Gill Bland brings us news of more record breaking Brits

It was an exciting week in international athletics with the Bislett Games providing a welcome mid-week burst of adrenaline. The Dream Mile lived up to its name as GB’s Jake Wightman and Australia’s Oliver Hoare tracked Jakob Ingebritsen for most of the race before the Norwegian pulled away in the final lap to set a Wanda Diamond League record of 3:46.46 – just 0.14s short of Steve Cram’s European record.

Hoare finished in 3:47.48 breaking the Oceanian record and Wightman took third in a Scottish Outdoor record time of 3:50.30. Neil Gourley also PB’d to come fourth in 3:52.91. In the women’s 5000m Jess Judd ran 15:00.17 but sadly Eilish McColgan had to pull out part way through due to some sort of cold. Over 800m it was a Hodgkinson/Muir battle, with Keely winning it 1:57.71 and Muir second in 1:58.09. Jemma Reekie was eighth 1:59.83

After a day of 38c temperatures, even some evening cool didn’t help much at the Diamond League Paris where athletes were still competing in 30+c. That makes Lizzie Bird’s performance in the 3000m Steeple even more impressive, breaking the British Record with a time of 9:19.46 to finish fourth. A hat-tip must also go to Daryll Neita who was second in the women’s 100m, running her second sub 11s to finish behind Fraser-Price in 10.99. Eliot Giles finished ninth in the 800m in 1:45.94, Andrew Pozzi was sixth over 110m Hurdle in 13.49 and Cindy Sember third in the 100m hurdles in 12.73.

There were some fast 800s by Kyle Langford and Neil Gourley in Germany at the Merck Running Gala Pfungstadt. Their 1:44.61 and 1:44.82 were both PBs, which means we now have 10 men with World Championships qualifying times.

Verity Ockenden ran herself to the top of the table at the CITIUS Meeting – World Athletics Continental Tour Bronz in Bern, clocking 9:06:54 for 3000m. Meanwhile, at the Copenhagen Athletics Games – World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Izzy Fry won the bronze medal over the same distance in  8:58.66.

Brits did well off the track as well, Rosie Edwards won the Grandmas Marathon – Gary Bjorkland Half Marathon in Duluth, MN in a time of 1:12:45. In California, Fast Running’s own Robbie Britton was in action at the Broken Arrow Sky Race where he came 11th in 4:51:07

Part of the UTMB World Series, the Mozart group of races took place over the weekend in Austria. Jo Meek was just 90 seconds off the podium, running a brilliant 13:30:27 for fourth place in the 100 (actually 108km with 5000m+ elevation) and Rob Forbes was ninth in the men’s race in 10:53:20. There was a British 1-2 in the Ultra, which was won by Harry Jones in 7:08:42 with George Foster following him home in 7:14:31. Alan Metcalf was second in the Light in 2:51:00.

Back in the UK, there was plenty of racing to be had. The BMC Gold Standard Races, Stretford saw a 3:48.34 victory for Alex Ediker over 1500m, with Owen Miller clocking 3:50.72 and Callum Davidson 3:53.60to round out the podium. There was no women’s race this time. At the same venue, the Trafford Grand Prix 1500m win went to James Tucket in 3:57.43, followed by Euan Brown in 3:58.57 and Elisha de Mello in 4:00.63. Hanna Anderson was fastest woman in 4:29.67, holding off Ava Lloyd (4:30.88) and Freya Murdoch (4:33.64). The 3000m honours went to George Couttie  in a PB in 8:30.21, Chris Livesey in 8:37.58 and Natahn Gray in 8:42.62. Rachel Franklin raced home in 9:08.91, victorious ahead of Grace Carson (9:17.57) and Lauren McNeil (9:31.92). BMC Regional Races also took place and the top 1500s there were run by Sarah Coutts in 4:31.55 and Joshua Cowperthwaite in 3:56.28.

A track-take on the distance at the Imperium Night of 5,000s resulted in a win and a PB for James Priest in 15:26.76. Second went to Samuel Galpin in 16:08.64 and third to Peter Amy in 16:30.41. Chloe Truffitt (19:27.87) and Rebecca Tinnelly (19:58.77) were the fastest ladies under 20 minutes.

 The Southern 5000m Championships results haven’t been published yet so we only have the men’s results via twitter, but Tonbridge AC’s Steve Strange won the title in 14.35 with 57s last lap. Jack Gumm of University of Bath took silver in 14:38 and Rowan Miell-Ingram went home with bronze in 14:42.

