Sunday 24th May 2009

SOUTH African Oscar ‘Blade Runner’ Pistorius and Britain's David Weir both produced superb gold medal winning perfromances with victories at the 2009 BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester’s SportCity.

Pistorius showed he has recovered from a boating accident earlier this year with wins in the T44 100m and 400m, whilst, Wheelchair racer Weir found Marcel Hug too good in the T54 800m but recovered to take gold in the 1500m.

Pistorius came through to overtake American Jerome Singleton late on to win the 100m. American Singleton, who was second behind Pistorius in Beijing, again made a strong start but once the South African was into his stride, he quickly closed the gap and came through to triumph by a margin of .03 seconds in 11.13.

The triple Beijing gold medallist looked far more comfortable over the longer distance but even though his winning time of 50.28 seconds was a championship record, it was still well below his world record of 47.49.

Pistorius is still targeting qualification for this year's IAAF World Championships in Berlin but having missed a block of training, reaching the qualification time of 45.95 from his current personal best of 46.23 is a tough ask.

However, he will aim to reach the target starting in a series of European races in Barcelona next week.

“I’m super happy with the two gold medals,” Pistorius said. “The 100m was always going to be a tight race and it was always going to be a matter of catch up because Jerome Singleton is very fast in the first 30m.


“My time in the 400m was shocking – it was the worst time I’ve run in about three and a half years. But I know I wasn’t running hard so I know I can run a lot better.


“It’s always great running at Manchester in the BT Paralympic World Cup. It’s a world class meet with all the top athletes here competing.”

Britain's Ian Jones finished second to Pistorius in the 400m, setting a new personal best of 51.33 and also set a new PB of 11.49 in the 100m.

Double Beijing gold medallist Weir was also celebrating victory after a tactical 1500m, leading from start to finish in a time of 3:21.24, 0.16 seconds ahead of Switzerland's Hug with Thailand's Prawat Wahorum third. Hug had earlier dominated the 800m to win in 1:41.72 seconds with Weir clocking 1:42.06 for silver.

University of Bath student Ben Rushgrove made amends for his Paralympic disappointments by winning the T36 100m in a new championship record of 12.47 seconds.

Rushgrove went to Beijing with a broken foot and after winning silver in the 100m, he was forced to pull out of the 200m event with the problem and has been working hard to regain full fitness.

Other British gold medallists were Libby Clegg who won the women’s T12 100m in 12.78 (-0.6m/s) and Daniel West who won the F34/54-57 shot with a throw of 10.52m, which was converted into a winning score of 975 points, Clegg added bronze in the T12 200m, clocking 26.57 (-0.5m/s).

Michael Churm, Katrina Hart and Robin Womack took silver medals in the men's T37 100m, the women's T37 100m and the F54-57 shot put, respectively.

Blackpool’s wheelchair racer Shelly Woods and Sophie Hancock each won two bronze medals - in the T54 800m and 1500m, and in the F40 discus and F40 shot put, respectively.

However, 800m specialist Danny Crates, who missed out on the Paralympics with a calf injury, had to pull out of his race with a hamstring injury with 200m to go.
British Medallists:
Gold:
Dave Weir (T54 1500m), Ben Rushgrove (T36 100m), Libby Clegg (T12 100m), Danny West (F54-57 shot)
Silver:
Dave Weir (T54 800m), Michael Churm (T37 100m), Katrina Hart (T36/37 100m), Ian Jones (T44 400m), Richard Schabel (T32/51 club)
Bronze:
Shelly Woods (T54 800m and 1500m), Sophie Hancock (F40 shot and discus), Ian Jones (T44 100m), Kieran Murphy (T32/51 club), Robin Womack (F54-57 shot), Libby Clegg (T12 200m)

www.btparalympicworldcup.com/

Saturday 23rd May 2009

LEICESTER’s Eden Francis set a new lifetime best of 16.19m in the Shot competition at the Halle Festival Throws meeting in Germany, as the 20-year-old Birchfield Harrier increased her previous mark by a significant margin of seven centimeters to finish in fifth place overall as home athlete Nadine Kleinert claimed overall victory with a season’s best of 19.50m.

Francis's series contained three throws (55.43, 55.92 and 55.90) which exceeded the UKA qualifying standard of 55 metres for the 2009 European U23 Athletics Championship to be held in Kanus, Lithuaia.

In the Men’s Shot UK indoor champion Mark Edwards (Charnwood) claimed ninth place with a first round throw of 18.07m in the competition won by Canadian Dylan Armstrong with 20.68m.
Leading British Results:
Men

SP: 9 Mark Edwards (Charn) 18.07
DT 2: 4 Abdul Buhari (NEB) 56.87
DTU20M: 3 Curtis Griffith-Parker (Camb H, U20) 57.91

HTU20M: 5 Peter Smith (KuH, U20) 67.70
JT 2: 5 Mervyn Luckwell (Mil K) 75.42
Women
SPW: 7 Eden Francis (Bir/Leics Cor) 16.19
DTW 1: 11 Emma Carpenter (Sale) 50.56. 2: 2 Eden Francis (Bir/Leics Cor) 55.92. 3: 4 Shaunagh Brown (B&B, U20) 45.16
HTW 1: 11 Zoe Derham (Bir) 66.74. 2: 3 Sophie Hitchon (B'burn U20) 60.59

Full results are available on the following link: www.leichtathletik.de/results/1767_halle_werfertage_23240509.htm

Saturday 23rd May 2009

EUROPEAN and Commonwealth 110 metres hurdles bronze medallist Andy Turner continued his impressive start to the season with victory at the Flynth Recordwedstrijden meeting in the town of Hoorn, Netherlands, on Saturday 23rd May.

Loughborough Alumni, Turner, (28) claimed victory on the track of the Spar Baancircuit in a time of 13.42 seconds running into a headwind, the Sale Harrier maintained his status as Europe's top high hurdler by defeating the host nation's Greg Sedoc, winner of the European Indoor 60m hurdles silver medal in Turin back in March.

Full results are available on the following link: www.athleticsonline.info/live.php

Saturday 23rd May 2009

WORLD and Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu was beaten over 200 metres by Debbie Ferguson at the Meeting Mohammed VI d' Athlétisme in Rabat, Morocco.

Having finished behind the Bahamian at the Manchester 150m street sprint where she set a UK best of 17.10 seconds the previous weekend, Ohuruogu clocked a time of 23.20secs to finish runner-up to the former Commonwealth Games champion.

Jenny Meadows won the 800m in a time of 2:01.78 up-against a strong field, including Kenya's Olympic champion and Golden League jackpot winner Pamela Jelimo.

In the 1500m top juniors Steph Twell and Emma Pallent finished 7th and 9th respectively with times of 4:09.35 and 4:09.96.

The 2006 World junior 100m champion, Loughborough student Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, clocked 10.51 to finish fifth. Compatriot and reigning World University Games champion Simeon Williamson failed to finish after his blocks slipped at the start.
Leading British Results:
Men
100 (-0.7): 5 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Sutt/Lough) 10.51
200 (0.2): 8 Simeon Williamson (High) 21.73
Women

200 (0.6): 2 Christine Ohuruogu (NEB) 23.27; 5 Donna Fraser (Croy, V35) 23.88; 7 Montell Douglas (B&B) 24.38; 8 Anyika Onuora (Liv H) 24.55
800: 1 Jenny Meadows (Wig D) 2:01.78
1500: 7 Stephanie Twell (AFD) 4:09.35; 9 Emma Pallant (AFD) 4:09.96


Full results are available on the following link: www.mohammedviathleticsmeeting.com/programme_resultats.asp

McCain Loughborough International Athletics Meeting

Paula Radcliffe Track

Loughborough University

Sunday 17th May 2009

JESSICA ENNIS continued her excellent return to form and fitness by setting a new lifetime best of in the 100m Hurdles to highlight a rain and wind affected McCain Loughborough International Athletics meeting - the traditional curtain raiser to the outdoor season in the United Kingdom.

The 23-year-old Sheffield athlete continued her successful comeback following the stress fracture that prevented her competing at last summers Beijing Olympics, having completed her first Heptathlon in almost a year at the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge in Italy the previous weekend, setting a new points personal best of 6587, Ennis was appearing at Loughborough as a guest competitor.

With the windy and rain swept conditions playing apart in proceedings at the newly refurbished Paula Radcliffe track that has now been expanded to eight lanes, Ennis shaved 0.04 seconds off her 100m Hurdles best taking victory in a time of 12.93secs into a legal 2.0m/s wind.

Ennis reflecting on her performance commented: “I really enjoy the hurdles, and always get up for it. I’d have preferred to have done the hurdles before the long jump as that’s the order I’m used to, but it worked out well today, I’m so pleased and I’m surprised to have run a PB in those conditions.”

This fine performance for Ennis followed her below par effort in the Long Jump where she finished second with 6.07m as Phyllis Agbo won the competition with a new personal best of 6.41m.

Other highlights of the meting included British record-holder Goldie Sayers duly won the women’s Javelin with an opening throw of 59.77m to take maximum points for the Loughborough students. Mervyn Luckwell won the men’s competition for England with 79.75m.

