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Jessica Ennis
UKA today announced defending World champions Jessica Ennis (coach: Toni Minichiello) and Dwain Chambers (self-coached) in a 39-strong squad as part of the Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey 9 – 11 March. [Read more...]
Holly Bleasdale for Birmingham Indoors
New world No. 1 Holly Bleasdale will step up her Olympic pole vault preparations at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday 18 February.
The 20-year-old pole vault prodigy, who cleared 4.87m at a meet in Villeurbanne, France, last month to move to No. 2 on the all-time list behind world indoor record holder Yelena Isinbayeva, will step out in front of a capacity crowd at the NIA in the third and final indoor meet of the Aviva Series 2012. [Read more...]
Team GB Celebration - Kelvin Hall 2012
The Aviva GB & NI Team enjoyed a rousing and successful 2012 send-off from the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, Glasgow in the 21st and final Aviva International Match to be staged at the venue this afternoon. [Read more...]
Bernice Wilson banning upheld
UK Anti-Doping has confirmed that Bernice Wilson has been given a four-year suspension following an anti-doping rule violation.
Ms Wilson tested positive for the anabolic steroids testosterone and clenbuterol on 12 June 2011 and was provisionally suspended from all competition on 9 July 2011. Ms Wilson is banned from participation in sport up to and including 8 July 2015. An independent National Anti-Doping Panel found that this case warranted the maximum sanction of a four-year ban. Ms Wilson appealed, and the Appeal panel confirmed the four-year ban. [Read more...]
The Aviva GB&NI team celebrated the final day of competition at the European Indoor Championships with five medals- four silver and one gold- bringing their total tally to eight, leaving them in fourth place overall.
Clitheroe takes 3000m Indoor title
Team Captain Helen Clitheroe (coach: John Nuttall) won gold with an outstanding 3000m performance to kick off the proceedings. The 3000m British steeple chase record holder demonstrated her wealth of experience with an incredibly determined run-out, despite early challenges from Dolores Checa (ESP) and later Layes Abdullayeva (AZE). [Read more...]
Double European Champion Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) added a European Indoor title to his list of honours on the second day of competition at the European Indoor Championships in Paris. He claimed 3000m gold for the Aviva GB&NI team in a close fought race.
Mo Farah Paris 2011
With an air of confidence and his recognisable long stride Farah controlled the race, leading throughout and setting a quick pace. Hayle Ibrahimov (AZE) was on his shoulder, shadowing his moves but did not take on the running, leaving it to the defending champion to do the work. On the home straight Ibrahimov made his move but Farah had enough left in the tank to out-sprint his rival and take the win, stopping the clock at 7:53.00.
“I wanted that. I knew from experience that I needed to have something left in the tank so when he came at me I had something. It’s nice to achieve what I have achieved, I want to take home as many medals as possible and I now want to go and do well in Degu and I’m a lot strong than I was two years ago I’ve definitely improved.”
Farah’s teammate Andy Baddeley (coach: Andrew Hobdell) ran a solid race too, staying in contention throughout, despite advancements and changes within the group. He finished in a seasons best time of 7:54.49 but just missed out on a podium place.
“I don’t feel like I messed that up. I did everything possible and on the last 200m every time he went I went too but he got me on the line. Once the disappointment of not medalling goes I will be able to take some positives out of this.”
Bronze for Buck
In the men’s 400m final, the final race of the day, Richard Buck (coach: Steve Fudge) won the second British medal in a tight contest which saw teammate Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) also challenge for a medal.
Both went off strong, along with Frenchman Leslie Djhone, and for more than 300m Strachan was in second with Buck just behind. But Strachan faded as the challenge of Germany’s Thomas Schneider became too much while Buck held on to take bronze in 46.62.
“It’s great to have a medal but I’m disappointed because I went out for the win. That French guy was so fast,he’s an animal. I knew I had to get a clean run without disrupting my rhythm so I had to ease off at one point. I’m more experienced indoors than Rich (Strachan) which I guess means I can make decisions faster, mainly because I’ve made so many wrong ones previously! Bronze means I didn’t run fast enough and wasn’t prepared. I’ll come back in two years and get gold.”
