Results from the England Combined Events Championships and BMC Grand Prix, plus County Cross Country Championships highlights

The first weekend of the new year saw runners get stuck in on the mud at the County Cross Country Championships, while the England Combined Events Championships, BMC Grand Prix and Indoor Race Walking Championships took place in Sheffield and there was marathon action in Xiamen.

England Athletics Senior Combined Events Championships, Sheffield, January 4-5

Teenager Holly Mills set a pentathlon PB of 4261 points to win the senior title, a year after winning under-20 gold. Her performance included an 800m PB of 2:14.46 which took more than five seconds off her previous best, set outdoors.

The 19-year-old’s score moves her to 10th on the UK senior all-time list and was just 36 points off the championship record. Jade O’Dowda, who was second in the junior event in 2018, secured silver with a 4238 PB as she competed for the first time since March last year. Ireland’s Kate O’Connor was third.

19-year-old Holly Mills sets a pentathlon PB of 4261 points to win the @EnglandAthletic senior title, a year after winning under-20 gold. Her score moves her to 10th on the UK senior all-time list. Jade O'Dowda secures silver with a 4238 PB. https://t.co/rnP8jxgQlr

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) January 5, 2020

Andrew Murphy won the senior heptathlon title with 5606 points, having set PBs in the 60m and 60m hurdles, as Spain’s Pablo Trescoli was second with 5540 points. Lewis Church was third.

Jodie Smith won the under-20 pentathlon as she scored 4041 points after PBs in the long jump, shot put and 800m. Her performance moves her to eighth on the UK junior all-time list.

Scott Brindley won the under-20 heptathlon title with a PB of 5357 points.

BMC Grand Prix, Sheffield, January 5

Piers Copeland won the men’s 1500m in 3:43.78 from James McMurray’s 3:44.33, while steeplechaser Jamaine Coleman won the 3000m in 8:04.93.

Kirsty Fraser claimed women’s 1500m victory as she raced Khahisa Mhlanga, who suffered a late fall, and went on to win in 4:20.81. Mhlanga got back up to place second.

Alex Botterill and Stephanie Moss won the 800m A races in respective times of 1:49.77 and 2:09.91.

England Athletics Indoor Race Walking Championships, Sheffield, January 5

Tom Bosworth claimed a dominant 3000m race walk win in 11:18.00 ahead of Tom Partington who clocked 13:00.32.

Pagen Spooner won the women’s race from Natalie Myers, 15:10.67 to 15:11.26.

Despite a few days of man flu I’m putting my big boy pants on and heading to Sheffield for @EnglandAthletic indoor champs today!
3000m is the race distance and I’m looking forward to it. I can say for the first time since end of 2018 I’m heading into a race with no back pain!?

— Tom Bosworth (@TomBosworth) January 5, 2020

County Cross Country Championships, various venues, January 4-5

GB internationals Lily Partridge and Gemma Steel were among the winners as they secured success at the Surrey and the Leicestershire and Rutland events respectively.

Surrey Cross Country today. Fantastic race with @LilyPartridge01 taking the win. #Nikon @AFDACofficial pic.twitter.com/WhRjPa0mjY

— Nigel Bramley (@angry_of_epsom) January 5, 2020

Andrew Heyes and Bronwen Owen won the Yorkshire titles, while Adam Hickey and Jess Judd claimed Essex wins.

Nick Goolab claimed the Middlesex win and Zak Mahamed won in Hampshire, while Emily Hosker-Thornhill and Owen Hind claimed victory in Kent.

See Thursday’s AW magazine for in-depth results.

Xiamen Marathon, China, January 5

Ethiopia’s Medina Deme Armino retained her title in a PB of 2:26:12, while her countryman Birhan Nebebew won the men’s title in 2:08:16.

Miramas, France, January 4

World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson opened her season with a 1.80m high jump clearance and a shot put throw of 11.66m.