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Jemma Reekie breaks two more British records in New York
Double European under-23 champion improves Laura Muir’s UK indoor 1500m and mile marks at the Millrose Games, where Chris O’Hare claims Wanamaker mile win
Just a week after breaking the British indoor 800m record in Glasgow, Jemma Reekie added not one, but two more UK records to her CV as she improved the national indoor 1500m and mile marks at the NYRR Millrose Games in New York.
Clocking 4:17.88, the double European under-23 champion finished third in a fast Wanamaker women’s mile won by Elle Purrier in an American record of 4:16.85 as Konstanze Klosterhalfen was second in a German record of 4:17.26.
Those times move Purrier and Klosterhalfen to second and fourth respectively on the world indoor mile all-time list, while current AW cover star Reekie’s time puts her fifth on the global all-time rankings.
Their 1500m split times recorded en-route also rank them all highly in that world all-time list, with Klosterhalfen clocking 3:59.87, Purrier recording 4:00.20 and Reekie running 4:00.52 on the way to the finish.
SHE'S DONE IT!
Elle Purrier wins the Wanamaker Mile at the #NYRRMillroseGames, with an American record performance! pic.twitter.com/dFpGsMv39h
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) February 8, 2020
Reekie had beaten her friend and training partner Laura Muir, the four-time European indoor gold medallist, when breaking the UK indoor 800m record which had been held by Jenny Meadows and this time it was Muir’s marks of 3:55.22 for 1500m and 4:18.75 for the mile which Reekie improved.
“I actually phoned my coach (Andy Young) and said, ‘is that ok?’ I had no clue of what a good mile time was,” Reekie laughed. “But yeah, it’s a new British record, so I’m really pleased that I’ve realised that’s what happened.
“After running 1:57 (in Glasgow) I was like ‘woah’, can I do that again?” she added.
“I’m getting more confident. I tell myself, you deserve to be on this start line. I’m not a junior any more, I’m not an under-23 any more, I need to step up to be a senior.”
Finishing fourth was another Andy Young-coached athlete, with Gabriela DeBues-Stafford breaking the Canadian record with 4:00.80.
There was further Wanamaker men’s mile success for Reekie’s fellow Scot Chris O’Hare as the European indoor 3000m silver medallist clocked 3:55.61 for victory ahead of Australia’s Olli Hoare with 3:56.47.
US-based O’Hare, who claimed his first Millrose Games victory in 2018, then celebrated his win with his two young sons joining him on the track.
Multiple American records fell during the meeting, with both Donavan Brazier and Ajeé Wilson improving their own national indoor 800m marks with respective winning times of 1:44.22 and 1:58.29. GB’s Shelayna Oskan-Clarke finished fifth in the women’s race in 2:06.22.
On an incredible evening for pole vault action, with Armand Duplantis having broken the world pole vault record in Toruń a little earlier, Olympic and world silver medallist Sandi Morris cleared a 4.91m women’s pole vault world lead before making three attempts at a would-have-been world indoor record height of 5.04m.
READ MORE: Armand Duplantis breaks world pole vault record in Toruń
Olympic champion Ryan Crouser threw a world-leading 22.19m to win the shot put.
World indoor bronze medallist Ronnie Baker won the men’s 60m in 6.54, while women’s race victory was claimed by Javianne Oliver in 7.13. American sprint great Allyson Felix was sixth in 7.32.
The women’s 60m hurdles was won by world indoor champion Kendra Harrison in 7.90, while her fellow American Daniel Roberts won the men’s race in 7.64.
Rai Benjamin won the 300m in a meeting record of 32.35.
Elsewhere, another impressive pole vault performance came in Rouen as two-time world champion Sam Kendricks broke the American record with 6.01m.
Harry Coppell cleared 5.80m in France for an Olympic qualifying mark and to move to third on the UK indoor all-time list, while British record-holder Holly Bradshaw won the women’s competition with her clearance of 4.63m. Lucy Bryan cleared a pole vault PB of 4.51m in Ohio.
Another British jumps athlete to achieve an Olympic qualifier was Tom Gale in Hustopeče as he cleared 2.33m in the high jump which moves him to fifth on the UK indoor all-time list.
Also in Hustopeče, 18-year-old Kelechi Aguocha cleared 2.22m to move to joint fourth on the UK under-20 indoor high jump all-time list.
