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

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

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

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Tuesday 27th July 2010 – Day 1 Evening Session

MO Farah became the first British man in history to win the European 10,000 metres title as he led home compatriot Chris Thompson to a superb gold and silver medal performance in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium.

Farah, the 27-year-old born in Somalia added the 10,000m title to his European cross-country and 3,000m indoor success with a brilliant sprint finish over the final lap surpassing Moroccan-born Spaniard Ayad Lamdassem to take gold in a time of 28 minutes 24.99 seconds with team-mate Chris Thompson edging Italian Daniele Meucci into second place in the race of his life as both athletes were given the same time of 28:27.33.

Four-years ago in Gothenburg 2006 Great Britain had no athlete contesting the men’s 10,000m final, however, here in 2010 Mo Farah and Chris Thompson lined-up on the bright blue track in the colours of GB, both with real medal chances.

This was the first time that Great Britain has won European medals in the event since 1974, triumphing for the first time as Farah made up for the disappointment of four years ago, when he was edged into second place in the 5,000m by just nine hundredths of a second.

"That was amazing, one-two has never been done before and it just feels so great to be here," said Farah.

"It's so great to see this man (Thompson) back. He's done so much and to win with him second is the best result I could have expected."

Loughborough University graduate Thompson, who beat Farah to 5,000m gold in the European Under-23 championship seven years ago but has suffered badly with injuries since, added: "That was awesome, that's what it's all about.

"This means so much more than the European Under-23 one-two all those years ago because this is seniors, coming here and winning the silver was my gold and I am so proud to do it behind this man. It's amazing, it is so good to be back."

Earlier in the evening programme Dwain Chambers, the European champion in Munich 2002 - a title for which he was subsequently stripped of following his much publicised drugs ban - underlined his status as favourite in Barcelona for the 100 metres gold cruised through his heat in 10.21secs.

The 32-year-old Belgrave Harrier flew to victory almost ten metres clear of the chasing field into a headwind of 1.5 metre per second, winning by 0.25secs ahead of France's Ronald Pognon.

Pognon’s compatriot Christophe Lemaitre, the main rival to Dwain Chambers for the gold medal and the European-leader this year in which he has become the first white athlete to clock under the mythical ten second barrier, was the quickest qualifier, winning the final heat in 10.19 ahead of Britain's Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist Mark Lewis-Francis.

Loughborough University student James Dasaolu also advanced to the semi-finals after finishing third in his heat in 10.40.

World bronze medallist Jenny Meadows continued her fine form since recovering from recent injury problems to qualify in style in the tough women’s 800m semi-final heats clocking a time of one minute 58.90, just one hundredth of a second slower outside of her season best and the fastest qualifier, Russia's Svetlana Klyuka.

United Kingdom champion Jemma Simpson ran a superb race to join Meadows in the final, the US-based Mark Rowland coached athlete following on from her personal best at the Monaco Diamond League the previous week led from gun-to-tape holding off the challenge of Czech Lenka Masna to win in 1:59.18.

World finalist Marilyn Okoro returning from a serious knee injury that required surgery last year missed out on qualification after finishing fourth in her heat with a season’s best time of 2:01.33

Phillips Idowu and Nathan Douglas both reached the triple jump final as World champion Idowu easily surpassed the automatic qualifying distance of 16.75m with a first-round leap of 17.10 and Douglas, the 2006 silver medallist achieved 16.80m with his first attempt.

France’s Teddy Tamgho, the favourite for gold, was the most impressive during qualification with a distance of 17.37.

In the men’s high jump, Martyn Bernard and Tom Parsons both progressed to the final with heights of 2.26m and 2.23m respectively, with none of the competitors clearing the automatic height of 2.28m.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus won gold in the women’s shot final with a throw of 20.48m to win by a margin of almost one metre ahead of the silver medallist and compatriot Natallia Mikhnevich.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

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Mo Farah and Chris Thompson win gold and silver for Great Britain over 10,000m.

20th SPAR European Athletics Championships

Olympic Stadium, Barcelona

Tuesday 27th July 2010 – Day 1 Morning Session

GREAT Britain’s medal favourite Martyn Rooney breezed into the men's 400m semi-finals on the opening morning of competition at the 20th SPAR European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.

In scorching hot temperatures inside the newly-refurbished 1992 Olympic Stadium 23-year-old Rooney, an Olympic finalist in Beijing 2008 and World Championships silver medallist in the 4x400m relay coached by Nick Dakin at Loughborough University, drawn in the difficult outside lane following a strong powerful opening 200m came home in second place with a time of 45.72secs just 0.01secs adrift of Belgium's Kevin Borlee.

Joining Rooney in the next round are compatriots Conrad Williams and US-based Michael Bingham. Williams finished third in his heat in a time of 46.34 as Bingham looked very impressive full of running cruising through in a time of 45.49 in the final heat.

Ireland's double European indoor champion David Gillick also progressed through after he comfortably led home the third heat as the Loughborough-based training partner of Martyn Rooney clocked a winning time of 45.84.

Perri Shakes-Drayton and Eilidh Child eased into the semi-finals of the women’s 400 metres hurdles.

The British duo, gold and silver medallists in the European Under-23 Championships last year, both finished runner-up in their heats with Shakes-Drayton recording a time of 55.35 and Scottish national record-holder Child running from lane eight clocking 55.82 behind Zuzana Bergrova of the Czech Republic.

The Loughborough-based Irish duo of Michelle Carey and Justine Kinney were eliminated from the competition finishing 5th (57.58) and 8th (57.39) in their respective heats - a season’s best for Carey.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

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Great Britain's Martyn Rooney qualifies for the 400m semi-finals.

2010 Samsung Diamond League – Meeting Herculis

Stade Louis II, Monaco

Thursday 22nd July 2010

SILAS Kiplagat (1500m) and Alysia Johnson (800m) placed the sprinters to mere support acts as the middle-distance events highlighted the superb Samsung Diamond League Meeting Herculis over the super fast Mondo track inside the Stade Louis II in Monaco.

In the men’s 1500m 20-year-old Kenyan Silas Kiplagat stormed through the field to defeat compatriot Augustine Choge over the line by slicing five seconds off his lifetime best to take victory in a world-leading time of 3mins 29.27secs to move to tenth on the world all-time list.



Such was the quality of the race the top five Kenyan’s over the line dipped inside the previous best time this year of 3:31.52, and there a plethora of personal or season’s bests in the leading eight finishers.

Ryan Gregson in fifth set a new Australian record in 3:31.06. Moroccan Amine Laalou in second clocked a personal best of 3:29.53 as Choge finished third in a season’s best of 3:30.22. American Andrew Wheating moved to number four on the US all-time lists with 3:30.90, a lifetime best by almost seven seconds.



There were also personal bests for his US compatriot Lopez Lomong, sixth in 3:32.20, and Algeria’s Toufik Makhloufi, eighth in 3:32.94, whilst, one of the pre-race favourites Bernard Lagat’s season’s best of 3:32.51 placed him down in seventh.

United Kingdom champion Jemma Simpson, the only British athlete competing in Monaco, warmed-up for the Barcelona European Championships in fine style by recording a superb personal best of 1min 58.74secs in the women’s 800m finishing runner-up to the impressive Alysai Johnson of the USA who claimed victory in a world leading time of 1:57.34 – also a personal best by 0.51 seconds.

Simpson, racing in the green vest of the Oregon Track Club lowered her personal best by a margin of 0.33 seconds as she led home the chasing pack with American Anna Pierce taking third place in a season’s best of 1.58.89.

Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopia set a world-leading performance to win the women’s 3,000m with a time of 8:28.41 defeating Maryam Jamal of Bahrain (8:29.20). The most improved and impressive performance of the race came from American Shannon Rowbury who took on the pace and the African challenge and led going into the final lap to eventually finish third moving to third on the US all-time list with lifetime best of 8:31.38.

American superstar Tyson Gay won the men’s 200m with a blistering performance blasting round the newly laid track in a meeting record of 19.72secs ahead of the highly talented Jamaican Yohan Blake who smashed his personal bets for the second time in the last seven days with a time of 19.78 as the 20-year-old went under the twenty second barrier for the first time. American champion Wallace Spearmon finished third in 19.93.

David Oliver arrived in Monaco with Dayron Robles 110m hurdles world-record in his sights but the powerfully built Olympic bronze medallist, fresh from his American record breaking performance in Paris was slow out of the blocks but recovered to take a tight victory in 13.01secs.

World indoor champion Lolo Jones continued her fine run of form as the tall elegant 27-year-old American won the women’s 100m hurdles edging compatriot Danielle Carruthers in a time of 12.63secs.

In the women’s 100m Carmelita Jeter also produced a victory for the USA with a dominant performance flying over the line a season’s best of 10.82secs with world-leader Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica second in 10.98.

Jermaine Gonzales set a world leading performance in the men’s 400m to break the existing Jamaican record that dates back to 1997. Gonzalez defeated team-mate Ricardo Chambers in a time of 44.40secs. Chris Brown was third in 45.05.

World-leading performances were also set in the field events as World champion Yargelis Savigne secured her third Diamond League victory and extended her own world best to 15.09m in the women’s triple jump ahead of Olga Rypakova from Kazakhstan (14.78m) with Anna Pyatykh of Russia third with 14.43m.

Dwight Phillips dominated the men’s long jump after producing a leap of 8.46m in the opening round, improving his own world lead by a margin of four-centimetres. Fabrice Lapierre of France finished runner-up with 8.18m in the final round.

