Eltham Grand Prix – 07 July 2018 – Results

Races:21
Finishers: 175
PBs 62 (35%)
Power of Ten results: Here

BRITISH MILERS CLUB GRAND PRIX REPORT
ELTHAM

MEN’S 800M A-B

New Zealand’s James Preston celebrated his first Grand Prix race with an emphatic victory in the men’s 800m A race.
The 21-year-old from Wellington is in Europe to broaden his experience as he looks to impress his national selectors ahead of the 2019 World Championships and he enjoyed his first taste of the British Milers’ Club scene.
“I am based in Belgium and I ran a personal best of 1:47.7 in the Brussels Grand Prix last week,” said Preston.
“Tonight was a totally different race experience as I ran from the front which is not something I normally do. I kept my form okay which was unusual for me as I am normally all over the place in the finish straight so that was pleasing.
“I really enjoyed the meeting and it was very well organised.”
As well as leading through the bell Preston also had enough in the tank to kick hard again in the final 200 metres to kill off any thoughts of a challenge from John Fitzsimons of Ireland.
But Ireland wasn’t to be denied in the B race as Darren McBrearty of Letterkenny came through in the final 20 metres to catch Ben Brunswick of Dorking and Mole Valley for victory in 1:52.44.
“That’s my first proper 800m race since 2012 due to injuries and taking a break from the sport but I have had a really good last six months and it was great to get a decent race under my belt,” said McBrearty, who boasts a long-standing PB of 1:47.87
“It was also very nice to win as I haven’t done that since 2012 either!”
Brunswick admitted he ran out of steam down the home straight having had a pretty hectic race schedule.
“I have improved my PB by four seconds so feel as if I have made a breakthrough this summer but I am passed my peak and really need to get back to some base training now,” said Brunswick.

MEN’S 800M C-H
Max Pickard timed his finish to perfection to overtake Beck Grover in the final 50 metres to claim victory in the D race clocking 1:53.88.
“I was really happy to win that as I have not done much speed work yet as I was injured in march and have had a slow build-up to the track season,” said Max.
“I was tying up at the finish but it is a good boost and now I’ll be looking for a fast 1500m at the Gold Standard meeting in Watford on Wednesday and maybe attack my personal best of 3mins 45secs.”
Grover clocked a season’s best in second and there was a PB for Liam Holbrook in third.
In the E race Aaron Mangan burst clear over the final 200m to clinch victory just missing his personal best with a time of 1:55.73 but there was a PB for Sutton’s James Hancock in third.
In the C race Alex Gruen dipped under 1mins 52secs for the first time with a PB of 1:51.98

MEN’S 1500M A-B
Spencer Thomas of Brighton Phoenix gave a very assured performance to win the men’s A race .
Racing through the bell in 2:45.14 he maintained his form with a sub-60 last circuit for his first Grand Prix A race win in a personal best time of 3:43.87.
“The key this evening was to try and run smooth and find my rhythm as hat has not been happening for me this season,” said Thomas.
“I was keen to put myself out there and see where I was at and I am happy to come away with 3:43.
“Overall I have not run as quick as I would have liked this summer as I wanted to get to 1:46 for the 800m and 3:39 for 1500m so I will be looking for something faster at Watford on Wednesday.”
Bedford & County junior Ben Davies was delighted to break 3mins 50secs for the first time in the men’s B race clocking 3:49.07.
The 19-year-old, who finished sixth in the England Athletics Championships, had a great tussle with Norway’s Mats Hauge and while he came off second best on this occasion he could take plenty of positives from the results and manner of his performance.
“I had never run under 3mins 50secs until today so I have to be pleased with that even though I didn’t have much left in that last 150 metres,” said Davies.
“It has been an okay season so far but I would love to break the Bedford junior record of 3:47.9, which is held by my training partner Matt Burgin.
“It would be great to nick it off him before the end of the season!”

MEN’S 1500M C-E RACES
The C race ended up as a terrific battle between juniors Jack Meijer of Marshall Milton Keynes and James Heneghan of Winchester.
Meijer led through bell and continued to push hard on the final lap but Heneghan timed his effort well to move ahead off the top bend and claim victory in a PB of 3:53.47.
“I was tying up in the last 50 metres but managed to hang on and I am buzzing with that time,” said 19-year-old Heneghan, who is coached by James Thie in Cardiff, where he is studying.
Meijer was also rewarded with a PB of 3:54.80 in second.
Ireland’s Paul O’Donell kicked hard and decisively to win the D race in 4:00.78 with countryman Darragh Lynch second and Southampton’s Rikki James third in a PB.

MEN’S 3000m

When a large bunch reached the bell in 7:07 there was little disagreement as to who was favourite to win the last lap dash.
Jonny Hay may only be racing for fun this summer but the Aldershot Farnham & District runner still possesses a fair turn of sped and none of his rivals could live with his last lap as he came home in 8:06.06.
“I took a break from the sport last year and having decided to return I want to find the same enjoyment as I did when I was a junior,” said Hay.
“I have no targets or big plans and I am just racing for fun and trying to enjoy myself – and I did that this evening.”
It is good to see Hay, who has always been a big supporter of the BMC, back with a smile on his face.
Behind him St Mary’s student Elliott Dorey also finished strongly for second in a PB of 8:09.09 while the next seven runners also clocked lifetime bests. Clearly chasing Hay home brings the best out of people.
The B race also saw 13 of the 17 finishers clock PBs led by winner Jake Smith with 8:22.89, which slashed almost 10 seconds off his indoor mark.

MEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE

Italian student Umberto Contran, a finalist at the World Junior Championships in Eugene four years ago, dominated the race for a clear victory from Joseph Turner whose doggedness in never giving up the chase in a small field was rewarded with a PB
“That is my first ‘chase this season due to an injury that kept me out of training for February and March so I am pleased with 9min 10secs as it is not so far off my best of 9:03,” said Contran.

WOMEN’S 800 A-B

Commonwealth Games 1500m finalist Katie Snowden turned back the clock to claim a notable victory in the 800m A race.
The Herne Hill athlete last won a Grand Prix event at this distance three years ago when she beat New Zealand international Angie Petty at SportCity in Manchester.
She has been concentrating more on the 1500m this summer but clearly hasn’t lost her sense of timing as she over-hauled leader Hanna Hermansson of Sweden in the closing strides for victory in 2mins 01.78secs.
“Yes, I left it late!” said Snowden.
“Actually I got boxed in around the bend so I just had to wait and be patient for a gap to open. I felt strong so when the gap came I was able to get out and come through down the home straight.
“I feel a lot stronger this season as I have been concentrating on the 1500m so to come out and run a season’s best over 800m is very pleasing and I am happy with that.
“I’ll do a few more to sharpen up my speed and then see if I can get a quicker 1500m towards the back end of the season.”
Arguably the closest finish of the evening came in the B race as only 0.13secs separated Birchfield’s Georgie Hartigan from Joceline Montero of Chelmsford as they posted season’s bests of 2:06.57 and 2:06.70 respectively

WOMEN’S 800 C-D

One of the most impressive winners of the evening was 14-year-old Zakia Mossi in the 800m C event. Using the race as a final sharpener ahead of the English Schools’ Championships the Blackheath & Bromley youngster dominated the second lap after hitting the bell in 62.45secs.
Her winning time of 2:09.86 was not only a personal best but also the first time she has run under 2mins 10secs; it will take a good athlete to deny her gold next weekend.
“We are really looking forward to the English Schools’ as it is something we have been working towards since last year when she finished third as a bottom year junior girl,” said coach Phil Kissi.
“Zakia is fearless and a great talent.”
The D race was won by Blackheath & Bromley teenager Amy Miller after a good duel with Harrow teenager Amber Wallace.

WOMEN’S 1500M A-B

Many of the strong Ireland contingent in Eltham were using the meeting to sharpen up ahead of their national championships at the end of the month and women’s 1500m A winner Amy O’Donoghue was no different.
“That’s the best I have felt for a while,” said O’Donoghue after beating Tori Tsolis of America with a strong last lap.
“I needed that race and it has given me a lot of confidence ahead of the nationals being able to lead from the front and finish strongly.
“I would have liked to have run under 4mins 18secs but it was pretty windy down the back straight and was also so hot out there this evening. Overall though I am very pleased with how it went.”
Bracknell AC’s Rachel McClay took full advantage of pacemaker Charlotte Taylor-Green as she towed her around the first three laps before hitting the front to win impressively in 4:26.28.
“That is a season’s best for me by quite a bit so happy with that,” said McClay.
“I have focussed more on the 800m this summer so I know there is much more to come in the 1500m as it is only the second one I have done this year.”
The next three runners of Chloe Sharp, Zoe Wassell and Charlotte Dannatt, all juniors, all recorded PBs.
Junior Ella Newton was rewarded for her bold approach with victory in the C race as she broke clear ahead of the bell and kept her form to hold off the chasing group comprising veteran Zoe Doyle, who was rewarded with a PB and Laura Gent.
Newton’s winning time of 4:35.20 was just outside her best of 4:33.03.

WOMEN’S 3000m
Close rivals Jenny Nesbitt and Philippa Bowden went toe-to-toe again only this time the former came out on top.
It was the first time the pair had met over the shorter 3k distance and both were rewarded for taking on the pace with personal bests, Nesbitt clocking 9:11.37 as she edged clear over the final two laps with Bowden just behind in 9:13.24.
“I think we pushed each other on this evening which was good and it was nice to beat Philippa as previously this summer she had won our head-to-heads,” said Nesbitt.
“I came here to run a PB so have to be pleased with that. I am just racing for fun at the moment having started my season so early with the Commonwealth Games but it has been a great year for me so far.”
Bowden said she relished her battles with Nesbitt and a PB by 12 seconds was a good consolation for finishing runner-up.
“Jenny and I are good friends before and after we race and that was a decent battle out there,” said Bowden.
“I only raced one 3000m last year so I knew on the basis of my times at 5,000m and 10,000m I should be running a lot quicker at this distance.”

WOMEN’S 3000M STEEPLECHASE
The anguish of Michelle Finn’s final lap en route to victory amply illustrated just why this event is one of the toughest on the track.
One minute she was bouncing along on schedule for 10 minutes as she chased the Ireland qualifying standard of 9mins 55secs for the Europeans; the next she was using her hands to clamber painfully over the barriers as he legs died.
“Early on I felt so comfortable but then it hit me badly,” groaned Finn, whose last lap took her 1min 42secs. “But at least I gave it a go.”
She roused herself to clear the last barrier and hold onto victory from international Sara Treacy, who was running her first ‘chase since the Olympics two years ago after which she got injured.