British multi-eventers gain England Commonwealth qualifiers at Bedford, while middle-distance runners post PBs at Sport City

UK track meets

England Athletics Championships incorporating World Athletics Combined Events Tour, Bedford May 28-29

Jade O’Dowda added 180 points to her heptathlon PB as she retained her English title with a 6224 England Commonwealth Games qualifying score – beating Katarina Johnson-Thompson’s score at Götzis although missing the European Championships standard by just 26 points.

O’Dowda’s marks were 13.72 for the 100m hurdles, 1.74m for the high jump, 13.44m for the shot, 24.64 for the 200m, 6.34m for the long jump, 45.90m for the javelin and 2:15.29 for the 800m. Her javelin and shot were PBs and she equalled her best at the long jump.

Netherlands’ Anne van de Wiel was second with 5707.

Natasha Smith (5482) and Lauren Evans (5352) were the next best Brits and both set PBs.

The 2018 world junior heptathlon champion Niamh Emerson did not complete the event but ran 14.55 in the 100m hurdles, 13.42m in the shot and 25.01 in the 200m – and she will now tackle a full heptathlon this coming weekend (June 4-5) in Arona.

In the men’s decathlon, Harry Kendall, who had scored 4158 points overnight, carried on his good form to win with a 7843 point score to add 542 points to his previous best and gain an England Commonwealth Games qualifier.

His marks were 10.77 at 100m, 6.93m at long jump, 14.49m for shot, 1.98m for the high jump, 48.06 at 400m, 15.15 at the hurdles, 42.31m at the discus, 4.30m at the pole vault, 59.81m at the javelin and 4:36.11 at the 1500m.

He set PBs at 100m, 400m, 1500m, hurdles, shot and javelin. Sam Talbot set a PB of 7692 in second while Caius Joseph also a PB in third with 7383.

Abigail Pawlett improved her PB to 5706 points to set another world under-20 standard and that places her fourth in the current world under-20 rankings.

She set PBs at shot (13.55m), 200m (24.12), javelin (35.33m) and 800m (2:24.33). Her other marks were 13.78 for the hurdles, 1.68m for the high jump and 5.80m at long jump.

Eloise Hind (5448) and Madison Hutton (5051) took the other medals with Hind also bettering the world under-20 standard.

Another exciting prospect Sammy Ball, just 17, dominated the under-20 decathlon with a 7361 points score – over a 1000 points better than his previous completed decathlon and again in advance of the world under-20 qualifier.

His marks were 10.96 at 100m, 6.86m at long jump, 15.10m at the shot, 1.95m in the high jump, 51.45 at the 400m, 14.62 in the hurdles, 4.10m at the pole vault, 44.23m in the javelin and 4:47.47 at 1500m.

He set PBs at 100m, shot and pole vault.

Adam Hoole (7065) and Patrick Morgan (6793) were the other medals.

Chishom Nwafor (5361) and Finn O’Neill (6838) won the under-18 events.

Nwafor’s mark was a Euro under-18 qualifier as was runner-up Seren Rodgers’ 5233 score.

Saucony British Milers Club Grand Prix, Sport City, Manchester, May 28
Ben MacMillan continued his excellent start to the season with his first victory in an 1500m A race, Kevin Fahey reports.

Buoyed by his sub-four minute mile in Stirling at the 5th Monument Classic the previous week, MacMillan smashed his personal best to win in 3:40.60.

That time was also inside the Scotland qualifying standard of 3:40.77 for the Commonwealth Games.

The women’s 1500m race was won convincingly by Ellie Baker, who won the inaugural BMC points series last year. Baker recorded a time of 4:11.87.

The men’s two-lap A race went to Angus Harrington in a PB of 1:48.58, just a few weeks after he won the B event in the opening Grand Prix at Birmingham University.

The Sport City meeting has traditionally attracted some of the country’s best young talent and Saturday’s meeting was no exception with a number of qualifying times for the European Under-18 Championships in Israel recorded.

Jess Bailey already has the qualifying standard for the 3000m and the 15-year-old Leven Valley athlete now has the 1500m too after winning the B race in a PB of 4:22.71, well inside the 4:26 qualifying target.

Also inside that target on Saturday was 16-year-old Shrewsbury runner Iris Downes as she ran a PB of 4:23.02 to finish eighth in the A race.

Team East Lothian’s Corey Campbell leapt to the top of the UK under-17 rankings with a PB of 3:48.49, a time well inside the European standard of 3:52.00.

Also inside that mark were fellow Scotland runner Tendai Nyabadza of Harmeny. The 16-year-old won the C race in 3:47.86 while Exeter’s 17-year-old Sam Mills was fourth in 3:49.49.

Though senior Jenny Selman won the 800m (2:03.00), further back 16-year-old Kettering runner Alice Bennett lowered her PB from 2:08.06 to 2:07.54 to better the European under-18 qualifying standard of 2:08.00.

Kate Holt (15:48.45) and Jacob Cann (13:58.66) won the 5000m races in PB times.

Belfast, May 28
Ciara Mageean won the 800m in 2:01.34 ahead of British Olympian Katie Snowden’s 2:02.34.