Russia’s Ivan Ukhov improved the world’s best high jump of the year by 1cm to 2.34m to defeat compatriot Andrey Silnov and American Jesse Williams tied second with 2.28.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

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Men's 1500m Race

Thursday 22nd July 2010

GREAT Britain’s Jemma Simpson warmed-up for the Barcelona European Championships in fine style by recording a superb personal best of 1min 58.74secs over 800m at the Samsung Diamond League meeting in Monaco finishing runner-up to the impressive Alysai Johnson of the USA who claimed victory in a world leading time of 1:57.34 – also a personal best by 0.51 seconds.

Simpson, racing in the green vest of the Oregon Track Club lowered her personal best by a margin of 0.33 seconds as she led home the chasing pack with American Anna Pierce taking third place in a season’s best of 1.58.89.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

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Thursday 22nd July 2010

UNITED Kingdom pole vault record-holder Kate Dennison set a season’s best of 4.55m to finish third on countback at the Internationales Stabhochsprung meeting in Jockgrim, Germany, on Wednesday evening (21st July).

In the women’s competition the top three headed by American Becky Holliday Israel’s Jillian Schwartz and Dennison all finished on 4.55m with Holliday, the US national championships silver medallist, taking victory having only one failure in each of her rounds.

This performance from Dennison, the 26-year-old Loughborough-based Sale Harrier, a confidence boost ahead of the Barcelona Europeans that start next week having produced a below-par at the European Team Championships in Bergen, Norway, last month finishing seventh place with a best clearance of 4.20m.

However, in Birmingham at the UK Championships she was back to the top of the podium once more with an effort of 4.45m - her personal best and national record stands at 4.60m set in Poland last year.

Loughborough graduate Steve Lewis in the men’s competition finished in 6th place with a height of 5.41m as the USA’s Derek Miles prevailed with 5.81m ahead of compatriot Jeremy Scott (5.71m).

Full results are available on the following link: http://leichtathletik.de/results/3065_jockgrim_210710.pdf

2010 Samsung Diamond League – Meeting Areva

Stade de France, Paris

Friday 16th July 2010

USAIN Bolt (100m) and David Oliver (110m hurdles) dazzled the crowd to light-up the Stade de France with scintillating performances at the Meeting Areva Samsung Diamond League meeting.

World record-holder Usain Bolt despite a slow start by his high standards won the battle of the Jamaicans as the triple Olympic champion defeated compatriots Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake setting a meeting record of 9.84secs in only his second race back following a niggling Achilles injury.

Powell finished second, 0.07secs adrift, with Blake third in a personal best of 9.95. Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre, the first white man to clock under ten-seconds for the 100 metres, looked a like a rabbit caught in the headlights of two formula one cars, sandwiched between Bolt and Powell he finished fifth in 10.09

Bolt wearing his brand new and very distinctive purple Puma vest commented afterwards: “I'm happy with my time, I am feeling very good, the crowd was wonderful.”

With Bolt top-of-the-bill in Paris the performance of a sparkling night of athletics came from David Oliver in the men’s 110m hurdles, having equalled the American record of 12.90secs last month in Eugene the US champion went one better to smash the mark set by Dominique Arnold in 2006 clocking the third fastest time in history crossing the line in 12.89.

Oliver’s victory was just two-hundredths of a second off the two-year-old world-record of 12.87, set by Cuban Dayron Robles in Ostrava.

Robles, who was originally set to compete in Paris, but missed the meeting sighting a hamstring injury. European and Commonwealth bronze medallist Andy Turner clocked 13.37 to finish sixth.

Three-time world champion Jeremy Wariner of the USA completed his fourth Samsung Diamond League 400m victory of the season when he clocked a world-leading time of 44.49secs as Great Britain’s Michael Bingham finished fourth in 45.53. Belgium's European leader this season Jonathan Borlee ran a national record of 44.77 and looks firm favourite for gold in Barcelona.

Russian Anna Alminova also produced a stunning world-leading 1500m victory to place herself as the main contender for the European title later this month

Alminova, having returned from a three-month doping suspension, after testing positive for pseudoephedrine at the Doha World Indoor Championships, pulled clear of the chasing pack to finish out of sight in 3:57.65.

World silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey continued her improvement to set a season's best of 3:59.79 to finish fourth behind France's Hind Dehiba Chahyd as American Christin Wurth-Thomas secured second. Global bronze medallist Shannon Rowbury of the USA finished 6th in a season’s best of 4:01.30 as former world junior champion Steph Twell finished 8th in 4:03.71.

Dobriskey reflected afterwards: "I suppose I should be happy with the time in such a big field but I'm a little disappointed because I still think I can do better, Alminova looked really good over that last 200m and she's going to be the big contender in Barcelona.

"I've always been aware of how strong she is but because she's just coming back from a drugs ban, it's good to see up close how she is running."

An impressive Great Britain team won the men's 4x100m relay with Olympic medallist Mark Lewis-Francis bringing the quartet of Jeffery Lawall Balogun, Craig Pickering and Marlon Devonish home in 38.70secs, 0.05 ahead of the Italians as they look to defend their European title.

The high impressive American Allyson Felix cruised to victory in the women’s 200m in a time of 22.14secs as the three-time world champion looked hardly out of breath. Compatriot Shalonda Solomon finished runner-up in 22.55 ahead of Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, third in a season’s best of 22.62.

Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot won the women's 5,000m in a world-leading 14:27.41 as Great Britain's Jo Pavey despite struggling with a toe injury set a season’s best of 15.02.31.

In the men’s 800m Sudanese Abubaker Kaki dominated the race to win in 1:43.50 ahead of world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (1:44.11) of South Africa with Poland’s Marcin Lewandowski (1:44.40) third.

Olympic champion Brimin Kipruto of Kenya set a season's best of 8:00.90 with a brilliant runaway performance to win the men's 3,000m steeplechase.

World champion Phillips Idowu was fourth in the triple jump competition won by Cuban David Giralt with a season’s best of 17.49m, Idowu producing a best effort of 17.20, this having recorded three no jumps.

American champion Brittney Reese sealed her victory in the women's long jump competition with a last round jump of 6.79m.

Double world champion Blanka Vlasic defeated Chaunte Howard-Lowe of the USA with a clearance of 2.02m to break the 11-year-old meeting record.

Andreas Thorkildsen completed his fourth Samsung Diamond League victory as the Norwegian world and Olympic champion produced a best throw of 87.50m in the fourth round to defeat runner-up Teemu Wirkkala of Finland (83.77).

There was high drama in the men’s pole vault competition as Australia's world champion Steve Hooker failed to clear his opening height of 5.40m as France’s Renaud Lavillenie delighted the home fans to maintain his fine start to the season where he has remained unbeaten clearing 5.91 on his way to a fourth Samsung Diamond League victory.

In the women’s shot put Belarussian Nadzeya Ostapchuk won her third Diamond League competition clear of world and Olympic champion Valerie Vili, setting a meeting record of 20.78m.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

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Interview with Lisa Dobriskey (1500m)

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Interview with Andy Turner (110m hurdles)

Thursday 15th July 2010

SOUTH Africa's world 800 metres champion Caster Semenya won her comeback race following an enforced break of almost a year following controversial gender tests.



Semenya (19), clocked a time of two minutes 4.22 seconds in the Finnish town of Lappeenranta in her first competitive outing since taking gold in 1:55.45 at the Berlin World Championships last August.



Semenya commented afterwards: "It is not easy to come and run 2:04 while you stayed for 11 months at home, so yes, I am pretty happy with the performance."

Semenya will now target the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October having been cleared to compete as a woman by the (IAAF) International Association of Athletics Federations on July 6th and because of her lack of race fitness ASA opted not to include her in the teams for this month's world junior championships and the African championships.

Friday 16th July 2010

NICKI Nealon has won 10,000m gold for Great Britain at the 17th European Masters Athletics Championships in the city of Nyiegyhaza, Hungary.

With temperatures around 29 degrees Nealon, (42) from the Huncote Harriers club went to the front after the opening two-laps of the W40 category race clocking splits of 1:29 and a 1:30 as the field began to break into single file.

Pre-race favourite and defending champion, Portugal's Rosa Oliveira, who defeated Nealon last year in Finland in both the 10,000 and 5,000 final just sat on her shoulder tracking the Brit, however, Nealon mindful of Oliveira’s strong sprint finish put in a 1:27 followed by a 1:28 to pull away increasing her lead.

With six-laps remaining the hot conditions began to take affect as Nealon’s lead began to reduce to a margin of just 13 seconds with two-laps to go. From that point Nealon dug deep producing splits of 1:31 and 1:30 taking victory and gold for Great Britain in a time of 37:36.16 with compatriot Arlene Bristow (Shetland) fourth in 39:20.3.
Full Results:
W40 10,000m Final
1 Nicki Nealon (GBR) 37:36.16
2 Rosa Oliveira (POR) 37:50.83
3 Oksana Petrova (UKR) 38:54.01
4 Arlene Bristow (GBR) 39:20.37
5 Francesca Pini Prato (ITA) 40:45.64
6 Lldiko Illyes (HUN) 41:58.23
7 Eva Erzsebet Kubovics (HUN) 49:35.61

Full results are available on the following link: http://evacs2010.fidalservizi.it/iscritti/Index.htm

Saturday 10th July 2010

NCAA champion Charlotte Browning set a new lifetime best to win the 1500m ‘A’ race to highlight the Nike BMC Grand Prix meeting in Solihull as American athletes Jack Bolas and Craig Miller dominated the men's event and their were fine wins for Gareth Warburton and Stacey Smith over 800m.

