Sunday 29th August 2010

DAVID Rudisha has broken his own 800 metres world-record for the second time in eight days in Rieti, Italy.

The Kenyan set a new mark of one minute 41.09 seconds in Berlin last Sunday and surpassed this by clocking a time of 1:41.01.

Last weekend's effort broke the previous best for two laps set by Denmark's Wilson Kipketer 13 years ago.

Great Britain's European silver medallist Michael Rimmer finished fourth in a new lifetime best of 1:43.89 moving to 6th place on the UK all-time list.

David Oliver of the USA won the men’s 110 hurdles in a time of 13.01secs outside of Dayron Robles world-record of 12.87, but fast enough to shave 0.06 seconds off Colin Jackson's meeting record set in 1994.

Oliver, who has run under 13 seconds five times this season, hit two hurdles midway through the race. Great Britain’s world finalist William Sharman was fourth in 13.50.

There was an impressive display in the men’s 100 metres as Jamaican Nesta Carter equalled Tyson Gay's fastest time of the year clocking 9.78secs to take victory ahead of American Ryan Bailey, second in 9.88 with fellow Jamaican Mario Forsythe third in 9.95.

David Rudisha of Kenya lowers his own world 800m record in Rieti with a time of 1:41.01.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

2010 Samsung Diamond League - Belgacom Memorial Ivo Van Damme

Stade Roi Baudouin, Brussels

Friday 27th August 2010

TYSON GAY (100m) and Blanka Vlasic (high jump) dominated their respective events to win the Diamond trophies lighting-up a cold night in Brussels with the staging of the final of this season’s inaugural Samsung Diamond League series the Belgacom Ivo Van Damme Memorial meeting.

After 14 meetings spanning the globe beginning in Doha back in May, the IAAF’s brave new world has sparkled throughout the summer with packed stadiums and a host of top quality performances as the world’s best without a major championships this year turned their attention to the race for the Diamond Trophies and the $40,000 prize on offer for winning their individual events.

A sell-out crowd of 50,000 at the Stade Roi Baudouin gave the 2010 Diamond league a splendid finale in Brussels, as Tyson Gay was just one hundredth outside his own world-leading time as he ran 9.79secs to secure the men's 100m title.

Gay arrived in the Belgium capital level on points with Richard Thompson, however, the Trinidad and Tobago athlete could only finish fifth on the night in a disappointing 10.11. Thompson, though, held onto second place overall, a point ahead of Jamaican Yohan Blake.

European champion Blanka Vlasic completed a clean sweep of Diamond League high jump victories this season by clearing two metres as the tall elegant Croatain having already secured the Diamond trophy event became the only athlete in any event to go through the series unbeaten as she edged out Italy's Antonietta Di Martino and Emma Green of Sweden, who both cleared 1.98m.

Great Britain’s European champion Dai Greene produced one of his best performances of the season to finish second in the men’s 400m hurdles clocking 48.26secs as former world champion Bershawn Jackson held on to remain unbeaten in the Diamond League with a time of 47.85.

Kenya’s David Rudisha fresh from his 800m world-record breaking performance in Berlin the previous weekend cruised to victory ahead of Sudan’s Abubaker Kaki in a time of 1:43.50.

Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep claimed the women's 100m hurdles title with victory as American rival Lolo Jones, the reigning world indoor champion, was beaten into fifth after fading in the closing stages.

In the women’s Commonwealth champion 800m Janeth Jepkosgei was a class apart clocking 1:58.82 to defeat the European gold medallist Mariya Savinova (1:59.82) as world champion Caster Semenya ran a tactically poor race leaving her final sprint to late but managed to secure third in a season’s best of 1:59.65.

The British duo of Jenny Meadows and Jemma Simpson finished fifth (1:59.93) and ninth (2:01.13) respectively with neither athlete set to compete in October’s Commonwealth’s.

Tom Lancashire, having warmed-up for the men’s 1500m by chasing a mobile phone thief through the streets of Brussels in the morning, felt no ill-affects as the Brit set a new personal best of 3:33.96 to finish fifth in the race won by Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop.

Vivian Cheruiyot overturned a three-point deficit to Sentayehu Ejigu to take the women's 5,000m title by a margin of 18 points to 15. Cheruiyot clocked 14:34.13 to take victory. European 1500m finalist Steph Twell set a lifetime best of 14:54.08 to finish in 11th place.

Allyson Felix won the women’s 200m to add to her 400m crown, which was secured the previous week in Zurich. Felix, who seemed easy in the race despite Shalonda Solomon being close up to the last five metres, crossed the line in 22.62secs; Solomon was second in 22.70 as Bianca Knight completed the American 1-2-3 over the line with 23.01.

American Reese Hoffa defeated compatriot Christian Cantwell taking the victory with a 22.16m throw in the final round of the men’s shot breaking Adam Nelson’s 21.58 meeting record set a decade ago.

Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen produced the second longest throw of the year as the double Olympic champion launched the javelin out to a massive 89.88m to take victory ahead of his main rival Finland’s Tero Pitkamaki, the winner in Stockholm, second with an 83.36.

France’s Teddy Tamgho produced a winning leap of 17.52m in the men’s triple jump to secure the title ahead of Alexis Copello and Christian Olsson as Yargelis Savigne won the women's title courtesy of her better overall results compared to Kazakhstan's Olga Rypakova, who beat her into second place on the night to finish level on points overall.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Ivo Van Damme 
(February 21st 1954 – December 29th 1976)

Ivo Van Damme was a brilliant Belgian middle-distance runner born in Brussels. He played football until he was 16, but then switched to athletics. His breakthrough came in 1973, when he placed fourth in the IAAF Junior World Championships in the 800m.

In 1976, he won the European indoor title over 800m, and was one of the favourites for a medal at 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. There, he placed second in both the 800m and 1500m, finishing behind Alberto Juantorena and John Walker, respectively. They were his last successes, as Van Damme was tragically killed in a car accident while travelling home from Southern France, he was only 22-years-old.

Since 1977, a memorial competition has been held in Brussels to remember him, the Ivo Van Damme Memorial meeting.

Full results are available on the following link: www.diamondleague-brussels.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

Sunday 22nd August 2010

DAVID Rudisha of Kenya has broken the men's 800 metre world-record with a time of one minute 41.09 seconds at the ISTAF meeting at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

Rudisha surpassed the previous record of 1:41.11 set by Wilson Kipketer of Denmark in Cologne, Germany, in August 1997.

Caster Semenya cruised to victory in the women's 800m race in the same stadium where last year the South African claimed the world title over the distance before missing 11 months of competition while undergoing gender tests.

The 19-year-old, running her third race since returning to competitive action in July clocked 1:59.90 to advance her ambitions of competing for her country at October's Commonwealth Games in India.

Kenyan Cherono Koech was second, Elisa Piccione took third as Great Britain's Jemma Simpson was fourth in a time of 2:00.57.

Great Britain's European champion Andy Turner (13.30) and world finalist William Sharman (13.44) came second and third respectively in the men's 110m hurdles race won by American Ryan Wilson in 13.27secs.

Jermaine Gonzales eased to victory in a time of 44.90secs in the men's 400m as the 25-year-old former World junior silver medallist defeated Costa Rica's Nery Brenes and European champion Kevin Borlee. Great Britain's Martyn Rooney finished fourth in 46.08.

David Rudisha of Kenya sets a new world-record over 800m of 1:41.09 in Berlin.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.

2010 Samsung Diamond League - Weltklasse Meeting

Letzigrund Stadium, Zurich

Thursday 19th August 2010

MO Farah, the double European 10,000 and 5,000m gold medallist broke the British 5,000m record at the Samsung Diamond League Weltklasse meeting in Zurich surpassing the previous mark set by David Moorcroft way back in 1982 at the Oslo Bislett Games.

On the track of the Letzigrund Stadium in front of a sell-out crowd of 26,000, Farah, the 27-year-old Somali-born athlete clocked a time of 12mins 57.94secs to become the first British athlete in history to dip under the 13-minute barrier finishing in fifth place in a world-class race won by Ethiopian Tariku Bekele in 15:55.03. European 10,000m bronze medallist Chris Thompson finished 16th in 13:28.43.

In the meeting that is rated as the world’s best described as the ‘Olympics Games in three-hours’ American sprint superstar Allyson Felix cruised to victory in the women’s 400m. Having already secured the 200m Diamond League trophy, an event in which she is a three-time world champion, Felix clocked 50.37secs to finish ahead of her closest rivals, compatriot Debbie Dunn and the African champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana.

As with the Aviva London Grand Prix the previous week the American sprinters dominated their events as Wallace Spearmon and Jeremy Wariner won the men's 200 and 400m respectively, David Oliver the 110m hurdles and Carmelita Jeter the women's 100m.

Spearmon ran a blistering 19.79secs to power through the field to win the 200m title, whilst, Oliver dipped under 13 seconds for the fourth time this season in the hurdles, clocking 12.93secs, this despite stumbling and falling to the track over the line just missing out on Roger Kingdom’s stadium record of 12.92.

Such was the quality of the race the new European champion Andy Turner with a time of 13.36 could only finish eighth, as compatriot and world finalist Will Sharman finished ninth in 13.51.

Wariner was in superb form over the one lap distance, cruising to a world lead of 44.13secs with a dominant kick finish the homestretch to edge Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzalez.

Great Britain’s European medallists Martyn Rooney and Michael Bingham finished a distant 5th and 6th in times of 45.67 and 46.00 respectively with Ireland’s David Gillick 7th in 46.05.

Carmelita Jeter was already assured of finishing top of the Diamond League standings in the women's 100m, but had to settle for second place in Zurich behind Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown following a photo-finish with both athletes clocking 10.89secs.

Kenyan Nancy Lagat cruised to victory with a time of 4mins 01.01secs in a very messy women's 1500m that witnessed very poor pace-making and a pile-up on the final bend where Commonwealth champion Lisa Dobriskey survived a possible fall but lost a shoe to finish fourth in 4:02.92 behind fellow Brit Steph Twell who ran the race of her life setting a personal best of 4:02.54.

