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british athletics

GB & NI TEAM FINALISED FOR THE 2023 WORLD MOUNTAIN AND TRAIL RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS

written by Hugh

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland squad for the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships has been confirmed by UK Athletics, with a team of 33 heading to Innsbruck-Stubai in Austria between 7-10 June.

Several world and European medallists are among the strong British team selected for the Championships.

Rebecca Flaherty (coach: Karen Glerum, club: Bingley) – world silver medallist in the U20 up-and-down race last year – joins the junior women’s team in Austria, while Jon Albon (Isfjorden IL), who was announced last month, will compete in the men’s Short Trail race.

Individual 2022 European Off-Road Running Championships medallists Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Ambleside) and Eve Whitaker (Joanne Day & Jack Maitland, Harrogate) are also in the team, racing in the senior women’s and U20 women’s events respectively.

Adkin will go in the uphill only and up-and-down races at the Championships. She will be joined by Phillipa Williams (Dark Peak) in both races; the latter won bronze at the 2019 edition of the World Mountain Running Championships in the up-and-down race.

Whitaker won U20 silver at the Europeans and goes in the junior women’s up-and-down contest.

2019 European champion Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Keswick) will join Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Inverclyde), Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill) and Joe Steward (Salford) in both the uphill only and up-and-down races; the same quartet selected after strong performances at the trials last weekend.

After victories at the recent Three Peaks race, Thomas Roach (self-coached, Lewes AC) and Cat Taylor (Black Coombe) have earned their maiden call-ups to the GB & NI team in the Short Trail race.

Team Leader, Anne Buckley, said, “After the successes on the world and European stage in 2022, we are delighted to be taking a strong team to Innsbruck-Stubai. After the competitive trial events recently, several major championship medallists are selected for the squad, and it is fantastic to also select some athletes to a GB & NI team for the very first time. They have all earned their spot and we look forward to seeing how they perform in Austria next month.”

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships:

Men’s Uphill Only race

Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Keswick)

Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Inverclyde)

Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill)

Joe Steward (Salford)

Women’s Uphill Only race

Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Ambleside)

Kate Avery (Shildon)

Phillipa Williams (Dark Peak)

Sara Willhoit (Colin Livingstone, Shrewsbury)

Men’s Up-and-Down race

Jacob Adkin (Robbie Simpson, Keswick)

Andrew Douglas (Sophie Dunnett, Inverclyde)

Chris Richards (Duncan Richards, Helm Hill)

Joe Steward (Harry Kelly, Salford)

Women’s Up-and-Down race

Scout Adkin (Angela Mudge, Ambleside)

Alice Goodall (Mark Pollard, Edinburgh UHH)

Holly Page (Lewis Walker, Carnethy)

Phillipa Williams (Dark Peak)

U20 Men’s Up-and-Down race

Ewan Busfield (Jerry Hall, Derby)

Tom Perry (Dark Peak)

Alex Poulston (Katie Hewison, Wirral)

Will Longden (Buxton)

U20 Women’s Up-and-Down race

Rebecca Flaherty (Karen Glerum, Bingley)

Amelie Lane (Sally Malir, Wharfedale)

Lauren Russell (Hannah Viner, Highgate)

Eve Whitaker (Joanne Day & Jack Maitland, Harrogate)

Long Trail Race

Men:

Owen Davies (self-coached)

George Foster (Martin Cox, Matlock)

Thomas Joly De Lotbiniere (self-coached)

Harry Jones (Martin Cox, Mynydd Du)

Women:

Meryl Cooper (David Roche, Deeside Runners)

Julia Davis (Robbie Britton, Newquay RR)

Jasmin Paris (Damien Hall, Carnethy HRC)

Fiona Pascall (Martin Cox)

Short Trail Race

Senior women

Elsey Davis (self-coached, Preston)

Catherine Taylor (Black Coombe)

Sharon Taylor (Helm Hill)

Senior men

Jon Albon (Isfjorden IL)

Alexander Chepelin (Carnethy)

Kristian Jones (Swansea)

Thomas Roach (self-coached, Lewes AC)

12th May 2023 0 comment

Athletics

KEELY HODGKINSON SET FOR LONDON STADIUM DEBUT THIS JULY

written by Hugh

Keely Hodgkinson (coach: Trevor Painter, club: Leigh) will compete at the London Stadium for the very first time on Sunday 23 July 2023, having won medals at the Olympics, World and European Championships and Commonwealth Games since the event was last held in London.

The stadium will welcome the very best athletes from around the world in what will be the biggest one-day athletics spectacular of the year this summer, and Hodgkinson will line up in the women’s 800m as athletics returns to London. With tickets starting at just £23 for adults and £5 for juniors, this is your chance to see one of the leading stars of British athletics in action in the UK.

The reigning European indoor and outdoor champion was a prolific athlete on the Wanda Diamond League circuit last year, when she won three fixtures across the Series in Birmingham, Oslo and Eugene, and she will be seeking more of the same in 2023. The 21-year-old will be targeting a special performance in London, only a matter of weeks before the World Athletics Championships in Hungary.

Hodgkinson said, “I am really excited to be racing in the London Stadium for the first time in July. I have no doubt it will be an amazing experience to race in front of the huge home crowd, so I cannot wait to have the opportunity to perform on that stage in the summer.

“The Diamond League races are always competitive, and this will be one of the last important races before Budapest, so I am looking forward to a really exciting contest against a strong field in London in a few months’ time.”

Get your tickets to see Keely compete on a day of world-class athletics at the London Stadium starting from just £23 for adults and £5 for juniors: https://www2.theticketfactory.com/british-athletics/online/

1st May 2023 0 comment

Athletics

100 DAYS TO GO UNTIL ATHLETICS RETURNS TO THE LONDON STADIUM WITH 33,000 TICKETS ALREADY SOLD

written by Hugh

With 100 days to go until the athletics returns to the London Stadium for the first time since 2019, excitement is building as 33,000 tickets have already been sold for this prestigious fixture on Sunday 23 July 2023.

