Track & Field Round-Up

WGEL athletes were in action at the BMC Solihul Grand Prix on Saturday where there were personal bests for Tom Phillips, Jon Cook and Tara Bird. There was also some good sprinting in Holland at the Amsterdam Open from Sam Watts and Graham Hedman, a Schools International victory for Joseph Dewar and some good pre-Paralympic form from Tim Prendergast.

Racing in the Women's "A" 800m at the BMC Solihul Grand Prix on Saturday evening, Tara Bird, placed 3rd, but first British athlete, behind Canadian, London 2012 Olympic Team member Hillary Sellingwerff and Kenyan Jane Jelegat as she finished strongly to marginally improve her personal best to 2m02.72 secs. In the men's 800m races, U/20 Matt McLaughlin went in the "B" race and finished 6th with 1m51.69 secs, whilst in the "H" race, Tom Phillips placed 2nd and was rewarded with a personal best of 1m52.2 secs. Over 1500m, and in the "B" race, Alex Cornwell placed 10th with 3m47.40 secs, and in the "C" race, 800m man Jon Cook moved up a distance and placed a good 3rd with a personal best of 3m45.99 secs. Athleticos race coverage videos available here.

Competing at the Amsterdam Open, also on Saturday, Sam Watts won over 200m, in a quick, but marginally windy 20.93 secs w (+2.6), and 30 mins later also raced over 100m where he recorded 10.74 secs (+0.1). In the 400m, Graham Hedman finished 2nd with 46.74 secs. Competing for England in the Schools International fixture at Ashford, Joseph Dewar managed only one valid jump, but that was enough to bring victory with 6.78m (0.0).

Competing in Ninove, Belgium, and preparing for the London 2012 Paralympics where he will represent New Zealand in the T13 (partially sighted) category,Tim Prendergast recorded a season's best of 3m52.58 secs, a mark that is believed to currently rank Tim 2nd in the world in that T13 category.