In the women’s competition Nikki Manson improved to 1.93m ,while Morgan Lake cleared 1.90m.
Fed Cup: Heather Watson dominates Rebecca Sramkova - best shots
Great Britain's Heather Watson enjoys a dominant victory over Rebecca Sramkova in their Fed Cup qualifying tie against Slovakia.
However, Harriet Dart's 7-5 6-3 defeat by Anna Karolina Schmiedlova later gave Slovakia an unassailable 3-1 lead in Bratislava.
READ MORE: Great Britain lose to Slovakia in qualifying tie
WATCH MORE: Fed Cup: Dart loses thriller to Kuzmova - best shots
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Fed Cup: Great Britain hope to persuade Johanna Konta to play
Great Britain hope to persuade top-ranked Johanna Konta to play in the next Fed Cup tie after she missed their qualifying defeat by Slovakia.
Great Britain lost 3-1 in Bratislava and failed to qualify for April's inaugural Fed Cup Finals. Instead, they face a play-off to avoid relegation.
Konta, ranked 14th in the world, opted to sit out the tie to reduce her workload and protect her body.
British captain Anne Keothavong said it had been a "blow" to be without Konta.
The team will now play a qualifying tie in April to get back to this stage in next year's competition - and avoid relegation to the Europe/Africa zone that is notoriously difficult to get out of.
"Without her this week, we certainly felt it, but it would have been tough even if she had made herself available," Keothavong told BBC Sport.
When asked how she could persuade Konta to return, the captain replied: "Read the Art of Persuasion?! Naturally there will be another conversation with Jo to see if she can be persuaded, but like I've said before, once she makes up her mind on something she tends to stick to it.
"Maybe I'll remind her about her heroic performances last year, and what she did on the back of those wins - maybe that might help her change her mind."
The British number one, who made her Fed Cup debut in 2013 and has won 18 of her 25 singles matches, was instrumental in April's World Group II play-off victory over Kazakhstan.
She came from a set down against Zarina Diyas and Yulia Putintseva to help Great Britain end a 26-year wait for Fed Cup promotion.
Her performances in the competition appeared to be a catalyst for success in the clay-court season that followed as she reached finals in Morocco and Rome before a run to the semi-finals of the French Open.
Konta, 28, went out in the first round at the Australian Open last month, having only played one tournament since September's US Open because of a knee injury.
In the absence of Konta and former British number two Katie Boulter, who is in the early stages of a return from a back stress fracture, the British team in Bratislava was led by Heather Watson and Harriet Dart.
Fed Cup: Great Britain lose to Slovakia in qualifying tie
Great Britain failed to reach the inaugural Fed Cup Finals by losing their qualifying tie to Slovakia.
Harriet Dart's 7-5 6-3 defeat by Anna Karolina Schmiedlova gave Slovakia an unassailable 3-1 lead in Bratislava.
Heather Watson had earlier kept Great Britain in the tie with a 6-0 7-5 win over Rebecca Sramkova.
Slovakia qualify for April's 12-nation finals in Budapest, while GB will play a qualifying tie to get back to this same stage in next year's competition.
Britain were without world number 14 Johanna Konta, who opted to sit out the Fed Cup this year to protect her body, and Katie Boulter.
They returned to the World Group for the first time since 1996 by beating Kazakhstan in a play-off last April, and were among eight seeded nations in the qualifiers.
Dart pays for missed chances
Dart had been beaten by Slovak number one Viktoria Kuzmova in a gruelling three-setter on Friday but the 23-year-old Briton showed no sign of fatigue against Schmiedlova, pushing her hard in a tight first set.
But she sent a forehand long to hand Schmiedlova the first set before battling hard at the start of the second, where she carved out two break points on both of the Slovak's opening two service games.
But in the end it was the failure to convert those chances - missing nine out of 10 break point chances in total - that cost Dart.
Schmiedlova, a former top-30 player who has slipped down the rankings to 199 through injury, showed her pedigree by saving three break points from 0-40 to hold for a 5-2 lead in the second set.
World number 141 Dart did force the Slovak to serve out the match, showing her fighting spirit by saving two match points with two scorching winners, but finally succumbed on the third match point when she sent a backhand long.