The stadium will welcome the very best athletes from around the world in what will be the biggest one-day athletics spectacular of the year. With tickets starting at just £23 for adults and £5 for juniors, join the amazing atmosphere in the capital to watch a host of Olympic and Paralympic medallists compete on the famous track which played host to ‘Super Saturday’ and ‘Thriller Thursday’.

The event will be the tenth stop in the Wanda Diamond League series, with athletes continuing their Road To The Final to become the Diamond Trophy winner later in the season.

The event has played host to several iconic moments at the London Stadium over the last ten years, including race victories for 2012 legends, Usain Bolt (JAM), Sir Mo Farah, Hannah Cockroft and Jonnie Peacock, as well as a world record for Kendra Harrison (USA) in the 100m hurdles in 2016.

Looking ahead, many of the stars of the GB & NI athletics team will be using the 2023 event to fine tune their preparations ahead of this Summer’s World Athletics Championships taking place in Budapest (19-27 August). It will also be a homecoming to remember for returning medallists from the World Para Athletics Championships taking place in Paris the week before (8-17 July).

Athletes who will be competing in London will be announced soon as we continue the countdown to the event, with details on a ‘legends’ relay also due to be announced in the coming weeks, so follow our channels for updates.

Cherry Alexander, UKA’s Strategic Lead for Major Events said:

“It is amazing to see 33,000 tickets have already been sold for this the event as athletics returns to the London Stadium. It will be a spectacular one-day celebration of the sport, and the encouraging ticket sales so far show the UK public are hungry to see world-class athletics in the capital.

“Athletes always comment on how amazing the London crowd is, and how the atmosphere enhances their performance on the track or in the field, so if you haven’t already got a ticket, I urge you to get them and show your support for our athletes during this huge summer for the sport.

“We have seen world, British and other national records fall at this event over the last ten years, so we know the London Stadium creates a fantastic environment for athletes to thrive in, so we need you, the fans, to play your part and continue that momentum to make the 2023 event even more special.”

Join 33,000 others as athletics returns to the London Stadium on Sunday 23 July, with tickets starting at just £23 for adults, and £5 for juniors: www.britishathletics.org.uk/events-and-tickets/london-diamond-league-2023/

15th April 2023 0 comment

Athletics

TRAIL RACE ATHLETES SELECTED FOR THE 2023 WORLD MOUNTAIN AND TRAIL RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS

written by Hugh

Several trail athletes have been selected to compete for Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Innsbruck-Stubia, Austria on 6-10 June 2023.

In the first wave of selections, eight athletes have been selected to represent the country in the long trail race, while four athletes have been pre-selected for the short trail race with the rest of the squad announced in May.

In the men’s race, Harry Jones (Martin Cox, Mynydd Du) – who was GB & NI’s top finisher in the 2022 edition with an 11^th place finish in Thailand – is selected once again. He will be joined by George Foster (Martin Cox, Matlock), who also raced in Chiang Mai, and won the Trans Gran Canaria advanced race (85km / 4500m) in February in a course record.

Owen Davies (self-coached) and Thomas Joly De Lotbiniere (self-coached) earn their maiden call-ups to complete the men’s quartet. The duo finished third and fourth respectively at the Trans Gran Canaria race.

In the women’s long trail event, Jasmin Paris (coach: Damien Hall, club: Carnethy HRC) will represent GB & NI for the first time since 2019 when she raced at the IAU Ultra Trail Championships in Portugal. In recent weeks she became only the second woman ever to complete four loops of the Barkley marathon (a 100-mile event in the USA), so will head into the race in strong form.

She will be joined by Meryl Cooper (David Roche, Deeside Runners) who represented the country at the World Championships in Thailand last November where she finished in 34^th position. Julia Davis (Robbie Britton, Newquay RR) and Fiona Pascall (Martin Cox) will make their debuts for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

As per policy, athletes who achieved a top ten finish at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championship in the short trail race receive automatic selection. Therefore, world bronze medallist Jon Albon and Kristian Jones (Swansea), and Elsey Davis (self-coached, Preston) and Sharon Taylor (Helm Hill) have been pre-selected subject to fitness for the GB & NI team. The rest of the short trail team will be selected after the Trial race – the Three Peaks race – later this month.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the Long Trail races at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships:

Long Trail Race

Men:

Owen Davies (self-coached)

George Foster (Martin Cox, Matlock)

Thomas Joly De Lotbiniere (self-coached)

Harry Jones (Martin Cox, Mynydd Du)

Women:

Meryl Cooper (David Roche, Deeside Runners)

Julia Davis (Robbie Britton, Newquay RR)

Jasmin Paris (Damien Hall, Carnethy HRC)

Fiona Pascall (Martin Cox)

Short Trail Race

Senior women

Elsey Davis (self-coached, Preston)

Sharon Taylor (Helm Hill)

Senior men

Jon Albon

Kristian Jones (Swansea)

5th April 2023 0 comment

Athletics

NATASHA COCKRAM IS THE FIRST ATHLETE SELECTED FOR THE 2023 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

written by Hugh

Natasha Cockram (coach: Robert Hawkins, club: Micky Morris Racing Team) is the first Great Britain and Northern Ireland athlete selected for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary in August (19-27).

Following the completion of round one of the process outlined in the selection policy for road events, Cockram has been selected, with any further marathon places – as per the policy – being considered in round two at the end of April.

Cockram ran the sixth fastest time ever by a British woman at the Valencia marathon in December 2022, clocking in at 2:26:14. The Welsh athlete also finished 12^th at the Commonwealth Games last summer.

World Class Programme Endurance Manager, Steve Vernon said, “We are pleased to be announcing our first athlete for the World Athletics Championships after the completion of round one of the selection process for the road events. With the second round taking place next month, we will be looking to see how athletes perform in the next few weeks as they target the criteria laid out in the policy.”

Selections for the 2023 World Athletics Championships, both road and track and field events, will be announced over the next few months.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Budapest, Hungary:

Women’s Marathon:

Natasha Cockram (Robert Hawkins, Micky Morris Racing Team)

24th March 2023 0 comment

Athletics

Eve Muirhead appointed Team GB’s

written by Hugh

Chef de Mission for Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games

The British Olympic Association (BOA) has today announced Olympic champion Eve Muirhead as Team GB’s Chef de Mission for the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.