Hitting the roads

There were some fast 5ks doing the rounds this week on and off the track. Dunham Massey 5k on Thursday saw a 15 year old course record broken by Sophie Wood who won in 16:34
Well clear of Nicola Reece in 18:04 and Louisa Harrison in 19:44. The fastest man was  Akkeal Chambera of Salford Harriers  in 15:17, then Gavin Tomlinson in 15:24 and Tom Charles in 15:26

On Friday the Barrowford 5k winner Thomas Hodgson dipped just under the 15 minute mark,  breaking the tape in 14:58 after a brilliant race to the finish with Benjamin Douglas runner up in 15 flat. Thomas Corrigan took third in 15:21. The women’s race was similarly swift and tight at the top – Eleanor Bolton took the win in 16:17 but Georgia Malir (16:35) and Kirsty Longley (16:55) were hot on her heels.

Small & Brisley Claire England titles

Stepping it up a distance, Fast Friday 10000m (Including the England Athletics Championships) in Walthamstow was a warm one but that didn’t stop Charlie Brisley setting a lifetime best of 29:54.36 to take first place. A tight race left Dylan Evans second in 29:54.55 and Jack Gray third in 29:56.63. The women’s race was won by Louise Small in 34:50.99 with clubmate Kate Esltea (also of Aldershot) just behind in  35:01.52. Emma Navesey defied the conditions to PB for third in 36:23.73.

In Scotland, the Bellahouston Harriers hosted the Brian Goodwin 10k where a strong field resulted in a men’s podium with only 21 seconds separating it. Derek Hawkins was the top of the pile, with 30:01 on the clock. Alastair Hay and Gavyn Chalmers battled it out to finish in 30:21 and 30:22 respectively. For the women, 35:41 earned Eve MacKinnon first place, with Yvonne McNairn second in 3:41 and Katrine Kelly third in 37:58.

Running couple Ben Connor and Lily Partidge had the perfect day out at Derby Ramathon Half Marathon, bothtaking their respective victories in course records of 63:00 and 75:56, with Lily being third overall. Tony Woodward was second in the men’s race in 70:23  and Mark Curtin fourth overall and third male in 76:31. Runner-up females were Sarah Semmens in 83:43 and Megan Rosier in 84:43.

Freckleton Half Marathon in Lancashire was won by Ben Fish in 71:29 with Marco Parolin (72:54) and Michael Young (73:02) following him over the line. Dionne Allen was the fastest female in 84:37, ahead of Laura Reilly in 91:39 and Michelle Chadwick in 94:05

Winning was in the family at the Alresford 10k as Matthew Bennet and Rachel Bennet topped the podium in 34:10 and 44:54 respectively. Heathfield Road Runners held their Midsummer 10k where Simon Heath clocked 32:25 for a convincing victory over Ross Brocklehurst (35:43) and Alison Moore (41:55) raced home to beat Sarah Morris (42:57)

Bourton Roadrunners Hilly-Hilly Half saw Ben Robinson triumph over the lumpy course in 71:34 and Fiona Carter run home for the women’s win in 84:22. Run through chase the Sun in Clapham on Wednesday evening saw Ryan Willmott (16:49) and Delia Smyth(21:20) over 5k and Adam Mayall (36:18) and Amy David (45:32) over 10k. Round the Lakes 10km was won by Harry Smith (32:20) and Vicki Ingram (35:58).

On the trails

Lynn Allen became the ladies champion in the West Highland Way Race finishing in 18:46:25, 9th overall (her second victory –  she won in 17:48:31 in 2017 ). The race is a 95 mile point to point, following the West Highland Way trail from Fort William to Milngavie within the time limit of 35 hours. Rowan Boswood was the men’s winner in 15:09:49 – five minutes faster than his 2019 victory.

A 34 year old record fell at the Buckden Pike British and English Championships Fell Race as Finlay Wild broke Colin Donnely’s longstanding mark of 30:51. Wild ran 30:39 to take the victory for Lochaber AC ahead of Daniel Haworth in 31:07 and Matthew Elkington in 32:06. Hannah Rusell topped the women’s podium in 37:11 and was accompanied on the rostrum by Nichola Jackson (37:39) and Sarah Willhoit (38:08).

The 2022 Trail Marathon Wales is a part of the National Golden Trail Series. Thomas Adams continued his impressive form in this series finishing as the leading man in 2:45:12. Chris Holdsworth was 2nd in 2:46:55 and England Half Marathon runner Dan Connelly was third in 2:57:50. The winning woman was Chelsea Creak in a time on 3:39:25 ahead of Liza Bradshaw (3:45:19) and Samantha Davies (3:46:22).