A lactic stricken Strachan, who finished in fifth with 46.74, was happy with his ‘go out hard’ approach to the race: “Anyone wearing a GB vest should try to win and that’s what I did. I gave it everything. If you go out for bronze you’ve lost before you started”
Other Aviva GB&NI performances:
Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) impressed in the second semi-final of the 800m leading from gun to tape in an show of confidence and stamina. She controlled the pace and the pack to her liking and ran hard until the line for a 2:00.65 finish.
“That went to plan I wanted to get out there under control and I wanted to win. I’m not trying to put too much onto myself. I just want to come off the track tomorrow look in the mirror and know I’ve done everything.
Marilyn Okoro (coach: Ayo Falola) was in a favourable position throughout her 800m semi-final .The Lee Valley based athlete held third place at the bell and then battled with both Russian representatives on the final loop which led her to a 2:02.65 third place finish and qualification.
““I had a different head on today and I wanted to be in that final badly. I aimed to keep in the top three and not panic and I stuck to my plan. Anything can happen now, I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McFarlane) grasped a place in the final of the 60m with a personal best performance of 7.21. In lane eight, from which it is difficult to be pushed to fast times by the field, she finished the close run semi-final in fourth.
“This morning was hard but I’m calmer this afternoon. I wanted to try and qualify in 4th place and that’s what I did. It’s always a confidence boost going into a final with a PB.”
Bernice Wilson (coach: George Skafidas) was just out of contention in her race, finishing in fifth with 7.28 and losing a place in the final by a whisker.
“Bit gutted but that’s how it goes. It was a great experience at my first major champs. It was so close you start to think 100th of a second what if?”
Dwain Chambers won his semi-final in 6.61, another solid performance from the defending champion, which earned him a place in tomorrow’s final. While Joel Fearon (coach: Michael Khmel) finished in third in his race clocking 6.69. He missed out on a fastest looser place, both of which went to athletes from the quick second semi-final which was won by Christophe Lemaitre in a European leading time of 6.55.
Chambers said: “I’ve got to run really fast in that final to do it. Instinctively I want to explode out of the blocks and come flying out for the first 20m but training to improve my 100m means I need to be more controlled in my starts. It means a lot to be defending champion and I’ll be relying on my experience tomorrow.”
Fearon said: “I’m not too happy with that and I need to raise my game at the big competitions. Hopefully you’ll see me in a GB vest again soon. At the start I was tight and scared and I had big names all around me. I need to get a sense of belonging in a race like that. This is all about experience into 2011.”
Following a nail biting first round, in which he risked qualification at the last moment, Andrew Osagie (coach: Craig Winrow) returned to competition in the 800m semi-final to prove a point and he did just that putting out a tactically astute race. He finished first, in style, clocking 1:49.02.
“That was confident and comfortable and I felt really good. I stayed out of the way and timed it perfectly. I got in front and stayed strong. Making finals in GB vests is what it’s all about.”
In the second semi-final of the 800m, as the group kicked in on the bend, Joe Thomas (coach: Arwyn Davies) wasn’t in a position to challenge. He sat towards the back of the group, not mid pack with the ability to contest. As they moved away the Welshman managed to stay in contact but couldn’t get into the mix. He finished in sixth in 1:51.44.
“I felt flat from the start and I lacked any finish. I felt confident going into that and I’m disappointed not to go through as the final was my aim.”
Nick McCormick’s (coach: Lindsay Dunn) tactics didn’t give him the edge he had planned against an experienced European field in the men’s 1500m. He remained content in the middle of the group, planning his attack, but the others did the same meaning a flat out fight for places. He finished fifth in 3:48.65 and does not progress to the final.
“That was too slow. I thought I’d pick up the pace with 600m to go but so did everyone else. I’ve got to learn from that.”
Colin McCourt (coach: Craig Winrow) struggled to keep up with the quick pace set by the leader European bronze medallist Manuel Olmedo (SPA) and spent much of the race trying to get himself out of last place. With every lap the competitors grew faster and left McCourt trailing to a 3:52.56 finish, not representative of what the 26 year old can do.
“I was dead I had nothing in me. That was terrible I bottled it, I had been tipped to get a medal and I was just pathetic. It was embarrassing. I didn’t justify any of the support or funding I’ve been given.”
At the Aviva GB&NI team meeting captain Helen Clitheroe told athletes to “take their opportunity and exceed people’s expectations,” Tiffany Ofili took those inspirational words and translated them into two 60m hurdles British records and silver medal at the European Indoor Championships in Paris.
Tiffany Ofili UK Indoor Record
Ofili (coach: James Henry / Arnett Chisholm) ran a blistering 7.80 in the final to set her second British record of the day, an equal European leading time with winner Carolin Nytra (GER) who won by the smallest margin in a photo finish.
Earlier in the day Ofili dominated her semi-final to set her first British record of 7.89 which was also a European leading time.
“I feel good, I feel excited! I’m excited about that time, it’s a personal best for me. The race was so close and I had no idea if I was first or second. It’s a big deal and it will give me a lot of momentum going into the outdoor season. I’m very proud to bring a medal home. This is absolutely fabulous, I’m honoured to wear the vest.”
Elsewhere:
Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) qualified comfortably from heat four. The Wigan athlete led the group throughout, with her indoors confidence – the result of a world medal and British record in 2010- clear to see, and finished first with 2:02.96.
“The intention for me was to run a confident race and go out and dominate from the front. The plan was to run 2.03 and I got that almost spot on with 2:03.96 so job done. Of course I want a medal here and I want to win but there are no guarantees in athletics. It’ll be a hard semi and I’m only third ranked going into this.”
Marilyn Okoro (coach: Ayo Falola) finished third in her qualifier, gaining a place in the final through the fastest loser process. Her time of 2:03.86 was the result of a tough round with competition from Tatyana Paliyenko (RUS) and Egle Balciunaite (LTU) right to the line.
“It wasn’t exactly the result I wanted but I really raced that. It’s a shame I wasn’t in the automatic qualification but at least I crossed the line ok with the way I raced. This is all about a marker my only focus is the outdoor season and this has let me know what I need to work on.”
Andrew Osagie (coach: Craig Winrow) indicated what he can produce at a major championships with a fine run out in the 800m heats. Shadowing Russian Ivan Tukhtachev until the bell, he then took on the front running but had the crowd scared when he slowed slightly too soon before the line and nearly risked his automatic qualification. He snuck second with 1:51.09 and will race in the final.
“That felt so comfortable. It’s actually hard to run at that pace when my aim for the last few weeks has been to run fast to get times. Last year was disappointing but it was amazing to be in the team with all these stars like Jessica Ennis and Dwain Chambers. This year it’s not about the experience I’m here and I want to make my own name.”
Joe Thomas (coach: Arwyn Davies) did well to make up ground in his heat and qualify in second place with 1:50.29. He sat in fourth place going into the final lap, with a gap between the leading pair and trailing others, but came into the home straight and shocked the crowd with a late surge which brought him into contention.
“At 400m I was really tired but I didn’t panic and I knew a gap would open up so when the Russian tired I was able to make the most of it. I came here to make the final and put myself on the line there. ”
Debutant Stacey Smith (coach: Mick Woods) looked comfortable on her first senior outing. She hung to the leading pack throughout the race and took on second place until the bell. She lost ground however when the others kicked but put in a gutsy final lap and managed to hang onto third in 4:11.95.
Lawrence Clarke (coach: Malcolm Arnold) finished fourth in his 60m hurdles semi-final, his first outing of the championships. Despite a decent start, he lost form on the fifth hurdle and stumbled across the line. The falter lost him valuable seconds and produced a 7.74 effort which wasn’t good enough for a fastest loser place in the final.
“It was technically ok to hurdle five then it went wrong for no apparent reason. I didn’t even hit the hurdle and I’m in much better shape than that. It was a technical error; my trail arm went for s walk in the park which is something we’ve been working on. The fastest qualifier was better than my PB, those French boys are quick.”
Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) failed to qualify to the final of the high jump despite holding a perfect score card from 2.12m through 2.17m and 2.22m, clearing each height on his first attempt. The Birchfield harrier missed three times at 2.27m which forced him out of the competition.
“That was going so well, the n I made a mistake on my second attempt at 2.27m and that put the pressure on for my third and I didn’t do it. I snapped it, it’s over and I didn’t do myself justice.”
