Sam Atkin tops track rankings over 5000m and 10000m
Sam Atkin (running handicap -6.5) has shown much promise over the last few years and has now risen to the top of the runbritain rankings for outdoor performances over both 5000m and 10000m at San Juan Capistrano in California.
On Friday night, running his main target event of 5000m, Sam Atkin (handicap -6.5) went through 3k in 8:06 (13:30 5k pace) and then stormed through to a UK leading 13:18 for outdoor performances in 2020.
Atkin was initially down as a pace maker for the 10000 after his 5000m effort on Friday but felt so good, he requested permission to carry on after pacing to halfway of the 10000m. This feel good indicator proved spot on as he surprised many with a massive PB of 27:26.58 The time also takes the European lead for 2020. He is now ranked fourth on the all time list over 10000m ahead of Chris Thompson and Brendan Foster.
Also racing at the track meeting at San Juan Capistrano, California were Tom Anderson (handicap -4.7) who ran a big 5000m PB of 13:34.05 ahead of Chris Olley (handicap -5.1) running 13:42.14 and Jack Meijer (handicap -3.8) who ran a PB of 13:44.17.
In the women’s event, Omagh twins Roisin Flanagan (handicap 2.2) and Eilish Flanagan (handicap 1.1) both bettered the previous Northern Ireland record with 15:38.27 and 15:40.14 respectively.
At the Lindsays Scottish Athletics Invitational short cross country races in Scone Palace, Scottish cross-country champion Jamie Crowe (handicap -6.2) won the men’s 2.8km race in 8:13, just ahead of Sean Chalmers (handicap -4.8).
On the same course, rising junior star, Megan Keith (handicap 0.0) won the women’s race comfortably with 9:33 from steeplechaser Holly Page (handicap 1.5).
On a cold morning at Goodwood, Ewan Cameron (handicap -4.0) ran a big marathon PB of 2:19:17 to win the men’s race while Steph McCall (handicap 0.9) won the women’s race in a PB of 2:44:35.
UK runbritain rankings for endurance events and age groups
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: