by Stuart WeirAll championships have major moments and moments that could have been. Such was the case with the British Team Trials. Stuart Weir was in Birmingham to cover the two days for RunBlogRun. Here is his second column on the 2017 GB World Championship Team Trials (and British championships) by Stuart Weir. We are happy for his observations.
Alice Barrett wins 100m hurdles, photo by David Wearn
The GB World Championship Team Trials (and British Championship) – the stand-out events which were and were not what they promised to be.
In the final event of the championships Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake provided the perfect conclusion as he smashed John Regis’ 30 year old championship record to take his first British 200m title, to stop the clock at 20.18.
Desiree Henry, 200 meters, photo by David Wearn
The women’s race 200m was equally exciting with a surprise outcome as 20 year old Shannon Hylton ran the race of her life to win in 22.94 equalling her lifetime best. Bianca Williams was second with many people’s favourite, Desiree Henry, only third.
Cameron Chalmers, third in 400 meter, photo by David Wearn
Hylton commented: “I’m so thrilled – I knew I had some really strong girls outside me so I had to get out well. When I got to the straight I started to tense up but I pushed on through to the line. The conditions felt quite still, which helped, and I’m only coming back from a tough year of injury in 2016 where things didn’t quite go so well, so to bounce back in this manner is so pleasing.”
The women’s 800m saw Shelayna Oskan-Clarke defend her title in 2.01.54, with Adelle Tracey pipping Lynsey Sharp (Mahon) on the line for silver, 2.01.80 to 2.01.81.
Tom Bosworth, 5000m Race Walk champion breaks NR, photo by David Wearn
Tom Bosworth stormed to the British 5,000m race walk title, breaking the British record in the process. Stopping the clock at 18.43.28 he sliced over 15 seconds off his old record set two year ago.
Reece Prescod, British Trials 100m champion, photo by PhotoRun.net
Reece Prescod won the men’s 10m in 10.09 from James Dasaolu. Chijindu Ujah was fastest in the semi-finals having run a windy 9.98 (wind 2.8) but did not start the final due to cramp. Asha Philip won the women’s 100 in 11.21 (wind -1.3) from Daryll Neita (11.25). Dina Asher-Smith, back on the track after breaking her foot in February, finished sixth in the semi-final.
British Trials Men’s 1,500 meters, photo by David Wearn
The 1500m ended with a 1,2,3 for Edinburgh AC with Chris O’Hare winning in 3.47.28 from club mates Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman.
British Trials, Birmingham, photo by Stuart Weir
The women’s long jump, however, promised much but delivered little. Potentially it was a shoot-out between four athletes who had won medals at major championships with only three World Championship places available. That was until Katerina Johnson-Thompson decided to concentrate the heptathlon and not compete in the long jump. Then Beijing silver medallist, Shara Proctor, was involved in a car crash and withdrew on medical advice. Commonwealth Games and European Championship medallist, Jazmin Sawyers, exited the competition after three no jumps. The fourth elite jumper, Lorraine Ugen, retired for the competition after three rounds, having done enough to win with 6.59. Paralympian, Stef Reid, achieved a season’s best of 5.45.
Other results included
Women
400 Zoey Clark 52.30
400H Eilidh Doyle 55.59,
1500m Laura Weightman 4:06.49
5,000m Steph Twell 15:35.50
High Jump Morgan Lake 1.96m
Men
400 Matthew Hudson-Smith 44.99,
400m H Jack Green 49.34
See http://www.uka.org.uk/results/20170701_birmingham/timetable/index/index.html for full results
