This edition of the championship, the longest event of the official IAAF championship calendar, was already looking like a weekend for superlatives as the start list included more countries and the highest number of athletes of any previous event. Whether it was the course, the weather or the depth of competition, this astonishing weekend saw 30 new national and age group records.

The two winners started the race in emphatic fashion, although Herron’s unbelievable start made Sorokin look unusually conservative. While Herron led from the beginning, Sorokin was only sixth after the first hour. Both avoided the expected decline as the hours took their toll and finished strong enough to win by clear margins.

Brits compete against high quality opposition

The British are often a medal threat at these championships , but the extremely high overall standard in both male and female fields meant that the individual and team podium positions were not forthcoming. It was, however, a successful weekend for the teams.

Jess Baker (227.558km) repeated her performance from Belfast to be the highest placed British female athlete in 16th. She was backed up in the team results by an outstanding debut from Cat Simpson (23rd with 220.301km) and an impressive 27th from Wendy Whearity (217.174km). Ali Young (211.113km) and Sarah Morwood (186.169km) completed the women’s team.

Paul Maskell (251.261km) also had an impressive debut as the first British man in 15th place. Experienced GB athletes James Stewart (17th with 250.696km) and Dan Lawson (23rd with 244.732km) were the other two team counters.

A good indicator of the standard is that we have never had three athletes over 240km without medalling at previous championships. Team stalwart Steve Holyoak once again delivered a strong performance and debutants Grant MacDonald and Mike Stocks completed the men’s team.

Paul Maskell. Credit: Norbert Mihalik

War of attrition

GB team manager John Pares: “I was incredibly impressed by the gutsy performances of the athletes. 24 Hour racing is a war of attrition and we have never had 100% of our athletes on track at the end. These totals would have been rewarded with medals in any other championship. It shows how the standard is rising in the world of ultra-running, but also that the British standards are rising with it.”

Paul Maskell: “For a first-time GB athlete I was blown-away by the team atmosphere in what is normally an individual event. The crew support behind the scenes was phenomenal. I’m looking forward to building on this performance and helping the team win medals at future championships.”

Jess Baker: “I always run my own race but it was great to share the track with such high calibre athletes and to see Camille smash her own world record. It’s always so inspirational to see my fellow athletes, often against great adversity, pushing themselves to new limits.”

Cat Simpson. Credit: Norbert Mihalik

Women

1. Camille Herron (USA) 270.116km
2. Nele Alder-Baerens (GER) 254.288km
3. Patrycja Berenznowska (POL) 247.724km
16. Jess Baker (GBR) 227.558km
23. Cat Simpson (GBR) 220.301
27. Wendy Whearity (GBR) 217.174km
33. Ali Young (GBR) 211.113
66. Sarah Morwood (GBR) 186.169km

Men

1. Aleksandr Sorokin (LTU) 278.973km
2. Tamas Bodis (HUN) 276.222km
3. Olivier Leblond (USA) 275.485km
15. Paul Maskell (GBR) 251.261km
17. James Stewart (GBR) 250.696km
23. Dan Lawson (GBR) 244.732km
35. Steve Holyoak (GBR) 234.590km
43. Grant MacDonald (GBR) 227.734km
71. Michael Stocks (GBR) 209.145km

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The GB senior men team will also include Pat Robbins and Dan Lawson. Robbins’ lifetime best haul of 256.801km secured him a highly commendable seventh place finish back in 2015, while Lawson earns his second British vest having claimed 25th back at 2015’s championships.

Marco Consani and James Stewart complete the men’s team due to compete in Northern Ireland’s capital in under three months’ time.

Of the women, 2016 IAU World Trial team bronze medallist Beth Pascall will contest her first 24 hour championships in a British vest following one previous attempt which brought victory at 2015’s Self-Transcendence race in Tooting, thanks to a run of just over 230km.

Company to Pascall comes from experienced 24-hour runner Sharon Law, with the championships serving as her fifth attempt at the competition, while Ali Young steps up to contest against the world’s best ultra-runners following an 18th place finisher at last year’s IAU 24-Hour European Championships.

After finishing as the top Briton back in 2015 for 12th out of the 123 females in Turin, Debbie Martin-Consani will hope to show strongly once again, with Jess Baker also looking to go well at the home championships in Belfast’s Victoria Park.

The British Athletics team for the IAU World 24-Hour Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland on July 1-2:

Men

Robbie Britton

Marco Consani

Dan Lawson

Pat Robbins

James Stewart

Women

Jess Baker

Sharon Law

Debbie Martin-Consani

Beth Pascall

Ali Young (Bryan Smith)

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