Charlotte Browning, the 22-year-old from the Aldershot, Farnham & District club won the NCAA 1500m title in Eugene last month representing Florida and having returned over the Atlantic competing in the United Kingdom’s premier middle-distance Grand Prix series, Browning, having made good use of the pace-making from Loughborough student Danielle Christmas broke clear of the field taking a fine victory in 4:09.86 lowering her personal best for the second time in July slicing 2.54secs off the mark set at the Folksam Grand Prix in Sollentuna, Sweden.

Canadian Amber McGown clocked a personal best of 4:14.04 to secure second with Australian Eloise Wellings recording a season’s best of 4:15.49 in third. Loughborough students Emily Pidgeon set season’s best of 4:17.30 to secure 6th place as Abbey McGhee finished 7th in a new PB of 4:17.49.

Browning commented afterwards: “It has been a long season for me and I thought I was losing my fitness with a disappointing run at the UK Championships but tonight I felt very strong.”

American athletes Jack Bolas and Craig Miller showed no sign of jet-lag in the men’s 1500m ‘A’ race as the duo from the University of Wisconsin dominated the event securing a USA 1-2 over the line with times of 3:40.91 and 3:41.41 respectively. Ireland’s David McCarthy finished third in 3:41.56 with Rory Chesser setting a new personal best in third (3:42.20).

Gateshead Harrier Stacey Smith, the England U23 champion having finished runner-up with a personal best over 1500m at the Glasgow Super8 meeting the 20-year-old produced an impressive performance to win the women’s 800m ‘A’ race sprinting clear down the home straight to win in a time of 2:02.4.

Doha World indoor representative Charlotte Best finished runner-up in 2:02.85 with fellow Loughborough athlete Dani Christmas setting a new lifetime mark of 2:03.17 for third.

Welsh champion Gareth Warburton clocked under the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard to win the men’s 800m ‘A’ race taking victory in 1:47.44.

Swansea’s NCAA finalist Chris Gowell who currently ply’s his trade representing Baylor University on the American collegiate circuit finished runner-up in 1:47.93 ahead of Cambridge Harrier Ed Aston who clocked a new personal best 1:47.96 to secure third.

Video highlights are available on the following link: www.athleticos.org/coverage/237333-BMC-Solihull-Grand-Prix