On the track two of coach George Gandy’s squad went head-to-head with Scotland’s Laura Kenney gaining a fine victory over the Commonwealth 1500m champion Lisa Dobriskey in the 3,000m winning with time of 9mins 04.43secs. Andy Vernon won the men’s 3,000m with an impressive victory ahead of Jonny Mellor in a time of 7:57.06.

Scotland's Elidh Child set a new personal best as sprinted to 400m Hurdles victory in 56.27secs ahead of nearest rival, Loughborough’s Justine Kinney.

In the sprints Craig Pickering won the men’s invitation 150m race in 15.42, whilst, Canadian international Seyi Smith representing Loughborough won the 100m match race to add to the BUCS gold he won in Bedford, as Alex Nelson prevailed in the invitational race, both athletes recording 10.04secs.

William Sharman representing Loughborough clocked 13.72secs to win the Men's 110m Hurdles.

Emily Diamond secured her place at the European Junior Championships this July with a superb victory in the 100m clocking 11.7secs - inside the 11.80 secs qualification time, and setting a new personal best in just her second outdoor appearance of the season.

Great Britain junior Ashlee Nelson, the 2008 world junior 100m silver medallist, claimed a fine 200m victory in 23.82secs as Scotland’s Claire Gibson also took a well-deserved victory in the 800m with a time of 2.02.95 ahead of England’s Tara Bird, Damien Moss prevailed in the Men’s 800m in 1:49.76.

Dai Greene competing for Wales won the 400m Hurdles in 50.23, as Rhys Williams representing Loughborough making a fine return to the sport following injury in only his second race in over three years finished second in 50.49.

Over the flat 400m Vicky Griffith representing England claimed victory in 53.8secs. The men’s 400m race was also claimed by England as Richard Buck won in 46.4, ahead of Team GB Junior international Jordan McGrath with 47.0.

The invitation 400m race marked a solid run for fellow Team GB junior Chris Clarke with 47.6 to win ahead of Welshman Matt Elias.

England's Zoe Derham was just 0.9m short of her personal best with a throw of 67.73m, as she eased to victory in the Hammer throw as Sophie Hitchon representing Loughborough improved her own UK junior hammer record to 62.96m to claim fourth place.

Luke Cutts despite the windy conditions set a lifetime best of 5.55m to win the Pole Vault competition as Steph Pywell won the High Jump with a mark of 1.82m. Kieren Kelly and Rebecca Peake won the shot competitions with throws of 18.72 and 15.91 respectively.

In the relays England dominated, winning the men’s 4x100m, men’s 4x400m, and women’s 4x400m as the GB students won the women’s 4x100m, just ahead of the GB junior squad.
Match Result:
1 England 187.5pts, 2 Loughborough Students Past & Present 151pts, 3 Great Britain Juniors 129.5pts, 4 British Universities 122pts, 5 Scotland 114pts, 6 Wales 73pts
Leading Results:
Men

100 (1.7): 1 Seyi Smith (Sale) 10.4; 2 Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun (Kent) 10.4; 3 Nick Smith (SB) 10.5; 4 Andrew Robertson (Sale, U20) 10.6; 5 Tom Martin (Sale) 10.7. h1 (1.6): 1 Alex Nelson (Sale) 10.4; 2 Wade Bennett-Jackson (Belg) 10.5; 3 Richard Kilty (Gate) 10.5; 4 James Alaka (B&B) 10.5; 5 Ryan Scott (Yate) 10.6; 6 Deji Tobais (WSEH, U20) 10.6; 7 Jordan Huggins (E&H, U20) 10.8. h2: 1 Luke Fagan (E&H) 10.6; 2 Ryan Oswald (Sale) 10.8; 3 Jeffrey Ocrah (Herne H) 10.8. h3 (2.0): 1 Antonio Infantino (SB, U20) 10.8; 2 Gary Carr (Ashf) 10.8; 3 Tremayne Gilling (Sutt, U20) 10.8; 4 Harvey Byrne (NEB, U20) 10.9. 

200 (0.1): 1 Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun (Kent) 20.95; 2 Seyi Smith (Sale) 21.00; 3 James Alaka (B&B) 21.52; 4 Luke Fagan (E&H) 21.68; 5 Junior Ejehu (WG&EL, U20) 21.92; 6 Stuart Benson (SB) 22.00; 7 Tom Knight (Card, U20) 22.39. h1 (0.9): 1 Toby Sandeman (TVH) 20.98; 2 David Gillick (DSD) 21.41; 3 Robert Tobin (BMH) 21.43; 4 Rabah Yousif (NEB) 21.63; 5 Sebastian Tully-Middleton (Bir, U20) 21.69. h2 (0.3): 1 Richard Kilty (Gate) 21.25; 2 Danny Talbot (Bir, U20) 22.08. 

400: 1 Richard Buck (York) 46.4; 2 Jordan McGrath (Bir, U20) 47.0; 3 Graham Hedman (WG&EL) 47.2; 4 Richard Davenport (Glouc) 47.8; 5 Rhys Smith (Leeds C) 47.9; 6 Patrick Swan (Edin) 48.2; 7 Glyn Hawkes (Has B) 48.7. h1: 1 Chris Clarke (Mil K, U20) 47.6; 2 Matt Elias (Card) 48.0; 3 Jonathan Browne (Kent) 48.4; 4 Mark Berridge (BMH) 48.8; 5 Markus Hunt (Chelm, U20) 48.9; 8 Michael Warner (Notts, U20) 49.5. h2: 1 Luke Lennon-Ford (Bir) 48.3; 2 Adam Daish (Herts P) 48.4; 3 Dwayne Lewis (Bir) 48.5. 

800: 1 Damien Moss (R&N) 1:49.76; 2 Ed Aston (C&C) 1:49.99; 3 Graeme Oudney (Belg) 1:50.38; 4 Robbie Schofield (NEB, U20) 1:50.57; 5 Joseph Maynard (Card) 1:50.81; 6 Richard Hill (Notts) 1:50.99; 7 Kieran Flannery (Gate) 1:51.19; 8 Paul Bradshaw (B'burn) 1:51.36. h1: 1 Niall Brooks (Sale, U20) 1:51.08. h2: 1 Rory Graham-Watson (WSEH, U20) 1:51.83; 2 Adam Cotton (Bir, U20) 1:52.50; 4 Tom Smith (KuH, U20) 1:54.25; 5 James Senior (Norw, U20) 1:55.52. 

1500: 1 Jonathan Taylor (Morp) 3:45.21; 2 Ross Murray (Gate, U20) 3:46.21; 3 Jermaine Mays (Kent) 3:46.82; 4 Matthew Bowser (Linc W) 3:47.93; 5 Gary Bradbury (Woking) 3:48.59; 6 Nick Samuels (Sale) 3:49.44; 7 Frank Baddick (NEB) 3:49.91; 9 Simon Horsfield (E Ches, U20) 3:53.14. h1: 7 Chris O'Hare (Edin, U20) 3:56.79. 

3000: 1 Andy Vernon (AFD) 7:57.06; 2 Jonathan mellor (Liv) 8:09.53; 3 Mitch Goose (Nor) 8:19.82; 4 Chris Parr (Gates) 8:20.15; 5 Alastair Hay (Cen) 8:21.25; 6 Ronnie Sparke (Wood) 8:21.46; 7 Daniel Clorley (Lut) 8:21.96; 8 Paul Hutton (Gos) 8:22.80; 9 Steve Sharp (Bel) 8:23.78; 10 Phil Tulba (Bas) 8:24.67; 11 John Hutchins (Bas) 8:27.83; 12 Owian Matthews (Bed) 8:32.26; 13 James Poole (Bla) 8:34.49; 14 Nick Goolab (Bel) 8:37.81; 15 Tom Curr (Stroud, U17) 8:45.59; 16 Paul Thompson (Unatt) 8:48.26.
110H (0.5): 1 William Sharman (Belg) 13.72; 2 Callum Priestley (Bir) 13.87; 3 Chris Baillie (VPCG) 13.90; 4 Lawrence Clarke (WSEH, U20) 14.02; 5 Nick Gayle (Sale) 14.13; 6 Edirin Okoro (Bir) 14.43. h1 (1.4): 1 David Feeney (Amber) 14.37; 2 Daniel Davis () 14.51; 3 Charlie Kavanagh (Sheff) 14.57; 4 Suote Nyananyo (Bord H) 14.71; 5 Robert James (Bir) 14.77; 6 James McLean (S'end, U20) 15.67. 

110HU20M (2.5): 1 Lawrence Clarke (WSEH, U20) 13.66; 2 Calum Innes (VPCG, U20) 14.22; 3 James McLean (S'end, U20) 14.29; 4 Emmanuel Okpokiri (NEB, U20) 14.44; 5 Matthew Walcott (Herne H, U20) 14.46; 6 Ashley Wilson (VP&TH, U20) 14.78. 