Jamaican Kaliese Spencer, in the absence of the injured Lashinda Demus, claimed the women's 400m hurdles title with a personal best of 53.33secs.

In the field events Dwight Phillips with a best of 8.20m in the men’s long jump prevailed ahead of his closet rival Fabrice Lapierre of Australia who remarkably failed to register a single mark in six attempts. Great Britain’s Chris Tomlinson finished third with a leap of 7.97.

There was further success for the USA as Brittney Reese won the women’s long jump as the world indoor and outdoor champion claimed her title after dominating Russia’s Darya Klishina producing a best of 6.89m to 6.67.

Poland's Piotr Malachowski with second place in the discus behind German Robert Harting (68.64m) claimed the overall title.

Russian Ivan Ukhov claimed the men's high jump title with a best of 2.29m ahead of American Jesse Williams, whilst, Brazil's Fabien Murer, the world indoor champion, won the women's pole vault title with a height of 4.81m, good enough to hold off the challenge of Russian Svetlana Feofanova (4.71).

World record-holder Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic with a second place (65.34m) behind German Christina Obergfoll (67.31) won the women’s javelin trophy.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link:
www.diamondleague-zurich.com/en/Results/Overview/

Samsung Diamond League - Aviva London Grand Prix

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

Saturday 14th August 2010 – Day 2

AMERICAN sprint queen Allyson Felix delighted the packed crowd on the second day of competition at the Samsung Diamond League Aviva London Grand Prix completing the 200m and 400m double victory to give London a glimpse of what the multi-world champion could achieved across the capital come the summer of 2012 at the Olympic Stadium.

In the south of the capital on the track of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre the elegant and hugely talented 24-year-old Felix completed the sprint double adding 400m victory to the 200m achieved on Friday night, however, the American was made to work very hard for the win chased down by the Barcelona European champion Tatyana Firova of Russia and fellow American Debbie Dunn to prevail in 50.79secs underlining her domination of the event in the Diamond League this year in the absence of world champion Sanya Richards-Ross due to injury.

Felix commented afterwards: “It was a tight race and I really had to rely on my endurance. I felt pretty good but it was a little difficult recovering. The time wasn’t great but it wasn’t about the time today, it was a great field and I just wanted to execute my race. It was more difficult that yesterday’s race, with the conditions as they so I was happy to pull that one off.”

America dominated the sprints over the two-days as Jeremy Wariner held off the challenge form Jamaica’s Jermaine Gonzales to claim victory in the men’s 400m, the 26-year-old mulitiple world and Olympic gold medallist held his form to cross the line in a time of 44.67secs to keep his 100% Diamond League record in tact.

Gonzales finished runner-up in 44.80 ahead of fellow Jamaican Ricardo Chambers (45:18). Great Britain’s Michael Bingham finished fourth in 45.49 with Ireland’s double European indoor champion David Gillick fifth in 45.79, one place ahead of training partner Martyn Rooney on his home track taking 6th in 45.89.

Wariner said: “My last 200 was great, I felt strong coming in and I worked the turn well, but I’ve got a lot of work to do on my first 200. But overall I am happy. Jermaine came into this meet with the world’s fastest time, and I was able to run my race and come out on top. After all my injury problems I am really pleased with how today went.”

David Oliver was unable to break 13 seconds for the fifth time this season, but extended his winning streak to 14 races with victory in the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.02secs. European champion Andy Turner blamed a clash of arms in the final finishing last. World finalist William Sharman replicated his Berlin performance to finish fourth in a season’s best of 13.39.

Turner reflecting on the race commented: “It was disappointing; I thought I got out of the blocks really well but I was linked arms with the guy in the lane next to me and because of that when he hit a hurdle it just knocked me off and couldn’t get back.

Earlier in the afternoon Oliver had powered through the opening semi-final heat in 13.02 as Sharman finished fourth in 13.35 to progress as a fastest loser. Turner prevailed in the second heat in 13.32 as compatriot Alex Al Ameen was disqualified for false-starting.

Wallace Spearmon powered clear of the field to win the men’s 200m as the 25-year-old American, a world silver medallist in 2005 the same year he last won at Crystal Palace, clocked 20.12secs to finish ahead of Churandy Martina (20.42) and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway (20.43).

The British duo of Marlon Devonish and European silver medallist Christian Malcolm finished 5th and 7th with times of 20.63 and 20.81 respectively.

Spearmon said: “ I ran a little slower than expected, but it was still a good race considering the wind. Crystal Palace is one of my favourite meets, i love coming to race here, the British crowd are always great. I’m looking forward to 2012 and am possibly going to visit the stadium tomorrow.”

There was a surprise in the women's 100m as Marshevet Myers caused a shock by holding off favourite Carmelita Jeter storming home in 11.01secs. Jeter, who was also beaten in her semi-final heat, was always behind her American compatriot, with Myers refusing to buckle in the final 30 metres.

Kalliese Spencer of Jamaica won the women’s 400m hurdles by a country mile clocking a time of 53.78secs well ahead of the Czech Republic’s European Team champion Zuzana Hejnova as Great Britain’s Eilidh Child lowered her own Scottish national record to take third place in a fine 55.16. Barcelona European gold medallist Natalya Antukh of Russia faded to 6th place in 55.89.

A delighted Child said: “I am really chuffed with a PB today. After Barcelona I was really disappointed because I knew I was in shape to run a PB. I wanted to come out and show it here. There’s definitely more to come.”

European 400m hurdles bronze medallist Perri Shakes-Drayton finished in 7th place with a personal best of 51.48 followed by Vicky Barr (53.82).

Mariya Savinova led from gun-to-tape to win the women’s 800m increasing her Diamond League top position clocking a time of 1:58.64 to out pace Kenyan Janeth Jepkosgei into second. Jemma Simpson won the battle of the Brit’s as the United Kingdom champion outpaced world and European bronze medallist Jenny Meadows 1:59.16 to 1:59.40. Lisa Dobriskey having competed over 1500m the previous evening ran a personal best with a time of 2:00.14.

Simpson commented: “I seem to be running that sort of time consistently this season. I think I’m building up to quicker times. Once I get more confidence I think I’ll run quicker times all the time. But the 800 is hard because every race is so different, you can never tell how it is going to be run”

Over the women’s 3,000m steeplechase there was a dramatic end to the race as Russian Yuilya Zarudneva look set for victory but was passed virtually on the line from the fast finishing Kenyan Milcah Chemos, the world bronze medallist, who claimed the win in a meeting record of 9:22.49.

Great Britain’s European finalist Hatti Dean finished 11th in 9:47.08 followed by compatriots Tina Brown, 12th with a new personal best of 9:48.08 and Helen Clitheroe, 13th in a season’s best of 9:50.21.

In the famous Emsley Carr Mile that closed the track programme Kenya’s Augustine Choge set a lifetime best of 3:50.14 to join the role of honour of legendary winners. Tom Lancashire led the British challenge with a personal best for the imperial distance of 3:53.39 to finish in ninth place.

Estonia’s Olympic champion Gerd Kanter set a meeting record to win the men’s discus with a mark of 67.54m ahead of Zoltan Kovago of Hungary (65.54). Diamond League leader Piotr Malachowski of Poland could only finish fifth with a best of 65.10. Great Britain’s Brett Morse warming-up for the Commonwealth Games broke his lifetime best with a throw of 63.35 to secure sixth place overall.

Yargelis Savigne of Cuba won the women’s triple jump competition with a best of 14.86 (+0.7) as the Diamond League leader and twice world champion finished clear of the field headed by Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan, the world indoor gold medallist in Doha, second with a best of 14.74 (-0.6).

Great Britain’s world junior silver medallist Laura Samuel on her Diamond League debut and looking for Commonwealth selection finished 8th with a first round effort of 12.71 (-1.7).

Samuel reflecting on her performance said: “ I love competing in front of such a large home crowd, especially as my family and friends can watch me compete. I’d love to be selected for the commonwealth later this year, and certainly in the future I was like to target competitions like the diamond league a lot more.”

Reese Hoffa of the USA maintained his position as the leader in the men’s Diamond League shot competition setting a season’s best performance to win with a mark of 21.44m clear of the reigning Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland (21.20) and compatriot world champion Christian Cantwell (20.78).

A delighted Hoffa said afterwards: “I tend to throw well in Britain – here, Birmingham, Gateshead, wherever. If you’d have me I’d be British tomorrow! I’m just came out ready today. I’m really happy to get to win and to get back over 21m, the fans here really embrace me. I have so much fun here, they really know a good throw when they see one. I’m looking forward to 2012.”

Andreas Thorkildson of Norway increased his lead in the javelin winning with a 87.38m effort as the Olympic, world and European champion defeated German Matthias De Zordo (86.97) and Scandinavian rival Tero Pitkamaki of Finland (84.71). Great Britain’s James Campbell, the UK champion and Scottish record-holder, finished 8th with a best of 75.83.

Brazil’s world indoor champion Fabiana Murer won the women’s pole vault with a best of 4.46m on countback from four athletes including Israel’s Jillian Schwartz and the United Kingdom record-holder Kate Dennison, combined with the Russian duo of former world champion Svetlana Feofanova and Yuliya Golubchikova all tied on the same mark.

Dwight Phillips of the USA, the 2004 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, won the men’s long jump competition in the windy conditions with a best of 8.18m (+0.2) as the Diamond League front runner defeated Denmark’s Morten Jensen (7.96) and Great Britain’s Chris Tomlinson, third with 7.92.

World indoor champion Ivan Ukhov of Russia prevailed in the men’s high jump competition with a height of 2.29m clear of American Jesse Williams (2.27) with Great Britain’s Samson Oni and Robbie Grabarz 5th and 6th respectively on countback with a best of 2.24.

The afternoon programme began with the national Under-20 men’s 3,000m with a total of 30 athletes toeing the line for the start as the future of British athletics middle-distance were given their chance to sparkle on the big stage of a Diamond League meeting. As the race progressed Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier Richard Goodman, the reigning national cross country champion, built a big lead of 30 metres after three laps to leave the field in his wake stretching out to win by an impressive margin in a lifetime best of 8:12.95 ahead of Jonny Hay (8:15.96) and John McDonnell (8:16.02).

