Track and Field Round-up

WGwEL T & F athletes were in action in Australia, the United States, and at the Woodford graded meeting over the weekend. Amongst the highlights was another Australian title for Youcef Abdi in the Australian Championships at Melbourne.

Youcef Abdi again won his national 3km s/ch title, comfortably winning in 8m38.13 secs. At the same Melbourne meeting Lachie Chisholm, continuing his return from long term injury placed 7th over 1500m with 3m43.02 secs. At Walnut, California in the US at the traditional first major meeting of their season, the Mt Sac Relays, a number of British athletes interrupted their warm weather training trips to compete, and despite being in a different stage of their season's preparation from the US athletes, some useful early season marks were recorded. Tara Bird placed 8th in the elite women's 800m in 2m05.17 secs. Felicity Milton, who is studying in the US at Oklahoma State University, placed 15th in the elite 10,000m with 35m06.60secs. HCA members in action at the same meeting were junior Nathan Wake, who recorded 48.52 secs for 5th in his 400m race, and long jumper Greg Rutherford, 9th in the "B" 100m with 10.71 secs ( -1.1).

At the Woodford graded meeting, highlights from a WGwEL perspective included a fine run over 150m for junior Sam Watts, recording 16.17 secs into a stiff (-1.9) headwind, and personal bests in the hammer for brothers Peter and Harry Clarke.