World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold - Birmingham WIT 2023 Final
Daryll Neita (7.14s) cruised to victory in her heat of the 60m in Birmingham ahead of Jamaican Shericka Jackson. In the final she had to settle for second in 7.13s, behind Blackheath's Dina Asher-Smith (7.05s) who had eclipsed her own British record with a 7.03s clocking in her heat.
Daryll now moves onto the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul and will be in action in the 60m on Friday 3rd March.
English National Cross Country Championships, Bolesworth Castle, Chester
This year it was the turn of the North to host the Nationals and once again they managed to find a course that was new to all of us, writes Clem Dixon. Bolesworth Castle, a 19th century manor house, provided an imposing backdrop and in the other direction there were fine views across the Dee Valley to the Clwydian Hills in Wales. The weather stayed clear for the day although a biting North-easterly kept us on our toes. The course itself had some deceptive inclines but nothing that you could really call a hill and in spite of the best efforts of several thousand pairs of spikes and studded shoes the grass mostly refused to transform itself into mud. But as always at the Nationals the huge numbers competing lifted the spirits.
At the front of the senior men's race there was another win for Tonbridge's James Kingston, unknown to most until recently he has now taken the Kent, Southern and English titles in the space of just two months. He was at least made to work for the win this time, finishing six seconds clear of Jack Gray (Cambridge & Coleridge). For Cambridge Harriers there was another fine run from Tom Brooke this time taking a minute and a half out of James Macdonald. Ross May, John O'Mahony and Geoff Smith, who train together at Sutcliffe on Tuesdays, all finished within three seconds of each other with Luke Ford completing the 6-to-score team for 38th place, our highest since 2015.
When I took over running the senior men's cross country 10 years ago I vowed that we would always go to the Nationals wherever it was. That first time in 2013 just four of us rattled around in the club's knackered old minibus on our way up to an ice-bound Sunderland. Well, I am pleased to report that we have moved on since then: a new minibus for a start and 12 senior men making the trip together with similar numbers of senior women and young age groups. And to cap it all, Mark Newell, a survivor from that Sunderland trip, got himself in a photo in Athletics Weekly! The article accompanying the picture was a paean to the inclusive and egalitarian spirit of cross country running. I have often told people that there is always room for everyone at the back, even at something as prestigious as the Nationals, but somehow I am never quite sure that they believe me, well here's the proof!
With the running out of the way it was time to head into Chester for a night out. The next morning Tom and James showed just how seriously they were taking their marathon training by going on an 18 mile run before breakfast. They set out along the towpath of the Shropshire Union Canal at a pace that someone calculated would have got them to Limehouse Basin in 25 hours. There was still time to admire the 14th century misericords and other wood carvings in Chester Cathedral before heading home, a journey that I am pleased to relate took nearer 5 hours than 25. Sorry that you missed out this year? Next year it will be the turn of the Midlands to provide the venue for the Nationals and wherever they choose we will be there!
Results:
Senior Men (12k): 230. Thomas Brooke 41:37, 337. James Macdonald 43:10, 479. Ross May 44:58, 487. John O'Mahoney 45:00, 488. Geoffrey Smith 45:01, 639. Luke Ford 47:11, 912. Peter St-Amour 51:03, 965. Danny Easton 51:54, 1139. Christian Poulton 54:52, 1284. Clem Dixon 59:02, 1434. Paul Ford 1:07:21, 1469. Mark Newell 1:20:02.
Senior Women (8k): 22. Holly Dixon 31:21, 43. Megan Marchant 32:17, 164. Georgia Huddleston 35:51, 318. Susan Dixon 39:32, 324. Hayley Newman 39:45, 425. Christine Bond 42:13, 441. Maggie Illingworth 42:38, 491. Sally Carr 43:51, 643. Angela Ford 48:05, 649. Rose Baker 48:18, 680. Maria Macdonald 50:06.
Young Age Groups: U15B (4k): 21. Olly Buck 15:31, 129. Joshua Wellings 16:51, 152. Samuel Holloway 17:04, 195. Aniket Iyengar 17:26, 271. Oliver Cook 18:52; U13B (3k): 126. Monty Brown 11:54; U13G (3k): 127. Sophia-Rose Bonnar 13:03, 156. Celia Yeatman 13:17.
England Masters AA Indoor Inter-Area Challenge, Lee Valley
Some of the clubs master athletes represented their master's clubs at the England Masters Indoor Inter-Area Challenge Match at Lee Valley. Running the 1500m first Chris Loudon (M35), representing Scottish Veterans, crossed the line in second place with a time of 4:08.22s bettering both his indoor and outdoor personal bests. In the afternoon he won the M35 3000m in an indoor personal best 8:58.99s.
Tim Carter established two inaugural M70 club records in the 400m with 72.10s and the long jump (3.58m). Mark Ashby (M60) finished second overall in the combined age group 2000m race walk, winning the M50 match. Natalie Mann finished fifth in the W35 shot with a seasons best of 7.64m.
RunThrough Chase the Moon 10k, Battersea Park
Catherine Martin improved her personal best over 10k, for her first sub-40 minute clocking, on Wednesday with a finishing time of 39:48 for 57th overall and 3rd woman.
Brighton Half-Marathon
Matt Lisley made his debut over the half-marathon distance at the Brighton Half on Sunday finishing in 426th place with a time of 1:28:50.
Wokingham Half-Marathon
Christine Lutsch secured a personal best over the half-marathon distance of 1:27:54 at the Wokingham Half.