Great Britain’s Libby Clegg won the women’s 100m T12/T44 with an impressive season’s best of 12.72secs clear of American April Holmes (13.69) and compatriot Stefanie Reid (14.09), second and third also in a season’s bests.

Blade runner Oscar Pistorius competing for the second time over the weekend smashed the world-record in the men’s 400m T44 race as the 23-year-old triple Paralympic champion from South Africa clocked a time of 47.04secs.

Pistorius said: “I’m super happy. After yesterday’s race, it was really difficult today. I’m happy to have run decent times back to back. Being in London is unbelievable. We are going to have to get used to these conditions for London 2012 but the crowds here are amazing.. Today I went out hard, may be a bit too ballsy but yesterday I started to slow. I’m happier with today’s race. It’s great to have these Paralympics events at the London Grand Prix.”

Mark Lewis-Francis went someway to atone for his baton handling mistake at the Barcelona Europeans by anchoring home the England team of Tremanye Gilling, Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun and Leevan Yearwood to victory in the men’s 4x100m in a combined time of 39.31secs.

Lewis-Francis commented: “I definitely enjoyed that; I can put the European championships behind me and I’ve been able to come to London and fly the flag, it’s amazing, it’s great for the 4 x 100m and it’s a new start, new beginning. It’s given me confidence for the Commonwealth Games, but it’s still a long way away in October so I’ll take small steps. Right now my body’s in bits so I’ll get strong again and see what happens.”

To the delight of the 17,000 sell-out crowd the 4x100m Aviva Legend’s relay witnessed GB stars Roger Black, Jason Gardener, Iwan Thomas and John Regis take to the track to do battle once more with Black’s team claiming victory.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.diamondleague-london.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Startlist/

David Oliver wins the men's 110m hurdles in 13.02secs.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Samsung Diamond League - Aviva London Grand Prix

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre

Friday 13th August 2010 – Day 1

SPRINT superstar Tyson Gay shone brightest as the world’s best dazzled on a gloomy night for British athletics returning heroes on the opening evening of the Samsung Diamond League Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace.

With the Barcelona Europeans finishing only 12 days ago all of Great Britain’s European champions in action, Phillips Idowu (triple jump), Mo Farah (3,000m) and Dai Greene (400m hurdles) failed to win their respective events looking a little leg weary up against the world elite.

The 2012 Olympic city of London hosting the twelfth of this season’s 14 Diamond League meetings, the second to be held in the UK following Gateshead in July and the only one to be held over two-days began with a torrential rainstorm that soaked the infield and notably the crowd in the open stands delaying proceedings.

Headline act Tyson Gay certainly delivered in the men’s 100m, defying the cold damp conditions to blast to victory in a time of 9.78secs, the fastest time in the world this year and second fastest ever clocked in the United Kingdom.

Seven days ago in Stockholm the American ended Usain Bolt's two-year unbeaten streak and here in London Gay blasted out of the blocks sprinting clear to power over the line to take the victory ahead of Jamaican's Yohan Blake, who set a personal best of 9.89 in the process.

Gay commented afterwards: "It feels good, I just prayed to get through the race healthy because my groin was getting a little tight. I had to make sure I stayed warm so I didn't pull anything.

"I tweaked it in the heat but I think it's okay. It's been a good week. I have a great team surrounding me and it's my third victory here."

Gay qualified through in the opening semi-final in 10.02 ahead of Blake’s 10.07 as Walter Dix won the second heat in 10.08 where Great Britain’s European silver medallist Mark Lewis-Francis finished a distant sixth in 10.30 failing to progress to the final as a fastest loser. Compatriot Tremanye Gilling clocked 10.56 to finish 8th.

World number one, American Bershawn Jackson, completed victory in the men’s 400m hurdles to win the Diamond League overall race following a very tight battle against Javier Culson of Porto Rico securing the win 48.12 to 48.17 with Great Britain’s European champion Dai Greene third in 49.09.

A delighted Jackson said: “I’m happy, that was a really good race. It wasn’t fast but the position was good, this has been a really good year for me, in 2005 I was number one in the world, in 07, 08, 09 I was injured and now I’m back running well.

“This is going to set me up for next year, I want to be world champion, I love coming to London, I’ve been racing here for years and I can’t wait to come back here for the Olympics.”

Great Britain’s double European 5,000 and 10,000m champion Mo Farah competing in the men’s 3,000m was upstaged by the double world indoor gold medallist over the distance Bernard Lagat, at the age of 35 the American stormed clear with a strong sprint finish surpassing Australia's Collis Birmingham on the final bend into the home straight to take victory in 7:40.36.

Lagat commented afterwards: “I definitely didn’t want to go with the pace makers at the start. My plan was just to hang back a little bit because I knew I hadn’t raced in three weeks. I wanted to see how I felt, and I felt good. My aim was to run well today and I wanted to get another win in another discipline here at Crystal Palace and I got it. Mo is a great athlete and I knew he was running strongly and I’m glad I was able to run with him really well today.”

Farah finish second in 7:40.75 with compatriot and European bronze medallist Chris Thompson in the green vest of the Oregon Track Club securing 6th in a new personal best of 7:43.34.

Farah reflecting on his performance said: “I didn’t want to go with the pace at the start, I wasn’t going to go with them, but it was a good race. Bernard Lagat is a great athlete. It was awesome competing here in front of a home crowd; the atmosphere here is incredible and they really get behind you.”

Phillips Idowu was way down on the personal best of 17.81m that secured him the triple jump title in Barcelona, his best effort of 16.54m was only good enough for sixth place. Sweden’s former world and Olympic champion Christian Olsson won the competition with 17.41m.

Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep set a meeting record and a world lead of 12.52secs to win the women’s 100m hurdles following a stunning performance to finish ahead of Australia’s Sally Pearson (12.61) and Lolo Jones, the double world indoor champion from the USA (12.66).

Earlier in the semi-finals Pearson clocked a swift 12.66 to win the opening heat with Jones slow out of the blocks finishing runner-up in the second heat to Lopes-Schliep 12.71 to 12.81. Great Britain’s national champion Louise Hazel finished 6th in 13.38 but failed to reach the final.

World champion Allyson Felix was simply sublime in the women’s 200m the American came flying out of the blocks to leave the rest of the field in her wake accelerating down the home straight to come home in 22.37secs well clear of compatriot Bianca Knight (22.83) with Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie of the Bahamas third (23.04). Knight was later disqualified for running out of her lane moving the Cayman Island’s Cydonie Mothersill into third place. Great Britain’s Abe Oyepitan finished 7th in a season’s best of 23.39.

Olympic champion Nancy Lagat continued her fine run of success in the women’s 1500m as the Kenyan Diamond League leader in her individual event out paced Russia’s Anna Alminova to take victory in 4:07.60 as World silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey came through with a strong finish to secure third place in 4:09.07.

Lagat said of her victory: “It was a bit slow at the start and also because of the weather. It’s hard when you run in a big group because you push each other so it’s difficult, you try to go and they knock you, it’s tiring.”

Dobriskey reflected: “I’ve had such great support and I was only third! I used to do my county champs here so I think a lot of people have come up from my home to watch me. I’m really lucky and I really do appreciate it especially when I didn’t win. It was a really strange race and I got myself in such a awful position. I got out there and then I just got caught up and I wasn’t sure what I was doing. After a slow start it ended up being pretty quick.”

Of the other Brit’s in the race Laura Weightman finished 9th in a personal best of 4:12.95 with the inform Stacy Smith 11th in 4:13.71, former world junior champion Steph Twell secured 13th in 4:14.39 and the NCAA champion Charlotte Browning finished 15th in 4:19.49.

Liverpool Harrier Michael Rimmer, narrowly beaten to the European title by Poland's Marcin Lewandowski, could only finish eighth in the 800m.

Kenya’s Paul Koech won a very high quality men’s 3,000m steeplechase in a time of 8.17.70 as Great Britain’s Luke Gunn and Stuart Stokes finished eighth and ninth with times of 8:32.65 and 8:33.00 as they chase Commonwealth places.

In the very high quality women’s 5,000m race featuring a world class field, Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba with an impressive sprint finish claimed victory in 14:36.41 ahead of Kenyan rival Vivian Cheruiyot who clocked 14:38.17. Freya Murray (15:46.03) and Loughborough student Emily Pidgeon (15:54.02) finished 14th and 15th respectively.

Triple Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, the ‘Blade Runner’ from South Africa lined-up in the men’s 400m ‘B’ race chasing a Commonwealth Games qualifying time on a difficult wet track as he did three years ago at the British Grand Prix on a rain-soaked night in Sheffield, however, it was Conrad Williams who prevailed leading a British 1-2-3 over the line illustrating the strength of depth in the current 4x400m GB relay squad clocking 46.09secs with Rob Tobin second in 46.12 and the Loughborough-based UK indoor champion Richard Buck third in 46.48. Pistorius finished 7th in 46.93.

Blanka Vlasic delighted the crowd and remained on course for an unbeaten run in the Diamond race for the women's high jump by taking her sixth successive victory. The Croatian, fresh from her success in Barcelona leapt 2.01m to win by 10cm from Spain's Ruth Beitia. United Kingdom champion Steph Pywell finished 7th with a best of 1.85m.

"I was so worried when I came here because it was bad weather and cold and everything. I have a fear of wet surfaces to jump on so I'm happy," Vlasic said. "By the end I couldn't feel my legs it was so cold."

Yarelis Barrios of Cuba continued her domination of the women’s discus event in the Diamond League winning her sixth victory from seven appearances with a best of 65.62m in the first round ahead of Sandra Perkovic of Croatia (63.30).

Barrios commented: “I’m happy to win but not with my throws today. It’s a shame because of the weather. It’s been a fantastic season and I’ve really enjoyed the Diamond League competition.”

Russia’s European junior champion Darya Klishina won the women’s long jump competition badly affected by the early heavy rain with a best of 6.55m ahead of compatriot Luydmila Kolchanova (6.65), with American Hyleas Fountain third (6.57). Great Britain’s Jade Johnson finished 7th with a mark of 5.92.