400H: 1 David Greene (Swan) 50.23; 2 Rhys Williams (Card) 50.49; 3 Dale Garland (Bir) 51.32; 4 Ben Sumner (E&H) 51.80; 5 Francis Smith (WG&EL) 52.96; 6 Niall Flannery (Gate, U20) 53.21; 7 Darren Lewis (W&B) 54.91. h1: 1 Lloyd Gumbs (SB) 51.21; 2 Andy Blow (BMH) 51.70; 3 Jack Green (Kent, U20) 51.72; 4 David Martin (VPCG) 52.18; 5 Tom Carey (SB) 52.35; 6 Mike Baker (M&M, U20) 52.47; 7 Tom Burton (Tam) 53.15. h2: 1 Ed Harrison (B&B) 52.92; 2 Zak Saucede (E&H) 53.91; 3 David Green (NEB) 54.60; 4 Jonny Lodowski (E&H) 54.98; 5 Alex Cooke (Traff, U20) 55.53. h3: 1 Adam Rogers (Sale) 54.66; 2 Tom Grantham (Sheff) 54.68; 3 Mark Draper (Liv H) 55.30; 4 Matthew Threadgold (Belg, U20) 56.39; 6 Gareth Morris (Ashf, U20) 56.61. 

3000SC: 1 Conor McNulty (Kilb) 9:05.75; 2 James Wilkinson (Leeds C, U20) 9:09.82; 3 Adam Peers (Liv H) 9:14.06; 4 Tom Wade (AFD) 9:24.83; 5 Edward Womersley (Stroud) 9:40.01. 

HJ: 1 Robbie Grabarz (Bed C) 2.15; 2 Martin Lloyd (Bexley) 2.11; 3 Rob Mitchell (Sale) 2.06; 4= Scott Johnson (Bed C, U20) 1.96; 4= Matthew Owens (Liv H) 1.96; 4= Sam Bailey (Chelm, U20) 1.96; 4= Alan Mckie (WSEH) 1.96. 

PV: 1 Luke Cutts (Dearn H) 5.55; 2 Joe Ive (Sutt) 4.95; 3 Andrew Sutcliffe (Sale, U20) 4.80; 4 Egryn Jones (WSEH, V35) 4.65; 5 Rhys Searles (Dearn H, U20) 4.50; 6 Michael Holden (Col H) 4.50; 7 Robert Warensjo (Swin, U20) 4.50.
LJ: 1 Leigh Smith (Bir) 7.33/0.6; 2 Steven Small (Sale) 7.11/0.6; 3 Louis Evling-Jones (Belg) 7.02/0.4; 4 Anthony Timms (Leeds C) 7.00/1.6; 5 David Guest (B'end, U20) 6.98/0.2; 6 David Martin (CI) 6.98/-0.2; 7 Dwyte Smith (Ashf, U20) 6.74/1.0. 

TJ: 1 John Carr (SB) 15.61/1.1; 2 Ben Williams (Stoke, U20) 15.47/1.4; 3 Navid Childs (Brec) 15.09/0.3; 4 Kola Adedoyin (Sutt, U20) 15.08/1.2; 5 Mike McKernan (Bir) 15.03/0.5; 6 Ade Babatunde (M'bro) 14.86/1.5; 7 Ricardo Twumasi (Kent) 14.04/0.8. 

SP: 1 Kieren Kelly (NEB) 18.72; 2 Curtis Griffith-Parker (Camb H, U20) 16.97; 3 Carl Fletcher (WG&EL) 16.88; 4 Rimantas Martisauskas (Sale) 16.86; 5 Emeka Udechuku (WG&EL) 16.72; 6 Jamie Stevenson (NEB) 16.63; 7 Ryan Spencer-Jones (Bir) 16.38; 8 Neil Elliott (Edin, V35) 15.22. 

DT: 1 Abdul Buhari (NEB) 58.02; 2 Emeka Udechuku (WG&EL) 57.68; 3 Curtis Griffith-Parker (Camb H, U20) 55.95; 4 Brett Morse (Card) 55.20; 5 Marcus Gouldbourne (Sale) 53.11; 6 Chris Scott (SB) 50.85; 7 Elliot Price (Bir) 46.43; 8 Neil Elliott (Edin, V35) 46.20. 

HT: 1 Matt Lambley (Sheff) 67.51; 2 Mike Floyd (Sale) 66.98; 3 Alex Smith (Sale) 66.80; 4 Mark Dry (Unknown) 66.33; 5 Peter Smith (KuH, U20) 66.13; 6 James Bedford (KuH) 62.30; 7 Matthew Richards (Belg) 55.32. 

JT: 1 Mervyn Luckwell (Mil K) 79.75; 2 Chris Hughff (NEB) 74.38; 3 James Campbell (Chelt) 73.28; 4 Matthew Hunt (KuH, U20) 71.90; 5 Daniel Pembroke (WSEH, U20) 71.45; 6 David Parker (SB) 67.99. 

Women

100 (1.2): 1 Emily Diamond (B&W, U20) 11.7; 2 Kadi-Ann Thomas (Mil K) 11.8; 3 Annabelle Lewis (KuH) 11.9; 4 Emma Bailey (R&N) 12.0; 5 Stacey Downie (Pit) 12.2. 

200 (1.1): 1 Ashlee Nelson (Stoke, U20) 23.82; 2 Kadi-Ann Thomas (Mil K) 23.83; 3 Helen Pryer (WSEH) 24.11; 4 Stacey Downie (Pit) 24.37; 5 Lucy Sargent (Hav M) 24.76. h1 (-0.2): 1 Jodie Williams (Herts P, U17) 23.50; 2 Emily Diamond (B&W, U20) 24.24; 3 Laura Wake (Herts P, U20) 24.86. 

800: 1 Claire Gibson (Kilb) 2:02.95; 2 Tara Bird (WG&EL) 2:03.71; 3 Danielle Christmas (Craw) 2:06.38; 4 Rowena Cole (Cov, U20) 2:06.42; 5 Karen Harewood (Corby) 2:08.01; 6 Ejiro Okoro (Bir, U20) 2:09.12; 7 Jade Williams (Rad, U17) 2:14.19. h1: 1 Hannah Brooks (Craw) 2:07.01; 2 Rebecca Sweeney (Sale) 2:07.45; 3 Jenny Tan (Fife, U20) 2:07.87; 4 Phillippa Aukett (SB) 2:08.88; 5 Leigh Lennon (NEB, U20) 2:08.91. 

1500: 1 Catherine Riley (Traff) 4:18.00; 2 Rose-Anne Galligan (AFD) 4:18.42; 3 Charlotte Best (Craw) 4:20.66; 4 Harriet Scott (Hav M) 4:22.69; 5 Stacey Smith (Gate, U20) 4:23.84; 6 Laura Weightman (Morp, U20) 4:26.69; 7 Rachel Felton (SB) 4:27.33; 8 Josephine Moultrie (VPCG, U20) 4:31.57. h1: 1 Jessica Judd (Thurr, U15) 4:26.96; 2 Abbey McGhee (VPCG, U20) 4:29.12; 3 Suzi Boast (Bed C, U20) 4:31.51; 4 Rebecca Craigie (Vale R, U20) 4:31.79; 5 Jordan Kinney (RSC, U20) 4:33.95. 

3000: 1 Laura Kenney (RSC) 9:04.43; 2 Lisa Dobriskey (Lough) 9:10.96; 3 Gemma Turtle (Shaft) 9:14.80; 4 Kate Avery (Shild) 9:15.2; 5 Susie Hignett (Bourne) 9:15.68; 6 Beth Potter (VPCG, U20) 9:15.76; 7 Linda Byrne (Dundrum) 9:21.00; 8 9:44.26; 8 Kerry Hartly (W,S,E); 9 Sonia Samuels (Sale) 9:31.12; 10 Ava Hutchinson (AFD) 9:35.76; 11 Sarah Maude (Charn) 9:40.46; 12 Lily Partridge (AFD, U20) 9:44.26; 13 Natasha Doel (AFD) 9:44.83; 14 Natalie Gray (Medway) 9:48.79; 15 Kirsty Milner (Traff) 10:02.66; 16 Jess Coulson (Stock H, U20) 10:13.95; 17 Katie Knowles (B&W, U20) 10:22.33.
100HW (2.0): 1 Jessica Ennis (Sheff) 12.93; 2 Zara Hohn (Wake) 13.46; 3 Heather Jones (Carm) 13.70; 4 Helen Asher (Liv H) 13.87; 5 Lauren Dewdney (Gate, U20) 13.95; 6 Stephanie Gaynor (Herts P, U20) 13.97; 7 Stephanie Walker (Pit) 15.04. h1 (3.0): 1 Phyllis Agbo (TVH) 13.62; 2 Louise Hazel (Bir) 13.83; 3 Grace Smith (Sale) 14.12; 4 Nicky Robinson (Nun) 14.13; 5 Joanna Eaton (Yate) 14.35; 6 Sandra Seaton (E&E, U20) 14.46; 7 Katey Read (Liv H) 14.83. 

400HW: 1 Eilidh Child (Pit) 56.27. 

3000SCW: 1 Tina Brown (Cov) 10:16.70; 2 Ruth Senior (Norw) 10:28.30; 3 Nicola Hood (VPCG, U20) 10:46.70; 4 Emma Raven (was Waterhouse) (CleS) 10:54.80; 5 Laura Parker (Wells, U20) 11:02.20. 

HJ: 1 Stephanie Pywell (Sale) 1.82; 2 Jill Drouin (SB) 1.78; 3= Katarina Thompson (Liv H, U17) 1.73; 3= Vikki Hubbard (Gran) 1.73; 5 Adele Lassu (Sale) 1.68; 6 Jayne Nisbet (Edin) 1.68. 