The four-time Olympian, who led the women’s curling rink to gold as skip at Beijing 2022, will head up a British delegation for the first time after announcing her retirement from competition last summer.

Muirhead said: “I am delighted to have the honour of leading Team GB for Gangwon 2024. For me, taking part in international competition at a junior level was invaluable preparation for my senior career. The athletes who represent Team GB in Gangwon will gain experience of competing on the world stage in a multi-sport environment, as well as the opportunity to learn, develop and interact with athletes from other nations. It is a real privilege to be able to prepare and support them in what for many will be their first taste of an Olympic environment.”

Andy Anson, Chief Executive of the BOA, said: “It is fantastic to have Eve on board as Chef de Mission for Gangwon. She is an outstanding and well-established leader, and her experience competing across four Olympic Games’ will offer a hugely valuable level of insight for our young athletes. I have no doubt that she will serve as an inspiration for those selected to compete for Team GB at the event.”

The fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place in the Republic of Korea’s Gangwon province from 19 January – 1 February 2024. Almost 2000 athletes, all aged 15 – 18, are expected to compete across the 15 Olympic sports on the programme: alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined, short track, skeleton, ski jumping, snowboard and speed skating.

Many British Olympians competed at Youth Olympic Games before going on to represent Team GB at a senior Games, including Muirhead’s Beijing 2022 teammates Mili Smith and Ross Whyte, who both competed at Lillehammer 2016; double Olympians Mica McNeill and Jazmin Sawyers, who claimed bobsleigh silver at Innsbruck 2012; and Kirsty Muir, who won big air silver at Lausanne 2020 before becoming the youngest member of Team GB at Beijing 2022. Among those who have competed at summer Youth Olympic Games are Tom Daley, Jade Jones, Duncan Scott, Luke Greenbank and Caroline Dubois.

A key pillar of the Youth Olympic Games is the inclusion of an education programme designed to enhance the wellbeing of young elite athletes both on the field of play and in their everyday lives. The programme in Gangwon will encompass topics such as mental health, injury prevention, safe sport and anti-doping.

14th March 2023 0 comment

Athletics

SENSATIONAL SAWYERS & DOMINANT HODGKINSON WIN EUROPEAN INDOOR GOLD

written by Hugh

Defending champion Keely Hodgkinson (coach: Trevor Painter; club: Leigh) and team captain Jazmin Sawyers (Aston Moore; City of Stoke) both delivered truly sensational gold medals on the final night of the European Indoor Championships as the British team finished with a superb six medals overall in Istanbul.

A matter of minutes between each other, Hodgkinson first obliterated the women’s 800m field by almost two seconds to defend her title in supreme fashion then Sawyers landed the biggest mark of her career in the women’s long jump final, a 7.00m world lead and British indoor record in round five, which would secure the team captain an equally popular gold of her own.

The British team had six other opportunities to get on the podium on the final night of the championships but just missed out on doing so as the men’s 4x400m relay team were fifth with the women’s 4x400m relay team and Guy Learmonth (Justin Rinaldi; Lasswade) both a valiant sixth.

David King (Tim O’Neil; City of Plymouth) brought the curtain down on the championships for the British team with seventh in the men’s 60m hurdles final while James West and Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen; Aldershot Farnham & District) placed eighth and ninth respectively in the men’s 300m final. The British team’s haul of three golds, one silver and two bronze ranking them third on the final medal table.

Defending champion Hodgkinson hit the front straight away in the women’s 800m with the first half of the race run in 58.21 seconds. Slovenia’s Anita Horvat and France’s Agnes Raharolahy attempted to go with her as she then upped the pace but simply couldn’t.

The race was won by 600m, and Hodgkinson finished extremely strong to clock 1:58.66 – the only athlete in the field of eight to go under two minutes and the winning margin a full 1.88 ahead of Horvat, who would win silver.

With back-to-back titles secured, Hodgkinson – who’s former coach Joe Galvin sadly passed away recently – said: “The easiest and smoothest way was just to run hard from the front. That is what I wanted to do. I wanted the others to work hard for it if they were going to be anywhere near me. I am really happy defending my title. I couldn’t ask for anymore really.

“Every race and every championship is a different experience, at the moment it is anyway, because this is still only my second European indoors. I just hope to keep building on this, keep performing, keep bringing back medals. That is where I want to be, that is what I want to do so I am living the dream.

“I have not had time to process it, but my coach passed away a few days ago and it was really unexpected. So, this one is definitely for him. He had a lot of belief in a little ten-year old me so that medal is for him and everyone at home. I hope to make him really proud, and I hope he is up there watching, and his wife Margaret, who I know will be so proud of me as well.”

Whereas Hodgkinson’s medal was a bit of an exhibition, given how truly dominant she is over the continent in the women’s 800m, Sawyers and the women’s long jump final had absolutely everything, and then some.

Sawyers was second after the first round with an effort of 6.70m before moving down to third after a 6.74m effort from Italy’s Larissa Iapichino and her first foul in the second round. The Italian would improve again to 6.77m in the third round as Sawyers fouled again yet would remain in third.

Sawyers, who has two European medals outdoors from her career but none indoors, improved to 6.76m in the fourth round however would move down to fourth as Germany’s Malaika Mihambo took the lead with a 6.83m jump.

Round five was where it would get sensational for Sawyers as she pulled off the perfect jump to hit 7.00m exactly – a world lead, British indoor record, personal best and perhaps the best British performance of the championships, which says something given the wins for Hodgkinson and Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill).

The elation on Sawyers’ face was palpable but, now in the lead, she had to wait and watch as Serbia’s Ivana Vuleta and Iapichino, who had also jumped their best effort in round five, attempted to dethrone her. Both landed impressive jumps again to challenge Sawyers but neither got better than her 7.00m which meant the Brit could enjoy a victory jump last up, still landing an impressive 6.84m.

Sawyers, who is the sixth athlete to set a British record this season and who’s gold ensured the team finished third on the medal table, said: “It feels like it really, really has been a long time coming. I’ve never won anything. I am still in shock. I feel like the seven-metre jump has been in me for so long. I have been waiting for this seven metres to come out forever. It has been so many years, that for a bit you think ‘is it going to come?’.

