Milton Keynes PB Classic – 19 May 2012 – Results

Races: 26
Finishers: 224
PB’s: 126 (56%)
Power of Ten: Here

Summary
This early evening BMC meet for young athletes attracted a healthy increase in participants from the previous year with UK and English schools representatives, medallists and athletes with a wide range of standards and abilities. Key objectives for the athletes were PBs, good early season performances and seeking entry standards times for the English schools and other meets needing qualification times etc. The evening did get a bit chilly, but there was no wind for once.
Many athletes went away happy with their performances and providing proof of the importance of this event to help our young athletes improve their performances and raise standards of the events. The four steeplechase events were popular ( with promise of a filled water jump with some regions having a hosepipe ban and affecting filling of the water jump in their regions) and of high standard with most of the athletes achieving PBs
In increasingly chilly but dry evening highlights included:
• 21 seconds victory from last year’s U17 3000metres English schools winner and current English schools cross country senior boys champion Jonny Davies , Reading AC- a win in 8.32.55. After winning many of the big cross country events through winter, Jonny is proving he will also be a force in the track in his first season as under 20.
• Liam Dee U17, Shaftesbury Barnet followed up his 1500 metres win in the Sainsbury schools games earlier in the month, with a impressive last 200 burst to win the 800metres A race in 1.54.46 .Kyran Roberts U17 Carmarthen was second setting a big PB in 1.55.75.
• In the 800metres C race, Jethro McGraw U15, Amber Valley finished second in an impressive time of 2.00. 94 to lead the UK rankings in the event in his age group.
• In the women’s 800 A race, the first three finishers were U17 and each set a PB. Mari Smith Leicester moved into the UK top 3 with a PB time of 2.10.02 and she was followed by Amy Griffiths (age 14) Leicester 2.12.62 and Caelidh Ross 2.13.78.l
• In the Men’s 1500 A Edward Shepherd U20 Woodford Green set a PB in winning in 3.57.66 followed by Tom Holden U17 3.58.08 South London and Harrison Curling U17 3.58.17 , the latter two moving into the UK top 10 rankings.
• In the men’s 1500metres B race Jamie Dee U15, Shaftesbury Barnet, (younger brother of Liam the 800 metre A race winner) won in 4.08.33 a PB of that took him to the top of the UK rankings in his age group.
• In the Women’s 1500 metres A race, Elisabeth Hood U15 Poole 4.36.98 and lower year Sophie Tooley U15 West Suffolk, 4.38.00 moved to 1 and 2 in the PO10 rankings, in finished second and third to winner Olivia SandlerU20 Bristol West, winner in 4.33.38.
• In the 1500 metres steeplechase all the entrants were U17 men. This was a high standard race with 12 of the 13 athletes setting personal bests and the first three moving into the PO10 rankings. The winner Charlie Critchley Windsor in 4.28.89 looks particularly promising winning within an English schools national standard for the event.
• In the men’s 2000 metres steeplechase, Blair Brown U20 Taunton was a comfortable winner in 5.55.70 a PB and moving him to 2nd in the PO10 rankings behind Zak Seddon. The first four all set PBs and moved into the top 10 of the PO10 rankings. 8 of the 12 athletes set PBs and 2 season bests.
• There was an exciting finish in the Women’s 1500 metres steeplechase with Maryse Haynes U20 Windsor winner in 5.11.42 just out dipping Nicole Taylor U20 Tonbridge 5.11.44 with the athletes moving into 3rd and 4th in the PO 10 rankings. 4 of the 5 athletes set PBs.
• In the Women’s 2000metres steeplechase, Imogen Wolsey U20 women was a convincing winner in 7.13.87 with the 3 athletes all achieving PBs.

The meeting concluded at 21.30 just as light was fading and we would like to thank all the officials and helpers, who without their help great meetings like this would not happen.

Authors Rob McKim / Jim Bennett