LJ: 1 Phyllis Agbo (TVH) 6.41/1.4; 2 Jessica Ennis (Sheff) 6.07/1.1; 3 Kim Murray (WG&EL) 5.90/1.7; 4 Abigail Irozuru (Sale, U20) 5.67/0.7; 5 Rhiannon Yates (Newp, U20) 5.58/0.6. 

TJ: 1 Nadia Williams (SB) 13.33/1.7; 2 Claire Linskill (N Dev) 12.75/0.9; 3 Laura Samuel (Leic C, U20) 12.63/1.4; 4 Denae Matthew (Bir) 12.48/0.6; 5 Sara Barry (Card) 12.36/1.2. 

SPW: 1 Rebecca Peake (Sale) 15.91; 2 Alison Rodger (Sale) 15.62; 3 Amy Hill (Sheff) 14.82; 4 Rachel Wallader (R&N) 14.79; 5 Eden Francis (Bir) 14.55; 6 Shaunagh Brown (B&B, U20) 14.32; 7 Tesni Ward (Sheff, U20) 13.12. 

DTW: 1 Emma Carpenter (Sale) 50.90; 2 Kirsty Law (SB) 47.07; 3 Shaunagh Brown (B&B, U20) 46.89; 4 Navdeep Dhaliwal (SB) 42.52; 5 Tesni Ward (Sheff, U20) 41.27; 6 Rachel Backhouse (Corby) 40.60. 

HTW: 1 Zoe Derham (Bir) 67.73; 2 Eileen O'Keefe (IRL, SEN-V35) 67.10; 3 Carys Parry (Rhon) 65.96; 4 Sophie Hitchon (B'burn, U20) 62.96; 5 Sarah Holt (Sale) 62.15; 6 Laura Douglas (Sale) 61.90; 7 Susan McKelvie (Edin) 59.81; 8 Katy Wilson (Birt) 46.11.

JTW: 1 Goldie Sayers (Belg) 59.77; 2 Christine Lawrence (B&B) 48.13; 3 Louise Watton (SB) 46.47; 4 Louise Hazel (Bir) 44.20; 5 Freya Jones (Team S, U17) 42.33.


Sunday 17th May 2009

USAIN ‘Lightning’ Bolt delivered a stunning 150 metres world best time of 14.35secs over a specially designed track set on the streets of Manchester as part of the BUPA Great City Games despite the wet conditions.

In front of the packed crowd assembled in Deansgate, the 22-year-old Jamaican, the multiple World record-holder and triple Olympic champion in his first competitive outing of the season, finished well ahead of Britain's Marlon Devonish, who clocked a distant 15.07.

Having in 2008 broken both the 100m and 200m records before anchoring Jamaica to the 4x100m relay title in Beijing, Bolt smashed the previous world's best of 14.80 set by Italian Pietro Mennea way back in 1983 by a significant margin of 0.40secs.

A delighted Bolt commented afterwards: "It's one more record to add to the tally isn't it?"

"It's my first major competition of the season so I was just happy to come out and run injury-free and run a good time.

"I am not in the best of shape, I still have a lot of work to do. I have been on and off in my training but I am getting there. I just want to put some hard work in."

In the Women’s race Debbie McKenzie Ferguson, of the Bahamas, won in a time of 16.54secs finishing ahead of Britain’s Olympic and world 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, who recorded 17.10.
Full Results:
Men
100 A (0.1): 1m Usain Bolt (JAM) 9.91; 2m Ivory Williams (USA, U15) 10.26; 3m Marlon Devonish (Cov) 10.27; 4m Rikki Fifton (VP&TH) 10.28. B (0.7): 1m Andy Turner (Sale) 10.32; 2m Leevan Yearwood (VP&TH) 10.41; 3m X Brown (JAM) 10.57; 4m M Forsythe (JAM) 10.59. h1 (-0.1): 1m Ivory Williams (USA, U15) 10.35; 2m M Forsythe (JAM) 10.54; 3m Andy Turner (Sale) 10.63; 4m Simeon Williamson (High) 10.78. h2 (-0.2): 1m Marlon Devonish (Cov) 10.41; 2m Rikki Fifton (VP&TH) 10.48; 3m Leevan Yearwood (VP&TH) 10.51; 4m X Brown (JAM) 10.81.
Women
100 A (0.5): 1m Debbie Ferguson-Mckenzie (BAH) 11.14; 2m Christine Ohuruogu (NEB) 11.56; 3m Shaunna Thompson (Sale, U20) 11.60; 4m Lee McConnell (SB) 11.67. B (0.1): 1m Anyika Onuora (Liv H) 11.75; 2m Montell Douglas (B&B) 11.85; 3m Donna Fraser (Croy, V35) 11.89; 4m Sarah Claxton (WG&EL) 12.03. h1 (0.1): 1m Debbie Ferguson-Mckenzie (BAH) 11.43; 2m Montell Douglas (B&B) 11.87; 3m Lee McConnell (SB) 11.90; 4m Donna Fraser (Croy, V35) 12.03. h2 (0.3): 1m Shaunna Thompson (Sale, U20) 11.73; 2m Christine Ohuruogu (NEB) 11.76; 3m Anyika Onuora (Liv H) 11.98.

Thursday 14th May 2009

LISA DOBRISKEY will make her long awaited return to the track as the headline act at the 2009 McCain Loughborough International meeting on Sunday (17th May) in her first competitive outing since finishing fourth in the final of the Beijing Olympic 1500m final last August.

Dobriskey, the 2006 Commonwealth 1500m gold medallist, will compete over the longer 3,000m distance as the 25-year-old returns to competitive action following a stress fracture injury to her lower back that was diagnosed at the start of the year.

This will be Dobriskey's first race on any surface since producing a storming finish to win the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Road Mile in New York following a thrilling victory ahead of American Shannon Rowberry in October.

Also returning to action in the 1500m is fellow Loughborough graduate Becky Lyne, this following an injury-hit 2008 outdoor season for the European 800m bronze medallist that witnessed the 26-year-old Sheffield athlete miss out on the Beijing Olympics.

Last year’s overall winners Loughborough University take on teams representing England, Scotland, Wales, GB U20 and British Students on the newly refurbished Paula Radcliffe track that has now been expanded to eight lanes.

Now in its 51st year the LIA is the unofficial opener to the outdoor athletics season in the United Kingdom and has witnessed many of Great Britain’s greatest-ever athletes grace the meeting since the competition began in 1958.
Competition Timetable:
11.00 M Hammer Match (F1)
11.30 W 400m Hur `A` Invitation (T 1a)
11.36 W 400m Hur `B` Invitation UKHC (T 1b)
11.42 W 400m Hurdles, Match (T 2)
11.48 W 100m Invitation `A` (T 3a)
11.50 W Pole Vault, Match (F2)
11.54 W 100m Invitation `B' (T 3b)
12.00 W Long Jump Match (F3)
12.00 M 400m Hur `A` Invitation UKHC (T 4a)
12.06 M 400m Hur `B` Invitation UKHC (T 4b)
12.12 M 400m Hur `C` Invitation UKHC (T 4c)
12.15 W Hammer Match (F4)
12.18 M 400m Hurdles, Match (T 5)
12.26 M 800m Invitation ‘A’ (T 6a)
12.30 M High Jump Match (F5)
12.32 M 800m Invitation `B` (T 6b)
12.38 M 100m Invitation `A`
12.44 M 100m Invitation `B`
12.45 W Shot Put Match
12.50 M 100m Invitation `C`
12.56 W 100m Match
13.02 M 100m Match
13.08 W 300m Invitation
13.14 M 300m Invitation
13.20 W 400m Invitation `A`
13.20 M Long Jump Match
13.25 W 400m Invitation `B`
13.25 M Discus Match
13.30 W 400m, Match
13.35 M 400m Invitation `A`
13.40 M 400m Invitation `B`
13.45 M 400m, Invitation `C`
13.50 M 400m, Match
13.50 M Pole Vault Match
13.56 W 3000m Steeplechase, Match
14.14 M 1500m Invitation
14.22 M 110m Hurdles `A Invitation UKHC
14.28 M 110m Hurdles, Match
14.30 M Javelin Match
14.45 M Triple Jump Match
14.35 M 150m, Invitation
14.40 M 1500m, Match
14.50 W 100m Hurdles, Match
14.56 W 100m Hurdles `A Invitation UKHC
15.02 W 100m Hurdles `B’ Invitation UKHC
15.10 W 100m Hurdles `u18 Invitation
15.17 M 800m, Match
15.20 W High Jump Match
15.23 W 800m Match
15.28 W 200m Invitation ‘A’
15.33 W 200m Invitation ‘B’
15.45 W Discus Match
15.39 W 200m, Match
15.45 M 200m, Match
15.50 M 200m Invitation ‘A’
15.55 M 200m Invitation ‘B’
16.00 B Schools Relay, 5 x 80m
16.06 G Schools Relay, 5 x 80m
16.11 M 3000m Steeplechase, Match
16.24 W 800m Invitation
16.30 M Shot Put Match
16.32 W 3000m Match
16.47 M 110m Hurdles u18 Invitation UKHC
16.55 M 110m Hurdles u20 Invitation UKHC
17.00 W Javelin Match
17.02 W 1500m, Match
17.05 W Triple Jump Match
17.09 W 1500m Invitation
17.17 W 4 x 100m Relay, Match
17.23 M 4 x 100m Relay, Match
17.30 M 3000m Match
17.44 W 4 x 400m Relay, Match
17.52 M 4 x 400m Relay, Match

Tickets for this day-long event are £5 for adults and £3 for concessions and are available on the gate. Gates open at 10.30am with the first event from 11am.

