Gill Bland brings you all the action from the last week with Aussies dominating in Milton Keynes and more British middle distance PBs
One year on from the hotly debated World Championships there, a hotly contested final meet of the Diamond League took place in Doha. It was a joy to watch as athletes really showed their mettle after a tough season.
While we’re normally concerned with the longer distances, it would be rude not to celebrate an impressive run from Elliot Giles who ran a PB of 1:44.56 in the 800m to take second place behind Kenya’s Ferguson Rotich. Guy Learmouth was sixth in 1:46.25.
After her tune-up in Battersea last week, Adelle Tracey had a storming run to take third in 1:59.87 – just one hundredth of a second outside her best time. Shelayna Oskan-Clarke was eighth in 2:02.22.
In the 1500m the men were fourth and eighth, but their placings should not mask the fact that James West and Piers Copeland ran excellent PBs of 3:34.07 and 3:35.32 respectively with both men in fantastic form at the moment.
In a race that saw all podium placers fun under 8:23, Laura Weightman had a strong field to contend with over 3000m. Despite running 8:26.31 and less than quarter of a second from her best, she finished in seventh place – the fastest ever 7th place in a 3000m! Eilish McColgan was 12th with 8:40.88 and Melissa Courtney-Bryant 14th with 8:56.11.
7th in a stacked @dldoha race tonight 🥵🔥 gutted to just miss my PB but delighted to end my 2020 track season with another strong race!! Walking away slightly disappointed with running 8.26 shows the athlete I’ve become this year 💪🏻😊 pic.twitter.com/kyoUl4rf3a
— Laura Weightman (@LauraWeightman) September 25, 2020
Gregsons dominate in Milton Keynes
Closer to home, the NoblePro MK 5km PB Special in Milton Keynes was a chance for top club athletes to thrash it out against each other this Sunday.
Australian running royalty the Gregsons in town the competition was always going to be fierce despite he very challenging windy conditions which were not set up for fast times. Repeat sub-4 miler Ryan and double Olympic finalist Genevieve took top honours in 13:50 and 15:49.
AFD’s Adam Clarke chased down second place in 14:10 with Callan Moody hot on his tail with a 14:13 finish for Serpentine RC. Owen Hind (14:21, Kent AC) and Alfie Manthorpe (14:29, City of Sheffield) both snuck under the 14:30 mark in a race that saw the top 15 all under 15 mins.
Racing after the power couple on the women’s side was Eleanor Bolton who placed second in 16:22 (Ribble Valley Harriers) followed by Fast Running’s own Hannah Irwin who took third in 16:46 for Guildford & Godalming.
Also under the 17 minute mark were Molly Renfer (16:49, Highgate Harriers), Kirsty Longley (16:52, V40 Liverpool Pembroke), Lauren Hall (16:54 AFD), Annabel Morton (16:57 Horsham Blue Star), Philly Bowden (16:57, AFD) and Michelle Pearson (16:59, Belgrave Harriers).
It was another event with fantastic depth with 66 men running inside 16 minutes and 40 women inside 20 minutes despite the conditions.
Full suite of races at Goodwood
At the Run Through Running Grand Prix, Simon Heath hurtled round the Motor Circuit in 15:05 to win the men’s 5k race ahead of Luke Van Oudtshoorn (15:15) and Ben Brown (15:16). In the women’s race, Emily Proto was in fine form, running a 17:28 PB to take victory over Iona Miller (17:46) and Farran Leach (18:36).
The V40 ladies were out in force in the 10k taking gold and silver spots thanks for Lesley Locks (36:22) and Alexa King (36:07). Hannah Pullen was third in 36:25. The men’s race was a swift one too, with Joe Morwood breaking the tape in a convincing victory of 30:52, leaving Harry Leleu (31:19) and Alex Pointon (31:58) in his wake. Pay attention later in this write-up and you’ll see that Pointon had a busy weekend of racing!
Making the most of a controlled location Run Through were offering all the distances to runners, so we move on to the longer options of half, 20m and full marathons. The Half Marathon podium places went to Tom Higgs in 1:07:04, Matt Dickinson (1:08:20) and George King (1:08:48). Nina Griffith led the ladies home in 1:18:07 followed by Tamsin Anderson in 1:19:32 and Chelsea Purvis in 1:33:38.
Sam Amend was in a class of her own over 20 miles, which she covered in 2:11:00 to place fourth overall and top of the women’s rankings. Mili Mladenovic toughed out the conditions with a 2:27:07 for second and Elizabeth Prinsep was third in 2:39:25. For the gents, Ollie Garrod was first in 1:53:08 and James Baker also kept it under two hours with his 1:56:33. Holding off Samantha for third overall was Phil Stevenson who finished in 2:04:57.
Finally, the honour of winning one of the few full Marathon races still going ahead this year was taken by Joseph Turner who triggered the checkered flag in 2:29:56. The next two places were a fight to the finish with Peter Mackrell holding on for second in 2:34:07 and Alexander Betts placing third in 2:34:15. Sarah Gurney and Rebecca Bunting also battled it out in the women’s race with Gurney winning out in 2:53:09 and Bunting taking the runner up spot in 2:53:27. Elspeth Turner was third in 3:01:03.