"I'm sad to not be able to get a win for the team," said Dart, who was in tears in her chair at the end of the match.
"I'm proud of the way I was able to fight this weekend. I couldn't have done anything more. I'm able to hold my head high and take positives from it all."
The defeat for Dart means Great Britain now need to win a play-off tie in April to earn another chance to reach the finals in 2021, while a defeat would send them back to the Europe/Africa Zone.
Watson makes most of late change to give GB hope
With Great Britain trailing 2-0 overnight, Watson had kept the tie alive with a dominant victory over Rebecca Sramkova.
The British number two had been expecting to face Kuzmova, but the Slovak pulled out shortly beforehand through illness.
Watson said she only found out 55 minutes before the match that she was playing a different opponent.
"I was watching some Netflix to try and get my mind off tennis and relax," she told BBC Sport. "I found out at five past three that I was playing her so I went straight on to YouTube to start doing my homework as I don't really know much about her."
Watson made the most of the late change, punishing world number 202 Sramkova from the off as she won the first six games to take the set in 26 minutes before the Slovak finally held serve in the opening game of the second set.
The 27-year-old Briton, who tightened up her game considerably since Friday's error-strewn 6-2 6-3 loss to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, dealt well with the increased pressure in the second set as Sramkova found some form.
World number 74 Watson got a decisive break in the 10th game of the second set when Sramkova went long, with the Slovak then continuing to rack up her groundstroke errors to allow Watson to serve out the match with ease.
Analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
Heather Watson was very efficient in swatting aside late replacement Rebecca Sramkova, before Harriet Dart impressed again.
She constantly posed questions for Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, but the far more accomplished clay-court player constantly came up with the answers.
The result of the tie was really no surprise, given the absence of last year's French Open semi-finalist Johanna Konta.
But it does mean Britain will have to win a play-off tie in April just to make sure they return to this same stage of the competition next year.
Their potential European opponents are Italy, Ukraine, Poland and Serbia. But they may also have to go long-haul - a trip to Mexico is just one fate which might befall them in Tuesday's draw.
Champions depart; first round exits for Samsonov and Szocs, illness ends Ovtcharov’s hopes
In the men’s event, Vladimir Samsonov, the no.6 seed, was beaten by Slovenia’s Darko Jorgic, the no.14 seed (8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7, 12-10); soon after Bernadette Szocs, the women’s no.3 seed, lost to Britt Eerland of the Netherlands, the no.10 seed (9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7).
Defeat and for both a continuation of a dismal start to the year; on the international scene Bernadette Szocs has won just one match to date; for Vladimir Samsonov, the cupboard is bare.
Gondomar and Magdeburg
At the 2020 ITTF World Team tournament last month in Gondomar, in a 3-0 success against Italy, Bernadette Szocs beat Deborah Vivarelli (11-6, 11-8, 11-3); facing India in 3-2 win that secured a place in the Tokyo Olympic Games, she lost to both Manika Batra (7-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-7) and to Sutirtha Mukherjee (8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 3-11, 11-4).
“My service game was very good and I had to use all my mental strength to beat her. Bernadette is the kind of player who never gives up. Even when you are oin the lead, you are far from safe. She does not give any gifts; you have to work hard for each point. In addition, she is very dangerous in mind games. I had to stay calm and to focus on my game, otherwise, I would have been on her ground and lose.” Britt Eerland
Fast forward to the following week in Magdeburg at the 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open, in her opening match in the preliminary stage she experienced defeat at the hands of Stéphanie Loueillette of France (8-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-2, 6-11, 11-9, 11-8).
Horror movie
Similarly, it has been a horror movie for Vladimir Samsonov. In a 3-0 defeat for Belarus against Hungary at the ITTF World Team Tournament he was beaten by Bence Majoros (11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3); in Magdeburg, like Bernadette Szocs, in his open preliminary match, he was suffered against China’s Xu Chenhao (11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3).
Conversely for Darko Jorgic it has been quite the opposite start to the year. He remained unbeaten throughout the 2020 ITTF World Team Tournament guiding Slovenia to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, before progressing safely through the qualification stage in Magdeburg to reserve a first round place. Japan’s Jun Mizutani ended adventures.