“I jumped, got out of the pit and was thinking ‘OK, it’s probably enough to take the lead’. I didn’t want to look at it [on the screen] and get too excited because it can look further than it is, it can look less than it is. I just didn’t want to look. I was looking at the scoreboard and thinking ‘is it a foul?’ because early doors I had a good jump, and it was a foul. I’m staring at the board, it goes green – it took forever, or at least it felt like forever.

“A lot of it [her confidence] has come from this indoor season, being consistent over 6.70m and feeling really, really good. A big turning point was European outdoors last year when I reminded myself that I can get on podiums and my training has been good.

“The amount of people that have messaged telling me – some solicited, some less so – to run through the board. I’ve listened. I ran through the board. I knew I had the speed but I was slowing down into the board before, and I figured a way to drive down the board, keep my knees up and seven metres!”

The British team’s first shot at a medal from the final session of these championships in Istanbul provided plenty of drama and it was the quartet of Ben Higgins (Stewart Marshall; Sheffield & Dearne), Joe Brier (Matt Elias; Swansea), Samuel Reardon (Nigel Stickings; Blackheath & Bromley) and Lewis Davey (Painter; Newham and Essex Beagles) in the men’s 4x400m final who were at the wrong side of it as they finished a valiant fifth in a time of 3:08.61.

Higgins ran the opening leg and, after being fifth at one stage after the first lap and being checked by Belgium’s Dylan Borlee, he surged around the back straight to finish brilliantly and hand to Brier in second.

Brier soon found himself in the group chasing the runaway Spanish leader Markel Fernandez and was forced to go around the outside but still handed over to Reardon in the mix for a medal. However, their charge was soon to suffer a cruel fate.

Reardon was unfortunately clipped by France’s Victor Coroller around the first bend of his leg and completely taken out of his stride. He battled valiantly to keep himself upright and in the race but it meant fifth was the best Davey could hope for as he took the baton for the anchor leg.

Davey, who like Hodgkinson is under the tutelage of Trevor Painter, didn’t let up and ran the fastest split, a 46.41, as the British team clocked 3:08.61 for fifth and he said: “I think during the race there was a big gap and I just tried to make it up as much as I could but I guess it’s on to the next one.”

Higgins said: “I think I just got caught up at the cut in. Unfortunately, I had to bear the brunt of a big bunch of people. I thought I was in a good position but just got held up a bit. I ended up kicking again in the last 100m but by then Joe was already having to start wide because I was in fifth place when they got lined up.”

The women’s 4x400m final followed straight after the men’s and the British quartet of Hannah Kelly (Les Hall; Bolton), Carys McAulay (Nick Dakin; Trafford), Nicole Kendall (Richard Holt; Thames Valley) and Mary Abichi (Lorna Boothe; Enfield & Haringey) placed sixth after a solid run of 3:32.65.

Kelly, making her senior British debut, was given the task of kicking the race off for the team and attacked it before handing to another debutant McAulay, with the field soon completely stretched out.

McAulay ran the quickest leg of the quartet, an impressive 51.98 to move the British team up to fifth while Kendall, also on her major senior debut, chased down Ireland’s Cliodhna Manning on her leg and finished extremely strong to hand to Abichi in fourth. Sixth was what the team had to settle for in the end as they ended with a time of 3:32.65.

Kelly said: “I tried to get out and I just tried to do my race plan, and let everyone else do theirs. But it’s hard, you get caught up. especially indoors, it’s hard to overtake, but I’ll go back and watch it and see what I can improve. I’m happy to get my first senior major champs vest and hopefully it is the first of many.”

McAulay said: “I’m very surprised at that [her split]. It felt quite comfy, and I just feel like I work best on the second lap. I tried to make sure I felt as comfortable as I can and do what I needed to do and I just enjoy it. It went so quick.”

Learmonth’s road to the final of the men’s 800m at his fifth European Indoor Championships twice relied on being a non-automatic qualifier but he knew being in the final meant all that happened before was irrelevant. He settled into third early but would soon suffer unfortunate luck.

Eliott Crestan appeared to go for a gap that wasn’t there on the inside of Learmonth, knocking him out of his stride – however he stayed upright much to his credit.

Learmonth would find himself sixth at the bell and try as he might, he couldn’t push up through the field as he clocked 1:48.46 for that position. He said: “I felt that race went a lot better. I need to see the incident back as someone tried to come on the inside and that really disrupted things.

“But I can’t really complain with where I was last year and what I went through. I’m pretty happy. I really wanted a medal, I wanted to win this but its championship racing isn’t it? It’s a big step in the right direction from where I have been but we’ll build towards to outdoors now.”

King, who can now call himself a world and European indoor finalist, battled to seventh in the men’s 60m hurdles, which concluded the entire championships, clocking 7.71. He said: “It was a little messy. I didn’t get out again, like I said I would. It was a challenge over the last couple of days.”

After the relays, it was over to Rowe and West to make their bids for a medal in the men’s 3000m final. It took just three laps before favourite, and already the 1500m winner from these championships, Jakob Ingebrigtsen to have enough, hit the front and lead the race, at which stage the British pair were together in seventh and eighth.

West moved himself up into fourth at the halfway stage and with seven laps to go was in those medal positions in third, doing brilliantly well to hold off any potential challengers and keep his bid for a top-three finish alive.

By this point the field was in single file with Rowe looking solid in seventh. With three laps to go West’s grip on third had slipped as he moved down to fourth with the trio of Ingebrigtsen, Spain’s Adel Mechaal and Serbia’s Elzan Bibic pulling away and eventually finishing in that order.

West would eventually place eighth in 7:48.22 while Rowe was ninth in 7:48.32. West said: “I wasn’t good enough unfortunately. I did really think there was a medal for me, but I was a bit too aggressive, too many moves. I think it’s maybe a good thing in a way that I am believing that I need to be on the back of Ingebrigtsen and Mechaal.