Open meets see quality club racing
Once again, London was host to a slew of club meets during the week. Blackheath & Bromley Open kicked off proceedings on Monday night. The top three women across the 1500m races on the night were Lily Slack (4:44.81), Morgan Squibb (4:49.99) and Megan Slattery (4:54.05). For the men the quickest times were from Adam Wright (3:52.17), William Fuller (3:54.08) and Nicholas Smith (4:03.89).
There was only one 3000m race and it was V40 runner Roger Vilardell (Petts Wood/Spain) who broke the tape in a PB of 9:11.84. Second place went to Daniel Kennedy (Blackheath & Bromley) in 9:21.25 and third was clubmate Micah Evans in 10:06.18. Just three ladies braved the mixed race – Isabelle Stoneham (10:37.93), Carys Firth (11:17.30) and Isla Spink (12:08.86).
On Wednesday at the Hercules Wimbledon middle distance night youth won out in the women’s 1500m as all three podium places went to U17 athletes. Poppy Craig-McFeely (Herne Hill Harriers) ran a PB of 4:39.98 to take the victory with Georgina Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon) placing second in 4:46.63. In a different seeded race Lulu Weisz (Hercules Wimbledon) ran the third fastest time of the night – 4:57.70.
For the men’s 1500m home-boy Charlie Eastaugh topped the rankings with his 3:54.58, just a whisker ahead of Herne Hill’s Nicholas Dewar who ran a PB of 3:54.83 to take second. Peter Cameron (Edinburgh AC/Cambridge Uni) took third place in 3:56.12
The men’s 3000m win went to Thomas Keen (U20, Cambridge & Coleridge) with PB time of 8:13.04. Safely behind him was Kieran Reilly (Tonbridge), crossing the line in 8:18.70 and Morpeth’s Rory Leonard in 8:22.95. The fastest of the women’s 3000m times was a 9:45.12 from U17 Pippa Roessler (Aldershot, Farnham & District), finishing one spot ahead of Herne Hill’s Phoebe Anderson (9:55.38) who ran the third fastest time of the night. In a separate race, Katie Goodge (U20, Tonbridge) snuck in between the two of them with a 9:54.84 .
The next in Harrow AC’s race nights avoided the worst of the weather on Thursday at Bannister’s track. This week it was 800,1500 and Long Jump taking place. In a swift race, Mukhtar Musa of Shaftsbury Barnet was the speediest over 1500m, grabbing himself a new PB of 3:53.53. That places him third in his age group and 100th overall in the UK to date. Alex Melloy also PB‘d for second in 3:54.40 (U17, Cambridge & Coleridge). Rounding out the podium was Dylan Spencer who ran 3:54.73 claim a PB and third for Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow (U20).
In the women’s 1500m the winner was Lilly Hawkins from Southampton in 4:24.89, followed by a 4:32.44 PB from Cambridge Harriers’ Holly Dixon in an earlier race which also featured Alice Garnder’s 4:44.02 (Aldershot, Farnham & District). Next week’s finale sees an attempt on the men’s V60 world record over 3000m as well as a strong field in the rest of the 3000 and mile races.
Finishing off the club racing week was a strong field at the Aldershot, Farnham & District end of season meet. Saturday’s racing saw Houghton Harriers snatch the victory from AF&D over 3000m thanks to a convincing 8:43.8 win from Cameron Allan. The home club took the next two podium spots though with Alex Pointon second in 8:47.2 and Rian McAwley third in a PB of 8:51.1.
Amelia Quirk (U23) represented the ladies in that race and came home in 9:01.5 to lead a clean sweep for Bracknell AC. Abigail Baines (U17) was second fastest over the distance, finishing in 10:38.9, and Kirsten Fraser (U15) third in a PB of 10:48.8
Over 1500m Iestyn Williams (Camarthen) was first, crossing the line in 4:07.1, just a hair’s breadth ahead of Elias Ahmed (Ealing Southall & Middx) who ran 4:07.7. Winchester’s Ben Healey was third in 4:08.9. Lily Hawkins (Southampton) stormed home in 4:30.9 to lead the women’s times. Next on the results table were Maisie Grice (A,F&D) in 4:35.9 U23Sophie Nicholls (U15, City of Salisbury) in Pippa Roessler (U17, A,F&D) in 4:40.8.
Off track again
If road or track racing isn’t your thing then look to the Maverick Adidas TERREX X & Ultra Peak District race – a beaut’ of a course with a whole range of distance options. Jack Galloway and Lorna Spayne bossed the ultra distance, finishing in 4:30:25 and 4:57:16. Long honours went to Alex lawton (3:09:28) and Lorna Al-Ani (4:22:29).
Over the middle distance it was Sophie Gibbons (2:12:03) and Robin Dugast (2:00:29) who spent the least time out on the scenic route and Daniel Eyre (41:06) and Lottie Kent (53:33) were the swiftest of the day overall, with their short-course wins.
Fast10 athlete Erika Kelly clock 12014m for the hour walk which we believe might be a British record.
And finally with London just a week away Britain’s Steph Twell had a bit of light sharpening to finish 3rd at the SM 10km in Belp, Switzerland clocking 33:38. Also competing were Brits Kyle Fowler (32:29) and Mark Pearce (32:38).
So, that concludes the results for this week. It’s the final countdown now to London Marathon and it’s certainly going to be a fascinating write up next week. See you then!
SOAR are part of the UK club running scene and we are delighted to support the weekend roundup. To find out how we can help you match your club kit to your ambition check out this article or get in touch here.