder Chris Tomlinson with 7.86m.

In the sprint events Loughborough graduate Sara McGreavy was fourth in the women’s 60m Hurdles final in 8.32, 0.31sec behind winner Kellie Wells of the USA. She had qualified by clocking 8.34secs in her heat.

Fellow Loughborough graduate David Hughes, as with McGreavy only returned to competition a fortnight ago after missing last summer with injuries. However, he produced a notable performance crossing the line within four-hundredths of a second of the Valencia 60m hurdles selection standard.

He won the Vienna final in 7.74 seconds with Sale Harrier Nick Gayle, also representing England Athletics, second in 7.89. In the qualifying heats, Hughes clocked 7.78.

Full results are available on the following link: www.leichtathletik.de/results/886_wien_290108.pdf