“But I couldn’t really get there without wasting too much energy. Maybe if I just sat there and waited a bit longer and been a bit more patient, but that’s why these races are so important – you learn from these things. I’ve had a really good indoor season and made my first European final, so we’ll take that onto outdoors and tweak some things, we’ve got some work to do but that’s OK.”

Rowe said: “It was solid but unfortunately solid isn’t good enough anymore. I ran a good race but it just hurt the last 30-40m and I lost a few spots, but I put myself in a good position. Jakob’s clever, he winds and winds and winds it and as soon as you think you’ve got a rhythm it is half a second, quicker, half a second quicker.”

Full results of the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul can be found on the European Athletics website here

Great Britain & Northern Ireland medal tally:

Gold: Keely Hodgkinson – 800m

Gold: Jazmin Sawyers – long jump

Gold: Laura Muir – 1500m

Silver: Neil Gourley – 1500m

Bronze: Melissa Courtney-Bryant – 3000m

Bronze: Daryll Neita – 60m

6th March 2023 0 comment

Athletics

MAGIC MUIR BECOMES MOST DECORATED BRIT AT EUROPEAN INDOORS WITH GOLD IN ISTANBUL

written by Hugh

Now five-time champion Laura Muir (coach: Andy Young; club: Dundee Hawkhill) carved herself a special piece of history in the only way she could as she brought home the British team’s first gold at the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul on a night where Keely Hodgkinson (Trevor Painter; Leigh) sent a statement of intent in her own title defence.

Muir, while made to work to defend her women’s 1500m title, was a complete class above as she kicked for gold with 300m to go. She won by 0.36 seconds in 4:03.40 minutes to become the most decorated British athlete at a European Indoor Championships. Teammates Katie Snowden (Stephen Haas; Herne Hill) and Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg; Shaftesbury Barnet) were fifth and 11th respectively.

That marked the British team’s first gold in Istanbul and took the overall medal tally to four however neither Jeremiah Azu (Marco Airale; Cardiff) or Reece Prescod (Airale; Enfield & Haringey) could add to it as they finished shy of the podium in an extremely competitive men’s 60m final, placing sixth and eighth respectively.

That gold-medal tally could very likely double on the final day however as Hodgkinson was also a class above in the semi-finals of the women’s 800m, winning with complete ease in 2:00.05 – a cool 1.14 ahead of anyone else across both races. Guy Learmonth (Justin Rinaldi; Lasswade) is also still in with a shot of a maiden European indoor medal after fighting to come through the men’s 800m semi-finals as a non-automatic qualifier.

As expected, Romania’s Claudia Mihaela Bobocea took the women’s 1500m final out with Muir settling in towards the back. It kept that way for the first 400m, and at a decent pace too, before Muir started making her way through the field to the point where all three Brits were side by side.

With three laps to go Muir was coming for Bobocea, the Romanian held firm but the grimace on her face suggested it was taking its toll. The Olympic silver medallist surged ahead with 300m to go, displaying her trademark and impressive turn of pace, to ensure a fifth European indoor title in supreme fashion and more than any other Brit ever, beating the record held by Colin Jackson and Jason Gardener previously.

Muir clocked 4:03.40 for the historic win with her performance understated by the fact that second, third and fourth all set personal bests, silver medallist Bobocea 0.36 behind though. Muir said:“I didn’t know what to expect and all my race plans went out of the window when they went off that fast.

“I thought ‘just pick them off, pick them off’. To be fair to Claudia she ran so well, and you saw how much it meant to her. I tried to pass her, and she was like ‘nope’ and so I waited, and I was patient. I knew when I went, I would be strong enough. It means so much.

“Going into this championship I wasn’t at the best I have ever been, and I was a lot fitter in 2017 and 2019 when I did the double so I was quite nervous coming here because I thought I don’t think I am at my absolute best.

“But I just hoped that with that grit and determination I would still be able to come here and win. As you get older you appreciate these opportunities, would I rather be here and not 100 per-cent fit, or home and watching? And right now, I’d rather be here. I’m just so chuffed with that.”

Snowden ran a fine race behind those four to finish fifth in 4:07.68 and said: “I’m a little bit disappointed, I really feel like a medal was up for grabs and I think had I raced how I felt at the start of the season I probably could have got one.

“So that is frustrating. Fifth is still up there and I feel I am getting more competitive, but I really need to make that next step and get up there on the podium. I just didn’t have the legs – it wasn’t that I made silly moves or didn’t go with it when I thought I should have, I really couldn’t. I could sense Laura coming up to my shoulder and that’s when she likes to come to the front to make the move but unfortunately, I didn’t have the legs to go with it.”

The third of the Brits Baker placed 11th in 4:10.96 and said:“The word I would use is confused. I felt in really good shape and the last few weeks has gone well in training, I felt strong, but I had no legs and from the start I was struggling so it was confusing when you think you’re in a good place but you’re not feeling like that in a race.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and go again. I was a bit gutted when I could feel them going away from me as I came here wanting to medal and get that for the team, but when I felt it coming away from me, I knew my legs were gone and lost my stride a bit towards the end. It’s one of those things. I will come back stronger, and it adds more fuel to the fire.”

The men’s 60m was set alight in the semi-finals as Prescod clocked 6.52 in the first heat with eventual Italian winner Samuele Ceccarelli posting a European lead 6.47, that would top the rankings. Azu followed up in the next semi-final with a 6.59 effort to rank him seventh going into the final while Prescod was third overall. Eugene Amo-Dadzie (Steve Fudge; Woodford Green Essex Ladies) unfortunately exited at the semi-finals after running 6.64.

Neither British representative in the final could quite kick on from the semi-finals as Prescod’s start proved costly while the line didn’t come quick enough for Azu. The Welshman clocked a quicker time of 6.58 but it was only good enough for sixth while 6.64 placed Prescod eighth.

Azu said: “I can’t really remember it. It’s a bit of a blur. I need to watch it back. I think I got out OK, but I am not too sure where it went wrong. I need to see it again. We’ll go back to training and fix all the things we did wrong. Our group is insane, so we’ve got to be ready for the fire outdoors.”

Meanwhile Prescod said: “I feel like in the 60m if you miss your start [that’s it] and [especially] in a field like that when it’s world class. Unfortunately, we didn’t get our steps right and that’s what happens if you don’t execute the race, you just miss it. We’re going to be annoyed but we’ve both run well this year and outdoors is where it really matters.