World record-holder Barbara Spotakova won the women's javelin with a best of 63.50m in the difficult conditions as the Czech edged victory ahead of American Kara Patterson by a margin of 9cm with Patterson reaching out to 63.41m.

The men’s pole vault was won by Poland’s Lukasz Michalski with 5.71m. Great Britain's Steve Lewis returned to competition after a mid season break and a change of pole to finish sixth with a best clearance of 5.31m.

Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus maintained her dominance over Olympic and world champion Valerie Adams-Vili in the shot put this season with a best effort of 20.27.

In the opening event run before the torrential rainstorm drenched the Crystal Palace arena the ‘On camp with Kelly’ 800m support race Czech Lenka Masna produced a fine performance to lead home the field clocking a time of 2:00.72 out pacing New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin and Celia Taylor of Great Britain. World University Games bronze medallist Loughborough student Charlotte Best set a season’s best of 2:01.88 to finish 5th, whilst, fellow African Violet Dani Christmas recorded a lifetime best of 2:02.54 to secure 6th place.

World junior representative Emelia Gorecka ran a storming last 200m powering past Beth Potter over the line to win the women’s Under-20 women’s 3,000m in a time of 9:27.02 to 9:27.50.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.diamondleague-london.com/Live-StartlistsResults/Startlist/

Tyson Gay wins the men's 100m in 9.78secs.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Allyson Felix wins the women's 200m in 22.37secs.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Tuesday 10th August 2010

GREG Rutherford went someway to put the disappointment of missing the Barcelona European Championships by producing his best performance of the season leaping beyond the eight-metre mark to take victory at the Folksam Grand Prix in Gothenburg.

At the Slottsskogsvallen arena in front of a crowd of over 3,000, Rutherford, the 23-year-old from Milton Keynes who set the British record of 8.30m at last year's World Championships in Berlin, but failed to recover from a foot injury and was forced to withdraw from the Great Britain team for Barcelona.

However, in Gothenburg, the host city of the 2006 European Championships, Rutherford claimed victory with a season’s best leap of 8.10 metres ahead of Sweden’s Michel Torneus (7.80) and Dmitrivy Plotnikov of Russia (7.41).

Other highlights for the British athletes in action included European 1500m finalist Tom Lancashire dropping down in distance to finish runner-up over 800m in a respectable 1:46.74 as American Duane Solomon, a World championship representative in Osaka 2007, prevailed in 1:46.71. Ed Aston set a lifetime best of 1:47.02 to secure fourth place.

American Collegiate champion Charlotte Browning warmed-up for her Diamond League debut at Crystal Palace next weekend over 1500m by finishing sixth in the women’s 800m with a new lifetime best of 2:02.52 one placed ahead of compatriot Celia Brown (2:02.80), as American Erin Donohue claimed victory in 2:00.34.

Great Britain’s World junior champion Sophie Hitchon claimed fourth place in the senior women’s hammer final with a best of 64.34m as Sweden’s Tracey Andersson won with a throw of 66.03.

James Alaka, who represents the University of Washington on the NCAA circuit clocked 21.18secs to finish third over 200m in the race won by American Rae Edwards in 21.05.

Sarah McGreavy returned to the city where she represented GB in the 2006 Europeans to continue her steady return to competition finishing fifth in the women’s 100m hurdles in a season’s best of 13.53secs one place ahead of compatriot Zara Hohn (13.69). Jamaica’s Vonette Dixon won the race in 13.18.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: http://88.131.109.176/folksam/goteborg/Resultat.php

2010 Samsung Diamond League - DN Galan meeting

Olympic Stadium, Stockholm

Friday 6th August 2010

AMERICAN Tyson Gay stunned world-record holder Usain Bolt in their much anticipated 100m showdown powering past the Jamaican to take victory in 9.84 seconds at the Samsung Diamond League GN Galan Meeting in Stockholm.

In perfect conditions inside the packed Olympic Stadium in the Swedish capital, following two frustrating false starts, Gay, the world champion in Osaka 2007, flew out of the blocks ahead of reigning global and Olympic champion Bolt, unbeaten since July 2008, looking more focused and determined to take the win with Bolt runner-up in 9.97secs.

Bolt holds the world-record in the 100m with 9.58 seconds, whilst, Gay holds the American-record of 9.68 seconds, the second fastest time in history.

Gay commented: "It feels good, deep down inside I felt he wasn't 100%. I'm still waiting for the day when we are both 100% and Asafa is also on the line, I think he knows what his limitations are," he said. "I know he has more left in the tank."

Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 10.10, as Great Britain’s Marlon Devonish, fourth over 200m at the European Championships in Barcelona last week - failed to make it through the heats, finishing fifth in 10.32 following a slight stumble out of the blocks.

A pragmatic Bolt reflected afterwards: "You can get beaten, you have good days and bad days - it was just one of those days for me, I need to work on my shape. I got a good start but there was no power there."

"I was ready, I was focused but those two stand-ups kind of threw me off, but I can't blame it on that. Tyson was much better than me, in much better shape than me."

Great Britain’s Michael Rimmer for the second consecutive week was edged out by Poland's Marcin Lewandowski over 800m as the duo finished first and second ahead of the Sudan's Abubaker Kaki, the second fastest man in the world this year.

Liverpool Harrier, Rimmer, secured European Championship silver behind the Pole in Barcelona and finished with an impressive sprint over the line to clock one minute 45.11s, just 0.05 behind Lewandowski.

American Bershawn Jackson claimed a dominant win in the men’s 400m hurdles setting a meeting record of 47.65secs to take victory by almost ten metres ahead of the field.

Australian Sally Pearson set a season’s best time to take victory in the women’s 100m hurdles with a stunning mark of 12.57secs to give her a timely boost in confidence leading into the Commonwealth Games.

Pearson (nee. McLellan), an Olympic silver medallist in Beijing in 2008, triumphed over a field that included the two fastest women in the world this year in Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (12.59) and American Lolo Jones (12.70).

Nancy Jebet Lagat of Kenya won the women’s 1500m in a time of 4:00.70 outpacing Russian Alminova who beat her in Paris last month with the British duo of Steph Twell and Hannah England finishing ninth and 14th with times of 4:04.25 and 4:07.86 respectively.

Allyson Felix won the women's 200m race in 22.41secs leading an American sweep of the podium that saw Shalonda Solomon finish second in 22.51 and Bianca Knight take third in 22.59

Russian Tatyana Firova, fresh off her win the European Championships, won the women's 400m in 50.46 over World Indoor champion Debbie Dunn, who finished second in 50.59. American Indoor record holder Francena McCorory finished third in 50.66.

In the men's 3,000m steeplechase, Kenyan Paul Koech prevailed in 8:02.19 as compatriot Kenyan Mark Kosgei Kiptoo won the men's 5000m race with a personal best of 12:53.46.

World leader Teddy Tamgho, who was beaten to European gold by Phillips Idowu, edged out home favourite to win the triple jump with a leap of 17.36m.

European champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia took another high jump victory with 2.02m ahead of American Chaute Howard as Sweden's silver medallist Emma Green finished third, whilst, another Barcelona gold medallist from Barcelona, Russia's Svetlana Feofanova, won the pole vault with 4.71m. United Kingdom record-holder Kate Dennison was seventh with a best of 4.41m.

Finland's Tero Pitkamaki defeated his main rival Norway's double Olympic champion and newly-crowned European champion Andreas Thorkildsen in the men’s javelin with a throw of 84.41m.

Russian Darya Klishina prevailed in the long jump with a best of 6.78m as Brittney Reese of the USA finished runner-up with 6.75m, whilst, third place went to Portugal's Naide Gomes (6.72).

Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put on Thursday evening in the competition held in Stockholm’s city centre with a meet record heave of 22.09m. His nearest competitor, reigning Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland, finished second over a metre back with a best put of 21.01m.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.diamondleague-stockholm.com/en/Live-StartlistsResults/Overview/

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Thursday 5th August 2010

JONATHAN Taylor (Morpeth) eased to victory at the annual Tim Wealthall BMC Memorial Mile at a blustery Harvey Hadden Stadium in Nottingham.

The race which features a prize of £1,000 for breaking the mystical four-minute-mile witnessed three Loughborough University athletes on the start line.

However, any chance of achieving the sub-four minute mark was blown away by the blustery cold conditions swirling around the inside the bowl of the stadium as the British Universities 1500m indoor champion Jonathan Taylor completed a virtual gun-to-tape victory making use of the pace-maker as the 22-year-old, coached by Gordon Surtees clocked a time of 4mins 0.3.2secs to finish ahead of the Loughborough University duo of GB international Chris Warburton representing the host club Notts AC, second in 4:03.4 and fellow African Violet and reigning Midlands 1500m champion Tim Dalton (Severn) recording 4:03.4.

Steve Mitchell (B&W) finished fourth in 4:04.1 with New Zealander Aniel Smith 5th in 4:09.7, they were followed home by teenager Sam Atkin (Linc W) 4:15.4 and Loughborough graduate James Poole (B&B) 4:26.5


In the women’s mile race Worcestershire county cross-country champion Rhianna Parker-Simpson (Halesowen) prevailed in 4:58.7 ahead of Frances Briscoe (Coventry) 4:59.3, with Lucy Ferguson (B&W) third in 5:14.5.

In the men’s Open 5k event and just 24 hours after winning the Joy Cann 5 mile event Scotland’s Bruce Raeside (Notts AC), coached by race organiser Trevor Muxlow, completed a ten second victory in 14:26.4 ahead of Tom Doe (Linc W) 14:36.3, with Rob Stafford Keal (Notts AC) third in 15:23.2.

