Indoor and Other T&F News - Updated

WGEL athletesi in indoor action focused on The McCain City Challenge at Lee Valley where there were victories for Tara Bird and Richard Alleyne as Woodford athletes in the main represented London North. There was also news of a further breakthrough for Joseph Dewar over both 60m and LJ as he competed in the Windsor Open. Outdoors there was some fantastic early season hammer throwing at Loughborough with Mark Dry setting a personal best and a new WGEL club record as he narrowly missed the Olympic "B" standard. There was also encouraging news from Australia, and from the US

At Lee Valley, representing London North, Tara Bird stepped down to 400m and was a comfortable winner by almost 1.5 secs in a season's best of 54.92 secs. Also winning, over 60mH was Richard Alleyne who recorded 7.95 secs. In the women's equivalent, Sarah Claxton was below her best as she placed 4th in a close race with 8.46secs.

In the women's 1500m, Jess Sparke enjoyed a rare indoor outing and placed a good 2nd with 4m19.80 secs, whilst in the men's race, Alex Cornwell was 5th with 3m55.01 secs, as Shaftesbury's 40 years old, Tony Whiteman, 5th on the UK 1500m all-time list was reported as setting a world indoor masters (M40) record as he won with 3m44.12 scs. Also over 1500m, and stepping in at short notice, Kathrine Foy placed 6th in the women's race with 5m03.52 secs, and later contributed a 400m leg in the medley relay.

Also at Lee Valley, the following day in the Middlesex indoor championships, there was a victory over 1500m for Chris Symonds with 4m12.77 secs, and in the 60m final Jason Greenidge placed 5th with 7.12 secs, having qualified with 7.08 secs. In the heats Lee Lovelock-Jemmott recorded 7.55 secs.

The news from Windsor was of further improvement for Joseph Dewar. Sixteen years old just a little over a month ago, Joseph again improved over 60m, as he set another personal best of 6.93 secs. That mark takes him back to the top of this season's UK rankings and moves him into =17th on the UK all-time lists. Joseph was unable to compete in his planned second race over 60m, because he was busy long-jumping, and here too he made significant progress as he leaped to a personal best of 7.17m - also taking him back to the top of this year's UK rankings, and taking him to =20th on the UK all-time lists for his age group, but the mark is the best ever indoors by a UK U/17 athlete. Also at Eton, Dan Davis ran twice over 60mH including a season's best of 8.09 secs, and also ran twice over 60m flat recordding 7.17 secs on each occasion. In the women's triple jump there was a season's best from Stephanie Aneto as she won with 12.285m

Outdoors at Loughborough UKA held a trials meeting to guide selection for the Winter European Throws Competition. Mark Dry was in great early season form, setting a personal best and WGEL club record of 73.36m, not far away form the Olympic Games "B" standard of 74.00m, and a mark which moves him to 12th on the UK all-time list. Also competeing at Loughborough was Emeka Udechuku who won both the discus and shot recording marks of 54.79m and 16.45mIn

Overseasin the US racing indoors in Seattle, Jon Cook recorded a personal best over the mile of 4m05.73 secs, whilst in Melbourne, Australia, two Woodford athletes that already have the Olympic "A" standard were in action: in the triple jump Commonwealth champion Tosin Oke placed 2nd after a consistent series which saw his best jump at 16.85m w (+3.0), and his best legal mark at 16.82m (+1.3). Youcef Abdi won the 3000m s/ch with 8m35.29secs.