“I’ve got to go back, work even harder, get even better. Obviously, I’m gutted and a bit upset but it is part of athletics. I’ve been up, I’ve been down. I’ve got to get better next time. Marco isn’t going to be happy; he has high standards for us.

“Ultimately this year Jeremiah and I have performed well, it’s probably the first time we’ve let him down. It’s a long season and it’s part of athletics. You can’t get too upset, you’ve got to stay neutral. We know our ability; we know we’re talented and we’ll get it back.”

Such is the excitement of this British team that Hodgkinson looks extremely well set to defend her own European indoor title in the women’s 800m having won her semi-final by comfortably over a second.

The Olympic and world silver medallist delivered as she was expected to in her semi-final cruising around to win in 2:00.05 – that time nearly three seconds shy of her British record, suggesting there is plenty more to come.

Hodgkinson’s semi-final was run far quicker, but Switzerland’s Audrey Werro could only clock 2:01.19 for second while the second semi-final, containing British teammate Issy Boffey (Luke Gunn; Enfield & Haringey), was won by Slovenia’s Anita Horvat in 2:03.11.

“It felt good. I kept looking up at the screen, but you know sometimes you just need to keep the rhythm going rather than wasting energy trying to slow down,” said Hodgkinson. “It is a nice position to be in but I do work very hard to be here.

“It’s still the same plan as always. You never know what will happen and hopefully I’ll have a safe race [in the final] and come away with what I came away with last time.”

Boffey was unable to make it two Brits in the women’s 800m final as she placed sixth in that slower run second semi-final, posting a time of 2:03.94. She said: “It went off pretty quick and that’s OK as I was ready for it. But looking back I didn’t make my move early enough and I got caught in the rough at the back.

“I unfortunately got clipped and just lost my stride and it was over then, there was nothing I could do about it. I nearly fell over but just caught myself and carried on. It’s disappointing because I deserve to be in that final and I know I have the strength and the form to be in that final.”

Meanwhile Learmonth’s pursuit of a first medal at the fifth attempt at these championships remained less than straight forward as he took to the track for the men’s 800m semi-finals having relied on being a non-automatic qualifier in the heats.

In a scrappy race, Learmonth benefited from a quick pace with fifth place in a time of 1:47.50 enough to see him through as a non-automatic qualifier, only France’s Benjamin Robert ahead of him from the first semi-final.

Learmonth’s finish was key as anything slower than 1:47.56 – just 0.06 shy of what he clocked – would have seen him miss out on a place in the final. He said: “Obviously I am relieved to make that final. It doesn’t matter now but these two rounds haven’t been my best performances but I’m in the final and I’m going to have to run a lot smarter.

“There was a couple of incidents but that’s 800m racing and in slow tactical races that’s what happens so I’m just glad I’ve navigated my way through, and I’ll be ready for that final.

“I didn’t have a clue [on the time needed to qualify]. I didn’t see the other race. I saw the race was won in 1:47. I want to be winning these heats, and qualifying automatically, but I didn’t have a clue, but it doesn’t matter now.”

Coverage of the European Indoor Championships continues at 0645 on BBC Two on Sunday 5 March. Full details can be found here.

A timetable, start lists and results can be found on the European Athletics website here.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland medal tally:

Gold: Laura Muir – 1500m

Silver: Neil Gourley – 1500m

Bronze: Melissa Courtney-Bryant – 3000m

Bronze: Daryll Neita – 60m

5th March 2023 0 comment

Athletics

GOURLEY’S SUPER SILVER LEADS GB’S THREE-MEDAL HAUL AT EUROPEAN INDOORS

written by Hugh

In-form Neil Gourley (coach: Stephen Haas; club: Giffnock North) claimed his first career major medal with silver at the European Indoor Championships as bronzes for Daryll Neita (Marco Airale; Cambridge Harriers) and Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark; Poole) gave the British team their first three medals in Istanbul.

New British record holder Gourley ran superbly in a drama-filled men’s 1500m final, that saw teammate George Mills (Thomas Dreißigacker; Brighton Phoenix) suffer the cruellest of fates as he fell early, battling favourite Jakob Ingebrigtsen every inch to claim silver inside Championship record pace in 3:34.23 minutes.

Neita meanwhile, who set her medal charge up in the women’s 60m with a 7.07 seconds semi-final run, clocked 7.12 for bronze in the final, battling well to maintain that position and secure the British team’s third medal on the night.

Courtney-Bryant repeated the same feat from her European Indoor Championships in 2019 with a fine run for bronze in 8:41.19 in the women’s 3000m final, a medal which looked secured well before the finish such was her race, which got the British team off the mark in Istanbul.

Teammate Hannah Nuttall (Helen Clitheroe; Charnwood) ran a personal best 8:46.30 for a fine fifth in that women’s 3000m final while Holly Mills (Laura Turner-Alleyne; Andover) battled valiantly in the final event of the pentathlon, the 800m, to move up to finish sixth overall.

There was a terribly cruel start to the men’s 1500m final as within the first 30 seconds George Mills suffered an awful fate as he fell. Mills got straight back up, but it was too much to come back from.

At the exact same time Ingebrigtsen had gone to the front and would lead the race at a quick pace. Gourley moved up to second with three laps to go, running very well. With a lap remaining it was a three-way fight for the medals. Gourley attacked the favourite Ingebrigtsen down the back straight and was right with him all the way over that final 300m however the Norwegian just managed to hold him off as silver had to be settled for at the line.

It was Gourley’s first career European indoor medal and a second for the British team at that point in the evening. He clocked 3:34.23 for silver – Ingebrigtsen setting a new Championship record 3:33.95, which Gourley also went inside – and he said: “I definitely believed it [he could pass Jakob]. He is who he is, he’s one of the best ever to do this, so it’s always going to be hard to come up against someone like that.

“I put myself in the right places but I just didn’t have it. I got beaten by someone who was just better and I’ve just got to take that on the chin and move forward for outdoors because we’ve built up some momentum going into it.

