Weekend update
There were World Indoor Championship qualifying times on the track this weekend whilst the area cross country championships provided fine domestic battles.
At the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold, Karlsruhe, Germany, there was a fine victory for Elliot Giles (handicap -6.0) who took the men’s 800m. Giles finished narrowly ahead of Sweden’s Andreas Kramer, clocking 1:46.78.
The Millrose Games in New York saw sparks fly as Olympic medallist Josh Kerr (handicap -5.5) finished second in the Wanamaker Mile event clocking a PB of 3:52.27, to finish behind Australia’s Ollie Hoare who ran 3:50.83.
European Cross Country champion Charles Hicks (handicap -6.5) posted a personal best for 3000m indoors, with 7:59.02 for 12th place. Compatriot James West (handicap -5.2) finished one place behind in 7:59.96. Amy-Eloise Markovc (handicap -2.2) was impressive with a 8:49.49 3000m performance.
Boston University hosted the John Thomas Terrier Classic where Patrick Dever (handicap -6.0) ran an indoor personal best of 7:43.57 for 3000m, comfortably inside the World Indoors qualifying standard, to win the race in Boston. Jamaine Coleman (handicap -4.3) and Euan Makepeace (handicap -5.3) also ran inside 7:50, recording PB times of 7:44.65 and 7:46.92 respectively whilst Callum Elson (handicap -4.8) ran a respectable PB of 8:02.54. At the same meeting, Kyle Langford (handicap -5.1) won the 800m in 1:48.74
At the Arkansas University Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, USA, Neil Gourley (handicap -5.4) opened his 2022 campaign with a win and a World Indoor qualifying standard of 7:48.94 over 3000m, which was also a personal best. Charlie Da'Vall Grice (handicap -5.5) won the mile in 3:57.39.
At the University of Washington invitational, Olympian Jake Heyward (handicap -5.4) flew around the oversized track with a 3:53.25 performance to win the mile event. Also under four minutes was Jonathan Shields (handicap -5.4) with 3:59.39.
At the Northern Athletics Cross Country Championships in Pontefract, Hugo Milner (handicap -6.5) and Eleanor Bolton (handicap -1.2) won the senior titles.
Milner continued his strong winter cross country form as he finished ahead of Nigel Martin (handicap -5.6) and Daniel Haworth (handicap -5.0) who rounded up the podium positions.
Bolton finished six seconds ahead of Sophie Tarver (handicap -1.1) who took the silver while Olympic Triathlon champion Georgia Taylor-Brown (handicap 2.4) was third, narrowly ahead of Lauren Heyes (handicap -1.3).
Joshua Dickinson (handicap -5.3) and Abbey Brooke (handicap -2.9) sealed the junior men’s and women’s titles respectively.
The Midlands Cross Country Championships in Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, saw Doug Musson (handicap -5.1) and Kate Holt (handicap -1.4) secure the 2022 Midlands titles.
Holt won by a considerable margin to seal the regional crown, with Lily Partridge (handicap -0.8) and Kate Maltby (handicap -0.2) taking silver and bronze in the senior women’s race.
Musson was ten seconds ahead of Jack Gray (handicap -4.9) with Jack Millar (handicap -5.5) not far behind for the bronze.
Ethan O'Shea (handicap -3.3) and Rosie Hamilton-James (handicap 1.2) were the winners of the junior races in Mansfield.
The South of England Cross Country Championships in Beckenham,saw Jessica Gibbon (handicap -1.5) won the senior women’s South of England title in Beckenham, while Andy Coley-Maud (handicap -5.5) won the senior men’s contest.
Gibbons dominated the senior women’s race as she finished just under a minute ahead of Niamh Brown (handicap -0.2) who claimed the silver medal. Beth Hawling (handicap -0.4) pipped Sarah Astin (handicap -0.0) for the bronze medal.
Coley-Maud secured a big win with Ben Alcock (handicap -4.5) and Alex Teuten (handicap -4.7) battling well for silver and bronze respectively.
The junior titles went to Harriet Bloor (handicap 0.1) and Harry Brodie (handicap -4.2).
The fastest parkruns came from Harry Smith (handicap -2.8) at the Poole parkrun with a PB of 14:48 and Holly Dixon (handicap 0.1) at the Sutcliffe parkrun who ran impressively for 16:39.
UK runbritain rankings for endurance events and age groups
Other results from the weekend are on the following links: