UK Challenge and BMC Grand Prix finals

Domestic senior action this weekend was centred on Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, which hosted the final of the season-long UK Challenge which, for the distances at 800m and over, was incorporated into the BMC Grand Prix Final. Woodford athletes picked up nine medals headed by Tara Bird who claimed the only Woodford gold as she took the women’s 800m in a new personal best.

Tara, whose 800m personal best of 2m03.00 had stood since winning the England U/23 Championships in 2009, and whose progress since then had been held back by injury in 2010, was delighted to win the UK Challenge and BMC Grand Prix final, after a very close race with former senior international Karen Harewood in a new personal best of 2m02.77 secs. athleticos video here.

There were also three silver medals for Woodford athletes: from Tom Norman in the discus with 54.20m; Stephanie Gaynor in the 100mH with 13.97 secs (-1.3); and Tracey Duncan in the 400mH with 58.45 secs. In the men’s hammer, Mark Dry recorded his 3^rd best ever distance of 71.62m to place 3^rd, ahead of Andy Frost in 4^th with 70.18m. Another to place 3^rd and pick up a bronze medal was junior Jordan Kirby-Polidore in the 200m where he recorded 21.47 secs (-1.8). HCA member Moe Sasegbon was 2^nd in the high jump with 1.75m, and Jo Duncan placed 6^th in the shot with 14.25m. Other Woodford athletes were in action in the non-UK Challenge final races: over 1500m Alex Cornwell was 7^th in the “D” 1500m, athleticos video here; whilst in the “C” race Andy Mariani finished in 5^th with a personal best of 3m50.88 secs, ahead of Tom Phillips, 6^th in 3m52.03 secs, athleticos video here

In the women’s 1500m “A” race, Jess Sparke went with a strong early pace, only struggling around the final 400m and finished 7^th in 4m19.70 secs. Athleticos video here. A number of those distance athletes had competed in the regional BMC races at Elthan on Wednesday: Tara Bird, this time losing out to Karen Harewood was 3^rd in the 800m with 2m03.9secs, Jess Sparke was 8^th in that same race with 2m09.2 secs, athleticos video here. In the men's 800m, Jon Cook was 4th with 1m49.3 secs, athleticos video here and in the men’s “B” race Alex Cornwell was 6^th in a personal best of 1m55.18 secs. athleticos video here. There was also news of Emily Moss, who recorded a personal best over 1500m of 4m20.86 secs as she placed 6^th in a race in Slegburg, Germany.