Abby Norman (Derby), winner of the Burton 10, completed a comfortable victory in the women’s race with a time of 18:04.5 finishing clear of Lauren Bradshaw (Notts AC) 18:38.9 and Charlotte Saunders (Notts AC) 21:22.2.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Race video available on the following link: www.athleticos.org/coverage/237447-BMC-Nottingham-Mile/video/350988-Mens-Mile-A-Race

Full Results:
Mile
Men
A mile race: 1 Jonathon Taylor (Morp) 4.03.2; 2 Chris Warburton (Notts) 4.03.4; 3 Tim Dalton (Severn) 4.03.4; 4 Steve Mitchell (B&W) 4.04.1; 5 Aniel Smith (NZ) 4.09.7 6; Sam Atkin (Linc W) U20 4.15.4 7; James Poole (B&B) 4.26.5
B mile race: 1 Ian Kimpton (Linc W) 4.21.3; 2 Josh Moody (Notts) U20 4.22.6; 3 Chris Lamb (R&N) 4.24.3
C mile race: 1 Colin Palmer (Notts) V40 4.40.3; 2 Haran Dunderdale (LincW) U'15 4.46.0; 6 Chris Southam (Stilton) V45 4.51.9
Women
1 Rhianna Parker-Simpson (H'owen) 4.58.7; 2 Frances Briscoe (Cov) 4.59.3; 3 Lucy Ferguson (B&W) 5.14.5
5km
Men
1 Bruce Raeside (Notts) 14.26.4; 2 Tom Doe (Linc W) 14.36.3; 3 Rob Stafford Keal (Notts) 15.23.2
Women
1 Abby Norman (Derby) 18.04.5; 2 Lauren Bradshaw (Notts) 18.38.9; 3 Charlotte Saunders (Notts) U'20 21.22.2
Junior Races
Luke Jane (Stilton) U'13 5.19.5; Peter Mumford (Notts) U'13 5.24.2; Georgia Clarke (Notts) U'13 F
Daniel Jane (Stilton) U'11 6.31.8; Mille Howe U'11 (Notts) 7.07.8 F

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Sunday 1st August 2010

MARTYN Rooney led the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team to a final medal total of 19, the highest ever achieved at a major championships, to round off one of the most successful six-days in the history of the sport in this country.

Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, Robert Tobin and Rooney were edged out by Russia over the line but added to the bronze medals won by the women's 4x400m team of Nicola Sanders, Marilyn Okoro Lee McConnell and Perri Shakes-Drayton, plus the individual performance from Chris Tomlinson in the long jump.

That took the medal total to an impressive 19, surpassing the previous best of 18 achieved in Split two-decades ago in 1990.

In the men’s 4x400m final following Conrad Williams opening leg individual silver medallist Michael Bingham found himself down in seventh place but improved to fifth position as he handed the baton to Rob Tobin.

Rooney took over in third place, and despite overtaking Belgium's Jonathan Borlee he failed to catch Russia's Vladimir Krasnov who held on for the gold.

Tomlinson's leap of 8.23m in the fourth round of the men’s long jump final looked good enough to secure second place behind Germany's Christian Reif’s massive new championship record of 8.47m, this before France's Kafetien Gomis followed four straight fouls with a leap of 8.24m on his last attempt to take second place away from the Brit.

Great Britain's women's 4x400m quartet secured the bronze medal as Russia cruised to a dominant victory.

Nicola Sanders, 800m specialist Marilyn Okoro and Scotland’s Lee McConnell combined to hand the baton to Perri Shakes-Drayton in third place for the final leg, and the 400m hurdles bronze medallist almost caught Germany on the line for silver down the home straight.

World silver medalist and Commonwealth champion Lisa Dobriskey finishing out of the medals in fourth in the final of the women’s 1500 metres.

Dobriskey, finished in the same position as she achieved at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after moving onto the shoulder of long-time leader Anna Alminova of Russia.

However, the 26-year-old Loughborough-based athlete, coached by George Gandy, eventually lost out in the sprint finish down the home straight as Spain's Nuria Fernandez with a personal best of four minutes 00.20 seconds stormed through to take gold for the host nation.

France's Hind Dehiba was second with Spaniard, Natalia Rodriguez, third, Britain's Steph Twell with a new personal best of 4:02.70 and Hannah England (4:05.07) finished in seventh and 10th places respectively.

Europe's new sprint king Christophe Lemaitre completed his golden hat-trick in Barcelona, helping France to 4x100m relay gold. The 20-year-old 100 and 200m champion ran on the second leg as Martial Mbandjock brought them home to cross the line in first place.

Blanka Vlasic of Croatia won the women's high jump with a championship record height of 2.03 metres. Vlasic cleared the bar on her second try and then watched as Sweden's Emma Green and Ariane Friedrich of Germany failed to match her mark. Green took silver and Friedrich the bronze.

Alemitu Bekele won the women's 5,000metre final to deny Turkish teammate Elvan Abeylegesse the championship double. Ethiopian-born Bekele claimed victory in a championship-record time of 14mins 52.20secs.

Abeylegesse, who won the 10,000m earlier in the week secured silver in 14:54.44 with Sara Moreira of Portugal taking the bronze in 14:54.71.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Saturday 31st July 2010 – Evening Session

DAI Greene underlined Great Britain’s position as the European kings of the men’s sprint hurdles by following in the footsteps of compatriot Andy Turner the previous evening smashing his lifetime best on the track of Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium to win a magnificent gold over the one-lap event in a stunning time of 48.12secs.

The 24-year-old reigning United Kingdom champion from Swansea led a terrific Welsh 1-2 over the line with Rhys Williams taking silver also in a personal best of 48.96 as Greene simply blew the field away sprinting across the line by a margin of almost ten metres ahead of the field breaking his own European lead time for 2010 moving to second in the UK all-time list, equal with the 1968 Mexico Olympic champion David Hemery.

Greene reflected afterwards: "It felt pressurised being the favourite tonight but the pressure helped me to focus and go faster, I didn't have any other objective than to win the gold medal and I'm very pleased to have secured a personal best at the same time."

Double world champion Jessica Ennis set a new heptathlon lifetime best points total of 6,823 points, a championship record, adding the European title to her impressive set of global gold medals as the 24-year-old from the Steel City of Sheffield smashed her PB over 800m to round off a successful two-days defeat the reigning Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska of the Ukraine in the process.

Having won outdoors in Berlin last summer and indoors in Doha back in March Ennis collected her third major title leading from the front as the British team captain leading by 110 points over night, which was lowered to 68 after the long jump, then set a new javelin PB of 46.71m, as Dobrynska went one further with 49.25m.

That result gave Ennis a slender lead of just 18 points going into the seventh and final event, the 800m, one of her strongest disciplines and when the pressure was on Ennis delivered leading from the front at 600m to power home in a new lifetime best of 2:10.

A delighted Ennis watched by her Mum and Dad in the crowd commented: “It's been nerve-wracking having all the athletes on my heels, it feels so good to win again. I had to raise my game, and to come out on top I'm so proud to come out on top again. Before the 800m I just wanted to win and I have! I'm so made up."

Mo Farah completed a historic long-distance double at the European, Championships having won the 10,000m title on the opening night of competition, the 27-year-old added the 5,000m gold to become the first British athlete to do the double, and the first since Italy's Salvatore Antibo two decades ago.

Farah took on the pace with three laps to go and powered away from the field to win in a time of 13:31.18 from Spain's Jesus Espana, the man who denied him the title four years ago in Gothenburg. Great Britain's Chris Thompson, who was second in the 10,000m final, finished in eighth place in
13:44.42.

A virtually speechless Farah commented: "It's hard to put it into words, it wasn't easy, I had to work hard for it. I can't believe I am a double champion."

With Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy and defending champion Bram Som absent from the event through injury the beginning of the evening’s track finals witnessed Michael Rimmer claim Great Britain's 12th medal of the championships with silver in the men's 800 metres.

Following a tight two-lap battle Poland's European-leader Marcin Lewandowski edged victory ahead of the 24-year-old Liverpool Harrier just metres from the finish line clocking a time of 1:47.07 - just tenth of a second clear of the Brit. Adam Kszczot secured a double for Poland with bronze.

Turkey's Nevin Yanit stormed to victory in the women’s 100m hurdles final setting a new national record of 12.63secs as Ireland's Derval O'Rourke matched her performance from Gothenburg four-years ago by claiming silver in 12.65.

Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway won his second straight European javelin gold with a throw of 88.37 metres clear of Matthias De Zordo of Germany, second with a personal best of 87.81. Tero Pitkamaki of Finland won bronze after throwing 86.67.

Ukraine's Olha Saladuha won the women's triple jump title with a best of 14.81m, whilst, France's Myriam Soumare was a surprise winner of the women's 200m running from lane eight in 22.32 seconds. Compatriot Veronique Mang was disqualified for a false start.

France's Renaud Lavillenie won the pole vault as expected, soaring over 5.85m with his first attempt to beat Maksym Mazuryk of Ukraine into second.

Great Britain's Carl Myerscough finished last in the shot final after throwing two fouls following a disappointing effort of 18.19m.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Great Britain's Dai Greene wins 400m hurdles gold.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Great Britain's Jessica Ennis wins heptathlon gold.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Great Britain's Mo Farah wins 5,000m gold.

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Saturday 31st July 2010 – Morning Session

GREAT Britain's Jessica Ennis maintained her advantage ahead of the Ukraine’s Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska as the double world champion targets the European heptathlon title in Barcelona.

Ennis held a 110-point lead going into the second day of competition, but witnessed that margin reduced to 68 points following the long jump.

The 24-year-old from Sheffield produced a consistent display with jumps of 6.28m, 6.41m and 6.43m, however, Dobrynska leapt out to 6.56m in the second round to edge the contest between the gold medal favourites.

Ennis commented afterwards: "That was good, I'm pleased with the distance. I could have quite easily have lost more points there because they are big jumpers so I'm satisfied with that to have maintained the lead.

"It's definitely going to be tight, Dobrynska's right there and Oeser had a great long jump so it's not going to be easy to do. I've got to give it absolutely everything in the javelin and 800m and let's see what happens.”

Great Britain’s 4x100m teams had an extremely disappointing morning in Barcelona as both the men’s and women’s quartets were eliminated due to poor baton changes.

Individual 100m silver medallist Mark Lewis-Francis shouldered the blame as the team of Leon Baptiste, Craig Pickering Marlon Devonish lost out on qualification after a mix-up between Lewis-Francis and Devonish on the final handover as they clocked a time of 39.49secs not even enough to qualify as a fastest loser.