“I have had an incredible few weeks; for the first time I have qualified for the Olympics. For the first time I am playing at Top 16. It is just a great period for me. Against Samsonov it was crucial to stay strong mentally. You have to play each ball, stay focused more than anything.”
Notably since they first met in 2009 at the Malta Junior and Cadet Open, Britt Eerland has now won eight of the ten meetings against Bernadette Szocs; for Vladimir Samsonov and Darko Jorgic it was their first engagement in a world ranking event.
Series of finals continues, value of classic defensive skills
Classic style, technically perfect and would you expect anything else from a player whose skills were honed in Japan?
Equally, it would seem to be a style in which the Land of the Rising Sun has great faith; note the name of 14 year old, Haruna Ojio, the runner up in the girls’ singles event at the NSDF World Junior Championships last December. She extols the skills.
For those of more advanced years, thinking back to the halcyon days of the 1960s, the view of many was that the age of the backspin player was resigned to history; in particular Honoka Hashimoto and Haruna Ojio are proving the theory from the era of their grandparents wrong.
Brink of selection
Familiar on the international stage, notably Honoka Hashimoto partnered Hitomi Sato in the women’s doubles event at the Liebherr 2019 World Championships in Budapest but when team event selection is the subject on offer, she is on the brink and more likely to be a support act than a first choice player.
How many other countries would welcome her talents? Maybe China could manage without but would she not be an asset to any other nation in the world? A classic defender could well add an extra ingredient, even to powerful Asian outfits.
Proved worth
Undoubtedly at ITTF Challenge Series tournaments she has proved her worth and have those tournaments not provided an opportunity to develop her play? Is she not ever more secure in defence and ever more adept when attacking play is required? The steps may be small but they are vital, sporting contests are won by minimal margins.
Nobody can match her record at ITTF Challenge Series tournaments. Since January 2017 she has reached no less than nine women’s singles finals, winning twice; that may not sound a good record but consider the players against whom she has experienced defeat at the final hurdle.
The nemesis has always been a player from Asia, facing colleagues she has lost to each of Hina Hayata and Hitomi Sato on two occasions, once to Saki Shibata, once to Korea Republic’s Yang Haeun and once to a certain Chinese player named Liu Shiwen.
Conversely when facing European players in the title decider it has been success; in addition to today when beating Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin, in 2017 in Croatia she prevailed against Austria’s Sofia Polcanova.
Add doubles
Nine finals now add the women’s doubles. Partnering Hitomi Sato she has won five times, the runner up twice; in harness with Maki Shiomi, twice a winner, on one occasion a runner up.
Overall in a period of just over three years, Honoka Hashimoto has appeared in no less than 19 ITTF Challenge Series finals.
Defensive skills have prevailed time and again, it is a record no attacking player can match!
Kirill Gerassimenko and Honoka Hashimoto win in Granada
German adversaries proved very much to the liking of Kirill Gerassimenko; at the semi-final stage he beat Steffen Mengel, the no.22 seed (11-4, 4-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6), before accounting for Benedikt Duda, the top seed, the claim gold (11-6, 11-6, 10-12, 7-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7).
Success and two steps higher up the ladder; his previous ITTF Challenge Series best being a men’s singles semi-final finish in 2017 in Poland and the following year in Thailand.
In the opposite half of the draw, Benedikt Duda, who at the recent 2020 ITTF World Tour Platinum German Open had beaten Sweden’s Mattias Falck in the opening round, before narrowly losing the China’s rapidly improving Zhao Zihao, once again displayed good form. He ended the hopes of Finland’s Benedek Olah, the no.13 seed and winner on the ITTF World Tour in 2016 in Nigeria (11-4, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 13-11)
Backspin excellence
Impressive from the attacking top spin skills of Kirill Gerassimenko, it was the same from the elegant defensive attributes of Honoka Hashimoto.
At the semi-final stage she beat Singapore’s Zeng Jian, the no.10 seed (11-7, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7), prior overcoming Monaco’s Yang Xiaoxin, the no.4 seed to secure gold (11-7, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9).
Hard fought success but not as dramatic as the win clinched the previous round by Yang Xiaoxin, the winner on the ITTF World Tour in 2014 in Croatia and 2016 in the Czech Republic. She needed the full seven games to beat Germany’s Shan Xiaona, the no.5 seed, only emerging successful by the very narrowest of margins (6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 6-11, 13-11).
