Manchester Trafford Grand Prix – 16 May 2015 – Results

Races: 25
Finishers: 202
PBs 82 (41%)
Power of Ten results: Here

Report

TWO European U20 Championships qualifying times, one World Youth Games standard, two Commonwealth Youth Games qualifiers plus a superb Irish Junior record were the highlights of the opening British Milers Grand Prix meeting at the Longford Stadium, Trafford, last night.
And for good measure a Vale of Aylesbury athlete ran himself into contention to qualify for the German team at the European Juniors in Sweden later this year.

The European U20 Championships qualifying performances came from Rosie Johnson and Chris Olley.
Johnson lined up in the 1500m B race and the 17-year-old Liverpool Pembroke Sefton athlete chased runaway winner Melissa Courtney – claiming her first ever Grand Prix A race win – to finish runner-up in 4.18.39.
While she ran quicker last year with 4:15.32 that was in a mixed race so didn’t count towards the qualifying target of 4:20 that makes her a real contender for Sweden.
Olley’s breakthrough came at the end of the evening when conditions were probably at their best. Always well placed and benefiting from great pacemaking from Andrew Butchart the 18-year-old knew he needed a big last lap to dip inside the qualifying target of 14mins 20secs.
But the Mark Hookway coached athlete did just that and celebrated his debut with a time of 14:18.41 to become the second British junior after Gloucester AC’s Alex George to achieve that mark.
“It is my first 5000m and I am absolutely delighted,” said Olley.

But on this occasion the 19-year-old was well and truly eclipsed by 17-year-old Kevin Mulcair of the Ennis Track Club in County Clare.
After running 14:08.65 on his recent debut at the distance in Wicklow Mulcaire improved again to 14:02.30.
That is not only the quickest 5000m by a junior in Europe this season, according to coach Pat Hogan, but more significantly beat the 40-year-old Irish junior record of 14:06 held by the legendary John Treacy.

Another young athlete to catch the eye was 17-year-old Warrington athlete Carys McAulay as she ran a PB of 2:06.71 to win the C race and go well inside the World Youth qualifying standard of 2:08.0.
“I felt strong and relaxed and I know there is definitely more to come,” said McAulay, who reached the bell in 62seconds before pushing on.

In the 1500m 16-year-old Markhim Lonsdale just missed the World Youth qualifying standard of 3mins 51secs by 0.19secs but he dipped inside the Commonwealth Youth Games mark of 3:53.
Likewise just one place behind in the C race fellow 16-year-old Archie Davies of Brighton Phoenix missed it by 0.81secs. Both boys will be put the matter beyond doubt at the next Grand Prix at SportCity in two weeks’ time.
Vale of Aylesbury athlete Christian Von Eitzen might also make it to the European Juniors – but wearing the colours of Germany.
Von Eitzen has parental qualification and the 18-year-old season’s best of 1:50.45 to win the B race was inside the Germany qualification target of 1:50.5, which is a little more generous than the British target of 1:49.0.
“The German athletics authorities have been very supportive,” said Von Eitzen.

WOMEN’S 800m
The A 800m proved to be the race of the night. Leading from the bell GB international Alison Leonard held off Commonwealth Games and European Championship medallist Lynsey Sharp to win in a time of 2mins 01.25secs with the UK No 1 a few strides behind in 2:02.23 and Adelle Tracey third in 2:02.53.
“I think I raced that well,” said Leonard.
“I didn’t want to compromise on the pace so when we reached the bell (and the pacemaker dropped out) I pushed it on and decided to hang on.”
She did that in a fiercely determined fashion resisting Sharp’s pressure just behind her. Last year Sharp opened her season with victory in the B race at Watford in 2:03.9 as she eased her way into a season that delivered so much for the 24-year-old Edinburgh AC international.
While not happy to be beaten by a British rival Sharp was not dis-satisfied with her evening’s work.
“It is a better start than last year and 2:02 was more or less what I expected so I am happy with that,” said Sharp.

Cheltenham’s Julia Cooke appeared to have victory in her grasp before Leah Barrow’s late surge denied her victory in the closing metres of the B race.
“I thought I had won it to,” groaned Cooke.
Barrow as just delighted to finish strongly after getting boxed in round the bend.
“It is my first Grand Prix win so I am happy with that,” said Barrow.

WOMEN’S 1500m
Welsh champion Melissa Courtney looked a class act in the women’s 1500m as she won from the front in 4:15.89.
The pacemaker set off briskly with Courtney following and at 800m reached in 2:14 she was left on her own clear of the pack. Courtney admitted she faltered over that next 300m, losing a couple of seconds, before reaching the bell and rallying again.
“I was feeling very relaxed at 800m but then just lost it a bit,” said Courtney. “The time was okay and I just needed that race.”
Behind there was a great battle for second as the teenager Rosie Johnson just held off a fast-finishing Alexandra Bell, who was rewarded with a PB of 4:18.83
Courtney, who is studying part-time for Masters in Sports Psychology at Brunel University, will be looking for a sub 4:10 in Belgium next weekend.

Cheltenham’s Mia O’Connell got her tactics spot-on as she burst clear on the final lap of the B race to clinch victory in a PB of 4:27.21.
“I felt really strong and I am delighted with that time,” said O’Connell,who is a student at Birmingham University.
Behind her there were also PBs for Mena teenager Cari Hughes (4:28.33) and Vale Royal’s Katie Gerrard (4:30.45).