SLAN Open, Carshalton, May 29
Caspian Holmes went top of the UK under-13 boys rankings for 2022 with his 4:27.59 1500m.

Top-ranked Charlotte Parbury won the under-13 javelin with a 38.15m throw which is significantly further than the top boys of the age-group have managed with the same 400g implement so far this summer.

Be Fit Today Outdoor Series, Dagenham, May 28
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake continued his good form with a 10.23/1.0 100m win ahead of Tommy Ramdhan’s 10.28.

The latter ran 10.22/-0.7 in the next round of sprints.

Mitchell-Blake also won a 200m in 20.75/-3.4 though the significant headwind slowed times.

Former world indoor 60m champion Dwain Chambers, now 44, won his 100m race in 10.69/0.0.

Under-17 Renee Regis improved her PB to 11.69/1.3 despite the headwind to set a Euro under-18 qualifier.

Bianca Williams ran 11.40/-0.4 to be the quickest woman while Finette Agyapond was the quickest 200m runner with 23.42/-2.4.

In the under-18 110m hurdles, Daniel Goriola set a European qualifier of 13.75/1.9.

BMC Regional Races, Eltham, May 25
Jack Higgins (1:52.14) led home his twin Ted (1:52.59) at 800m.

Indian Sarwan Barwal won the 5000m by over 200 metres in 14:05.6 with Holly Dixon (16:31.67) the fastest woman.

UK road races

Alcester Spring 10km, May 29
Simon Birch (31:30) narrowly headed Ben Kruze (31:32) while Kelly Edwards (36:31) was first woman ahead of W55 Kate Wright’s 38:28.

Babcock Shettleston 10km, May 29
Jack Heathwood (32:14) just about came on top from Greg Templeton (32:14).

W40 Sonia Samuels (34:18) won the women’s event from Sarah Potter (35:00).

Edinburgh Half-Marathon and Marathon, May 29
The half-marathons were won by Kieran Walker (65:19) and Rebecca Burns (77:28) while the marathon saw successes for Matthew Gillette (2:17:57) and Virginie Barrand (2:45:03).

Folkestone Coastal 10km, May 29
Marshall Smith (31:24) and Megan Marchant (35:07) took the honours.

Kempton Park Running Festival 10km, May 29
Harry Smith (31:21) won the 10km by almost three minutes with Elspeth Turner setting a UK W55 lead of 38:19 to win the women’s race.

The half-marathons saw victories for Mike O’Sullivan (77:39) and Daisy Baker (82:52) while Will Howells (2:43:37) and Lindylee Folscher (2:57:31) headed the marathon races.

Newry Half-Marathon, May 29
James Sloan (32:54) and W55 Donna Evans (40:34) led the field home.

Northampton 10km, May 29
There were firsts for Ben Plummer (32:59) and Megan Stonehouse (36:38).

Raby Castle 10km, May 29
The winners were Liviu Ionita (34:34) and Jade Hutchison (41:54).

Rye 10 & 5, May 29
Simon Heath (52:31) took the men’s race by over a mile in 52:31 while Yolanda King (69:31) was first woman. The five mile races were headed by Will Withecombe (29:36) and Eileen Beach (31:07).

Treforest 10km, May 29
Samuel Richards (33:08) and Donna Morris (36:41) were both easy winners.

Serpentine Last Friday 5km, Hyde Park, May 27
Pete Chambers (15:03) and W40 Lisa Rooney (18:11) were both comfortable winners.
1986 Commonwealth Games representative and W60 Jill Harrison topped the age-grading with a 20:47 at the age of 63.

Leeds Even Splits 5km, May 25
There were firsts for Nick Hardy (15:47) and Rebecca Flaherty (17:25).

Lakeside 5km, Portsmouth, May 25
Luke Shaw (15:39) and under-15 Laila Hayter (18:08) were the winners.

Wesham 10km, May 25
Rob Danson led home the men’s race by over two minutes in 32:08 with W35 Carla equally dominant in the women’s race with a 36:03 clocking.

Wirral Seaside 5km, May 25
Under-20 athletes Ethan Brady-Jones (15:12) and Ellen Mary Kearney (17:52) gained impressive victories.

East Midlands Grand Prix Banbury 5, May 24
Alice Belcher (28:30) and Alistair McDonnell (25:44) both achieved PB wins.

Scotts Midweek League, Division 1, Race 2, St Albans 10km, May 25
Sub-3:40 1500m performer James McMurray won by more than a minute in 31:28.

Cyn Cano won the women’s race in a PB 37:42 for a narrow victory over Katie Harbon (37:48).

Yorks & District League Easingwold 10km, May 24
Jordan Howe won the men’s race in 32:13 from James Tucker (32:56).

Charlotte Mason (36:06) was first woman from Helen Cross (36:41).

Multi-terrain

South Downs 100km, Arundel, May 29
Owen Davies won by three minutes in 8:17:11 though Joseph Turner (8:20:09) took five minutes out of him from the last check point five miles out.

Ninth overall Becky Wright (10:23:39) was first woman by over 40 minutes.

Harvel 5, Kent, May 28
Honours went to Jay Smith (26:53) and Kent Masters champion Hannah Roberts (30:26).