Robbie Grabarz (Coach: Fuzz Ahmed) bowed out of the high jump at 2.17m. The three no jumps at that height and clearance of just 2.12m was not a true reflection of the Loughborough based athlete, who showed real promise at the end of 2010 and early 2011.
Hannah England (coach: Bud Baldaro) had the race in her hand as she entered the home straight amongst a tight group of her competitors but lost her legs on the way to the finish line. After running six of the seven laps well, keeping pace and a position at the front, she allowed four people to pass her and demote her to fifth place with 4:13.54.
“I have no idea what went wrong out there, I felt good, I got into the position I wanted to be and I should have been able to hold that, I’m better than that.”
Nigel Levine (Coach: Simon Duberley) also became a casualty of the finish line in his 400m semi-final, losing out on a qualifying spot at the last moment to Russian Dmitriy Buryak. But his race first went wrong just after the first lap when the eventual winner, French man Leslie Djhone, challenged for the lead and the pair bumped each other, Levine coming off worst and losing ground. He finished in 47.17.
Richard Buck (coach: Steve Fudge) and Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) drew lanes next to each other in the second semi-final of the 400m. The Brits stuck together as they entered the final lap and continued to lead the group, with Buck slightly ahead, into the close of the race. Buck finished first with 46.79 and Strachan closely behind in 46.94.
Following an exciting domestic indoor season, UKA today named defending title holders Mo Farah and Dwain Chambers in the 32-strong Aviva GB&NI team which will travel to Paris, France for the European Indoor Championships to be held on 4-6 March.
Mo Farah
Unsurprisingly, newly crowned 5000m British record holder Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) will return to defend his 3000m title won in Turin in 2009. Farah set a new European record and broke the long standing British record – which was held for 29 years by Nick Rose- at the Aviva Grand Prix at Birmingham’s NIA in 13:10.60.
Dwain Chambers will also revisit the competition in a bid to defend his sprint title and continue his indoor dominance which has been consolidated with European and World indoors 60m victories over the past two years.
He said: “I have worked hard over the winter and am in better condition than last year. It’s always an honour to compete for my country and I will always try and perform to the best of my ability. There will be many good athletes competing in Paris, not least of all the other British athletes, but if I stay healthy and focussed I must stand as good a chance any other athlete.”
Chambers is joined by Harry Aikines Aryeetey (coach: Michael Khmel) and debutant Joel Fearon (coach: Michael Khmel), who makes his first Aviva GB&NI appearance following a sudden rise to prominence which sees him sitting in fourth place in the European 2011 indoor rankings.
Looking to maintain her international medal haul just 17 months away from London 2012, Jessica Ennis (coach: Toni Minichiello) will step out in the pentathlon.
Announcing the Aviva GB&NI team, which was predicted to be a smaller team due to the late scheduling of the Commonwealth Games and elongated outdoor season, Head Coach Charles van Commenee said: “This is a strong team which can realistically challenge for medals and top eight finishes, and I expect just that given the mix of experience and potential within the line-up.
“I am especially happy with the fact that ten out of the 32 athletes make their first senior appearance. Of course I expect the world class guys to win medals, but I am also interested to see the debutants in action. I encourage them to take this opportunity to immediately make an impact at a high level; they are good enough to do so by making the tough qualification standards.”
Newcomers include Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McFarlane), the consistently impressive 17 year old who has a double sprint World Youth and 100m World Junior title to her name, and Robbie Grabarz (coach: Fuzz Ahmed), who made encouraging advancements towards the end of the 2010 outdoor season which continued into early 2011.
Williams said: “I’m really excited to be in the team, my hard work through the winter has paid off. Taking the step up to seniors is quite scary, it’s going to be a good experience and a learning curve but I feel like I’m ready.“
Tiffany Ofili (coach: James Henry/Arnett Chisholm) will cement her switch from USA to GB&NI representation with an outing in the 60m hurdles, while Kelly Massey (coach: Stephen Ball) gets her senior GB vest four months after earning a relay silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.
Helen Clitheroe (coach: John Nuttall), who heads up the GB all time list for 3000m steeple chase, has been named captain. Duties include delivering the captains speech at the team meeting, which has become an important tradition since van Commenee’s appointment.
