Hahn breaks world record at 2017 Loughborough International, by Pete Matthews

Sophie Hahn stole the show at the 2017 Loughborough International Athletics (LIA) match as she streaked to a new T38 100m world record.

Tearing out of the blocks the Paralympic champion raced clear of a world class field, containing the likes of T43 world record holder and Paralympic champion Marlou van Rhijn, to stop the clock at 12.59, revising her old mark by just over a tenth of a second.

Of her performance the Loughborough University based athlete said:

“I’m speechless! I just can’t believe it – I’m over the moon. The crowd reaction was fantastic. Training’s going really well and I’ve been working very hard on my blocks, but I still can’t believe that. Marlou was my biggest threat as I know she’s a good starter, so I was just thinking ‘keep relaxed, keep pumping your arms and hopefully she won’t catch you’. She’s a fantastic athlete so I’m really pleased.”

There were a number of brilliant sprint performance on a glorious day at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium, with Ojie Edoburun winning the men’s match 100m in 10.06 (+2.1m/s), whilst Richard Kilty clocked 20.76 (1.5) to take the 200m event for Loughborough. The women’s 100m saw Imani Lansiquot stop the clock at 11.39 (0.6) with Cheriece Hylton winning the 200m in 23.46 (1.4). Double Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock won the men’s para-elite 100m in 10.80 (0.3) having run 10.76 (1.2) just 40 minutes earlier in one of the guest races.

The 4x100m relays were also a highlight, a strong GB senior team of Richard Kilty, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Danny Talbot and Joel Fearon winning the men’s race in 38.42. The quartet combined well, with a set of smooth changes leading to a very solid time and large winning margin. England took victory in the women’s equivalent, their 44.43 time enough to pull away from GB Juniors down the home straight.

Loughborough’s Jess Judd showed her class to destroy the field in the women’s 3000m, finishing well clear in 8.59.59. The human biology student has been on fine form so far in 2017 over a range of distances from 800m through to cross country.

In the hurdles races, Andy Pozzi scored a pair of 110mH victories, with both his 13.32 and 13.35 times inside the qualification standard for the London 2017 World Championships in August. Loughborough University student David Omoregie also dipped inside that London 2017 mark with 13.72 in second in the match race. Jack Green was another athlete to bag the standard as he won the 400mH in 49.27.

The 400m races were also exciting affairs, with Zoey Clark of Scotland winning the women’s event in 52.64, whilst Cameron Chalmers scored a rare victory for the British student’s team with an impressive 45.93 time.

In the field the women’s hammer brought a Loughborough one-two as Sarah Holt scored victory, with her training partner, fellow alumna and Loughborough University employee Myra Perkins taking second, with both women producing season’s bests. Laura Whittingham was another Loughborough winner in the women’s javelin whilst Olympian and current first year student Morgan Lake won the women’s high jump with a 1.87m clearance.

The 59th edition of the LIA kick-started with the men’s hammer throw, Loughborough’s Mark Dry returning to competition after hip surgery this winter, and winning the event with a distance of 71.73m, just one centimetre ahead of Scotland’s Chris Bennett. England’s Chris Shorthouse (coached by Loughborough Sport’s John Pearson) had a consistent competition with 67.77m good for third. Representing GB Juniors, Jake Norris threw a new personal best with the 6kg hammer, his 78.09m throw just 65cm shy of Loughborough’s Taylor Campbell’s British junior record set in 2015.

Many international athletes had also travelled for this competition, and one of these was Lithuania’s Dovile Dzindzaletaite who won the women’s triple jump with a great distance measuring 13.51m. For the men’s shot put, England’s Scott Lincoln won the event with 18.71m, and BUCS’ Youcef Zatat placed second with 18.34m followed by GB Juniors’ Daniel Cartwright with 17.63m. For the women, England’s Rachel Wallader came away with the win with a throw measuring 16.87m followed by Wales’ Adele Nicoll (16.27m) and Loughborough’s Urina Harell (15.08m).

The last event on the programme was the 4x400m, with Scotland tasting glory in the women’s event and England winning the men’s, Loughborough managing third in both races.

Full results can be found here: http://lia.athletics-uk.org/