Mitchell sets ground-breaking world record that incredibly only lasts seven minutes as Britain also win two titles in the field in Toruń

Britain won three gold medals in Thursday night’s 800m finals which is down on normal medal hauls at these World Masters Indoor Championships but there were also wins for thrower James Taylor and vaulter Andy Ashurst in Poland.

Virginia Mitchell reached 60 in January and judging by her 2:24.26 in last year’s European Masters Indoors W55 at Braga when she was second and a 2:25.46 in finishing third in the World Masters outdoors W55 at Tampere, there seemed little doubt at the start of the winter that she would break Yvonne Crilly’s 2:35.91 indoor and 2:31.51 outdoor records.

A 2:32.81 in the British Masters Indoor Championships gave her the world indoor mark and then here in Toruń a 64.55 world W60 record at 400m showed she was in good shape.

In the 400m she was pushed hard by Ireland’s Edel Maguire but in the 800m it was clear it would be a simple race against the clock if she wanted to improve her record.

Her first lap of 36.39 was a little too quick as she built up a clear lead but she drastically slowed on the second lap (38.38) to pass halfway in 74.77. The third lap was slightly quicker (38.39) and she passed 600m in 1:52.90 but knowing while the record was on, an acceleration would be required to break 2:30.

She was able to achieve that with a final circuit of 37.06 and she was delighted to run 2:29.96 as she won gold by almost 10 seconds from Spain’s Esther Pedrosa (2:39.56) and USA’s Lorraine Jasper (2:39.72).

Yet whereas Mitchell became the oldest woman to ever break 2:30, indoors or out, her status as world record-holder did not last more than seven minutes.

In the next race, the W55 final, was USA Sue McDonald, who had turned 60 after the championships started on the day before the race. She had been specifically training for this event and had finished third in the W55 800m in a US record in 2019 where Mitchell had set a world W55 record.

McDonald had a big advantage over Mitchell in that she just had to follow. Her fellow American Michelle Rohl, who had won the 3000m here, set a fast pace and while the 200m time was similar to Mitchell’s, by 400m the pace was much quicker.

Germany’s Eva Trost, who still holds the world outdoor W50 record at 800m, and won the W50 title four years ago in Toruń, sprinted away on the last lap to win in 2:23.11 as Rohl (2:25.12) held off McDonald (2:25.72) who took four seconds off of Mitchell’s freshly set world record and allowed her to finally celebrate her birthday although her world record coming in a different age group was totally ignored on the day and most left the arena thinking Mitchell was still the record-holder.

Mitchell still retains her European and British records, though.

Paul Forbes, AW Readers Choice Master athlete of the year in 2022, had no interest in chasing his own world record of 2:15.30 in the M65 final.

The 1:45.66 performer from 40 years ago who had run in three Commonwealth Games, hung back on the first lap as Kiwi Ian Calder ran the first two laps in 35.30 and 37.08 before moving into the lead late on the third lap to pass 600m in 1:49.01 and then he stretched out on a 33.83 final circuit although he was so far clear he was able to ease back and still win by over two seconds in 2:22.84 from Norwegian Oivind Bernes’s 2:25.10.

Britain’s third gold came in the W80 race as Iris Hornsey, who had won the W75 title in Toruń four years ago, was a clear winner in 4:22.62 ahead of multiple world champion Joaquina Flores of Portugal.

Betty Stracey also picked up a bronze in 5:11.90 in the oldest women’s category race.

Alison Bourgeois came close to adding to her European Indoor and World outdoor victories last year.

Sweden’s Gunnel Tolfes controlled the first three laps in 40.36, 44.46 and then a slow 46.31 before a last lap kick. The Briton moved wide into the straight but, despite a sub-40 last circuit, Tolfes just held her off by inches in 2:51.13 to 2:51.16.

Zoe Doyle, who moves into the W45s in June, also came close in the W40 race. The 2019 world 1500m and 3000m champion followed Olga Koppen through 400m (70.05) and 600m (1:44.81) but the German’s 32.05 last lap beat the Briton 2:16.85 to 2:17.11.

Third went Spain’s Raquel Suarez Pedrosa, the daughter of the W60 runner-up Esther.

