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UK Challenge Final and BMC Grand Prix

Whilst the UK’s very best athletes were in Berlin for the opening day of the World Championships, many of the best of the rest were in action in Cardiff at the final of the UK Challenge series, which also featured the final of the BMC Grand Prix series. In the UK Challenge there were victories for four  WGwEL athletes, Tim Abeyie, Graham Hedman, Callum Priestley on the track, and from Emeka Udechuku in the field.

In blustery conditions at the new Cardiff stadium, Tim Abeyie whose season has been disrupted with injury, won over 200m, recording a time of 21.37 secs (-1.2). Graham Hedman enjoyed a comfortable victory over 400m with 46.72 secs, as did Callum Priestley over 110mHurdles with 13.92 secs (-2.1). Emeka Udechuku was the other Woodford winner with 55.64m in the discus. Emeka was also 2nd in the shot with 17.82m. Behind Emeka the discus was Tom Norman in 4th with 51.81m. There were several other good performances in the field.

In the men’s hammer, Mark Dry was close to his best in a tight competition, placing 3rd with 69.51m, with Andy Frost 5th with 67.52m. In the women’s triple jump, Stephanie Aneto was over 13m, placing 2nd with a fine, but windy, 13.17m w (+3.1), her best legal effort being 13.02m (+1.7). In the long jump, Kim Murray placed 2nd with 6.02m w (+2.2), whilst in the men’s event, Ezekiel Ewulo was 6th with 7.29m (+0.6). In the women’s pole vault Maria Seager was 3rd with 4.01m, whilst her coach, Christian North was also 3rd in the men’s event with 4.91m, one place behind Alasdair Strange with 5.06m. In the women’s high jump Ayamba Akim was 5th with 1.71m, and in the javlein Emma Smith was 7th with 42.60m 

Other track action included a fine 2nd place in the 3000m s/ch for Diana Kennedy recording yet another personal best, of 11m11.70 secs. In the men’s 100m, Eugene Ayanful, the European junior bronze medallist struggled to make e up ground after a poor start and placed 6th in 10.99 secs (-2.1), whilst in the women’s 400m, Ruth Brereton was 6th with 57.12 secs, and in the 800m Tara Bird was below her best placing 7th in  2m05.29 secs. 

In the other BMC races, Linzi Snow was 4th in the “C” 800m with 2m11.42 secs, and  Omar Mansour was 9th in the “D” 800m with 2m00.21 secs. Over 1500m, Tom Phillips had a good run placing 3rd in the "C” race with 3m53.52 secs, and Gavin Lewis was 11th in the “D” race with 4m05.02 secs. In the “B” 5000m Hywell Care was 4th with 14m46.60 secs.

HCA member Jo Ryan was 7th in the womwn's 400m with 57.60 secs.