In the women’s race the same story unfolded as Joice Maduaka, Montell Douglas, Loughborough University student Hayley Jones and 100m finalist Laura Turner finished sixth in their semi-final to also miss out.

History was made in the opening heat as former Jamaican Merlene Ottey at the remarkable age of 50 became the oldest ever competitor in the championships as the Slovenian quartet could only finish seventh in 44.30 to miss out on the final.

There was far more positive news for Team GB in the 4x400m semi-finals as both the men and women’s squads comfortably qualified for Sunday's finals.

The men's quartet of Conrad Williams, Graham Hedman, Richard Buck and Rob Tobin cruising through by winning their semi-final in 3:04.09 as individual silver and bronze medallists Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney were rested following their individual medal successes the previous evening, and are expected to line-up in the final.

The women's quartet of Loughborough graduates Nicola Sanders, Vicki Barr and Lee McConnell combined with 800m runner Marilyn Okoro also reached the final, finishing second in their semi with a time of 3:28.01 behind the impressive Russian team.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Friday 30th July 2010 – Day 4 Evening Session

GREAT Britain had a superb night of success in Barcelona at the 20th European Athletics Championships winning a total of six medals as Andy Turner won the 110m hurdles title and Christian Malcolm (200m), Michael Bingham (400m) secured silver, whilst, Martyn Rooney (400m), Jenny Meadows (800m) and the promising junior talent Perri-Shakes Drayton (400m hurdles) all claimed bronze.

Andy Turner, bronze medallist four-years ago in Gothenburg, finally claimed a major title so richly deserved for such a talented athlete, having lost his lottery funding in 2008 the Loughborough graduate has bounced back in 2010 storming to European gold in the 110m hurdles final.

On the straight of the Olympic Stadium Turner was just outside his personal best as he 29-year-old from Nottingham clocked 13.28secs to claim Britain's third gold of the championships and follow in the footsteps of compatriot and four-time winner Colin Jackson. France's Garfield Darien and Hungary's Daniel Kiss completed the podium places in 13.34 and 13.39 respectively.

With two hurdles to go the title looked set to be won by the European leader and pre-race favourite, Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic, however, he clattered the penultimate barrier knocking him off balance leaving Turner to sprint clear for victory.

A delighted Turner commented: "It's a dream come true. I had a dream of winning gold and I knew I was capable of doing it. Doing it when you need to that’s a different thing. I can't believe it. I knew if I had a clean race it was mine. I felt good in the semis. It feels really good."

In the earlier semi-finals Turner progressed in the second heat clocking 13.50, however, fellow Brit William Sharman bowed out after a disastrous false start as the 25-year-old fourth placer in the Berlin World Championships last year reacted too quick from lane eight.

Race of the night came in a dramatic men’s 400m final as Great Britain’s Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney secured well-deserved podium places with silver and bronze medals respectively when Belgium’s Kevin Borlee up-staged twin brother and pre-championship favourite Jonathan to power though the field and win the European title in a time of 45.08secs.

Bingham clocked the same time as Rooney over the line but was awarded silver following the photo-finish. Ireland’s double European indoor champion David Gillick was run out of the medal places finishing fifth in 45.28.

Rooney reflecting on his performance commented: "I came here to win it but I ran a bad heat and terrible semi and put myself in a bad position, it's my own fault and it's something to learn from but I'm very proud to win a medal."

Christian Malcolm won a well-deserved silver medal for Great Britain as Christophe Lemaitre completed the European Championships 100-200m double edging victory on the line following a thrilling final.

Malcolm was the front-runner in the race until the last 10 metres when Lemaitre produced his trademark fast finishing sprint, running down the Welshman dipping over the line in 20.37secs just one hundredth of a second ahead of Malcolm to add the 200m gold to his 100m won on Wednesday night.

France's Martial Mbandjock secured himself a championship double bronze medal success having taken a podium place in the 100m final to finish ahead of Britain’s Marlon Devonish, fourth in 20.62. Ireland's Paul Hession was sixth in 20.71.

Great Britain's highly talented Perri Shakes-Drayton collected a surprise and brilliant bronze medal in the women’s 400m hurdles final following a superb home straight sprint as the European Under-23 champion clocked a new lifetime best of 54.18secs, the third fastest time in history by a British athlete behind former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell and Commonwealth champion Tasha Danvers.

Russia's Natalya Antyukh set a championship record of 52.92 to win gold as Bulgaria's Vania Stambolova claimed silver. Scottish national record-holder Eilidh Child finished eighth in 55.51.

Jenny Meadows put her injury hit year behind her to match her World indoor and outdoor championship performances in Doha and Berlin respectively by winning a third bronze medal in 1:59.39 over 800m as Russia’s Mariya Savinova claimed the gold in 1:58.22. The Netherlands Yvonna Hak edged past long the time leader Meadows in the home straight to take silver with a personal best of 1:58.85.

United Kingdom champion Jemma Simpson in her first major championship final finished in a solid fifth place in 1:59.90.

Double world champion Jessica Ennis has a 110-point lead at the end of the first day of competition in the heptathlon. After the morning session Ennis led by 134 points following winning the 100m hurdles and high jump events, but was trailing Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska of the Ukraine by 26 points until a last-round throw of 14.05m in the shot gave her a lead of 11 points ahead of the 200m.

The 24-year-old from Sheffield then ran a brilliant 200m clocking a season's best of 23.21secs to make it three wins out of four with the long jump, javelin and 800m to follow on Saturday.

Hattie Dean ran the race of her life to smash her personal best finishing in a fantastic fourth place in a high quality women’s 3,000m steeplechase final as the 28-year-old Sheffield athlete just missed out on a medal clocking 9mins 30.19secs with the gold going to Russia's Yuliya Zarudneva who gained revenge for last season's World Championship defeat in Berlin to Spain’s championship poster girl Marta Dominguez.

Zarudneva won following a terrific sprint finish, clocked a championship record of 9:17.57, just 0.17secs in front of the Spaniard with Lyubov Kharlamova securing bronze.

In the women’s 400m final Tatyana Firova led home a very powerful Russian 1-2-3 over the line as Firova claimed the gold in a world-class time of 49.89secs. Compatriot Kseniya Ustalova also broke the 50-second barrier to take silver in 49.92 with the bronze going to Antonina Krivoshapka, who finished in 50.10.

Arturo Casado secured the host nation Spain their first gold of the championships in the men’s 1500m following a slow-run race Casado sprinted clear in the final stages to win in 3mins 42.74secs.

Germany's Carsten Schlangen edged silver ahead of Spaniard Manuel Omedo as the British trio of Andy Baddeley, Tom Lancashire and Colin McCourt missed out on a podium place.

UK champion Baddeley faded to sixth place in 3:43.87 with McCourt ninth (3:44.78) and Lancashire 10th (3:44.92).

As with the men’s 1500m final the women’s final will feature three British athletes on Sunday as world silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey (4:06.00), former world junior champion Steph Twell (4:05.63) and the UK gold medallist Hannah England (4:06.03) all qualified through as Twell and England qualified as fastest losers from the first semi-final.

Russia’s global leader Alminova, the pre-championship gold medal favourite was the fastest into Sunday’s final in 4:04.14.

Loughborough-based United Kingdom record-holder Kate Dennison, coached by Steve Rippon, produced her best major championship performance securing sixth place in the pole vault final, equalling her season's best with a clearance of 4.55m.

Svetlana Feofanova took gold as predicted as the Russian cleared 4.75m, with Silke Spiegelburg taking silver and Lisa Ryzih in bronze position.

In the women's hammer final, Germany's Betty Heidler set a season's best of 76.38m to win gold. Russia's Tatyana Lysenko took silver and Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland the bronze.

Great Britain’s Emily Freeman ran a season's best of 23.21secs in the women’s 200m semi-final but was eliminated after finishing fifth.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Andy Turner wins 110m hurdles gold for Great Britain.

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Friday 30th July 2010 – Day 4 Morning Session

GREAT Britain’s double world champion Jessica Ennis began her campaign for the European heptathlon title off to a flyer clocking the fastest time over the 100m hurdles with a very impressive performance.

The 24-year-old from Sheffield, team captain for Great Britain in Barcelona, flew out of the blocks to power clear of the field winning in a time of 12.95secs - gaining a total of 1132 points.

Ennis’ main rival for the gold, Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska of the Ukraine, set the sixth fastest time overall of 13.59 in the opening heat (1037pts).

In the high jump, Ennis, was the only athlete to clear 1.89m taking her total up to 2225 points and now leads her nearest challenger Dobrinyska by 134 points heading into the evening session.

Great Britain's Carl Myerscough qualified for the men’s shot put final with a best of 19.81m to progress on countback, whilst, compatriot Emily Freeman put aside her recent injury problems to advance to the semi-finals of the women’s 200m after finishing third in her heat in 23.44secs, this into a very strong head wind inside the Olympic Stadium.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Thursday 29th July 2010 – Day 3 Evening Session

GREAT Britain’s Phillips Idowu added European gold to his World and Commonwealth titles with the finest set of performances in his long career as the 31-year-old leapt to a massive lifetime best of 17.81 metres relegating the highly fancied Frenchman Teddy Tamgo into the bronze medal position.

Arriving in Barcelona Tamgho was expected to be the man to beat with the 21-year-old having set a 17.90 metre world indoor record in Doha and a 17.98m personal best in New York at the Diamond League in June, however, cometh the hour, cometh the man as the vastly experienced Idowu flew out to a massive new lifetime best of 17.81m with his fourth round attempt surpassing his previous personal best of 17.73m set in 2006 to win the competition with relative ease.

An emotional Idowu commented: "It's been a tough year but I seem to come alive when I get to the championships, I work hard and by the grace of God I've won the gold medal. I'm speechless, it's an amazing performance.

"With the way Teddy has been jumping this season I knew that I would need to jump a PB. Everything this season has been about planning for this day. Maybe people thought that I didn't have it in me anymore but I kept the faith."