Germany’s Olga Koppen narrowly beat Britain’s Zoe Doyle in World Masters W40 800m in 2:16.85 pic.twitter.com/CcUakZivYF

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

Keith Hutchinson picked up a bronze in the M40 race in 1:59.82 and Dave Clarke likewise in the M60 race in 2:20.45.

Ireland matched Britain’s three golds.

Joe Warne, a sub 1:50 performer at his best, easily won the M35 race in 1:55.07 while Joe Gough powered around a 32.91 last circuit to open up a four second gap on the last lap in the M70 race.

Annette Quaid also ran a blazing last lap of 32.63 to win the W45 race with ease from compatriot Maria Dunne.

There was a world record in the M55 race though previous record-holder Francesco D’Agostino only set the record due to Charles Nowak’s pacemaking of 30.65, 31.71 and 31.87 over the first three laps and the Italian only edged by in the last 30 metres as both went inside the Italian’s previous record of 2:06.41 set in Braga last year with 2:06.10 and 2:06.37.

Spain’s Angel Cano won the M85 race in 3:51.79 and he was followed in by Australian M90 David Carr (4:03.80) while in the M80 race Jean-Louis Esnault broke three minutes (2:59.17) despite a far too fast first 200m of 38.16 and 400m of 82.08.

Away from the 800m, there was a M55 pole vault gold for former senior international Andy Ashurst.

The Seoul Olympian, who vaulted 5.45m to take the silver medal in the British Championships 31 years ago, was the only vaulter in the competition to clear four metres with his 4.05m and team-mate Glyn Price cleared 3.75m for bronze.

James Taylor followed up his M40 weights win with a discus gold and he had the three best throws of the competition with a best of a first round 45.46m.

Also in the field, Jo Willoughby took a W55 triple jump silver with a 10.06m leap.

Bronzes went to Clint Nicholls in the M40 pentathlon, John Moreland in the M60 discus, Mel Garland in the W60 triple jump, Pat Oakes in the W75 triple jump and Iris Holder in the W80 triple jump.

Day 5 (March 30) Final results (200m heats to be included with finals on day 6)

M35
800: 1 J Warne IRL 1:55.07
DT: 1 S Dekker NED 48.43
PEN: 1 E Gouron FRA 3638; 3 MAXIM HALL GBR 3387

Sub 1:50 performer Joe Warne of Ireland wins the M35 World Masters 800m title in 1:55.07 in Toruń pic.twitter.com/siLBScox74

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

M40:
800: 1 R Borente-Gonzalez 1:58.65; 3 KEITH HUTCHINSON GBR 1:59.82
DT: 1 JAMES TAYLOR GBR 45.46; 2 K Jackow POL 44.04
Pen: 1 S Fricke GER 3762; 3 CLINT NICHOLLS GBR 3260; 11 JONATHAN RUTTER GBR 2438; 12 MATT DALTON GBR 2352

M45:
800: 1 W Borotoche VEN 2:00.03; 2 C Ilie ROU 2:00.11; 9 DAVID LOCKER GBR 2:04.56
DT: 1 R Mordhorst GER 48.71
Pen: 1 O Gonzalez ESP 4010

M50:
800: 1 R Celinski POL 2:04.90; 6 STEVE BALDOCK GBR 2:07.23
PV: 1 J Asplund SWE 4.50
WT: 1 M Walczak POL 22.58
Pen: 1 M Sutteborn SWE 4072; 5 GARY SMITH GBR 3650

M55:
800: 1 F D’Agostino ITA 2:06.10 (WR) C Novak USA 2:06.37; 6 ADRIAN HAINES GBR 2:08.23; 7 ROB McHARG GBR 2:11.56
PV: 1 ANDY ASHURST GBR 4.05; 2 Y Le Mouel CAN 3.75; 3 GLYN PRICE GBR 3.75
WT: 1 J Cordius DEN 18.92

Francisco Agostini of Italy breaks his own World M55 800m record with 2:06.10 in an exciting finish pic.twitter.com/0rtjJujWna

