Millfield PB Classic – 07 May 2012 – Results

Races: 22
Finishers: 221
PB’s: 123 (56%)
Power of Ten: Here

Of the 123 personal bets from 221 finishers in the British Milers’ Club Academy PB meeting at Millfield School on Monday evening few could have been better than Victoria Kenny.The 16-year-old Bristol & West AC runner smashed her personal best by a staggering 52 seconds in the mixed 3000m with a time of 9mins 58.31secs, 11th fastest in the UK Under 20 Rankings this year.Kenny’s previous best in her only attempt at the distance last summer in the Avon AA Open meeting was 10:50.7 so she was always likely to improve that after a good winter.
“Since doing well in the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships Tor has had a real burst of self-confidence,” said coach Dave Taylor.
“She now realises she should be up there and in training she is challenging the likes of Olivia (Sadler). That time was also 20 seconds inside the qualifying standard for the English Schools’ and I think she can go quicker.”

Another young man who won’t forget this BMC meeting is Gloucester AC’s Alex George as the 16-year-old powered around the 1500m B race to smash his personal best by an incredible 17 seconds. Prior to the evening George boasted a best of 4:24.61; by the end of the night that was 4:07.27 so it was little wonder that a beaming George was celebrating with his clubmates and coach Kerry Newell.
“I had absolutely no idea I was going to run that quick tonight,” said George. “On the start line I looked around and thought it would be nice if I didn’t come last! Ii was hoping to run quicker than before but to go this quick is unbelievable. I’m delighted.” The way the race was run suggests that George can go even quicker. He was brave enough to follow the pacemaker and early leader Nyle Clinton of Swindon but then just let a gap open on the final circuit.
That effectively cost him a chance of victory but to the crowd’s astonishment George unleashed a terrific sprint finish to close within 0.05secs of Clinton. Another stride and he would have claimed a notable victory but in that in no way lessens the impact of a performance that was one of the best runs of the night at this popular meeting.

Not be out-done twin brother Thomas, who is a minute older, also ran a personal best of 2:04.19 to finish third in the 800m B race, carving seven seconds off his 2011 best. Indeed, the men’s B race saw the top six all run PBs. Even better eight of the top ten in the C race were rewarded with PBs .

It proved a good night for Gloucestershire athletes. The men’s 1500m A race saw a cracking contest between Cheltenham & County Harriers’ Luke Carroll and Tom Purnell of Stroud & District AC. Purnell was the man who followed the pacemaker and ultimately that bold decision proved his undoing as Carroll reeled him on the final bend and then pulled clear down the home straight for victory in 3:49.63, his second quickest ever after his PB in Manchester last week.
Purnell was a couple of strides behind with the Stroud pair of Will Paulson and Brett Halliwell, clocking a big PB of 3:57.01, third and fourth respectively.

The Russell brothers of Stroud dominated the 3000m with Tom digging deep to win in 8:17.13 and Ander just 0.2secs behind as the pair finished well clear of the field.

Likewise Becky Straw leapt to seventh in the latest UK Rankings for under 20 women as she smashed her personal best over 1500m. The 17-year-old Cannock & Stafford AC English National cross country champion from Birmingham doggedly stuck to the pacemaker before launching a long run from home at the bell. Straw, who is coached by Bud Baldaro and lives near Cofton Park, crossed the line in a time of 4mins 31.50secs to clip almost five second off her previous best and continue her perfect start to the season after a low-key 800m PB of 2:19.49 in a Birchfield Harriers open meeting last month.
“I am massively happy with that and I felt awesome tonight! “ said a delighted Straw. “To run that quickly in only my second track race and in those conditions is really pleasing. It is a great start to the campaign.”
Straw is now hoping that the injury problems that have dogged her previous two summer campaigns are well behind here and she can have a full season and improve her 1500m time to well under 4:30.

Fellow junior Olivia Sadler chased Straw hard and was satisfied with her 4:34.33 while in third Invicta East Kent’s Alex Clay was rewarded for her long trip with a massive PB of 4:35.83. That carved almost ten seconds off the 16-year-old’s previous PB set last year and following her terrific winter augurs well for the summer ahead.

To underline the quality of the field, who endured a heavy downpour, Poole AC’s Elisabeth Hood went top of the UK Rankings for under 15 girls with a time of 4:39.11 for sixth place. For the 14-year-old that was a frustrating 0.7secs off her PB but she had no complaints with her run and knows better is to come.

Incredibly in the women’s B race the top eight finishers all ran personal bests with the Team Bath AC pair of Imogen Wolsey and Katherine Turner, both 18, leading the way as they broke 4mins 40secs for the first time.
Particularly notable was 13-year-old Reigate Priory athlete Niamh Brown in fourth slashing 16 seconds off her PB with 4:42.62.

The early 800m races had the worst of wind but Cornwall AC junior Andrew Worden, who missed most of the winter with injury, looked strong in clocking 1:55.07 to win the A race by over three seconds and his sights set on reaching the final at the English Schools’ Championships.
“I’m just getting back into racing so I have to be happy with that,” said Worden.
Likewise Guildford’s 18-year-old former English Schools’ champion Adelle Tracey, who boasts a PB of 2:05.56 from 2011, had to work hard on the second lap knowing that Herne Hill’s Katie Snowdon was just behind and should take some satisfaction at just breaking 2mins 10secs.