Full Results:
BMC 800m A (Mens)
1 204 4 01:47.44 Gareth Warburton Cardiff / UWIC
2 202 2 01:47.93 Chris Gowell Swansea / Baylor Uni
3 207 7 01:47.96 Ed Aston U23 Cambridge & Coleridge / Birmingha
4 208 8 01:49.04 Adam Cotton U20 Birchfield H
5 203 3 01:49.41 Ettiene Plaatjies South Africa
6 201 1 01:49.68 Ben Wallis U23 Guildford & Godalming
7 205 5 01:50.64 Richard Hill Notts / UWIC
Race : 19 BMC 800m B (Mens)
1 212 4 01:48.97 Joe Thomas U23 Cardiff / UWIC
2 210 2 01:49.30 Oliver Blake U23 Oswestry / Loughborough Uni
3 209 1 01:49.38 Warren Frey Birchfield H
4 216 8 01:49.86 Andreas Bube Denmark
5 211 3 01:49.97 Mark Mitchell U23 Forres / Edinburgh / Edinburgh Uni
6 214 6 01:50.05 Alan O'brien Crusaders / Ireland
7 213 5 01:50.16 Graeme Oudney Belgrave / Pitreavie / Dundee Uni
8 215 7 01:50.65 Oliver Heeks U23 Orion / Portsmouth Uni
Race : 7 BMC 800m C (Mens)
1 217 1 01:50.42 Chris Warburton Notts / Loughborough Uni
2 221 5 01:50.60 David Proctor Rochdale
3 224 8 01:50.75 Rick Ward U23 City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
4 218 2 01:50.90 Michael Salter U23 Leeds City / Birmingham Uni
5 222 6 01:50.97 Stian Flo Norway
6 219 3 01:51.05 Ben Scarlett Swindon / Loughborough Uni / Medway
7 220 4 01:51.77 Chris Smith U23 Wirral / Birmingham Uni
8 223 7 01:59.93 Sam Petty U20 North Devon
Race : 9 BMC 800m D (Mens)
1 230 6 01:51.21 Ross Murray U23 Gateshead
2 228 4 01:51.88 Joe Brocklehurst Stratford-upon-avon
3 225 1 01:51.90 Richard Peters U23 Bristol & West
4 226 2 01:52.63 Steve Mitchell U23 Bristol & West / Bristol Uni / Hels
5 232 8 01:52.98 Nico Constanti U23 Gloucester / UWIC
6 231 7 01:53.04 Frank Baddick Newham & Essex Beagles / Loughbor
7 229 5 01:53.55 Davey Platt U23 North Devon / St. Mary's Uni / Yeov
Race : 13 BMC 800m E (Mens)
1 239 7 01:52.45 Andrew Connick Corstorphine / Ireland
2 238 6 01:52.53 Marcus Bridger-wilkinson U20 Newbury
3 234 2 01:52.77 Nick Jensen U20 Denmark
4 240 8 01:53.44 Nick Lyster U23 Coventry
5 236 4 01:54.17 Jonathan Blackledge Belgrave / Oxford Uni
6 237 5 01:54.26 Adam Watt Birchfield H
7 233 1 01:56.44 Stephen Emery Coventry / Loughborough Uni
Race : 6 BMC 800m F (Mens)
1 242 2 01:51.80 Ryan Saunders U20 Bournemouth
2 246 6 01:53.43 Martin Flook Bristol & West / Bath Uni / Mendip
3 248 8 01:53.51 James Joy U23 Aberdeen / Aberdeen Uni
4 243 3 01:53.74 John Spence Hallamshire / Sheffield Hallam Un
5 245 5 01:53.75 Paul Erwood Marshall Milton Keynes / Bournemo
6 247 7 01:54.10 James Ansell Newquay & Par / Exeter
7 241 1 01:55.18 Victor Ekelund Sweden
Race : 4 BMC 800m G (Mens)
1 255 7 01:54.02 Tom Graves U20 Birchfield H
2 253 5 01:54.14 Carl Goose City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
3 257 9 01:54.34 James Miller Cheltenham / Police
4 252 4 01:54.51 Andrew De-camps Gloucester / Swansea Uni
5 254 6 01:54.94 Adam Morrell U20 Middlesbrough (mandale) / Teeside
6 249 1 01:55.38 James Lynch U23 Birchfield H
7 256 8 01:56.86 Mads Jorgensen U23 Denmark
8 250 2 01:57.47 Andrew Mariani U23 Woodford Green Essex Ladies / Lou
Race : 2 BMC 800m H (Mens)
1 261 4 01:54.67 Tom Carter Vale Royal / Loughborough Uni
2 260 3 01:55.61 James Griffiths U23 Vale Royal / Loughborough Uni
3 265 8 01:56.47 Andrew Moraghan V35 Bedford & County
4 258 1 01:56.82 Chris Lamb Rugby & Northampton
5 259 2 01:57.04 Richard De-camps U23 Gloucester / Birmingham Uni
6 262 5 01:57.38 Joseph Moores U17 Rossendale / Lancashire Schs
7 264 7 01:57.39 Chris Prothero U23 Cardiff / Glamorgan Uni
8 263 6 01:58.42 David Rigby U23 Preston / Loughborough Uni
Race : 1 BMC 800m I (Mens)
1 267 2 01:58.40 Matthew Emery U23 Rugby & Northampton / Bath Uni
2 268 3 01:58.57 Stewart Chalmers U20 Stornoway
3 271 6 01:58.67 Alistair Smith U23 Coventry
4 270 5 01:58.76 Stewart Davis Ealing Southall & Middx / Antigua & Barbuda
5 266 1 01:58.96 Gareth Klepacz Team Southampton / Southampton Uni
6 269 4 01:59.21 Soren Dam Henriksen Denmark
7 273 8 02:00.59 Paul William Davies Cardiff
Race : 11 BMC 800m A (Womens)
1 282 9 02:02.49 Stacey Smith U23 Gateshead / Teeside U
2 280 7 02:02.85 Charlotte Best Crawley / Loughborough Uni
3 275 2 02:03.17 Danielle Christmas Crawley / Loughborough Uni
4 278 5 02:03.49 Celia Taylor Coventry
5 274 1 02:04.49 Karen Harewood Corby
6 277 4 02:04.92 Tara Bird Woodford Green Essex Ladies / Bru
7 279 6 02:05.62 Phillippa Aukett Shaftesbury Barnet / Birmingham U
8 276 3 02:05.91 Karrie Blake City Of Portsmouth
9 281 8 02:05.99 Rowena Cole U20 Coventry
Race : 8 BMC 800m B (Womens)
1 290 8 02:06.46 Dawn Hunt Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow
2 288 6 02:06.63 Jade Maclaren U23 Victoria Park City Of Glasgow / S
3 284 2 02:07.17 Donna Jones Sale Harriers Manchester
4 283 1 02:07.75 Rachael Thompson Liverpool H / Loughborough Uni
5 292 10 02:08.18 Vicky Fouhy U23 Chiltern / Windsor Slough Eton &
6 285 3 02:08.30 Carolyn Plateau U23 Radley / Oxford Uni
7 287 5 02:08.50 Rachel Aubry U23 Canada
Race : 18 BMC 800m C (Womens)
1 295 3 02:08.21 Clementine Adams Aldershot Farnham & District / S
2 301 9 02:08.91 Julia Cooke U23 Cheltenham / Birmingham Uni
3 294 2 02:10.32 Emily Moss U23 Peterborough / Royal Holloway Uni
4 293 1 02:10.81 Ruth Mitchell U23 Bristol & West / UWIC
5 296 4 02:11.14 Alvilde Ossum Denmark
6 298 6 02:11.43 Helen Singleton Wakefield
7 300 8 02:11.90 Nicola Maddick Kingston Upon Hull
8 302 10 02:13.15 Rhianna Parker-simpson Halesowen / Southampton Uni / Team
Race : 3 BMC 800m D (Womens)
1 307 5 02:11.84 Claire Burgoyne Shrewsbury / Staffordshire Uni
2 308 6 02:13.50 Bethan Strange Cardiff / UWIC
3 309 7 02:14.02 Charlotte Gaughan U23 City Of York / York Uni
4 303 1 02:14.94 Aisling Mcghee U23 Victoria Park City Of Glasgow / L
5 305 3 02:15.12 Rachel Deegan Sale Harriers Manchester / Oxford
6 310 8 02:15.23 Joanna Emery Coventry
7 311 9 02:17.00 Natalie Shaw Cambridge & Coleridge / Derby
8 306 4 02:21.79 Zoe Thomas U20 Cardiff
Race : 21 BMC 1500m A (Mens)
1 321 10 03:40.91 Jack Bolas United States
2 319 8 03:41.41 Craig Miller United States
3 313 2 03:41.56 David Mccarthy U23 City Of Derry / West Waterford / Ir
4 326 15 03:42.20 Rory Chesser Ennis Track / Newham & Essex Beag
5 328 17 03:43.71 Stephen Scullion U23 North Belfast / Aldershot Farnha
6 317 6 03:43.85 Kyle Boorsma Canada
7 314 3 03:44.01 Garry Bristow Trafford
8 330 19 03:45.41 Nick Samuels Sale Harriers Manchester / Loughb
9 316 5 03:45.79 Paul Robinson U20 St. Cocas / Ireland
10 325 14 03:46.80 Ian Williamson Cambridge & Coleridge / Edinburgh
11 320 9 03:47.77 Tim Konoval Canada
12 315 4 03:48.61 David Forrester U23 St. Helens Sutton / Florida State
Race : 23 BMC 1500m B (Mens)
1 344 14 03:45.47 Liam Reale Limerick / Ireland
2 339 9 03:45.73 Tim Egerton Trafford
3 332 2 03:46.01 Alex Tovey U23 Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow /
4 346 16 03:46.24 Christopher Harvey U23 Cannock & Stafford
5 338 8 03:46.36 Ben Wiffen Tonbridge / St. Andrews Uni / Kent
6 348 18 03:46.52 Tim Dalton Severn / Loughborough Uni
7 335 5 03:46.59 Jonas Leanderson U20 Sweden
8 347 17 03:46.59 Richard Weir Derby / Staffordshire Uni
9 341 11 03:48.07 Ieuan Thomas U23 Cardiff / UWIC
10 333 3 03:48.41 Richard Morrell New Marske
11 345 15 03:49.36 Harry Harper U23 Liverpool H / Birmingham Uni
12 340 10 03:52.03 Rob Whittle Basingstoke & Mid Hants / Loughbo
13 343 13 03:52.16 Rob Jackson U23 Canada
14 336 6 03:52.60 James Mills Wrexham / Bath Uni / Cardiff
15 342 12 03:53.64 Philip Hurst U23 Elswick / Gateshead
16 337 7 03:53.77 Jonathan Hay U20 Aldershot Farnham & District
17 331 1 03:57.42 Tom Holden Tipton / Manchester Uni
Race : 15 BMC 1500m C (Mens)
1 350 2 03:47.10 Joe Durrant U23 Cambridge H / Birmingham Uni
2 360 12 03:50.77 Hans Kristian Floystad U23 Norway
3 358 10 03:50.81 Robert Heaney U23 Bedford & County / Brunel Uni
4 357 9 03:50.86 Martin Nilson U23 Sweden
5 354 6 03:51.21 Alex Bruce-littlewood U23 Blackheath & Bromley / Portsmouth
6 355 7 03:52.60 Alex Hains Cardiff
7 364 16 03:52.94 Robin Leanderson U23 Sweden
8 356 8 03:54.29 Douglas Selman U23 Corstorphine / Edinburgh / Edinburg
9 349 1 03:55.29 Harry Webb U23 Bristol & West / Brunel Uni
10 352 4 03:55.65 Ben Jones Coventry
11 353 5 03:56.45 Chris Carter U23 Telford Ac / Birmingham Uni
12 362 14 03:56.50 Matthew Sullivan U23 Shaftesbury Barnet / Loughborough
13 361 13 03:56.50 Tom Cunningham U23 Blackpool Wyre & Fylde / St. And
14 359 11 03:56.84 Ben Sharman U23 Birchfield H / Wolverhampton Uni
15 351 3 04:00.01 Stephen Mears Charnwood / Loughborough Uni
Race : 14 BMC 1500m D (Mens)
1 396 19 03:53.28 Mathew Ashton Aldershot Farnham & District / S
2 365 1 03:55.23 Mathew Jackson U20 Warrington / Birmingham Uni / Sale
3 382 18 03:55.26 Steffan Ek U20 Sweden
4 366 2 03:55.95 James Poole Blackheath & Bromley / Loughborou
5 379 15 03:56.09 Andrew Ridley U20 West Suffolk / Birmingham Uni
6 380 16 03:56.20 Martin Stjernlof Sweden
7 376 12 03:56.28 Matt Willmott U23 Marshall Milton Keynes / Birmingh
8 371 7 03:56.40 Michael Kershaw U23 Cardiff / UWIC
9 374 10 03:56.65 Tom Bowerman U23 Aldershot Farnham & District / S
10 368 4 03:57.90 Anton Danielsson U23 Sweden
11 375 11 03:59.43 Edward Womersley U23 Stroud / Loughborough Uni
12 378 14 04:00.43 Richard Franzese Harrow / Oxford Uni
13 373 9 04:03.32 Jack Bancroft U23 Wells City
14 381 17 04:03.90 Steven Phillips Team Southampton
15 377 13 04:09.19 Joe Townsend U23 Leeds City / Birmingham Uni
16 367 3 04:10.60 Chris Davies Swansea
Race : 16 BMC 1500m E (Mens)
1 397 15 03:58.64 Alex Pilcher Derby
2 386 4 03:59.46 Alasdair Russell Kendal / Central Lancashire Uni / B
3 388 6 04:00.35 David Horniman U20 Trafford
4 384 2 04:00.54 Richard Taylor V35 Coventry
5 391 9 04:00.84 Richard Mann U23 Hillingdon / Harrow
6 383 1 04:01.16 Alex Bellew U23 Bedford & County / Leeds Uni
7 393 11 04:01.97 Adam Stainsby U23 Worthing / Brighton & Hove / Brunel
8 389 7 04:02.17 James Fairbourn Belgrave / Loughborough Uni
9 390 8 04:03.34 Peter Huck U23 Barrow & Furness / Sheffield Hall
10 385 3 04:06.20 James Adie Bromsgrove & Redditch / Birmingha
11 395 13 04:08.47 Tom Madden U23 Coventry / Coventry Uni / Wirral
12 387 5 04:12.14 Jordan Ali U20 Ipswich
13 398 16 04:12.92 Adam Sixsmith U17 Trafford
Race : 20 BMC 1500m A (Womens)
1 412 14 04:09.86 Charlotte Browning Aldershot Farnham & District / F
2 410 12 04:14.04 Amber Mcgown Canada
3 408 10 04:15.49 Eloise Wellings Australia
4 411 13 04:17.09 Tina Brown Coventry
5 399 1 04:17.11 Dana Buchanan Canada
6 402 4 04:17.30 Emily Pidgeon U23 Stroud / Loughborough Uni
7 403 5 04:17.49 Abbey Mcghee U23 Victoria Park City Of Glasgow / L
8 409 11 04:18.45 Rachel Cliff U23 Canada
9 400 2 04:19.54 Catherine Riley Trafford / Manchester Uni
10 404 6 04:19.86 Nicola Gauld Aberdeen / Edinburgh / Loughborough
11 406 8 04:20.25 Katrina Wootton Bedford & County / Coventry Uni
12 407 9 04:20.71 Emelia Gorecka U17 Aldershot Farnham & District
13 413 15 04:21.11 Lennie Waite Rice Uni
14 401 3 04:34.69 Jordan Kinney U23 Royal Sutton Coldfield / Loughbor
Race : 22 BMC 1500m B (Womens)
1 423 9 04:22.65 Emma Raven Chester-le-street / Thames Valley
2 420 6 04:23.37 Sarah Hood Edinburgh / Edinburgh Uni
3 424 10 04:24.07 Claire Entwistle Wigan & District / Trafford
4 418 4 04:26.34 Alexa Joel Havering Mayesbrook
5 425 11 04:28.19 Amy Campbell Southampton Rc / Shaftesbury Barn
6 422 8 04:30.31 Jenna Hill Sale Harriers Manchester / St. Ma
7 419 5 04:31.24 Suzi Boast U23 Bedford & County / St. Mary's Uni
8 416 2 04:31.62 Stacey Johnson Cannock & Stafford / Florida Uni
9 421 7 04:31.77 Bryony Proctor U23 Blackheath & Bromley / St. Mary's
10 417 3 04:32.59 Sarah Bull V35 Notts / Loughborough Uni
Race : 17 BMC 1500m C (Womens)
1 435 10 04:30.87 Carol Glover Blackburn / Uw Swansea / Swansea
2 431 6 04:33.06 Becky Howarth U23 Leigh / Durham Uni / Wigan & Distri
3 427 2 04:33.37 Lydia Willemse Canada
4 436 11 04:34.05 Katie Knowles U23 Bristol & West / Birmingham Uni
5 438 13 04:34.36 Alex Snook Shildon / Loughborough Uni
6 437 12 04:35.10 India Lee U23 Winchester / Southampton Uni
7 440 15 04:36.32 Frances Briscoe Coventry
8 429 4 04:38.47 Deborah Niccol Bristol & West / UWIC
9 439 14 04:39.12 Hollie Young U20 Victoria Park City Of Glasgow / T
10 432 7 04:40.49 Hayley Munn U23 Kettering / Oxford Uni / Birchfield
11 434 9 04:42.30 Ellen Butler Swansea
12 433 8 04:42.35 Rebecca Gough U23 Winchester / Birmingham Uni
13 426 1 04:43.66 Harriet Morris U20 Cardiff
14 430 5 04:47.15 Kristina Grant U23 Middlebrough (mandale)
15 428 3 04:51.59 Abbie Smith U20 Middlesbrough & Cleveland
16 441 16 04:59.90 Codie Marsh U17 Rotherham
Race : 24 BMC 5000m A (Mens)
1 455 14 14:05.38 Mark Draper Bedford & County
2 453 12 14:10.91 Neilson Hall Bedford & County / Herts Phoenix
3 451 10 14:21.59 Phil Wicks Belgrave
4 456 15 14:25.48 Tom Marshall U23 Cardiff / UWIC
5 445 4 14:26.96 Steve Sharp Belgrave
6 446 5 14:27.33 Ashley Harrell U23 City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
7 444 3 14:27.78 Matt Janes Bedford & County / W’minster U
8 443 2 14:29.38 Matthew Gunby U23 Woodford Green Essex Ladies / Dur
9 462 21 14:30.13 Jonathan Hopkins U20 Bridgend
10 454 13 14:33.01 Kevin Skinner Newham & Essex Beagles / Garden C
11 450 9 14:34.45 Chris Discombe Les Croupiers / Cardiff
12 449 8 14:35.33 Neil Gamester Shaftesbury Barnet
13 452 11 14:38.24 Matthew Dumigan Swansea / UWIC
14 442 1 14:44.71 Paul Whittaker U23 Southend
15 464 23 14:46.64 Erik Widing Sweden
16 457 16 14:50.04 Philip Wylie Bristol & West
17 447 6 14:50.14 Martin Mashford Aldershot Farnham & District
18 448 7 14:55.54 Petter Eggan Norway
19 459 18 15:05.06 Shaun Collins U23 Enfield & Haringey
20 460 19 15:13.51 Nathaniel Lane Cardiff
21 461 20 15:46.91 Stuart Huntington U23 City Of Norwich / St. Mary's Uni
Race : 12 BMC 5000m B (Mens)
1 466 2 14:35.84 James Mee U23 Mansfield / Birmingham Uni
2 475 11 14:36.89 David Bruce Highgate / Oxford Uni
3 467 3 14:37.74 Elliot Palmer U20 Ipswich
4 482 18 14:38.06 David Roper Cheltenham / Tbas
5 468 4 14:40.90 Morten Fransen U23 Denmark
6 479 15 14:41.62 Matt Blunden Notts / Royal Air Force
7 472 8 14:48.44 Lee Reynolds Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow
8 477 13 14:50.40 Anuradha Cooray Vale Of Aylesbury / Sri Lanka
9 470 6 14:52.32 Sebastian Duffy Stroud / Birmingham Uni / City Of S
10 474 10 14:58.76 Neil Phillips Aldershot Farnham & District / S
11 473 9 14:59.41 Adam Elliott Sale Harriers Manchester / Loughb
12 476 12 15:03.14 Thomas Cornthwaite Blackburn / Northumbria Uni
13 469 5 15:12.77 Tom Merson South West Rr / Bristol & West
14 485 21 15:22.96 Martin Whitehouse Notts
15 481 17 15:25.24 Steven Whittaker Southend
16 484 20 15:25.54 Michael Dawson Morpeth
17 480 16 15:46.32 Mike Osborne Oxford Uni
Race : 25 BMC 5000m A (Womens)
1 495 10 15:52.96 Hazel Murphy Dundrum South Dublin / Ireland
2 496 11 16:06.98 Gemma Turtle Gloucester / Chiltern / St. Mary's
3 493 8 16:12.94 Annie Bersagel United States
4 491 6 16:23.84 Benita Willis Thames Hare & Hounds / Australia
5 489 4 16:25.19 Natalie Gray U23 Medway & Maidstone / Loughborough
6 487 2 16:33.38 Beth Potter U20 Victoria Park City Of Glasgow
7 492 7 16:50.17 Courtney Laurie U23 Canada
8 494 9 17:03.21 Emily Adams Aldershot Farnham & District / S
9 486 1 17:27.45 Imogen Ainsworth U23 Bristol & West / Bristol Uni
10 490 5 17:27.83 Lisa Da Silva Thames Valley
11 488 3 17:31.16 Clare Mensley U23 Charnwood
Race : 5 BMC 3000SC A (Mens)
1 506 10 08:34.06 Stuart Stokes Sale Harriers Manchester
2 500 4 08:42.60 Alexandre Genest Canada
3 504 8 08:47.46 Rob Watson Canada
4 502 6 08:49.05 James Wilkinson U23 Leeds City / Birmingham Uni
5 508 12 08:54.66 Matt Brunsting Canada
6 509 13 08:57.86 Stephan Alex Jensen Denmark
7 511 15 09:01.31 Samatar Farah Newham & Essex Beagles
8 507 11 09:03.72 Daniel Lundgren Sweden
9 510 14 09:09.53 Stephen Lisgo Mansfield / Edinburgh / Butler Uni
10 505 9 09:15.95 Ole Hesselbjerg U23 Denmark
11 497 1 09:16.49 Steve Millward Gloucester / Cardiff
12 501 5 09:21.08 Mauizbin Ali Leeds City / Sudan
13 512 16 09:38.00 James Griggs Coventry
14 499 3 09:49.57 Andrew Friend Cardiff / UWIC