Saturday 9th May 2009

SPRINT hurdler Andy Turner ran just 0.4 seconds short of his lifetime best as the Loughborough graduate finished third at the 2009 Qatar IAAF Athletic Super Grand Prix in Doha on Friday night (8th May).

In the event that will join the new IAAF Diamond League from next year, Turner, a European and Commonwealth bronze medallist in his outdoor season opening race clocked 13.31secs to finish third over the 110 metres Hurdles won by the Olympic bronze medallist David Oliver, who recorded 13.09 to defeat fellow American Antwon Hicks (13.24).

There was no surprise that 13 world-leading performances were recorded in what is regarded as the first major Grand Prix meeting of the 2009 season.

Marlon Devonish replicated Turner’s performance in the 100 metres the 32-year-old Coventry athlete finished strongly in 10.19secs as American Travis Padgett won in world-leading equal 10.00, as he powered to victory ahead of Jamaican and Olympic relay gold medallist Michael Frater (10.15).

The 2007 European indoor 400m champion Nicola Sanders reverted back to her main event over the one-lap distance having recently attempted the 800m in America, the 26-year-old Loughborough graduate up against a world class field in Doha finished 7th in 51.95secs as Allyson Felix recorded a classy victory for the elegant American in 50.75 ahead of Amantle Montsho representing Botswana with the Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams third given the same time of 51.08. 


World junior 1500m champion Steph Twell stepped up to the senior ranks to finish 9th with a time of 4:11.15 as Gelete Burka’s sprinted clear of the field in 4:06.67.

The other Brit in action Joice Maduaka was 7th in the 100m in 11.43secs, as Jamaica’s world leader Kerron Stewart, the Olympic silver medallist clocked 10.93 to defeat America’s Stephanie Durst (11.15). Jamaican Commonwealth Games champion Sheri-Ann Brooks finishing third in 11.20.

In other events Lopes-Schliep ran a superb second half race to over power a strong field in world-leading time to win the women’s 100m Hurdles, the Canadian ran a world-leading 12.52secs to defeat American Damu Cherry (12.72).

Abubaker Kaki of Sudan also clocked a world-leading time of 1:43.09 to win the men’s 800m race. Kenya’s Asbel Kipruto Kiprop followed him all the way home in 1:43.17.

The women’s High Jump witnessed Croatian Blanka Vlašic easing to victory with her season’s best height of 2.05m.

American Brittney Reese (6.99m) was also the world-leader after she defeated a stellar field to win the women’s Long Jump.

France’s Julien Kapek won the men’s Triple Jump with a leap of 16.64m as he finished clear of Bahamian Olympic bronze medallist Leevan Sands (16.59).

American Reese Hoffa won the men’s Shot with another superb world-leading performance of 21.64m to beat Poland's Olympic champion, Tomascz Majewski (21.13).

Full results are available on the following link: www.iaaf.org/gp09/results/eventcode=4198/index.html

9th-10th May 2009

Saffron Lane Sports Centre, Leicester

FULL results for the 2009 Leicestershire & Rutland, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire County AAA Track & Field Championships are available on the results page.

www.athletics-leics.com/results.html

Saturday 25th April 2009

SARAH MAUDE completed a fine victory over 5,000m at the (BMC) British Milers Club regional races at Birmingham University.

A day after the England international celebrated her 29th birthday, the 2007 BUSA 10,000m champion representing Charnwood AC, finished clear of Birmingham University student Kathryn Bonham in a time of 16mins 44.5secs claiming victory by a huge margin of six minutes in the mixed race.

Richard Franzese continued his fine form over the distance having won at the Varsity match for Oxford University in New Haven, Connecticut against Harvard and Yale earlier in the month the 22-year-old claimed victory in the men’s race in a new lifetime best of 14:37.7. James McMullan of Thames Hare & Hounds was second in 14:50.0 with Loughborough graduate Ian Grime taking third in 14:57.7.

Over 10,000m Altrincham’s Dave Norman secured the win following a very close finish that witnessed the 30-year-old Sale Harrier take victory by just one second ahead of Newham’s Kevin Skinner in a time of 30:21.8 with Nathaniel Lane representing Cardiff third in 31:01.5 and the OWLS Mark Powell fourth in 31:30.1.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full Results:
5,000m (Mixed)
1 Richard Franzese SEN M Harrow/Oxford Uni 14.37.7
2 James McMullan SEN M Thames Hare & Hounds 14.50.0
3 Ian Grime V35 M Newham & Essex Beagles 14.57.7
4 Josh Guilmant SEN M Phoenix AC 15.05.7
5 Eddie McGinley SEN M Annadale 15.14.4
6 Sebastian Duffy SEN M Stroud/Birmingham Uni/ 15.19.2
7 Adam Clarke U20 M Hastings AC 15.20.1
8 Matthew Proctor U23 M Rochdale/Durham Uni 15.26.7
9 Damian Nevins SEN M Harrow 15.27.1
10 Peter Norris SEN M Harrow/Brighton Uni 15.52.9
11 Bryn Reynolds U23 M Herts Phoenix/Oxford Uni 15.59.9
12 Richard Mann U20 M Hillingdon 16.06.8
13 Andrew Kaar SEN M Solihull & Small Heath 16.15
14 Sarah Maude SEN W Charnwood/Lough Uni 16.44.5
15 Matthew Revier U23 M Hillingdon 16.57.8
16 Kathryn Bonham SEN F Birmingham Uni 22.21.9
17 Wendy Morant SEN F Birchfield 26.07
10,000m
1 Dave Norman SEN M Altrincham 30.20.3
2 Kevin Skinner SEN M Newham & Essex Beagles 30.21.8
3 Nathaniel Lane SEN M Cardiff 31.01.5
4 Mark Powell SEN M Owls Leicester 31.30.1

Monday 13th April 2009

BARBARA PARKER was in good early outdoor season form as the Beijing Olympic steeplechaser claimed a fine victory in the women’s 1500m at the Seminole Invitational meeting held at the Mike Long Track on the Florida State University campus in Tallahassee on Saturday 11th April.

The 26-year-old former Loughborough College student who is now based in the sunshine state clocked a time of 4mins 13.46secs to take victory ahead of American Keesha Danso (4:45.61) and Norway’s Susanne Klungtveit (4:45.96).

Highlight of the meeting was produced by the Beijing bronze medalist Walter Dix of the USA who clocked a world-leading time in the 100 metres in 10 seconds flat, this despite running into a 1.1 mile-per-hour headwind.

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

Wednesday 15th April 2009

GORDON LEE held his nerve and the advantage to edge out Mark Powell by just one second to claim the Leicestershire 10,000m county track championship title and prevent his former club mate from claiming a third straight crown at the Saffron Lane Sports Centre on Thursday 9th April.

In the mixed race that doubled as both the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire county championships which also this year incorporated the inaugural England Athletics East Midlands trophy, Gordon Lee, representing Leicester Coritanian AC was pushed all the way over the 25-lap battle by two-time defending champion Mark Powell (OWLS) as the 41-year-old crossed the line following a tight finish in a time of 31mins 22.2secs to regain the title he last won on the cinder track at Manor Road when defeating Gareth Deacon in 2005, this having finished runner-up to Powell in both of the past two years.

Powell had to settle for second place in 2009 as the 30-year-old prepares for next months Edinburgh Marathon in the Scottish capital, clocking a time of 31:23.3 as Rugby’s Stuart Nelson claimed third place (33:26.4) to retain the Northamptonshire county title.

Lee’s winning time was outside of his own personal best (30.26) and Jack Buckner’s excellent county record of 28:13.36 set in Brussels back in 1991.

In the Women’s race, run for the first time for over two-years due to no athletes contesting the event in 2008, Birstall’s Zoe Fleming completed a solo two-minute victory ahead of Leicester triathlete Nicola Roder clocking a winning time of 36:56.8.

The race this year had one of the biggest fields for many years due in part to Northamptonshire entering athletes as well and the event incorporating the East Midlands championships.

Running 10,000m on the track is a very specialised event, rarely run outside of championships ether at domestic level or on the high profile Grand Prix circuit - mainly due to time constraints and TV requirements - in a race that presents a very daunting prospect to many athletes having to run 25-laps on a track. This is especially prevalent with club runners who tend to prefer to compete over 10k on the road or over the country.