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

M60:
800: 1 X Lefay FRA 2:18.87; 3 DAVID CLARKE GBR 2:20.45; 5 JED TURNER GBR 2:23.43; 6 SEAN PRICE GBR 2:23.79
PV: 1 D Berle USA 3.40; 7 IAN CRAWLEY GBR 3.10
DT: 1 D Eriksson USA 56.17; 3 JOHN MORELAND GBR 48.80; 12 ALLAN LEIPER GBR 38.48

M65:
800: 1 PAUL FORBES GBR 2:22.84; 2 O Bernes NOR 2:25.10; 9 PETER MOUNTAIN GBR 2:31.86
SP: 1 R Zglenicki POL 12.87; 18 JOHN BIRKETT GBR 8.68

Former 1:45 performer Paul Forbes easily wins gold for GB in World Masters 800m M65 race pic.twitter.com/u7A0V21JKD

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

M70:
800: 1 J Gough IRL 2:29.61
SP: 1 W Krankowski POL 13.81

With a blazing last 200m Joe Gough of Ireland easily wins the World Masters M70 800m title in Toruń pic.twitter.com/VgAmQy0cPv

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

M75:
800: 1 H Smeets NED 2:43.78
TJ: 1 A Busterud NOR 13.94

M80:
800: 1 J Esnault FRA 2:59.17; 9 BARRIE ROBERTS GBR 4:19.19
SP: 1 H Tobias POL 11.77; 11 JAMES SLOAN GBR 8.96

Will you be still be able to run six-minute mile pace for 800m when you are 80 plus? France’s Jean-Louis Esnault runs 2:59.17 to win World Masters M80 gold pic.twitter.com/AksWR4wPWl

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) March 30, 2023

M85:
800: 1 A Acano ESP 3:51.79
SP: 1 O Edlund SWE 10.90

M90:
800: 1 D Carr AUS 4:03.80
SP: 1 J Blair NZL 6.72

M95:
SP: 1 L Helle FIN 5.39

Women:
W35:
800: 1 L Casado 2:15.96; 5 LAURA HAGGARTY GBR 2:20.62; 7 EMILY BONNETT GBR 2:20.89
HT: 1 R Akers IRL 53.36; 8 DASH NEWINGTON GBR 28.54

W40:
800: 1 O Koppen GER 2:16.85; 2 ZOE DOYLE GBR 2:17.11
HT: 1 M Slok Hansen DEN 50.37

W45:
800: 1 A Quaid IRL 2:17.55; 2 M Dunne IRL 2:21.84
HT: 1 A Herzner USA 44.61

W50:
800: 1 M Camps ESP 2:22.27
TJ: 1 A Szirbucz HUN 11.69; 3 FIONA DAVIDSON GBR 10.09
HT: 1 M Kjolberg NOR 48.25

W55:
800: 1 E Trost GER 2:23.11; 3 S McDonald USA 2:25.72 (World W60 rec); 9 ANNA CRITCHLOW GBR 2:39.96
TJ: 1 A Sandstrom SWE 10.96; 2 JO WILLOUGHBY GBR 10.06; 9 JAN TIMBERLAKE GBR 8.43

W60:
800: 1 VIRGINIA MITCHELL GBR 2:29.96 (Eur W60 rec – world at time); 2 E Pedrosa ESP 2:39.56; 4 CHRISTINE ANTHONY GBR 2:45.72; 5 ELKE HAUSLER GBR 2:49.71; 7 SHARYN RAMAGE GBR 2:57.18
TJ: 1 P Herrmann GER 9.75; 3 MELANIE GARLAND GBR 9.46; 5 JANICE PRYCE 8.83

W65:
800: 1 G Tolfes SWE 2:51.13; 2 ALISON BOURGEOIS GBR 2:51.16
TJ: 1 A Dorina FRA 8.49

W70:
800: 1 E Westphal GER 3:18.81
TJ: 1 E Bartosk POL 7.95; 5 LYN AHMET GBR 7.53

W75:
800: 1 E Widelund SWE 3:43.56
TJ: 1 M Dahler-Stettler SUI 5.82; 3 PAT OAKES GBR 4.56

W80:
800: 1 IRIS HORNSEY GBR 4:22.62; 2 J Flores POR 4:36.89; 3 BETTY STRACEY GBR 5:11.90
TJ: 1 K Viitanen FIN 6.10; 3 IRIS HOLDER GBR 5.56