2010 Samsung Diamond League – Aviva British Grand Prix

Gateshead International Stadium

Saturday 10th July 2010

AMERICAN Tyson Gay edged rival Asafa Powell of Jamaica to win the 100 metres in a time of 9.94secs in the much anticipated showdown between two of the world’s top sprinters as the Samsung Diamond League made the first of two appearances on the shores of the British Isles this season beginning at the Gateshead International Stadium.

Gay commented: “I feel good. He’s one of my favourite competitors and I managed to get him today. I really had to stretch to the finish line and he didn’t see me coming today so I got the victory,

"The hamstring is still tight and that is something I am going to have to work on. But I can race this way all the time. I’m determined. The wind maybe affected the time slightly but not much. As for Bolt – I know he’s ready. He’s coming back from injury but he’ll be prepared.”

In the first track event of the international programme European and Commonwealth bronze medallist Andy Turner defeated by compatriot Will Sharman the previous week at the UK Championships in Birmingham won the battle of the Brit’s to finish ahead of his rival in the 110m hurdles race won by Dwight Thomas of Jamaica in 13.38secs with Turner runner-up in 13.41 and Sharman setting a season’s best of 13.43.

A delighted Thomas said afterwards: “I DQ’d here last year so I enjoyed it so much better today. The wind was swirling before the start but I knew I just had to come out and win whether it was a head wind or a tail wind. It was a quality field and I wanted to perform well - there are a lot of Jamaicans here in England so I wanted to run well in front of them so they get to know me before the Olympics in 2012. ”

Double world heptathlon and pentathlon champion Jessica Ennis lined-up in the women’s 200m but it was America’s former World Youth Games champion Bianca Whyte who shone brightest under the Gateshead sky racing clear to win in an impressive 22.71secs ahead of Olympic relay bronze medalist Rosemarie Whyte of Jamaica who clocked a season’s best of 22.81 with compatriot Anneisha McLaughlin third in 22.95.

Knight commented: “I am pleased with that. It was my first time running here so I am satisfied given the wind and everything. The time isn’t so bad so overall I had a great meet. Now I look forward to Paris (Diamond League).”

World finalist Emily Freeman led home a British trio in 6th place equaling her season’s best of 23.34 ahead of Ade Oyepitan, 7th in a season’s best of 23.41, with Ennis 8th in 23.55.

UK champion Martyn Rooney, a real hot-favourite to win gold for Team GB at the forthcoming European Championships and the tallest sprinter currently competing in world athletics at 6ft 5in was up-staged by fellow Brit Michael Bingham in the men’s 400m as the 24-year-old US-based sprinter clocked a season’s best of 45.08secs finishing runner-up to Jamaican Ricardo Chambers as both athletes set season’s bests of 44.98secs and 45.08 respectively.