However, the 10,000m is an event where British athletes have excelled to great affect at international level over the past five decades - in the 1960’s the legendary Ron Clarke held the world record for a remarkable eight years winning the bronze medal at the 64’ Tokyo Olympics, Scotland’s Liz McColgan won the world title also in the same city in 1991, Paula Radcliffe triumphed in the Europeans on a memorable rain-soaked night in Munich 2002 and Elswick Harrier Mike McLoed collected a silver medal at the iconic Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

Fine achievements that may never be repeated by a European athlete in the near future as in the 21st century the Africans have totally dominated the event winning all of the global and Olympic titles on offer in both the men’s and women’s races led by the powerhouse nations of Ethiopia and Kenya.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full Results:
Men
1 Gordon Lee (Leicester Coritanian AC) 31.22.2; 2 Mark Powell (Owls AC) 31.23.3; 3 Stuart Nelson (Rugby & Northampton AC) 33.26.4; 4 Peter Swaine (Harborough AC) 33.47.9; 5 Neil Barnett (Wellingborough & District AC) 34.56.8; 6 Dave Battersby (Barrow Runners) 35.01.3; 7 William Clapp (Harborough AC) 35.15.0; 8 Rob Pullen (Owls AC) 35.51.4; 9 Carl Voisey (Birstall RC) 36.31.5; 10 Terry Egan (Rugby & Northampton AC) 38.07.03; 11 Joe O'Flynn (Huncote Harriers) 38.54.4; 12 Kieron Ford (Leicester Triathlon Club) 39.13.7; 13 Mike Bradford (Unatt) 39.36.9; 14 Andy Thomas (Leicester Triathlon Club) 42.44.7; 15 Dom Coleman (Wellingborough & District AC) 47.00.1
Women
1 Zoe Fleming (Birstall RC) 36.56.8; 2 Nicola Roder (Leicester Triathlon Club) 38.59.0; 3 Julie Lamb (Owls AC) 41.16.1; 4 Julie McFarlane (Leicester Triathlon Club) 50.35.1

Tuesday 17th March 2009

EDEN FRANCIS opened her outdoor season with a fine victory for the Great Britain & Northern Ireland team in the Under-23 discus competition with a throw of 54.19m at the 9th European Cup Winter Throwing event in the town of Los Realeijos on the holiday island of Tenerife.

The 20-year-old Leicester-based Birchfield Harrier, coached by Glenys Morton, was also in action in the shot event producing a best of 15.56m.

In the men’s competition Leicestershire’s United Kingdom indoor champion Mark Edwards (Birchfield) finished second with 19.33m as Loughborough University student Kieran Kelly (Newham & Essex) set an outdoor lifetime best in the shot finishing sixth in the group 'B' event with 18.77m.

Loughborough graduate Sarah Holt (Sale), the reigning Under-23 record-holder, finished 8th in the 'B' hammer competition with a best of 58.30 metres.

Full results are available on the following link: www.losrealejos2009.com/competition.php?lang=en

Tuesday 17th March 2009

KATE DENNISON continued her excellent indoor form by once again improving her own British pole vault record at the Perche Elite Tour in the French town of Oyonnax on Saturday 14th March.

Having made the final of the recent Turin European Indoor Championships the 23-year-old Sale Harrier based at Loughborough University, part of Australian coach Steve Rippon’s impressive squad that also include the men’s UK number one Steve Lewis, cleared a height of 4.49 metres. Taking victory ahead of Spain’s Elisabete Ribeiro Ansel (4.34).

Full results are available on following link: http://bases.athle.com/asp.net/liste.aspx?frmbase=resultats&frmmode=1&frmespace=0&frmcompetition=036788

2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships

The Oval Lingotto, Turin

Sunday 8th March 2009 – Day 3

DWAIN CHAMBERS let his legs do the talking rather than his much anticipated autobiography which has dominated the press and media over the weekend around the continent by securing a second gold for Great Britain at the 2009 European Indoor Championships as the 30-year-old Londoner stormed to a fine victory in the 60 metres with an emphatic performance on the bright blue straight at a packed Oval Lingotto in Turin.

Chambers was simply a class apart blowing away the assembled field to cross the line in a time of 6.45secs, this after a false start that probably hinder any attempt on him improving his European record of the previous day in the semi-final (6.42secs) and on American Maurice Greene’s world mark at just 0.03secs faster.

Compatriot Simeon Williamson with a 6.57 clocking was unlucky to miss out on a podium place edged into fourth by the Italian duo of Fabio Cerutti and Emanuele Di Gregorio. Craig Pickering, a silver medallist two-years ago in Birmingham, had to settle for fifth with 6.61.

A delighted Chambers commented afterwards: “It's been a great privilege to come here, it's great to put on a British vest and have some fun. I've been in this situation before where I concentrated on time and I've lost it.

"This is a very important championship for me. I've done what I set out to do so that is what I am pleased about."

However, there could be dark skies ahead for the disgraced sprinter as this could be the last time that Chambers can compete in Europe ahead of the UK trials in July and the world championships in Berlin the following month as the Euro Meets consortium have banned him from the IAAF Grand Prix circuit and more importantly the lucrative Golden League meetings.

This may leave Chambers have to look outside of the continent to Asia or America for competition, this was clearly underlined earlier in the day when Patrick Magyar, the director of prestigious Zurich Weltklasse, arguable the world’s biggest single athletics meeting and part of the IAAF’s glittering Golden League series speaking to Gary Richardson on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme on Sunday morning said of Chambers:

"I think that he has done a lot of harm to athletics by publishing a book on the back of the European Championships, he is trying to get a lot of selfish media attention and it is not something I would see as positive towards the sport in Europe.

"Many people think that the meeting directors have got together and that we have common attitudes and common decision making. All the meetings are invitational and they decide who they are going to invite and want to have in their field.

"I can only speak for our meeting, but I know a lot of my colleagues share my opinion and we will not invite Mr Chambers.

"Of the top meetings, Super Grand Prix meetings, Golden League meetings, I don't feel any of them are going to give him an opportunity to compete.

"I am often being asked why are we banning him again but the truth is that we do not deny him. There is no such thing as a right to compete in our competition; we are invitational meetings not championships.

"In the case of Zurich we get offered around 700 athletes from agents and the athletes themselves and promoters, from those we choose around 220 to compete. We do not deny anybody to compete, we simply do not invite them."

In the middle-distance events in Turin Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows failed to win a medal in the women’s 800m, this following Okoro running a very tactically poor race that left her crest fallen on the track just short of the finish line as Russia’s Mariya Savinova powered through to take gold in a time of 1:58.10 with Meadows finishing in the angonising fourth place after a strong run clocking 2:00.42. Oksana Zbrozhek made this a 1-2 for Russia with Italy's Elisa Cusma Piccione third for the host nation.

Meadows reflecting on the fast run race commented: "I'm pretty gutted but that was just such a difficult race, it was unfortunate because I just didn't quite time things right.”

‘Form is current - class is forever’ would easily describe Portugal’s Rui Silva’s performance in the men’s 1500m as the wily 31-year-old came through the field to take gold ahead of Spain’s Diego Ruiz in a time of 3:44.38 showing all of his vast experience and fine racing brain. Belgrave Harrier Neil Speight lost ground on the leaders to finish in ninth place for Great Britain with 3:51.04.

One of the best performances for Team GB came in the men’s pole vault as Loughborough-based Steve Lewis underlined his world-class potential with a very positive performance narrowly missing out on adding a European indoor bronze to the Commonwealth one he achieved in Melbourne 2006.

The 23-year-old was the early leader in the competition after his opening height of 5.41m, he then passed on 5.51m and achieved 5.61m and 5.71m at the second attempt. However, as with training partner and British record-holder Kate Dennison the previous day, Lewis would have had break his lifetime best to progress further and subsequently failed at 5.76m.

The Steve Rippon coached-athlete was, however, up beat and positive afterwards and looking forward to the outdoor season and the Berlin World Championships: “I changed pole after 5.71m but I just didn’t quite pull it off as well as I wanted to,” he said. “I could have jumped 5.76m here, which would have been a personal best and would have been amazing, but I would have still been in fourth. I’ve got to be happy - it’s my best ever international performance. ”

In the women’s 3,000m Bedford’s Katrina Wootton finished in ninth place overall for Britain with a time of 9:01.83 as Ireland’s rising star Mary Cullen claimed a fine bronze medal (8:48.47) in the race where former Kenyan athlete Almitu Bekele, here representing Turkey, claimed gold with a powerful sprint finish ahead of Portugal's Sara Moreira in a time of 8:46.50, a new national record.

A smiling Cullen said afterwards: “I tried to concentrate on the run and I knew it is going to be tough but I wanted to make it tough also for the others. I knew all the girls very well - there were many strong of us. This is a big satisfaction for me after big disappointment in Beijing.

“But I thank to my coach who wrote me an email yesterday night to encourage me and to make me believe I am able to win. The Turkish girl was a dark horse of the race. I had great indoor season and now I am focusing on Berlin.”

Greg Rutherford finished 6th in the men’s long jump competition having improved his indoor lifetime best for the second time at these championships as the Milton Keynes athlete leapt out to 8.00m. Gold went to the very impressive German Sebastian Bayer with a massive jump of 8.71m as the 22-year-old comfortably obliterating the European indoor record mark.

A delighted Bayer said: “There was no stress for me after the first jump so I felt relaxed and it felt like the perfect jump, I knew it was far and hoped for 8.30 to may be 8.40, but I did not expect 8.71, I was speechless.”

Rutherford commented: “It was okay, but just didn’t seem to go quite how I had wanted it to. I don’t think I was getting enough lift. I don’t think anything went wrong particularly; I was giving it everything I had. The standard was very high.”

There was a real shock in the women’s high jump competition as Croatia’s all-conquering Blanka Vlasic, the reigning World champion indoors and outdoors, crashed out of the competition at a height of only 1.96m leaving Germany’s ever-improving Ariane Friedrich to win gold with a first time clearance at 2.01m, thus ending a thirteen year gap without a championship victory for her nation.

