Indoor Round-Up Feb1st

This weekend was the busiest so far in the current indoor season for WGwEL athletes. Many were in action on both Saturday and Sunday at the London Indoor Games at Lee Valley, with others in international action In Glasgow, highlighted by a fine triple jump victory from Tosin Oke, and in Germany where Joice Maduaka was in fine spinting form.

At Glasgow's Kelvin Hall, scene of the traditional opening international fixture of the indoor season, GB took on teams from the US, Sweden and the Commonwealth Select. Representing the Commonwealth, Tosin Oke confirmed his recent fine form as he took triple jump victory in an indoor personal best of 16.73m, which ranks him equal 4th on the current world rankings.

 Also representing the Commonwealth, European U/23 110mH medalist Callum Priestley placed 6th over 60mH, as he too recorded a personal best of 7.87 secs. Another going over 60mH was Beijing Olympic finalist, Sarah Claxton, who had her first race of the season and placed a solid 4th 8.20 secs, but had to suffer losing her British indoor record by 1/100th of a second to Jess Ennis who took victory. Also in international action at a meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany on Sunday, Joice Maduaka went to 2nd on this year's UK 60m rankings after placing 2nd with 7.32 secs, and confirmed her position at the top of the UK 200m rankings with 23.66. At the Elan meeting in Bratislava,  European junior 100m bronze medalist, Eugene Ayanful was in action over 60m, recording times of 7.00 secs and 6.90 secs.

At Lee Valley there was some fine sprinting, and whilst Mark Lewis Francis went equal first on the world rankings with 6.59 secs, there were some good Woodford performances. Colin Wilson recorded 6.91 secs after a 7.05 secs heat, 400m specialist Nick Leavey clocked 7.05 secs and 7.17 secs, after producing a good win over 200m with 21.81 secs. Others in 60m action were Jason Greenidge with 7.09 secs and 7.13 secs , Dominic Daniel with 7.16 secs and 7.19 secs, long jumper Adrian Stamp with 7.18 secs and 7.22 secs, and Nmandi Umeh with 7.43 secs. There were also some fine U/20 60m performances, Junior Ejehu recorded 6.89 secs ( equalling his p.b.) and 6.91 secs, with Sam Watts improving his p.b. with 7.01 secs and 7.02 secs. Austin Joseph recorded 7.39 secs and 7.42 secs and Omololu Abiodun 7.38 secs twice.

In the women's 60m events, Azaria Francis continued her good sprinting with two clockings of 7.68 secs, Katie Skelding clocked 8.00 secs and 8.01 secs, and junior, Kitty Eleyae 8.01 secs and 8.02 secs. Kitty was also in long jump action, placing 3rd with 5.27m with fellow junior Rachel Dean clearing 5.04m, having also taken junior TJ victory with 10.73m as Stephanie Aneto placed 2nd in the senior event in her first indoor competition of the season with 12.73.m, Rachel also recorded a pb in the shot with 8.49m.

Katie Skelding was also in 200m action with two good runs of 25.75 secs and 25.82 secs, Zoe Watson recorded 28.76 secs and Pavidra Sivanandajh, 29.29 secs and 29.19 secs. In the U/20 men's 200m , Austin Joseph comfortably won his race with 23.07 secs, and Omololu Abiodun had two useful runs of 23.51 secs and 23.44 secs. In the U/17 races there were personal bests for both Colin Wint with 24.44 secs, and Tyler Brown with 24.46 secs. Over 400m, Tyler also recorded 56.35 secs. Others in 400m action were Tara Bird, who was 2nd in the senior women's event with 55.91 secs, moving to 6th on the UK rankings, Katherine Foy with 60.21 secs, and Peter Karibo with 55.66 secs in the U/20 men's race. In the U/17 300m event, Sophie Fuhr recorded 43.70 secs and Hollie Pattie- Bellili, 44.00 secs. Hollie also recorded two p.b.'s over 60mH with times of 9.41 secs and 9.40 secs.

There were also some other fine field performances led by new member, Robert Wolksi, a 2.31m Polish Olympic high jumper, who in his first competition of the season was equal first clearing 2.20m off just a five stride training approach. In the shot, there were indoor p.b.'s for both Devon Douglas and Chris Linque with  14.63m and 13.01m, with discus specialist Tom Norman recording 13.68m. In the triple jump, another new member Prince Ezenwa recorded 14.64m with Sayo Ojo jumping 13.54m. In the long jump it was pleasing to see Nathan Gray back in action where he set a new p.b. of 6.49m

At the Loughborough indoor meeting, Alasdair Strange placed 3rd in the pole vault with a clearance of 5.00m, whilst competing in Cardiff at the Welsh junior and age group indoor championships, Ben Phillips made the final of the U/20 400m where he placed 4th with 53.90secs, having clocked a personal best of 52.71 secs in winning his heat to qualify.