She said: “I’m so proud to be asked to be captain for the Aviva GB&NI team in Paris. I’ve been running at senior GB level for 13 years so I have plenty of experience to pass onto the rest of the athletes. We have a great team and this competition is a perfect springboard onto the rest of the 2011 season.”
Chosen for the position due to her long and impressive career, wealth of experience and expertise, she found a new lease of life recently, building on altitude training in Kenya to set a new lifetime best and leading European performance over 3000m in Birmingham.
Regular faces amongst the Aviva GB&NI team and returning to action in Paris are Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter), sure to make waves in the 800m and contest a medal, Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) who astonished crowds at the Aviva Trials and UK Championships with a 2.31m clearance and close 2.35m attempt and Kelly Sotherton (coach: Aston Moore), in her new role as a 400m athlete.
AVIVA GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM
MEN
60m:
Harry Aikines Aryeetey (coach: Michael Khmel) Sutton; Dwain Chambers (coach: self coached) Belgrave Harriers; Joel Fearon (coach: Michael Khmel) Birchfield Harriers
400m:
Richard Buck (coach: Steve Fudge) City of York; Nigel Levine (Coach: Simon Duberley) Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow; Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) Trafford
800m:
Andrew Osagie (coach: Craig Winrow) Harlow AC; Joe Thomas (coach: Arwyn Davies) Cardiff
1500m:
Nick McCormick (coach: Lindsay Dunn) Morpeth Harriers; Colin McCourt (coach: Craig Winrow) unattached
3000m:
Andy Baddeley (coach: Andrew Hobdell) Harrow; Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) Newham & Essex Beagles
60m hurdles:
Lawrence Clarke (coach: Malcolm Arnold) Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow
High Jump:
Robbie Grabarz (Coach: Fuzz Ahmed) Newham & Essex Beagles; Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) Birchfield Harriers
4x400m relay:
Buck; Nick Leavey (coach: Simon Duberley) Woodford Green & Essex Ladies; Luke Lennon- Ford (coach: Linford Christie) Birchfield Harriers; Levine; Strachan; Conrad Williams (coach: Linford Christie) Kent
WOMEN
60m:
Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McFarlane) Herts Phoenix; Bernice Wilson (coach: George Skafidas) Birchfield Harriers
800m:
Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) Wigan AC; Marilyn Okoro (coach: Ayo Falola) Shaftesbury Barnet
1500m:
Stacey Smith (coach: Mick Woods) Gateshead ; Hannah England (coach: Bud Baldaro) Oxford
3000m:
Helen Clitheroe (Coach: John Nuttall) Preston Harriers
60m hurdles:
Tiffany Ofili (coach: James Henry / Arnett Chisholm)
Pole Vault:
Holly Bleasdale (coach: Julien Raffalli-Ebezant) Blackburn
Pentathlon:
Jessica Ennis (coach: Toni Minichiello) City of Sheffield
4 x 400m relay:
Kelly Massey (coach: Stephen Bell); Meadows; Lee McConnell (coach: Roger Harkins) Shaftesbury Barnet; Okoro; Kelly Sotherton (coach: Aston Moore) Birchfield Harriers; Laura Wake (coach: Nick Dakin) Herts Phoenix
Double European champion Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) delivered the performance of the day when he smashed the European and British 5000m indoor record at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham.
Farah New European 5000 Record
In a fitting conclusion to this season’s Aviva Series, Farah – who had shared the lead in the latter stages of the race with his new training partner Galen Rupp – set the NIA alight as he kicked on the back straight to race home in 13:10.60 and obliterate the 29-year-old UK best recorded by Nick Rose in 1982.
Farah had started off conservatively and initially was as far back as 20m off the leaders, but as pacemaker Scott Overall stepped off the track with 15 laps to go, Farah, who took home a bonus of $5000 for his UK best time in addition to winner’s prize money, moved up into third and was already well inside record breaking pace when he moved to the front.
“I’m really happy, it felt good,” he said. “The crowd made a big difference and it was a nice race for me with Galen [Rupp] my new training partner so I’m look forward to the next few months.