The championships concluded as always with a terrific set of relays where Great Britain continued their impressive medal haul in the event at the European Indoors having gained gold and silver respectively in Birmingham 2007.

However, it was to be a silver lining for both squads in Turin 2009 as Marilyn Okoro having required medical attention following the dramatic 800m surprisingly re-appeared to race for Team GB.

On the opening leg 36-year-old Donna Fraser produced a strong performance as Loughborough graduate Kim Wall took hold of the baton on the second leg with Britain leading ahead of the powerful world record-holders Russia.

Wall held her nerve to pass on to fellow university Alumnus Vicky Barr who ran a storming third leg with the fastest split of 52:18secs whilst being chased down by the imposing Russians.

Okoro went on the anchor leg but could not hold the lead as Russia powered past led by the individual 400m champion Antonina Krivoshapka to take victory in a time of 3:29.12. Okoro held her form to secure Britain the silver medals in 3:30.42 with Belarus third 3:35.03.

Okoro commented: "I had to come back and prove to myself and to the crowd that I'm better than that," she said. "I made a mistake in the 800m but I'll learn from it - it's all a learning curve, I needed to do it for the girls, I couldn't let my team-mates down and fortunately I've come back and run a decent last leg."

The men's race followed virtually the same pattern as with the women’s event as Richard Buck, Nick Leavy, Nigel Levine and Phil Taylor also secured silver for Team GB. Buck flew out fast on the first leg, as Leavy and teenager Levine put Taylor, a gold medalist two-years ago, in with a fighting chance of the title on the final leg.

Loughborough graduate Taylor was pressed hard though by Poland's Piotr Klimczak, however, Italy's individual 400m silver medallist Claudio Licciardello came through the field to claim gold in a time of 3:06.68 for the host nation as the packed crowd rose to their feet in celebration. Britain clocked 3:07.04 with securing Poland third (3:07.04).

Taylor commented: "I just wanted to leave everything out on the track, unfortunately that wasn't quite good enough and I don't know where the Italian came from but we're happy with silver."

Report by Mark Woolley.

www.sportresult.com/sports/la/framework/eaa2.asp

The 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships will take place at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris.

2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships

The Oval Lingotto, Turin

Saturday 7th March 2009 – Day 2 Afternoon session

MO FARAH and Dwain Chambers both produced stunning record-breaking performances on a stellar afternoon for Team GB at the 2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Turin as Farah claimed gold over 3,000m and Chambers qualified through to the final of the 60m in emphatic style with both athletes smashing the European and British records respectively.

Having already broken the British record twice this year in Glasgow and Birmingham Farah produced a pulsating virtual gun-to-tape performance on the bright blue track of the Oval Lingotto Arena to win gold in a new championship record time of seven minutes 40.18secs as the 25-year-old Newham & Essex Beagle held off the strong challenge of France's Bouabdellah Tahri, second in 7:40.17.

European 5,000m champion Jesus Espana of Spain secured the bronze in 7:43.29.

Loughborough-based Nick McCormick finished 6th in 7:52.07 with fellow Brit and early pace-setter Mark Draper 11th in 8:10.19.

“I’ve worked so hard for this and it’s paid off,” said Farah, the former European cross-country champion, following his victory.

“Last year was such a disappointment and it was hard to deal with, so this is a very emotional win because of that, I felt the pressure of being favourite but I had to take that and it’s a great learning experience, my tactic was to go hard and the two other Brits in the final really helped me through the first kilometre.”

Prior to Farah's race Dwain Chambers smashed the 60m British record with a quite stunning time of 6.42secs to reach Sunday's final as the 30-year-old improved Jason Gardener's previous mark by 0.04 seconds. Compatriot Simeon Williamson impressed in the first semi-final heat with 6.57, whilst, Craig Pickering also progressed in 6.63.

Chambers commented: “I need to keep myself as cool as possible and do the same thing tomorrow, I’m running faster than ever before so that just shows what I did wrong four or five years ago didn’t work for me."

In the women's 800m Great Britain will have two athletes through to Sunday's final as Marilyn Okoro impressed in the first semi-final to finish in a time of 2:02.63 behind the imposing reigning indoor champion Oksana Zbrozhek of Russia.

Okoro said: "It was slow but there's one round left and it's the final where I can relax and just go for the medal."

In the other semi-final Jenny Meadows was involved in a very competitive race to qualify through in third place with 2:01.73.

Meadows said: “You never know how finals are going to go, I don’t think it will be quick, I could be wrong. The Russians have got good kicks, the Ukrainian has and the Italian has but so have myself and Marilyn.”

Neil Speaight qualified through to the 1500m final as a fastest loser, the 30-year old Cambridgeshire athlete finished sixth in his heat in a time of 3.41.96.

"I had a few anxious moments but I'm through and that's all that matters," he said. "My heat was quite quick and I stuck to my game plan but there was quite a bit of pushing and shoving, I didn't run quite as strong as I would have hoped but it's still quite a quick time.”

Loughborough-based British record-holder Kate Dennison produced an impressive 4.35m height in the pole vault final but needed to improve her national record to progress and had to settle for sixth position overall.

Yuliya Golubchikova went one better than at the 2007 Europeans in Birmingham and turned silver into gold, beating Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg, with both women clearing 4.75m, a personal best for both athletes.

Golubchikova won on count-back after they both cleared 4.75m on their third attempt before failing at 4.80m, however, Spiegelburg, the two-time former European Junior champion, had earlier failed an attempt at 4.60m.

Dennison reflecting on her first major championships final commented: “I had two good shots at 4.50m, I think a personal best would have been the icing on the cake. In my head I had a target of top five and a personal best would have been top five. I feel a little bit disappointed but I think it’s good to have a little bit of disappointment, it keeps you hungry for the outdoor season.”

Russia’s Antonina Krivoshapka underlined her position as pre-championship favourite by winning the women’s 400m as the 21-year-old raced to a comfortable 51.18secs victory.

Nataliya Pyhyda of Ukraine clocked a new lifetime best of 51.44 to finish second with Russian Darya Safanova taking bronze in 51.85.

Britain’s Donna Fraser at the age of 36 could only finish sixth in what could be her last appearance for Team GB.

In the men's 400m Sweden's Johan Wissman set a blistering pace to win gold n a time of 45.89secs with Britain's Richard Buck finishing in fifth place in 46.93.

"It's all part of a learning curve but anyone on a learning curve still wants to succeed," said Buck. "At the moment I'm disappointed but I'm sure there's a lot I can learn from this experience."

Claudio Licciardello of Italy claimed silver in 46.32, whilst Romania’s Ioan Vieru, having survived an official complaint from the Ireland team following his tussle with two-time defending champion David Gillick in the semi-final heat on Friday, took bronze in 46.54.

Italy's Fabrizio Donato finally achieved a championship gold and record as the 32-year-old claimed the first victory for the hosts in the men’s triple jump.

After not registering a valid jump for the first four rounds, which would have seen him eliminated at an outdoor championships, he leapt out to 17.59m for a national Italian indoor record, the best mark in the world this year, in addition to adding three centimetres to the championship record set two-years ago by Great Britain's Phillips Idowu.

Russia’s Ivan Ukhov was a class apart in the men’s high jump final winning gold with a first time clearance at 2.32m. Compatriot Aleksey Dmitrik and Cypriot Kyriakos Ioannou claimed joint silver on count-back at 2.29m.

Report by Mark Woolley.

www.sportresult.com/sports/la/framework/eaa2.asp

2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships

The Oval Lingotto, Turin

Saturday 7th March 2009 – Day 2 Morning session

DWAIN CHAMBERS qualified with imperious ease on the track of the Oval Lingotto equaling his own world leading time of 6.52secs to clearly underlined his status as firm favourite for gold at the European Athletics Indoor Championships with a very impressive performance in the opening heats of the 60 metres.

Despite a false start Chambers, whose revelations in his forthcoming autobiography that goes on sale on Monday have overshadowed the build-up to the championships, went through to the semi-finals as the fastest qualifier where 30-year-old was joined by British team-mates Craig Pickering and Simeon Williamson, who won their heats in 6.63 and 6.61 respectively.

Chambers commented afterwards: "It showed I'm in good condition. The false start didn't help, but I'm glad that part is out of the way now," said Chambers.

"I had to sit in the blocks but I've set myself up well for the semi-final this evening - and I can start having some more fun now.

"I don't want to be doing too much too soon; I want to conserve energy and not psyche myself out too much. It is a championships, but I have to remain as calm as possible.

"I feel little bit nervous but it is normal, I feel good. Physically and mentally I am focusing just on my run and the best result. There is too many questions in media about myself and the book I have written. But I feel confident about my running and want to my best."

Great Britain's Greg Rutherford produced a stunning indoor personal best of 7.99m to qualify for the final in the men's long jump.

Katrina Wootton also advanced to the final of the women's 3,000m as one of the fastest losers after finishing sixth in her heat with a time of 9:01.21.

Loughborough-based Steve Lewis matched team mate and training partner Kate Dennison by reaching the pole vault final with a very impressive performance clearing 5.70m.