Runner up
Gold for Honoka Hashimoto, her second such career title in what was her ninth ITTF Challenge Series women’s singles final; in 2017, she had won in Croatia. Seven times the runner up, in the women’s doubles event in Granada that was to her lot; partnering colleague Maki Shiomi, the no.2 seeds, the duo experienced defeat at the hands of compatriots Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, the top seeds (11-7, 11-5, 11-7).
Success for Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata, their sixth such title since means they match colleagues. Somewhat ironically the result means that Honoka Hashimoto now shares the record; she has won six times with Hitomi Sato.
First title
Adding to the list, Iran’s Nima Alamian and Noshad Alamiyan, the top seeds and winners on the ITTF World Tour in 2015 in Belgium added to their list of honours; they accounted for Korea Republic’s Baek Kwangil and Park Chan-Hyeok (11-6, 13-11, 8-11, 11-9) to claim men’s doubles gold.
Play concluded in Granada, next on the agenda is the 2012 ITTF Challenge Plus Portugal Open, play commences in Lisbon with qualification on Wednesday 12th February.
Six Nations 2020: Ellis Genge says England shut up the critics with win over Scotland
Try-scorer Ellis Genge refers to England's critics as 'sausages' and says Eddie Jones's team have have shut them up after their 13-6 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield.
WATCH MORE: England's Genge powers over to score crucial try
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Six Nations 2020 highlights: Scotland 6-13 England
England win back the Calcutta Cup and keep their Six Nations title hopes alive with a 13-6 victory over Scotland in awful weather conditions.
WATCH MORE: 'A lot of sausages just say what comes into their head' - Genge on England's critics
MATCH REPORT: Scotland 6-13 England
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'We weren't expecting bottles to be thrown' - Jones criticises Scotland fans
England head coach Eddie Jones criticised the behaviour of Scotland fans after a member of his coaching staff was hit by a plastic bottle and captain Owen Farrell was booed.
Farrell was jeered as he lined up goal-kicks during England's 13-6 Six Nations victory at a storm-hit Murrayfield.
Jones said high performance manager Neil Craig was hit on the head by a plastic beer bottle before kick-off.
"We weren't expecting bottles to be thrown - that's a new trick," he said.
"You've got to be pretty brave to throw a beer bottle. It's not good behaviour, is it?"
A Scottish Rugby spokesperson said: "An empty, plastic bottle landed near the team bus as England arrived. All the England players had already entered the stadium at that point.
"The matter was raised with the England team manager pre-match by a member of Scottish Rugby staff and an apology extended. There is no evidence the bottle was thrown or intended to hit any individual."
Rugby crowds traditionally remain silent during goal-kicks and an announcement over the public address system urged spectators to show respect.
"Rugby did have a culture of being respectful and having respect for the kicker," said Jones.
"So if we don't want to have that, if there's a new level of respect in Scotland, we've got to put up with it.
"If that's how the Scottish fans are going to be respectful we have to acknowledge it and just get on with it."
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, asked about Farrell's treatment by the crowd, said: "At a lot of venues around the world the crowd will make noise.
"We certainly stress that respecting the kicker is something we believe in but it's no different I imagine than what happened at the Stade de France last week."
Having lost to France in Paris last weekend England revived their Six Nations title ambitions thanks to Ellis Genge's match-winning try.
Loose-head prop Genge came off the bench in the second half to barge his way over from close range to give England a decisive lead with 10 minutes remaining.
"He's been a project player for us," Jones said. "He's developed remarkably well and is an important part of the squad now."
Both sides had to play in terrible conditions as Storm Ciara battered Murrayfield with ferocious winds and driving rain.
"Apart from 15 minutes we dominated the game," Jones said. "We had a few poor kicks but we dominated possession and we finished it off which we didn't do last week.
"There is a lot of growth for us. I underprepared the side for the first game but we'll get stronger as the weeks go on."
Farrell, who uncharacteristically missed three out of six goal-kicks, praised his side's performance.
"To come up here with the conditions and the atmosphere, we knew it would be tough," he said. "We stuck at it and our attitude was good throughout.
"The wind was unpredictable and it made the ball go out on the full a few times but the most pleasing thing was our attitude. We grew as the game went on."
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