Romania's Marian Oprea claimed silver with Tamgho, following an erratic and inconsistent set of jumps taking bronze with a best jump of 17.45m.

Now only one medal eludes the Brit to complete the Grand Slam of major championships gold’s and that goal will have to wait until the summer of 2012 when Idowu hopes to wow the home crowd in the London Olympic Stadium. Before then there is the defence of his world title in Daegu, South Korea, next year.

Great Britain’s Martyn Bernard produced the best championship performance of his career to win high jump bronze after clearing a season’s best of 2.29 metres in a competition badly affected by heavy rain during the early rounds leaving large puddles on the infield.

Bernard, the 25-year-old Commonwealth silver medallist having returned to sport following ankle surgery last year had to live on his nerves following two early failures at 2.23m before he clearing the height with his third and final attempt, however, he cleared 2.29m on with his first jump.

Compatriot Tom Parsons suffered with the very heavy rain-soaked conditions and went out of the competition with three failures at the opening height of 2.19m.

The Russian duo of Ivan Ukhov and Aleksander Shustov battled out for the gold and silver positions as Shustov claimed the title clearing 2.33m.

European 10,000m gold medallist Mo Farah eased through qualification for the men’s 5,000m final as he remains on course for the elusive championship double in Barcelona following another impressive performance.

Farah never really had to move into top gear qualifying full of confidence after his victory on Tuesday as the 27-year-old clocked 13:38.37 with a sprint finish over the line ahead of Spain’s defending champion Jesus España.

Fellow Brit and silver medallist in the 10,000m, Chris Thompson, finished fourth in the opening heat that was held in torrential rain in the Olympic Stadium with a time of 13:35.68 to also qualify as former Ethiopian Hayle Ibrahimov, now representing Azerbaijan prevailed in 13.32.98.

Dai Greene, ranked number one in Europe over 400m hurdles won his semi-final despite the difficult wet conditions crossing the line in a time of 49.49secs.

Welsh compatriot and European bronze medallist in Gothenburg 2006, Rhys Williams, claimed victory in the second semi-final in a time of 49.61, however, Loughborough University student Nathan Woodward narrowly missed out on making it three British athletes through to the final finishing fourth in the opening heat in 50.51.

Liverpool Harrier Michael Rimmer looked like a firm gold medal contender in the men’s 800m winning his semi-final in 1:47.67 in the race which included the reigning United Kingdom champion having to dodge a TV camera technician leaning onto the track in front of the oncoming runners.

Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm reached the final of the 200m. Devonish set a season’s best of 20.55 as Welshman Malcolm clocked 20.58 in the second semi-final to finish behind the 100m champion Christophe Lemaitre looks chasing the sprint double with the fastest qualifying time of 20.39 with a powerful sprint.

Laura Turner ranked second in Europe failed to progress to the women’s 100m final, clocking 11.41 to finish fifth in the semi-finals as Germany's Verena Sailer claimed gold in the final with a time of 11.10 ahead of the French duo of Veronique Mang and Myriam Soumare.

Linda Stahl of Germany set a personal best throw of 66.81m to win the women's javelin leading a German 1-2 as Olympic bronze medalist Christina Obergfoll threw 65.58. Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic won bronze with her best effort of 65.36.

Romain Barras claimed France's second gold of the championships by securing the decathlon title ahead of the Netherlands' Eelco Sintnicolaas.

Barras had a five-point lead going into the final event, the 1500m, and won the decathlon with a total of 8,453 points, 17 ahead of Sintnicolaas, whilst, Belarussian Andrei Krauchanka was third.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Phillips Idowu wins triple jump gold for Great Britain.

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Thursday 29th July 2010 – Day 3 Morning Session

GREAT Britain’s Andy Turner, a bronze medallist four-years ago in Gothenburg, impressed in the 110m hurdles qualifying heats at the 20th European Athletics Championships in Barcelona progressing to the next round by winning the opening heat in 13.48secs, the second quickest qualifying time as the powerfully built Hungarian Daniel Kiss clocked 13.44 in the final heat.

Defending champion Stanislav Olijar of Latvia false-started and was disqualified in Turner's heat.

"I felt a little bit scared when I saw the red marker next to my name," Turner said. "I'd reacted off Olijar, he'd false started and then I went, but it's been known to disqualify two people. But luckily I maintained my composure and just did what I had to do. It was a comfortable run, not flat out. I actually ran 13.30sec in Lausanne from lane eight when the guy in lane seven was disqualified so I thought it might be a good omen.

"I feel good, my achilles problems have cleared up now, I've had a full whack of training in the last few weeks and training has been going well. I feel so relaxed and refreshed and raring to go."

Compatriot Will Sharman, the fourth place finisher in the Berlin World Championship final last year edged though to the semi-finals as a fastest loser with a time of 13.60.

All three of Great Britain's competitors in the 200m also advanced to the semi-finals with Christian Malcolm and Marlon Devonish winning their heats in 20.63secs and 20.68 respectively, whilst, Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun was third in his heat in 20.93.

Once again the crowd inside the 1992 Olympic Stadium was very sparse in what has been a disappointingly poorly attended European Championships, an event that seems to lack the pulling power and kudos of a major global championships or the high profile glamorous Samsung Diamond League.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Wednesday 28th July 2010 – Day 2 Evening Session

FRANCE’s Christophe Lemaitre stormed through the field to win gold over 100m at the 20th European Athletics Championships in Barcelona as Great Britain’s Mark Lewis-Francis claimed a surprise silver medal following a blanket finish as four athletes clocked the same time.

The impressive Lemaitre won in a time of 10.11secs with Lewis-Francis watched by coach Linford Christie in the same stadium where 18-years previous he won the Olympic title, edged second place in 10.18 following a photo for the silver as one of the favourites, former champion Dwain Chambers, missed out on a medal.

The photo-finish handed France the bronze in the shape of Martial Mbandjock, with defending champion Francis Obikwelu of Portugal fourth and Chambers fifth.

For Lewis-Francis this was a return to top flight athletes in a checked career that has seen the Birchfield Harrier enjoy the highs and lows of the sport having anchored the Great Britain 4x100m relay team to gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and subsequently struggled with injuries and missed the whole of 2008 with a torn Achilles tendon.

Lewis-Francis commented: "I came here on a lucky star and I was told I would not even make the final, but I've come here and I've got silver and for all the knocks and the setbacks I've taken, this makes it all worthwhile, this is the start of the rebuilding of Mark Lewis-Francis.

"I can't say how much of an honour it is to be coached by Linford (Christie). He has been an inspiration for me since I was a kid and he has motivated me in every race at these championships."

Earlier in the evening semi-final heats Chambers and Lemaitre comfortably won their respective heats in 10.10 and 10.07.

Lewis-Francis qualified through as a fastest loser in the opening heat clocking 10.21 to equal his season's best finishing third, whilst, Loughborough University student James Dasaolu could only secure third place in 10.31 in the last of the three semi-finals to narrowly miss out on a place in the final by a margin of 0.8secs.

United Kingdom champion Martyn Rooney, the hot favourite for gold pre-championships was upstaged by training partner David Gillick and British compatriot Michael Bingham in the men’s 400m semi-finals as the 23-year-old Loughborough-based athlete could only qualify as a fastest loser following his third place finish in the opening heat dominated by Europe’s number one this season, Belgium’s impressive Jonathan Borlee.

Rooney, sixth in the 2008 Beijing Olympic final crossed the line in 45.00secs to finish third with world-leader Borlee surpassing his season's best to win in 44.71. The Gothenburg 2006 bronze medallist Leslie Djhone of France was second in 44.87.

In the third heat Ireland's two-time European indoor champion David Gillick won impressively in 44.79secs ahead of Britain's US-based Michael Bingham, runner-up in 44.88, as both qualified automatically.

Great Britain’s third competitor in the semi’s Conrad Williams faded in his heat to cross the line in sixth place with a disappointing 46.60.

In the women’s 400m heats Scotland’s Lee McConnell, Great Britain’s only competitor over the individual one-lap event in the absence of Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, finished fourth in her heat in 53.15secs and failed to progress.

European Under-23 champion Perri Shakes-Drayton set a new personal best to qualify through to the women’s 400m hurdles final as the 21-year-old Londoner finished third in her semi-final heat in 54.73secs.

Compatriot Eilidh Child, the new Scottish national record-holder who claimed silver in the under-23 championships behind Shakes-Drayton also progressed to the final as a fastest loser with a time of 55.27.

The three British athletes in the men’s 1500m Andy Baddeley, Colin McCourt and Tom Lancashire all progressed to the final following high quality performances.

Baddeley, the reigning United Kingdom champion will be looking to improve on his sixth place at the 2006 Europeans and gain a podium place in Barcelona will now go into the final as one of the firm favourites for gold following his impressive victory in the first of the semi-final heats with a time of 3:41.46.

Colin McCourt, winner over the distance at the European Team Championships in Bergen, Norway, last month qualified for his first major championship final finishing fourth in 3:41.77.

In the second semi-final Tom Lancashire was equally impressive as the 25-year-old former national champion cruised through crossing the line in 3:41.68 in third place.

Elvan Abeylegesse won gold in the women's 10,000m as the 27-year-old Ethiopian now representing Turkey made her move at the halfway mark and pulled clear to dominate the race claiming gold in a time of 31mins 10.23secs.

Defending champion Inga Abitova of Russia had to settle for silver with Portugal's Greta North Run champion Jessica Augusto taking bronze.

Sandra Perkovic claimed Croatia's first gold of the competition with a fine victory in the women’s discus following a dramatic final throw of 64.67 metres as the 20-year-old European junior champion claimed her first senior title at a major championship. Romania's Nicoleta Grasu took the silver medal with a throw of 63.48 as Poland's Joanna Wisniewska won bronze with a season's best of 62.37.

Ineta Radevica of Latvia beat Naide Gomes of Portugal on countback to win the women's long jump title with both athletes leaping 6.92m with a strong tail wind but the Latvian won her first major gold because of a longer second jump. Russian Olga Kucherenko jumped 6.84 to take bronze.