“We had a plan going into the race,” he continued. “We wanted to start off steady and work our way through – that was the aim.”
Rupp finished second in 13:11.44, a US national record, and in a sub-plot which added even more to the excitement in the early stages of the race, three British athletes were targeting European Indoor Championships qualifying performances for Paris next month over 3000m, provided they could go on to finish the 5000m race.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be however, and Ryan McLeod (coach: John Nuttall), Ross Murray (coach: Craig Winrow) and Johnny Mellor (coach: David Evans), who had fought hard for the 7:54.00 time, finished just outside the mark with McLeod getting closest with a 3000m split of 7:54.15.
There were five British winners in total over the course of the afternoon and eight world leading performances in yet another high class Aviva Grand Prix.
World Indoor silver medallist Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter), 12 months on from her British Record at the same venue, once again raced to victory, clocking a season’s best time of 1:59.22.
Paced in the early stages by Vicky Griffiths, Meadows kicked for home with 250m to go and went through the bell in 1:28.44.
“I’m so glad to have won that race,” she said. “I’m disappointed with the time as I would have liked to go sub 1.59 but it’s difficult when you are out at the front on your own.”
Both events had been preceded by an exceptional women’s 3000m in which Sentayehu Ejigu (Ethiopia), the 2010 World Indoor bronze medallist, raced to victory in perhaps the most impressive world leading performance of the day (8:30.26).
While it was a world class demonstration of endurance running from the 25-year-old, Britain’s Helen Clitheroe (coach: John Nuttall) destroyed her lifetime best in a brilliant European leading performance to go sub-8:50 for the first time ever with a mark of 8:39.81 when finishing fourth; a time which placed her to eighth on the overall UK All-Time list.
“I am gobsmacked with that time,” said Clitheroe who had sat comfortably in fourth throughout the race before moving briefly into third with five laps to go. “I knew I was in good shape and hoped to run a PB but that was amazing. I have felt in shape and that I knew that kind of time was in me for a long time so I’m delighted to have run it today. It sets me up really well for the European Indoors, and it while will be competitive, it’s nice to know that I will be in the mix.”
And in stark contrast to last weekend’s Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships, the 1500m events both delivered in outstanding fashion on this occasion.
In the men’s race Kenya’s Augustine Choge – who defeated defending Aviva Grand Prix champion Deresse Mekonnen (Ethiopia), twice World Indoor Champion, into second (3:33.97) – kicked at the bell and raced to a world leading time and lifetime best performance of 3:33.23 to take victory, and in doing so pulled all four British athletes to PBs, with three significantly inside the qualifying standard for Paris.
Colin McCourt (coach: Craig Winrow) clocked a brilliant 3:38.71 to lead the quartet and race to the fourth fastest time in Europe this year, while Andy Baddeley (coach: Andy Hobdell), the UK 3000m champion, was hot on his heels with a new best mark of 3:39.16 in preparation for the longer distance event in the European Championships.
Nick McCormick (coach: Lindsay Dunn), the UK 1500m champion, who had already reduced his lifetime best in 2011 when securing the national title in Sheffield last weekend, smashed that mark by five seconds when clocking 3:40.69 – also inside the Paris target time – for ninth, with Lewis Moses (coach: John Nuttall) also reducing his PB when finishing 10th in 3:43.56.
Abeba Aregawi (Ethiopia) demolished the field to take victory in the women’s 1500m with victory in 4:03.28, also a world leading time, but it was a race of individual highlights as Kenya’s Irene Jelagat clocked a new National indoor record (4:06.90) in second.
For British duo Hannah England (coach: Bud Baldaro) and Stacey Smith (coach: Mick Woods), who finished third (4:07.24) and fourth (4:07.42) respectively, the personal rewards were even greater as both athletes achieved the European Indoor Championships qualifying standard and smashed their indoor PBs, Smith in fact reducing her overall lifetime best by over two seconds.
Nigel Levine (coach: Simon Duberley) further reduced his 400m indoor lifetime best with a brilliant European leading time of 46.17 to secure victory and at last secure the qualifying standard for the European Indoor Championships in Paris.