WOMEN’S 3000m STEEPLECHASE
Commonwealth Games finalist Racheal Bamford has raised her sights after a terrific season in 2014 so not even a personal best could leave her feeling entirely satisfied with a runaway victory.
The 25-year-old Leeds City athlete dispensed with the pacemaker after barely two laps and from then on it was just her against the clock as she sought to break 10 minutes for the first time.
While it didn’t happen on Saturday, as she crossed the line in 10:07.36 fully 50 seconds clear of the field, that will surely come with Bamford determined to make a determined bid to get the World Championships qualifying standard of 9:44.0.
“It is nice to run a PB even though I wanted to go faster but I can take a lot out of this race technically and the target for me is that Worlds qualifying of 9:44,” said Bamford.
There was only a small field of five runners but all the finishers ran personal bests with 20-year-old Laura Gent runner-up in 10:57.74.

WOMEN’S 5000m
“I’ve got the hunger back.” That was the good news from Faye Fullerton after a hard-earned victory in the 5000m.
The 30-year-old Havering runner had to work really hard to close down early leader Jenna Hill before the pair went on to dominate the race reaching the last lap together.
But the sound of the bell spurred Fullerton into action as she burst clear for victory in a personal best of 16:07.58.
“For three years I gave up apart from the odd ParkRun but my mum is back coaching me again now and I am enjoying my running again,” said Fullerton.
“I am really happy with that time and it is nice to win. The hunger is back!”
It was also encouraging to see all six finishers clock PBs.

MEN’S 800m
The manner in which Theo Blundell won his first Grand Prix suggests we will see a lot more from the 19-year-old Birchfield Harrier, who is based at St Mary’s.
There was no faltering or sign of stress from Blundell as he powered clear of is rivals in the closing 200 metres to cross the line in a personal best of 1:47.84, which is just outside the European U23 Championships standard of 1:47.5.
“I felt very strong tonight and I am happy with that,” sad Blundell.
St Mary’s coach Craig Winrow know what it takes to run a fast 800m and he was also impressed with the manner of Bundell’s win.
“There is more to come from him,” said Winrow.

Christian Von Eitzen showed good tactical skills to win the B race in a season’s best of 1:50.45.
“I got boxed in coming around the bend but told myself to stay relaxed and just wait for a gap to open which luckily is what happened,” said Von Eitzen.
Leader Harry Doran couldn’t respond as Von Eitzen surged to the line in the closing 30 metres with Ireland’s Mark Hoy snatching second.

Ben Anderson only flew in from his home in Otago, New Zealand, on Wednesday but if his body clock was out of kilter then his timing on the track was spot-on as the 23-year-old sped to victory in the C race.
“This is a great meeting and we don’t have this sort of thing in New Zealand,” said Anderson.
“And runners follow the pacemakers as well which is awesome.”

MEN’S 1500m
Back in Manchester a week after racing to a personal best of 29:09 in the Great Manchester 10k Andrew Butchart showed a nice turn of speed to win the men’s A race in a PB of 3:44.57.
That’s a combination not many runners could achieve – not to mention representing GB at the World Cross Country Championships in China – and considering he was baulked with 200 metres remaining it was a remarkable victory for the Scottish runner.
“I went for a gap that wasn’t here so had to stop and go again,” said Butchart. “It has not been a bad week in Manchester!”

The B race saw the welcome return to action for Cheltenham’s James Brewer. Racing his first 1500m since August 2013 the 26-year-old former GB international produced a strong last 500 metres to surge clear of the field by two seconds and win in 3:46.25.
“It was fine, nothing to shout about but nice to be back racing again,” said Brewer.
Further back 18-year-old George Duggan broke 3mins 50ecs for the first time with a PB of 3:49.53.
The winners of the C, D, E and F races all clocked PBs with 15-year-old Mansfield athlete Archie Rayner smashing his best as he broke four minutes for the first to to go fourth in the UK U17 Rankings.

MENS 5000m
With Andrew Butchart setting a 14 minutes pace before departing at the half-way mark the question was whether the field could push on and dip under that barrier.
Bu the pace just dropped slightly and despite a strong last lap by former 1500m specialist Andrew Heyes the winning time was 14:01.30.
Not that Heyes was unhappy as the 24-year-old Hallamshire Harrier ran a PB.
“I decided to step up to the 5000m this season as I realised that there was only so far I could go in the 1500m with my top speed,” said Heyes.
“The 5000m is a totally different beast to the 1500m and I am still learning about the event and how to pace it.
“I would have liked to have run sub 14 minutes but I cannot complain with this performance.”
There were six further PBs behind him in the 12-strong field including those top quality marks by Ireland’s Kevin Mulcaire and Tonbridge junior Chris Olley.
From clocking 15:22.85 on his debut in the heats of BUCS 19-year-old Bedford runner Sam Knee-Robinson improved to 14:46.02 to win the B race with a further six PBs behind him.

MEN’S 3000m STEEPLECHASE
Junior Bradley Wattleworth may have finished fifth and last in the ‘chase but he will have good reason to fondly remember his trip to Manchester.
Firstly the 19-year-old Birmingham University student ran a personal best of 10:06.21. Secondly, he picked up the bonus of £200 as the first BMC member in the race as part of the Best of British sponsorship to encourage home runners.
Perhaps next time the event will get more support.

Pictures
Available HERE
Also Harry Shakeshaft HERE

Results