Rooney came through to secure third place in 45.44 with Rob Tobin fourth in a season’s best of 45.56 and one-lap hurdles specialist David Greene 8th in 46.84.

Chambers commented afterwards: “My plan was to run the second and third hundred very fast and come home. I felt like I did that pretty well. I think if I’d gone out a bit harder maybe I could have got a faster time. The time was ok. I am getting better. I’m getting in shape so it’s all good.”

The previous day in Barcelona training partner David Gillick of Ireland set the second fastest time in Europe with a 44.95 victory to move ahead of training partner Rooney in the rankings.

Rooney commented: “I was just really sluggish and it was a bad race. I was in a confident mood coming into the race but I’ll have to learn from this and not make the mistake again. I’m still hoping to race in Paris because I think it’s important to get another race in. I need to race against the best guys to get better. I should have taken advantage today.”

In the women’s 400m American Debbie Dunn had the greater start on the field moving ahead at the 200m point and looked set to win the race, however, Jamaica’s World and Olympic silver medallist Shericka Williams looked the stronger coming into the home straight and pulled clear to edge victory in 50.44 to 50.66 improving on her second place in Lausanne on Thursday evening. Compatriot Novleen Williams-Mills was third in 50.90 as Great Britain’s former indoor champion Nicola Sanders faded to 7th place in 52.89.

Williams reflected: “It was very tough but I ran a good race, that’s really what I wanted to do. I’m kinda tired after the Trials, Prefontaine then Lausanne and it was tough out there. I want to have a shot at the Diamond League and I needed those points, so I’m pleased.”

World number one and winner in the Oslo and Eugene Diamond League meetings Asbel Kiprop was once again too strong in the men’s 1500m holding off the challenge from fellow Kenyan Augustine Choge to win in a time of 3mins 33.34 seconds with the USA’s Leonel Manzano third.

Britain’s Andy Baddeley finished 5th in a new lifetime best of 3:34.50 with Tom Lancashire 7th in 3:34.87. European Team Championship winner Colin McCourt was 9th also in a personal best of 3:37.06. Local athlete Nick McCormick finished 10th in 3:37.97 as Naill Brooks was 11th in 3:38.62 and Loughborough graduate Lewis Moses secured 12th place in 3:56.81.

Kiprop commented: “It’s really important to win Diamond League races. It gives me motivation for the rest of the season and helps to keep me focused. I want to run the World Championships next year hopefully, so this season is good preparation. Today’s race was really competitive with Choge and the other guys behind me but I kept my head and was able to win.”

Lisa Dobriskey looks to be rounding into top form ahead of the European Championships, having finished fourth in Lausanne with a European lead of 4:02.28 on Thursday evening the World silver medallist and Commonwealth champion powered through the field to take victory in the women’s 1500m in a time of 4:03.69 outsprinting the USA’s Morgan Uceny (4:04.26). UK champion Hannah England clocked a season’s best of 4:04.33 to take third. British 3,000m steeplechase record-holder Helen Clitheroe finished fourth in a season’s best of 4:06.04 as former world junior champion Steph Twell clocked 4:07.43 to secure 6th.

Dobriskey commented: “I was checking my lap times and I felt really strong and really comfortable. I thought it would be a bit of a test after racing in Lausanne on Thursday and when it went off so fast I thought I’d just use what I had. I went quite early but I felt strong and I wanted to push on and make the most of it. We’d gone so far to run a really honest race and solid time and I thought it would be a shame not to keep that momentum going. I knew that even if I was beaten I’d at least have a quick time.”

World champion Phillips Idowu won the triple jump defeating the Diamond League leader, Cuban Alexis Capello, with a best of 17.38 metres.

Kenyan’s Linus Chumba and Michael Kipyego made it an all-African battle in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase as they raced shoulder-to-shoulder well clear of the field with Chumba setting a meeting record sprinting over the line in 8:19.72 ahead of Kipyego’s 8:21.91. Ben Bruce of the USA set a personal best for third in 8:22.88 as two-time UK champion Luke Gunn clocked a season’s best of 8:28.89 - the leading time by a British athlete this year.

American Carmelita Jeter followed up on victory in Lausanne to win the women's 100m in 10.95secs ahead of Trinidad’s Kelly Ann Baptiste and Jamaica's Sherone Simpson.

Jeter commented: “I wish it was easy to run under 11 seconds, it takes a lot of work. I’ve been working on my technique. I’ve been trying to get my start together, it really is the worst part of my race. I was really excited to come to Gateshead and excited to see what the clock said.”

American Alysia Johnson dominated the women’s 800m leading throughout the race the world indoor bronze medallist pulled away over the closing stages to win in 1:59.84, the only athlete to clock under two-minutes. Halima Hachlaf of Morocco finished second in 2:00.29 ahead of former World University Games champion Yulija Krevsun of the Ukraine, third in 2:00.67.

World bronze medallist in Berlin, Great Britain’s Jenny Meadows returning to action following recent injury niggles finished down in 6th place in 2:01.07 one place ahead of Marilyn Okoro, 7th in a season’s best of 2:01.55

Over the women’s 400m hurdles Berlin World finalist, Jamaica’s Kaliiese Spencer, won in a time of 54.10secs well clear of the Czech Republic’s Zuzana Hejnova 54.83 and Angela Morosanu of Romania season’s best of 54.87. Great Britain’s rising talent Perri Shakes-Drayton finished fourth in 55.67 as Scottish record-holder Eilidh Child secured 6th in 56.13.

World indoor champion Lolo Jones, global leader this year, won the women’s 100m hurdles with a classy performance to complete her fourth Diamond League victory having won in Doha, Oslo and New York clocking 12.79secs ahead of fellow American Danielle Carruthers (12.98) and Perdita Felicien of Canada (13.01).

Jones commented: “It’s just such a different picture this year, I was getting 8th and 9th last year so it’s a breath of fresh air to be back where I am and on top. I’m undefeated in the Diamond League it’s just such a boost for my confidence. The Diamond League is so important to me because without a Worlds or Olympics this is the only thing to fight for so I just put all my efforts into focussing on that.”

Walter Dix of the USA won the men’s 200m in 20.26secs securing his fourth Diamond League success winning ahead of fellow American Wallace Spearmon (20.29). Britain’s Marlon Devonish was 6th in a season’s best of 20.68 with Craig Pickering 8th in 21.34.

In the final track event, the men’s 5,000m Mo Farah missed out on breaking David Moorcroft’s UK record of 13:00.41 but he still set a new personal best of13:05.66 to finish seventh, as compatriot Chris Thompson racing in the green vest of the Oregon Track Club improved his lifetime mark to 13:11.51 in the race won by Vincent Chepkok with an impressive 13:00.20 .

World and Olympic silver medallist Piotr Malachowski of Poland set a very impressive UK all-comers record to win the men’s discus event as the 27-year-old threw a massive 69.83 metre effort in the second round of the competition. UK champion Brett Morse was 7th with a best of 61.69m.

In the women’s pole vault, British record-holder Kate Dennison’s best height of 4.41m secured fifth place in a competition won by Svetlana Feofanova of Russia with a season’s best of 4.71m.

In the men’s high jump affected by the windy conditions Samson Oni finished 6th with a best height of 2.23m in the event won by Sweden’s Linus Thornblad with a 2.29m clearance.

South African Sunette Viljoen won the women’s javelin with 64.32m as Great Britain’s Laura Whittingham finished sixth in 51.90 with Jessica Ennis seventh with an impressive 46.15.

Belarussian Nadezhda Ostapchuk won the women’s shot competition with a meeting record of 20.57m ahead of New Zealander Valerie Vili on 20.06. Britain’s Eden Francis was eighth with a best of 15.11.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

Friday 9th July 2010

FRANCE's Christophe Lemaitre became the first white man to run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds when he clocked 9.98 to win the French championships title in Valence, southern France.

Lemaitre, 20, improved on the French record set by Ronald Pognon with 9.98secs in 2005. His time also bettered Great Britain’s Dwain Chambers’ previous European world best time of 9.99secs.

Lemaitre commented: “This was my goal to break it of course. One has to run under 10sec in order to be part of the world’s best. I will be recognised as the first white man to run it, but today is mainly historical for myself!”

“It was a long term goal, but today the conditions were good and I had the best opponents possible to push me the only fear I had was about the wind.”

Jamaican Usain Bolt is the world record holder with 9.58secs. American Jim Hines became the first man to run the 100 metres in less than 10 seconds at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.

Samsung Diamond League - Athletissima meeting

Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne

Thursday 8th July 2010

WORLD record-holder Usain Bolt returned from an Achilles tendon injury to take victory over 100 metres equaling the world-leading time of 9.82 seconds at the latest stop on the Samsung Diamond League global tour in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Having decided not to run in the 200m to eliminate running on the bends, therefore protecting his injury the Athletissima meeting promoters assembled a quickly arranged 100m field to delight the packed crowds at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise as Bolt in his first race for 42 days comfortably eased to victory in a time of 9.82 seconds (+0.5) to equal the fastest time of the year set by fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell at the Rome Diamond League meeting last month.

Compatriot Yohan Blake finished second in 9.96 with Churandy Martina third in 10.16.

