Loughborough International

The traditional early season fixture at Loughborough, which pitches teams from Loughborough University, past and present, against a GB Junior team and teams from the home countries was blessed with unusually fine weather, and there were a host of fine performances, including several from WGwEL athletes.

Representing Loughborough, Emeka Udechuku looks to be rounding into good discus form as he improved his season's best by 2m as he placed a close 2nd with 61.02m. Emeka also recorded a season's best in the shot as he placed 3rd with 17.04m. The hammer was a close competition as Mark Dry, representing Scotland, placed 2nd with 70.66m and Andy Frost, competing as a guest, also over 70m with 70.10m. In the jumps, Tosin Oke got his outdoor season underway with a comfortable victory with a jump of16.53 m (+0.2). There was also good jumping from Ezekiel Ewolu who was a close 3rd in the long jump with 7.51m (-0.5), Stephanie Aneto, 3rd in the triple jump with 12.51m (+1.6), and Alasdair Strange, a little below his best, 7th in the pole vault with 4.90m. HCA member Martin Lloyd cleared 2.10m in the high jump for 7th.

On the track, over 200m, juniors Sam Watts and Junior Ejehu were in action over 200m. Sam, last year a world youth finalist, marginally improved his personal best as he placed 5th with 21.35 secs (+1.3). Junior, a semi-finalist at last year's European Junior Championships, was 7th in 21.68 secs 9+1.3), having earlier recorded a season's best of 10.69 secs (+1.7) over 100m. Sam was also a member of the GB junior 4x100m team that placed second to England with 40.49 secs. Bronze medalist over 100m at those European Junior Championships, Eugene Ayanful, had his first competition of the season and recorded 10.76 secs (+1.9). European senior 4x400m medalist Graham Hedman had a useful start to his season over 400m as he placed 3rd in 46.63 secs, and later was 2nd in a non-scoring 200m with a good, if slightly windy 21.01 secs (+2.3). Behind Graham in the 400m was HCA member Nathan Wake, representing GB juniors who placed 6th in 48.11 secs. In a non-scoring 400m, European indoor 4x400m medalist Nick Leavey had his first race of the summer and placed 3rd with 47.54 secs. Another to be frustrated by the wind was Dan Davis who was 2nd in the non-scoring 110mH with his fastest ever of 13.87 secs, only to find the wind reading was +2.1. Over 400mH, both Dan Bray and Francis Smith were in action, Dan in the non-scoring race, 6th with 55.83 secs, and Francis representing Scotland in the match race, below his best, 7th with 55.20 secs. In the non-scoring 1500m, Kevin Kane won from a useful field in a season's best of 3m48.77 secs, Loughborough student, Andrew Mariani finished13th in that race in 4m06.46 secs.

In the women's events, Joice Maduaka won over 100m with a season's best of 11.48 secs (+0.9), with Elaine O'Neil 4th, representing Loughborough, also with a season's best of 11.57 secs. Joice was also in 200m action where she placed 4th in 23.43 secs (+2.0), in a race notable in that it was won by 16 year old Jodie Williams, last year's world youth 100m and 200m champion in 22.79 secs, the third fastest in history ever recorded by a 16 year old. Nusrat Ceesay, last season's UK 400mH champion, opted for an outing over 100mH and won the non-scoring event with 13.97 secs (0.0), whilst HCA members Emily Moss won a non-scoring 400mH with 62.36 secs, and Jo Ryan placed 3rd in a 400m race with 55.80 secs.

Full results here