"THe height of 5.40m was good but on the first attempt the pole was a bit small, so I changed the pole and then got over. It was the same for the next height, so I was just progressing through the poles. Then I started jumping better and felt really good, I’m happy. I’m going to go have physio now and get some rest. I’m going to enjoy the final.”

However, there was disappoint for Great Britain as Carl Myerscough failed to reach the men's shot final following a below par performance.

Report by Mark Woolley.

www.sportresult.com/sports/la/framework/eaa2.asp

2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships

The Oval Lingotto, Turin

Friday 6th March 2009 – Day 1 Afternoon session

BRITISH record-holder Kate Dennison qualified through to the final of the pole vault, Andy Turner finished out of the medals in fourth place in men's 60m hurdles final for the second consecutive champonships, whilst, in the 400m semi-final defending two-time gold medallist David Gillick endured a shock exit as the Irish international crashed out of the European Indoor Championships on a busy afternoon’s session on the opening day of competition in Turin.

Kate Dennison continued her fine indoor season by qualifying through to her first major final, having competed at the Commonwealth, Worlds and Olympics but failed to progress through the early rounds, the 24-year-old Loughborough-based Sale Harrier, coached by Australian Steve Rippon, comfortably achieved the required height of 4.40m to reach Saturday’s final. Loughborough graduate and former British Universities champion Zoe Brown representing Ireland failed to qualify.

A happy Dennison said: “It’s been a bit of a long afternoon, I just need to go and recover now but I’m happy it’s my first major final. The bar was set for automatic qualification at 4.45m and that’s the first time it’s been at a height I’ve jumped.”

The biggest shock of the afternoon came in the men’s 400m semi-final as Ireland’s two-time defending champion and firm favourite for gold in Turin, David Gillick, sensationally crashed out of the championships following an amazing heat that witnessed Britain’s Richard Buck benefit from the fall to qualify though to Saturday’s final.

Gillick clashed with Romania's Ioan Vieru around the last bend, allowing Buck to move through into third place clocking a time of 46.76secs with team-mate Nick Leavey just missing out in fourth. Sweden’s Johan Wissman (46.38) and Vieru (46.61) were the others to progress.

It was a case of so close, but so far for Andy Turner in the final of the 60m hurdles as the 27-year-old Loughborough graduate finishing fourth for the second championships in succession, missing out on a medal by just one hundredth of a second.

France’s Ladji Doucoure regained the title he won in 2005, after he was chased down to the wire by reigning champion Gregory Sedoc as the duo crossed the line given the same time of 7.55secs with Doucoure awarded the gold following a photo finish.

Turner finished out of a podium place as Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic claimed bronze in a time of 7.62secs, Team GB compatriot 
Allan Scott finished eighth in 7.78.

Turner commented: "It's just a horrible place to finish, I can't even describe how I feel right now. I'm gutted.

"I ran poorly in the heat and semi and ran my best race in the final but to be honest that's no consolation because I still finished fourth and I'm still going home empty-handed.”

Doucoure reflected on his narrow victory saying: “ This race was far from being ideal, a model race, but I do not care! I could rely on my experience. I hope that this victory will give me enough power and motivation for the summer,

“Everything is possible then! You just have to believe it, in every moment. Oh, this feels so good. I like the taste of victory! I am super satisfied and I want to do this again in the summer and again.”

Sarah Claxton endured an afternoon of highs and lows in Turin, as she equalled her own British 60m hurdles record but could not continue that form in the final.

Claxton, the only European to reach the Olympic 100m hurdles final in Beijing, won her semi-final in 7.96secs, however, she could not repeat that performance in the final trailing over the line in a disappointing eighth place as Belgium's former junior European champion Eline Berings claimed gold with a time of 7.92, a new national record for the 22-year-old finishing ahead of Lucie Skrobakova of the Czech Republic who also clocked a new national record of 7.95 to take silver in the fast run race as Ireland’s Derval O’Rourke secured bronze in 7.97.

In the middle distance events there were contrasting fortunes for Team GB’s women as both Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro progressed in the 800m, whilst, Susan Scott and Hannah England failed to make it through in the 1500m.

Meadows started her European campaign with a very impressive performance leading for the whole race in the opening heat to clock a time of 2:03.11.

Okoro claimed second place in the second heat with a time of 2:05.01 as Ukrainian Tetyana Petlyuk edged ahead to take victory.

Okoro said: “I’m in great shape; I just wanted to make that as easy as possible. Three rounds suits me best, that’s what I’ve been training for all winter. I really feel like I’m making 800m my event now. I take a lot of confidence from my training and support from UKA, my coach and my family. Hopefully 2009 can be a good year.”

In the first round of the women’s 1500m UK champion Susan Scott and the reigning NCAA title-holder Hannah England failed to make the final.

Scott looked strong on course to make Saturday’s final, however, the Glaswegian faded to sixth place with a time of 4:13.40, whilst, England was out paced over the final lap to finish seventh in the second heat with 4:14.75 as Russia’s impressive gold-medal favourite Anna Alminova eased through in 4:11.44.

The experienced Donna Fraser in what could be her swan song in major athletics finished in second place in the women’s 400m semi-final to gaining automatic qualification with a time of 53.59secs.

"I'll come back tomorrow with fresh legs and a fresh mind and anything can happen in a final. There'll be a lot of argy-bargy I'm sure which I'm not quite used to so I'll have to get my elbows sharpened up!" Fraser said.

There was further disappointment for Great Britain in the field events as Loughborough graduate Samson Oni and Commonwealth silver medalist Martyn Bernard, who trains at the university, both failed to make the final in the men’s high jump. The duo both bowed out of the championships with a height of 2.22m.

Oni said: “For now it’s just going back into training and working towards the outdoors. I’m ready to win medals, it’s just mentally I’m just not there yet. I’ve just got to try and work on that in the future. It was really busy there in the infield but this is championship athletics, you have to get used to it.”

Two gold medals were decided on the opening day of competition as Russia's Anna Bogdanova dominated the women’s pentathlon and Germany’s Petra Lammert and Denise Hinrichs secured a 1-2 in the women’s shot final. Lammert winning with a world leading performance of 19.66m.

Report by Mark Woolley.

www.sportresult.com/sports/la/framework/eaa2.asp

2009 European Athletics Indoor Championships

The Oval Lingotto, Turin

Friday 6th March 2009 – Day 1 Morning session

LOUGHBOROUGH athletes had a very productive morning on the opening session of the 30th Anniversary European Athletics Indoor Championships in the Italian city of Turin.

On the track of the Oval Lingotto Arena Ireland's David Gillick, chasing a hat-trick of 400m titles, cruised into this afternoon's semi-finals producing a comfortable 47.10secs run in heat 4.

Loughborough graduate Gillick reflected on his performance commenting: "I had the run under control since the gun till the finish. I just wanted to get from this heats to the semifinals without any problems. It was smooth heat. It is a good nice track, let´s see what happens."

Brits Nick Leavey and Richard Buck also progressed to the semi-finals, both finishing second in their heats in 47.19 and 47.04 respectively.

European leader Mo Farah underlined his status as favourite for the 3,000 metres by easing thorugh his semi-final heat with a time of 8mins 03.26secs.

Farah commented: "It was good to get a run out, I quite enjoyed it, expectations are definitely high but I just have to go out and see what happens and hopefully put in a good performance."

Loughborough-based Nick McCormick and compatriot Mark Draper also qualified for the final after finishing fourth (7:53.35) and fifth (7.53.91) respectively in the first heat, Draper taking more than two seconds off his personal best as a fastest loser.

"I let the first three get away and do their messing around, today was just about qualification," said McCormick. "I think I've got a realistic chance of getting in the mix and I'm certainly a dark horse."

Donna Fraser continued to defy the years in her 14th major championship, as the 36-year-old easily advanced to the semi-finals of the 400m.

In the men's 60m hurdles Loughborough graduate and Commonwealth and European outdoor bronze medallist Andy Turner and team mate Allan Scott finished third and second in their respective heats to move into the semi-finals.

Beijing Olympic finalist Sarah Claxton also advanced to the semi-finals of the women's sprint hurdles, however, team-mate Gemma Bennett crashed out following a very messy run.

Report by Mark Woolley.

www.sportresult.com/sports/la/framework/eaa2.asp

Sunday 1st March 2009

STEPH PYWELL claimed a solid victory for Great Britain at the Jumps International in Appeldorm, the Netherlands, on Saturday 28th February, as the 21-year-old Loughborough athlete, the reigning UK indoor and outdoor champion, finished clear of compatriot Kay Humberstone winning the competition with a best of 1.80 metres set in round four.

In the men’s high jump Rob Mitchell also claimed victory for Great Britain as the Sale Harrier the won the competition with a best of 2.20m, Loughborough athlete Robbie Grabarz finished third with a leap of 2.12m.

Loughborough graduate Paul Walker finished fourth in the pole vault on countback with a mark of 5.00m in the event won by home athlete Robbert-Jan Jansen with 5.30m.

Leicester Coritanian Laura Samuel, winner of the U20 triple jump gold at the Aviva England Athletics U20, U17 & U15 Championships last month finished third in the triple jump competition with a best of 12.31m as fellow Brit Stephanie Aneto claimed victory with a leap of 12.78m.

Full results are available on the following link: http://uitslagen.nkindoor.nl/