The Aviva UK Indoor 400m champion, who had earlier watched an almost unbelievable men’s National 400m with Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) and Nick Leavey (coach: Simon Duberley) clocking the second and third fastest times in Europe this year with marks of 46.35 and 46.49 respectively – also European Indoor Championships qualifying standards – will now be targeting a European Indoor medal to add to his World Indoor Championships 4 x 400m bronze 12 months ago.
“It was amazing; I went out and tried my best and I saw that coming,” said Levine. “I came here feeling really positive and there’s definitely more to come.”
Aviva UK 400m champion Kelly Sotherton (coach: Aston Moore) admitted she was “gutted” to finish outside the European Indoor Championships qualifying standard of 53.00 when finishing sixth (53.70) in the women’s 400m.
“I got all my tactics wrong, the girls went out incredibly fast, way too fast for me but the good thing is that I came back quite strong,” she said. “I was being barged and pushed but that was my fault. Even though I came last I’m not going to cry about it. That was a learning curve of how not to a run a 400m.”
Kelly Massey (coach: Stephen Ball), the leading British athlete in the race, finished fourth in a season’s best of 53.54 with Jamaica’s Novlene Williams Mills winning in 51.87, the fourth quickest time in the world this year.
In a summary of the remaining results of the day, local favourite Phillips Idowu (coach: Aston Moore), the World and European champion, took victory in the men’s triple jump in his competitive debut for the year with a mark of 17.57m ahead of Sweden’s Christian Olsson (17.20).
In the pole vault, Luke Cutts (coach: Trevor Fox) finished runner-up on countback with a season’s best height of 5.60m behind Mark Hollis of the United States with 5.60m, but it was sad news for Steve Lewis (coach: Dan Pfaff) who was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured thumb in the pole vault.
The bad news continued in the men’s 60m as Mark Lewis-Francis (coach: Linford Christie) pulled up towards the end of the men’s 60m heats with an apparent groin injury, at this stage not confirmed as a strain or a tear, and was taken for a full assessment by the UKA medical team. It didn’t end there however, because following the final, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (coach: Michael Khmel), already with the European Indoor qualifying standard, had to be assessed by the UK medics following a potential hamstring problem which occurred two-thirds into the race. “I felt something…it just didn’t feel right,” he admitted.
The race was won by Michael Rodgers (USA) in a lifetime best mark of 6.50, equalling the fastest time in the world in 2011 to date, while Bernice Wilson (coach: George Skafidas) continued her consistent run of form when finishing second in the women’s 60m in 7.26 behind Gloria Asumnu (USA) in 7.25.
Lawrence Clarke (coach: Malcolm Arnold) clocked two PBs in one afternoon as he first recorded 7.70 in the 60mH heats before reducing that by a further one-hundredth of a second in the final when finishing eighth (7.69), but it was Aries Merritt of the USA who took the victory in 7.49 with Britain’s Andy Turner (coach: Lloyd Cowan) – who won’t compete in next month’s European Indoor Championships – in third (7.61).
Gemma Bennett (coach: Lloyd Cowan), in a race was won by the USA’s world leading athlete Kellie Wells in 7.87, was the first British athlete home in the women’s 60mH in fifth (8.15), while in the women’s 200m Bianca Knight (USA) clocked an impressive world leading mark of 22.89 to take victory. Joice Maduaka (coach: Loren Seagrave), crowned UK Indoor champion for the ninth time when taking victory in Sheffield last weekend, finished third in a season’s best time of 23.59.
Germany’s Sebastian Ernst won the men’s 200m in a PB of 20.58 with Britain’s Danny Talbot (coach: Daniel Cossins), building on his victory in last weekend’s Aviva UK Championships, finishing second in his international Grand Prix debut with 20.94.
Michel Torneus (Sweden) won the men’s long jump with a distance of 7.97m while last weekend’s brilliant Aviva UK champion Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) won the men’s high jump with 2.21m on countback and Abubaker Kaki (Sudan) took victory in the men’s 1000m (2:17.75).
In the men’s 400mH demonstration event, former World and Olympic 400m hurdles champion Felix Sanchez took victory in 49.76 with Britain’s Rick Yates (coach: Stephen Ball) finished third in 50.21.
The Aviva GB&NI team selection for the European Indoor Championships
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