“I feel for George, I saw him go down just in my peripheral to my right, it’s a shame. Sometimes you make your own luck with these things but sometimes you’re just caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“It was important to win a medal here, I hadn’t done that yet, I hadn’t won a major medal, so it was important to get that started. This is building blocks for the summer, we’re not there yet but we’re getting there.”

Mills meanwhile showed what a great professional he is to put his fall to one side and complete the race in 3:51.28. He said: “I’m raging – I was ready to go but it happens. I’d never drop out of a race no matter what happens, and I’ll try to get up and fight to the end but obviously after falling you’ve got no chance. I’ll get them [finals] back, I’ll get them back. I have more motivation now.”

Neita would have felt great going into the women’s 60m final having won the second of three semi-finals in 7.07. It would be a hotly-contested battle for medals with Neita running a solid race to take the bronze.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji ran a Championship record 7.00 flat to take gold with Poland’s Ewa Swoboda taking silver in 7.09 before Neita in third in 7.12. And Neita said: “It feels amazing to bring a medal home. It has been a fun indoor season and I have really enjoyed it. I am not particularly happy with this result, but it feels amazing to get a medal and bring it home.

“Consistency is key. I feel the way I have been running all of these 60m is a hell of a lot better than I did in my 100m outdoors last year. I already know this indoor season has put me in an amazing place heading into the outdoor season.

“I would have liked more from myself, but it is a bronze medal and I have got to be grateful. I haven’t seen the race over again, but I think my reaction wasn’t good enough and it cost me. I will go back, review it – a bronze medal is good.”

Asha Philip (Amy Deem; Newham & Essex Beagles), European indoor champion in 2017 and bronze medallist in 2019, had joined Neita in reaching the semi-finals of the women’s 60m but despite a bold effort, didn’t reach the medal showdown after clocking 7.35.

Courtney-Bryant and Nuttall were the first athletes on the British team in finals action as the women’s 3000m presented a great opportunity for medal success. Latvia’s Agate Caune led the race out initially before Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen injected some pace just before halfway.

Klosterhalfen really stretched it out thereafter with compatriot Hanna Klein and Courtney-Bryant staying close behind the leader. It was on Nuttall to get to the back of that lead three, but they would extend even further, to the point where the medals were almost out of reach for the rest of the field.

The German pair kicked away from Bryant with 400m to go and Klein would surge past Klosterhalfen for gold while Courtney-Bryant battled valiantly on her own to claim European indoor bronze yet again after the same achievement in 2019, and also the honour of being the British team’s first medallist of these Championships.

“I just did what my coach said,” said Courtney-Bryant, who clocked 8:41.19 for bronze. “He told me to be bold but I got myself in a bit of a rubbish position at the start. I just kind of said ‘stay patient, be calm, work my way up and just go with it’.

“I know I am in really good shape, and I just had to push on and this feels so much sweeter than Glasgow [2019], it’s really emotional! There were a lot of good girls in there and I am really happy with that performance – and Hannah got a PB as well which is amazing, really good.”

Nuttall ran her own race as the medallists pushed away and, while outside of the podium positions in fifth, she surged to a personal best of 8:46.30. She said: “I’m really happy – I think I did everything that I wanted to.

“I said top six, and I would be happy and to come out with a PB as well after those heats, I am really happy about that. I did want to stick with them a bit more but I’m honestly really happy with how I did and couldn’t have done any more on the day. It’s so nice to be at my first major champs and I’m going to try enjoy this experience as much as I can and make the most of it as well.”

Holly Mills returned for the final two events of the pentathlon in seventh place and put in a solid effort in the long jump. She improved throughout her three jumps, registering 5.65m first, then 5.71m before ending with a best of 5.85m.

Unfortunately, that dropped her a place to eighth overall with 3524 points ahead of the concluding 800m, which Mills took out really strong and which would go down in history. Poland’s Adrianna Sulek first broke the world record and then Belgian Nafi Thiam bettered it to take gold ahead of her Polish rival.

It was Mills’ first 800m of the season and she would run 2:12.58 to move up to sixth overall with 4451 points. She said: “It’s not the score or the place that I wanted. But I am proud of what I put down considering I didn’t run for three months over the winter, have barely done any speed work coming into this and it’s really been a very different approach to indoors than I have had in previous years.

“Usually, I am a lot stronger indoors but I can’t complain competing against the new world record holder and the fact that two people broke the world record in that competition, that is insane. Multi events is in an incredible place at the moment. It just makes me hungrier and makes me want it even more.”

Coverage of the European Indoor Championships continues at 0545 on BBC Two on Saturday 4 March and runs until Sunday 5 March. Full details can be found here.

A timetable, start lists and results can be found on the European Athletics website here.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland medal tally:

Silver: Neil Gourley – 1500m

Bronze: Melissa Courtney-Bryant – 3000m

Bronze: Daryll Neita – 60m

4th March 2023 0 comment

Athletics

OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALLISTS HODGKINSON, MUIR & HOLLOWAY FUEL WORLD RECORD TALK IN BIRMINGHAM

written by Hugh

The pursuit of world records is officially on at the World Indoor Tour Final in Birmingham as three of the world’s best athletes set out their expectations for them to fall at the freshly laid track at the Utilita Arena – or at least there to be no stone unturned if they don’t.

Olympic silver medallists Keely Hodgkinson (coach: Trevor Painter; club: Leigh), Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill) and Grant Holloway (country: USA) all didn’t shy away from the prospect of giving an always enthusiastic West Midlands crowd something serious to cheer about when they line up in the 800m, 1000m and 60m hurdles respectively.

All have a more than compelling case as well with Hodgkinson having broken the indoor 600m world record in Manchester last month, Muir the second fastest all-time in the indoor 1000m and Holloway undefeated in his life in the 60m hurdles and exactly two years on from setting his global mark in Madrid.

For Hodgkinson, a world and Commonwealth silver medallist and European champion from 2022, there is also an element of fate hanging around Birmingham having stormed to a British indoor 800m record at this very event last year while she is the world leader following her 1:57.71 minutes run in France less than ten days ago.