Slovakia's Libor Charfreitag won the men's hammer title with a throw of 80.02m as Italy's Nicola Vizzoni won silver with 79.12, his final-round effort taking him 6cm ahead of bronze medallist Krisztian Pars of Hungary.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Mark Lewis-Francis wins silver for Great Britain over 100m.

Wednesday 28th July 2010

AUSTRALIA’s Craig Mottram returned to form and fitness to set a British Milers record over 3,000m at the Woodside Stadium in Watford.

The 30-year-old from Frankston, Victoria, a world 5,000m bronze medallist in Helsinki 2005, suffered a succession of injuries in 2009 only returning to racing in the latter part of the year at the Chiba Ekiden Relay in Japan.

Mottram clocked the new BMC record with a time of 7mins 51.90secs to take an impressive win lowering the mark held by the tall Australian by a margin of half a second in a high quality race that witnessed the top four men go under the eight-minute barrier.

Mottram's lifetime best stands at 7:32.19 set in Athens back in 2006, a mark which is also an Oceanic record.

Mottram led for virtually all of the race as Moumin Geele (Newham & Essex Beagles), training partner of the new European 10,000m champion Mo Farah finished runner-up in 7:51.95 with Loughborough University graduate Ryan McLeod (Tipton Harriers) continuing his fine run of recent form with a massive lifetime best of 7:52.99 securing third.

In the men’s 800m ‘A’ race Joe Thomas (Cardiff) clocked a season’s best of 1:47.07 edging victory ahead of Andrew Osagie (Harlow), second in 1:47.18, with fellow Welshman and clubmate James Thie (Cardiff), third in 1:50.44.

Former British international Karen Harewood (Corby), who suffered a terrible career-threatening injury when breaking her leg at the 2007 European Indoor Championships in Birmingham, produced a solid performance to win the women’s 800m in 2:05.55.

Stephen Davies (Belgrave) won the men’s 1500m ‘A’ race with an impressive 3:47.41, whilst, English schools champion Jessica Judd (Chelmsford) prevailed in the women’s race with a new lifetime best of 4:17.44 to move to second on the UK U17 rankings for this year, 6th on the all time age-group list. 


Report by Mark Woolley.

Full video highlights are available at: www.athleticos.org/

Full Results:
Men 800m A
1 01:47.07 Joe Thomas Cardiff / UWIC
2 01:47.18 Andrew Osagie Harlow Ac / St. Mary's Uni
3 01:50.44 James Thie Cardiff
4 01:50.70 Zac Randall Wycombe / Ealing Southall & Midd
5 01:51.15 Martin Mashford Aldershot Farnham & District
6 01:51.22 Ben Green Warrington / Loughborough Uni
7 01:51.62 Paul Goodall City Of Norwich / Loughborough Un
8 01:51.81 Nick McCormick Morpeth / Loughborough Uni
9 01:52.02 Rick Ward City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
10 01:52.23 Oliver Heeks Orion / Portsmouth Uni
Men 800m B
1 01:51.43 Nick Duggan Crawley
2 01:51.85 Marcus Bridger-wilkinson Newbury
3 01:51.89 Jonathan Hay Aldershot Farnham & District
4 01:53.03 Panu Jantunen Finland
5 01:53.20 Nico Constanti Gloucester / UWIC
6 01:53.60 Andrew De-camps Gloucester / Swansea Uni
7 01:53.96 Chad Lambert Marshall Milton Keynes
8 01:54.25 Robert Heaney Bedford & County / Brunel Uni
9 01:54.28 Aaron Bennett Southampton
Women 800m A
1 02:05.55 Karen Harewood Corby
2 02:08.25 Shelanya Oskan Shaftsbury Barnet
3 02:08.90 Lara Nicod Australia
4 02:09.42 Emily Moss Peterborough / Royal Holloway Uni
5 02:09.66 Molly Renfer Kingston & Poly
6 02:09.72 Hayley Beard Stevenage & North Herts / Birming
7 02:09.86 Jenny Beckingham Southampton
8 02:10.74 Gemma Kersey Basildon
Women 800m B
1 02:11.41 Melanie Wood Marshall Milton Keynes
2 02:12.73 Maddy Austin Guildford & Godalming
3 02:13.17 Suzi Boast Bedford & County
4 02:13.57 Unknown
5 02:13.76 Katy Bird Chichester
6 02:14.59 Hayley Beard Stevenage & North Herts / Birming
7 02:18.39 Rebecca Croft Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow
8 02:19.70 Chloe Crossman Guildford & Godalming
Men 1500m A
1 03:47.41 Stephen Davies Belgrave
2 03:47.53 John Mcdonnell Luton
3 03:48.31 Ryan Saunders Bournemouth
4 03:48.58 Ian Williamson Cambridge & Coleridge
5 03:48.77 Charlie Grice Phoenix Ac
6 03:48.94 Aniel Smith New Zealand
7 03:49.37 Gavin O'sullivan Raheny Shamrocks / Ireland
8 03:51.08 Kevin Moriarty Raheny Shamrocks / Ireland
9 03:52.23 Daniel Clorley Luton / Birmingham Uni / Team Bedfo
Men 1500m B
1 03:48.60 Adam Bitchell Cardiff / UWIC / West Wales
2 03:48.84 Emmett Dunleavy Sligo / Ireland
3 03:49.88 Alex Bruce-littlewood Blackheath & Bromley
4 03:50.47 Josh Gorecki Aldershot Farnham & District
5 03:50.69 Joonas Lehtinen Finland
6 03:50.77 Michael Mulhare North Laois / Ireland
7 03:50.78 Elliot Palmer Ipswich
8 03:50.99 Peter Bridger Luton / Lancaster Uni / Swansea
9 03:51.66 Mathew Ashton Aldershot Farnham & District
10 03:51.73 Luke Carroll Cheltenham
11 03:53.57 Chris Discombe Les Croupiers / Cardiff
12 03:54.21 Ieuan Thomas Cardiff / UWIC
13 03:57.29 Alex Cornwell Woodford Green Essex Ladies
14 04:00.36 Ashley Harrell City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
Women 1500m A
1 04:17.44 Jessica Judd Chelmsford
2 04:20.87 Georgia Peel Aldershot Farnham & District
3 04:26.30 Carolyn Plateau Radley / Oxford Uni
4 04:26.73 Vicky Fouhy Chiltern
5 04:27.05 Naomi Taschimowitz Taunton
6 04:33.51 Adelle Tracey Guildford & Godalming
7 04:35.02 Emily Adams Aldershot Farnham & District
Men 3000m A
1 07:50.90 Craig Mottram Australia
2 07:51.95 Moumin Geele Newham
3 07:52.99 Ryan Mcleod Tipton
4 07:55.45 Andy Vernon Aldershot Farnham & District
5 08:01.67 Ricky Stevenson New Marske
6 08:03.93 Neilson Hall Bedford & County / Herts Phoenix
7 08:04.28 Dan Mulhare Inverclyde
8 08:14.57 Samater Farah
9 08:17.75 Steve Sharp Belgrave
10 08:21.04 Jonathan Thewlis Rotherham
11 08:24.31 Jermaine Mays Kent
12 08:24.80 Richard Franzese Gloucester
13 08:26.07 Paolo Natali Italy
14 08:27.77 Shaun Collins Enfield And Haringey
15 08:31.80 Liam White Hercules Wimbledon
16 08:33.48 Neil Gamester Shaftesbury Barnet
17 08:35.57 Matt Blunden Notts
18 08:57.65 James Fairbourn Belgrave

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Wednesday 28th July 2010 – Day 2 Morning Session

GREAT Britain’s Hatti Dean defied searing temperatures nearing 30 degrees to qualify for the final of the 3,000m steeplechase as UK record-holder Kate Dennison also progressed to the women’s pole vault final on the second morning of competition at the 20th European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.

Hatti Dean qualified with ease for the final of the 3,000m steeplechase, but the athlete who holds the current UK record, Barbara Parker, disappointingly went out of her semi-final.

Dean defying the extremely hot conditions inside the Olympic Stadium took on the pace from the front with confidence in the opening semi-final heat crossing the line to eventually finish third in a time of 9:46.43, just 0.05 behind the winner Wioletta Frankiewicz of Poland.

Santa Monica-based Barbara Parker, ranked seventh in Europe this year, never really got into her stride and faded to 10th place clocking 10:20.99, finishing 45 seconds outside on her season's best.

Kate Dennison qualified through to the women’s pole vault final with a solid set of jumps as the British record-holder recorded first-time clearances at 4.15m, 4.25m and 4.35m.

Liverpool Harrier Michael Rimmer buoyed by the withdrawal of Russia’s former Olympic Champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy and Holland's Bram Som and wearing his trademark T-shirt despite the hot conditions qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 800m with ease, pulling clear in the home straight to win in a time of 1:49.99.

There was a remarkable second heat of the men's 800m where The Netherlands Robert Lathouwers impeded Ireland’s David McCarthy then subsequently went off the track across the infield through the long jump pit and back on the track around the top bend to once again disrupt the Irishman’s progress. Lathouwers who went on to win the race was then subsequently and rightfully disqualified as McCarthy qualified through as a fastest loser.

Great Britain’s Laura Turner, coached by the 1992 Barcelona Olympic 100m champion Linford Christie, qualified for the semi-finals of the women’s 100m as the 27-year-old currently ranked second on the European standings this year with season’s best of 11.11secs finished in second place in the fourth and final heat in 11.45 behind Russian Anna Gurova (11.42).

In the final track action of the morning session Welshman Dai Greene, the gold medal favourite and Europe's number one over the 400m hurdles this season, progressed through to the semi-finals with a winning time of 50.11secs in the opening heat.

Compatriots Rhys Williams, the European bronze medal winner in Gothenburg four years ago, and Loughborough University student Nathan Woodward will join Greene in the semi-finals as Williams won his heat in 49.35 and Woodward qualified as a fastest loser following his third place in his heat clocking 50.45.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: www.sportresult.com/sports/la/ajax/eaa2.asp?event_id=10000100000118

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Great Britain's Laura Turner progresses in the heats of the women's 100m.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Great Britain's Nathan Woodward qualifies for the men's 400m hurdles semi-finals.