Bolt commented afterwards: "I'm so glad my wound didn't disturb me after having been absent for the last five weeks," who revealed he prepared for the race by listening to Michael Jackson.

"'Billie Jean' put me in the best condition for this race because I was falling asleep in training. I'm very happy because the weather also helped me to run fast."

World silver medallist and Commonwealth champion Lisa Dobriskey looked more like herself in the women’s 1500m, the 26-year-old Loughborough-based athlete coached by George Gandy set a European-lead time and season’s best of 4:08.97 to secure fourth place with her trademark sprint finish in the race won by Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka in 3:59.28, a world-lead for 2010.

Morocco’s Btissam Lakhouad finished runner-up setting a new national record of 3:59.35 in the process to hold off the challenge of Olympic champion Nancy Langat from Kenya who also set a lifetime best of 4:00.13.

European and Commonwealth bronze medallist Andy Turner finished fourth in the 110m hurdles with a season’s best of 13.30secs in a messy race where Petr Svoboda of the Czech Republic and Dwight Thomas of Jamaica were disqualified for false-starts. No such problems for the Olympic champion Dayron Robles of Cuba who produced a superb performance to win in 13.01.

European leader and UK champion David Greene set a season’s best in the 400m hurdles clocking 48.49secs to finished fifth behind the impressive race winner Bershawn Jackson, the world number one and American champion taking victory in 47.62.

Liverpool Harrier and five-time UK champion Michael Rimmer wearing his lucky T-shirt clocked a lifetime best of 1:44.49 to take fifth place in a very fast men’s 800m race where David Rudisha failed in his bid to smash Wilson Kipketer's 13-year-old world record of 1:42.61, finishing in a time of 1:43.25.

In the men’s high jump Ivan Ukhov won on countback ahead of fellow Russian Yaroslav Rybakov, both equalling the world's leading clearance this year of 2.33m. Loughborough graduate Samson Oni finished 10th with a best of 2.24m.

Other highlights from this stellar meeting held in perfect conditions in the city of Lausanne, home to the headquarters of the Olympic movement and the European Athletics Association included American 100m champion Walter Dix winning the men’s 200m in a time of 19.86secs ahead of Churandy Martina, who set a Dutch Antilles area-record of 20.08. Xavier ‘X-Man’ Carter was third in a season’s best of 20.15.

Jeremy Wariner ran a world-leading 44.57secs to win the men’s 400m, the American former world and Olympic champion improved the previous world-best time of 44.61, set by compatriot Greg Nixon, at the US Championships in Des Moines, last month. Lajerald Betters finished second in a lifetime best of 44.70, with Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jermaine Gonzales taking third, also in a PB of 44.72.

World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser of Jamaica was a non-starter in the women’s 100m because of an alleged positive drug test due to the use of pain killers at the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai following a dental procedure. In the race American Carmelita Jeter dominated taking victory in 10.99secs ahead of Sherone Simpson.

World 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot from Kenya won the women’s 3,000m in a world-leading mark of 8:34.60 in the race that suffered from very iratic pace-making leaving the athletes to battle it out over the final lap.

In the men’s pole-vault Renaud Lavillenie of France defeated Olympic champion Steve Hooker from Australia with a clearance of 5.85m.

World champion Dani Samuels from Australia threw 62.05m in the women's discus, won again by Cuba's impressive Yarelis Barrios with an opening effort of 65.92 with American Becky Breisch (64.53) second.

Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen claimed his third victory Diamond League series victory with a best of 87.04m in the fourth round well ahead of Finn Tero Pitkamaki, who finished runner-up on 84.71. Cuba’s Guillermo Martinez, the reigning World silver medallist, finished third with 82.40.

World long jump champion Tiffany Reese made her Samsung Diamond League debut to take victory with a 6.94m leap in the fifth round to defeat Portugal’s Naide Gomes (6.80). Russian Tatyana Kotova (6.70) finished third.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

Wednesday 7th July 2010

TEAM London led by a triple success in the field events for Robbie Grabarz (high jump), Jirina Ptacnikova (pole vault) and American record-holder Chaunte Lowe (high jump) combined with victories for Darren St Clair (800m) and Joice Maduaka (200m) gate-crashed the party on the evening celebrating the reopening of the newly refurbished Scotstoun Stadium to defeat hosts Glasgow to win the 2010 Super8 title.

Loughborough graduate Robbie Grabarz (London) won the men’s high jump competition with a height of 2.23m with his first attempt taking victory ahead of Matthew Roberts (Birmingham) and Adam Scar (Gateshead) second and third on countback with 2.17m.

World ranked number one in the women’s high jump, American record-holder and reigning champion Chaunte Lowe-Howard (London) is currently in top form was as expected a class apart competing as an International wildcard winning the competition with a height of 1.91m ahead of Loughborough graduate Steph Pywell (Birmingham), second with 1.80m as she continues her return from injury.

World indoor championships representative and International wildcard Jirina Ptacnikova (London) of the Czech Republic claimed victory in the women’s pole vault clearing a height of 4.41m ahead of Henrietta Paxton (Glasgow) and Sophie Upton (Plymouth), second and third respectively on countback with 3.96m.

Darren St Clair (London) edged victory over Gareth Warburton (Cardiff) in the men’s 800m in a time of 1:50.60 to 1:50.63.

American Lolo Jones had to settle for the runners-up position in Glasgow for the second time this year, having finished second to Jessica Ennis over the 60 metre hurdles indoors back in January, the 27-year-old International was defeated by compatriot and Powerade Great CityGames champion Danielle Carruthers (Gateshead) outdoors in the 100m hurdles event with both athletes clocking under 13-seconds with times of 12.93 and 12.95 respectively. United Kingdom champion Louise Hazel (Birmingham) finished third in 13:38.

Tyrone Akins (Manchester) won the men’s 110m hurdles event with a time of 13.37secs ahead of European junior champion Lawrence Clarke (Plymouth) 13.51.

Joice Maduaka (London) defeated Glasgow team captain Lee McConnell to win the women’s 200m crossing the line in 23:64secs. Loughborough Sports Scholar McConnell secured second in 23:74.

America’s former World 100m champion Lauryn Williams (Cardiff) edged Abi Oyepitan (London) to win the women’s 100m following a photo-finish with both athletes clocking the same time of 11.61secs. Bernice Wilson (London) finished third in 11.77.

Trell Kimmons (Manchester) competed a USA sprint double in the men’s 100m winning ahead of Mark Lewis Francis (Birmingham) 10.22 to 10.35 with the 2003 Paris World champion Kim Collins (Sheffield) third in 10.40.

Florida’s Dominique Darden (Sheffield) secured maximum points in the women’s 400m out pacing International wildcard and compatriot Maggie Vessey (Plymouth) 53.74 to 54.03, with Loughborough graduate and United Kingdom indoor champion Kim Wall (London) taking third in 54:25.

Jeremy Davis (Cardiff) won the men’s 400m in 46.98secs ahead of Kris Robertson (Glasgow), second in 47.44.

Loughborough graduate Rebecca Peake (Birmingham) produced a superb lifetime best of 16.62m to won the women’s shot ahead of Eden Francis (Birmingham), second with 15.65 as Shaunnagh Brown (Cardiff) secured third also setting a personal best with 15.32.

Beijing Olympian Gerhard Mayer of Austria, the International wildcard for Birmingham won the men’s shot competition ahead of top junior Brett Morse (Cardiff) on countback with a mark of 60.63m. United Kingdom champion Carl Myerscough (Manchester) claimed third with 60.13m.

United Kingdom champion Chris Tomlinson (Gateshead) won the men’s long jump competition with a best of 7.96m into a headwind.

Helen Clitheroe (Manchester) secured maximum points in the women’s 1500m defeating Stacey Smith (Gateshead) 4:14.44 to 4:15.63, a new personal best for the impressive Smith.

In a highly competitive the men’s 400m hurdles Rick Yates (Manchester) claimed the victory in a time of 50:46secs edging ahead of David Hughes (Gateshead) 50:60 and top junior Jack Green (London), third with 51:44.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Final Team Standings:
1 London 340.5, 2 Glasgow 287, 3 Birmingham 274, 4 Sheffield 258, 5 Manchester 253.5, 6 Gateshead 245.5, 7 Cardiff 241, 8 Plymouth 239.5

Full results are available on the following link: http://uka.org.uk/results/20100707_Glasgow_S8/timetable/index/index.html

Tuesday 6th July 2010

IRELAND’S David Gillick clocked a European-leading 400m time of 44.98 seconds at the Resisport meeting in the Swiss town of La Chaux-De-Fonds on Sunday (4th July) surpassing his Loughborough training partner, Great Britain’s Martyn Rooney, previous best of 44.99 set twice last month in Birmingham at the UK Championships and the Geneva EAP Grand Prix.

Gillick defeated Leslie Djhone, another expected medal contender over the one lap of the track at the Barcelona SPAR European Athletics Championships later this month, with the Frenchman finishing second in 45.25.

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

Samsung Diamond League - Prefontaine Classic

Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA

Saturday 3rd July 2010

TRACK Town USA welcomed the Samsung Diamond League in real style with five world-leading performances set at the Prefontaine Classic highlighted by David Oliver (110m hurdles) and Walter Dix (200m) combined with Veronica Campbell-Brown (100m), Mariya Savinova (800m) and Tirunesh Dibaba (5,000m) delighting the 12,834 sell-out crowd.