“I feel I am in pretty good shape and I feel if the perfect smooth race was to happen I could get close to it [the world record],” said Hodgkinson, who is also in with a chance of being crowned the World Indoor Tour champion and will be joined in the women’s 800m by Noelie Yarigo (BEN) – second fastest indoors this year – and compatriots and new UK champions Isabelle Boffey (Luke Gunn; Enfield & Haringey) and Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg; Shaftesbury Barnet).

“I would have to go 57.2 seconds, 57.3 [at halfway]. For me it is just about attacking it and hitting that mark of 57 and trying to get a smooth run. I haven’t raced on the new surface, but it looks really nice.

“It is a very hard record to break but I will do my best and see what happens. For me it is just about attacking it and hitting that mark of 57 and trying to get a smooth run. My aim is to ultimately try and break my own British record.

American Holloway is arguably one of the best track and field athletes around at the moment having won the world 110m hurdles title back-to-back, the world 60m hurdles title last year on top of his Olympic silver medal from Tokyo.

In the middle of all that was his 7.29 second 60m hurdles world record, exactly two years ago at the 2021 World Indoor Tour Final in Madrid, a time he equalled on the way to the World Indoor Championship title a year later in Belgrade.

Unbeaten in his entire 60m hurdles career, Holloway doesn’t lead the World Tour Indoor standings having run just twice – the top spot is occupied by compatriot Daniel Roberts (USA), who he’ll face in a tantalising winner-takes-all in Birmingham – but states that he’s done chasing times and is running free.

However, that doesn’t stop Holloway from anticipating that he might break his own world record, adamant he’ll get an idea if it’s on based the day’s early events, which kick off with men’s and women’s para 60m races from 13:35 before, on the track, the men’s and women’s 60m follow from 13:51.

He said: “My perfect race would be 7.28 indoors and 12.79 outdoors, those are the two perfect races. I am close on both of them. I have been able to produce fast times indoors and outdoors, at championships, at Diamond Leagues. I think I have proven myself on every single level there is and now it is just time to run free.

“There is no more time chasing, I have already solidified myself in history, now is time to run free and believe that it’s possible. My event [in Birmingham] is a little bit later in the programme, so really it is just paying attention to those times, seeing how everyone is running. Hopefully before then we see a couple of world records drop or meet records fall down and that sets the tone for what needs to be done.”

While Hodgkinson can point to last month’s 600m world best to validate her claims in Birmingham and Holloway can point to his enviable record, Muir can point to her own personal history as to why she can become a global lead too.

At the 2017 edition of this event, in none other than Birmingham – albeit on a different track with the current one freshly laid – Muir recorded the second fastest time in history over the 1000m distance, 2:31.93, with only Maria Mutola (MOZ) going faster.

She will line up at the Utilita Arena with the form to give it a real shot – having claimed World Indoor Tour wins in Boston and New York this season – and she also has the benefit of previous experiences running the 1000m, which could prove the difference this time around.

“I’ve had a few shots at the 1000m now, a couple indoors and one outdoors, and I am getting a bit better feel for it. It is a hard one to pace but I feel like I have a good shot at going for it,” said Muir.

“At the time [in 2017] I was just targeting Kelly’s [Holmes] British record, so that’s what I went in for and broke that and got the European record at the same time, which is second all-time. I was delighted. It was an amazing atmosphere.

“I have raced the 1000m a couple of times since then. I did it once outdoors in Monaco, and I ran faster than the world record indoors, so it is good to know that I have physically run faster, just unfortunately in the wrong place. This is the first time running the 1000m having run the time before, every other time I have not run quick enough, I know physically I can do it.”

In addition to world record attempts – there’s another to look out for from Gudaf Tsegay (ETH) in the women’s 3000m – and head-to-head battles for World Indoor Tour titles, there is an abundance of great match ups to look out as the world’s best land in Birmingham.

The women’s 60m sprint always lights up the arena in Birmingham and this time will be no different against with British stars Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley) and Daryll Neita (Marco Airale; Cambridge Harriers) set to face off against Jamaican world champion Shericka Jackson (JAM).

Asher-Smith won the World Indoor Tour meeting in Karlsruhe in January and Neita is the newly-crowned UK champion while Jackson is the reigning 200m world champion outdoors and out to perfect her start amid fierce competition in Birmingham.

“I think I have so much in store. It has only been two years since I switched [from the 400m], so I just want to see how fast I can go,” said Jackson. “I have got so much faster than I was before. I was actually not fast; I was so strong so therefore I wasn’t able to produce those times. Now that I am faster, I can see how fast I can go.

“I want to put my first 30m together, once I get my first 30m together, I will definitely run fast. I want to run at least 7-something so therefore I want to put a proper 30m together. My last 30m is OK but my first 30m is very bad. In Boston [World Indoor Tour this month] I had a really bad race, especially over the first 30m, so once I put that together anything is possible.”

Elsewhere the men’s 1500m will be one to watch with Josh Kerr (Danny Mackey; Edinburgh) – the second quickest European in history over the distance indoors – battling freshly crowned UK indoor champion Neil Gourley (Ben Thomas; Giffnock North), who is in with a shot at the World Indoor Tour title.

Reigning world indoor 400m champion Jereem Richards (TTO) takes to the boards aiming to topple Benjamin Lobo Vedel (DEN), who isn’t running, in the World Indoor Tour standings. Fellow leader Hamish Kerr (NZL) headlines the men’s high jump as does Tina Sutej (SLO) in a women’s pole vault including 2016 Olympic champion, Katerina Stefanidi (GRE).

Jeremiah Azu (Airale; Cardiff), fresh from UK indoor silver last weekend, leads the entries for the domestic 60m sprint, while Paralympic 100m champion Thomas Young (Joseph McDonnell; Loughborough Students) heads the field in the men’s para 60m which also includes UK champion Kevin Santos (Michael Utting; City of Norwich) as well as Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste; Cleethorpes).

Last few tickets remaining, don’t miss out! Ticket prices start from just £25 for adults, £20 for seniors/students and only £10 for juniors.

The Birmingham World Indoor Tour Final will be available live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website/app and Red Button from 13:30 Saturday 25 February.

26th February 2023 0 comment

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