Under bright blue skies and with the legendary Hayward Field situated on the spectacular campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene drenched in sunlight the Pre Classic, now in its 36th year and named after distance runner Steve Prefontaine tragically killed in a car accident in 1975 at the age of just 24, delivered a true world class show.

Beijing Olympic bronze medallist David Oliver produced one of the most impressive performances of the afternoon equalling the American record set by Dominique Arnold in Lausanne back in 2006 to win the 110m hurdles in a world-leading time of 12.90 seconds leading home a USA 1-2-3 over the line as Ryan Wilson finished second (13.16) and Ronnie Ash secured third (13.19).

Oliver commented: “Winning is really important. That's all I like to do is win, it feels good when you win. I'd rather just run moderately and win every time. Because you do a victory lap when you win no matter if it's 12.90 or 13.90. The crowd is going to love you. I'm proud that I came out here and ran a personal best. I'm on a little roll.”

Walter Dix, having won the USA 100m outdoor championship title the previous week in Des Moines, Iowa, won the men’s 200 metres in a meeting record of 19.72secs, edging the returning Tyson Gay by a margin of just 0.04 seconds. Ryan Bailey completed a USA clean sweep by taking third place in a personal best time of 20.17.

Dix reflected afterwards: “It felt good. Tyson's a great competitor. He was the fastest man in American last year. I'm glad I can take that title away from him this year.

“It kind of hurts a little bit more, I don't know if it's the altitude or something I'm not used to. Maybe it's just the adrenaline of racing Tyson. It's definitely better running one race than six, so definitely that was a plus.”

Gay, competing for the first time since sustaining a hamstring injury when setting a world 200m record on a straight track at the Manchester Great CityGames back in May will hope to build on this ahead of his clash with Asafa Powell over 100m at the Aviva British Grand Prix in Gateshead next Saturday.

Gay commented: “I finished fine. I just tried to stay relaxed and bring it home. And it wasn't enough obviously. I felt Dix in my hip the whole way and I couldn't shake him. So I just tried to stay relaxed and see what happens, my confidence is cool. Of course I don't like to lose. But I feel okay.”

In the women's 400m American Allyson Felix won a tight race in a time of 50.27secs in a competitive field edging out Botswana's Amantle Montsho by three hundredths of a second over the line, with Jamaican Shericka Williams third. Both Montsho and Williams produced personal bests, but it was not enough to deny the classy Felix. Although her specialty is the 200m, Felix is experimenting with the longer distance and has said she could run both of them in the 2012 Olympics in London.

Veronica Campbell-Brown sprinted to a world-leading performance to win the women’s 100m as the 2007 Osaka World champion clocked a lifetime best of 10.78secs defeating Jamaican compatriot and reigning World and Olympic champion Shelly Ann Fraser (10.82) and American Carmelita Jeter (10.83).

American Lashinda Demus secured her third Samsung Diamond League victory in the 400m hurdles with a time of 53.03secs clear of Kalise Spencer of Jamaica (53.78).

Maria Savinova recorded a world-leading mark to win the women’s 800 metres as the Russian crossed the line in one minute and 57.56 seconds, defeating Kenyan’s Nancy Jebet Langat and Janeth Jepkosgei, who finished second and third respectively as the top-six athletes all went under two-minutes. Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo was virtually invisible trailing in 8th place.

Double world champion Abubaker Kaki clocked the fifth fastest 1,000m time in history, and the fastest in the world this year, but failed in his world record attempt as the Sudanese crossed the line in two minutes 13.62secs, well outside of Kenyan Noah Ngeny's 11-year-old 2:11.96 mark. Kenya's Boaz Lalang was second in 2:14.83, with American Nick Symmonds third (2:16.35).

Great Britain’s Barbara Parker following her win in Birmingham the previous weekend to secure the UK Championship title finished sixth in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase setting a new lifetime best of 9mins 35.17secs as Kenyan Milcah Chemos won in 9:26.70.

Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia set a new meeting record to win the women's 5,000m in a world-leading time of 14:34.08, well clear of American Shalane Flanagan (14:49.08). Dibaba won both the 5,000 and 10,000 titles in Beijing.

In the men’s 5,000m Tariku Bekele previaled in 12:58.93 ahead of Dejen Gebremeskel (12:59.30), with Imane Merga (13:00.18) completing an Ethiopia clean-sweep in third.

The signature final track event the ‘Bowerman Mile’ at the meeting named after legendary Oregon coach Bill Bowerman witnessed Kenyan Asbel Kiprop winning with a powerful sprint down the home straight in a time of three minutes, 49.75 seconds. Australian Ryan Gregson won the International Mile competition in 3:53.20.

In the field events Russia’s former world record-holder Tatyana Lysenko defeated world silver medallist Betty Heidler of Germany in the hammer competition with a meeting record of 75.98m.

Brazil’s Fabiana Murer won the women's Pole Vault on countback with a height of 4.68m ahead of world champion Anna Rogowska of Poland by virtue of making 4.58m on her second attempt, to Rogowska's third, whilst, Russia’s Nadezhda Alekhina won triple Jump victory with a best of 14.62m.

American champion Kara Patterson secured her first win in the Samsung Diamond League with a 65.90m throw in the women's Javelin.

America’s world champion Christian Cantwell unbeaten in 2010 set a meeting record to win the shot with a massive throw of 22.41m.

In the men’s discus Poland’s Piotr Malachowski claimed his second Samsung Diamond League victory with a mark of 67.66m having won in New York last month.

Report by Mark Woolley.

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

Friday 2nd July 2010

WORLD finalist William Sharman and Olympic medallist Marlon Devonish both claimed individual victories at the IAAF World Challenge meeting in Madrid hoping to hit the qualification times for the SPAR European Championships that takes place later this month, however, the electronic timing system inside the Municipal Sports Moratalaz Stadium failed due to the stormy conditions in the Spanish capital resulting in the officials having to resort to hand-timing therefore invalidating the results.

Loughborough graduate William Sharman (110m hurdles) who already has the qualification mark and compatriot Marlon Devonish (200m) both won their respective races in 12.9 and 20.4 seconds albeit in illegal-wind readings and will have to now look for further opportunities with the Samsung Diamond League meetings taking place in Lausanne and Gateshead this week.

Sharman’s performance was impressive as the 25-year-old, having defeated rival Andy Turner to take the United Kingdom title the previous weekend, finished ahead of former European indoor champion Gregory Sedoc, whilst, Marlon Devonish edged victory in the men’s 200m 'B' race ahead of Jamaican Ryan Shields.

In the men’s 1500m Kenya’s Remmy Limo Ndiwa secured victory in 3:36.2 ahead of runner-up Tom Lancashire (3:37.3) with Nick McCormick sixth (3:38.9).

Spain’s Natalia Rodriguez returned from recent health problems to clocked 4:06.7 to compete a home victory in the women’s 1500m as former world junior champion Steph Twell finished fifth in 4:09.8.

Scottish national record-holder Eilidh Child finished fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 56.6secs as Fabienne Kohlmann of Germany prevailed in 56.0.

Emelia Gorecka finished 11th in the women’s 3,000m with a time of 9:23.2 in the race won by Kenya’s Iness Chenonge in 8:51.3. Portugal’s Jessica Augusto, the reigning Bupa Great North Run champion finished top European in 6th place (8:54.9).

British record-holder Kate Dennison finished fourth in the women’s pole vault competition hindered by the conditions with a best of 4.41m as the Czech Republic’s Jirina Ptacnikova won with 4.51 on countback ahead of German Elizaveta Ryzih and Jillian Schwartz of the USA.

Full results are available on the following link: www.rfea.es/competi/result2010/airelibre/al_madrid.pdf

Friday 2nd July 2010

EUROPEAN bronze medallist Nathan Douglas continued his return to competition following injury problems, the 28-year-old Loughborough graduate having finished runner-up to reigning world champion and compatriot Phillips Idowu at last weekend’s UK Championships with a season's best of 17.12m claimed second place in the triple jump at the Folksam Grand Prix meeting in Sollentuna, Sweden, (2nd July).

At the Stinsen Stadium situated in the suburb of the capital city Stockholm, Douglas recorded a best of 16.48m (-0.7) in the competition won by Dmitrij Valukevic of Slovakia with a mark of 16.58m (0.1).

Rabah Yousif Bkheit won the men’s 400m in a time of 45.77secs, whilst, in the men’s 100m Leevan Yearwood clocked 10.47secs to finish second behind Jamaica’s World junior champion Dexter Lee in 10.27.

English national U23 champion Lawrence Clarke finished third in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.71secs (0.4) in the race won by Jamaica’s Richard Phillips in a season’s best of 13.52. Richard Yates also secured third over the 400m hurdles in 50.20 as Justin Gaymon of the USA prevailed in 49.09.

In the middle-distance events Kenya’s Cornelius Ndiwa clocked 3:36.56 to win the men’s 1500m ahead of a trio of Brits as Colin McCourt claimed second in 3:37.19, Mark Draper secured 5th in 3:41.03 and James Brewer finished 10th in 3:46.24.

Ethiopia’s Abeba Aregawi completed an African double to win the women’s 1500m in 4:06.52 with Scotland’s Morag MacLarty taking fourth in 4:10.86, whilst, NCAA champion Charlotte Browning lowered her lifetime best to secure sixth place in 4:12.40.

Report by Mark Woolley.

Full results are available on the following link: http://88.131.109.176/folksam/sollentuna/Result.php