Solihull Grand Prix – 13 May 2017 – Results

Races: 26
Finishers: 330
PBs 151 (46%)
Power of Ten results: Here

OVERVIEW

ONE World best from the redoubtable Anthony Whiteman, a Commonwealth Games qualifying mark from Jake Wightman and a new Northern Ireland record of 15:50.55 in the 5000m by Emma Mitchell were three of the highlights from the opening Grand Prix at Solihull. There were also two qualifying standards for the European Under 23 Championships from Daniel Rowden (800m) and Jess Judd (1500m) and another two for the European Under 20s in the shape of Harriet Knowles-Jones (1500m) and Tom Mortimer (5000m).
And let’s not over-look 151 personal bests from 330 finishers in the 26 races for a 46 per cent success rate.
Whiteman’s time of 1:51.3 in the 800m B race was well inside the current World Masters M45-49 best of 1:54.18 set by America’s Saladin Allah in 2005 but unfortunately for Whiteman, who turned 45 last November, there was a malfunction with the electronic timing equipment so only hand-times were given. “It was one of those things and I am not sure about the status of hand times for record purposes so I will hold back from filling out the paper work as I am running another 800m at the Loughborough International on Sunday,” said Whiteman. “If doesn’t happen there then there is always the Grand Prix at Watford which is normally very fast and the weather is nice and warm.” Wightman soared to the top of the UK Rankings with his PB of 1:46.36 in the 800m which was inside the Scotland qualifying standard of 1:47.00 for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane while just behind him Rowden dipped inside the European Under 23 target of 1:47.00 with his PB of 1:46.86.
Judd’s time of 4:11.15 is the fastest recorded in Britain this year and was inside the European Under 23 qualifier of 4:13.00 but her sights are fixed on the World Championships qualifying mark of 407.50. Knowles-Jones chased Judd had and was rewarded by beating the European U20s qualifying time of 4:20.00 while Mortimer smashed his PB as he went under 15 minutes for the first time with 14:14.40 to achieve the 14:20 target for Italy.
In the 5000m Mitchell smashed her personal best 1min 6secs with a time of 15:50.55 to add her name to the national record books.

MEN’S 800m A
This meeting is surely becoming one of Jake Wightman’s favourites as he maintained his incredible record of never failing to win – and record a personal best.
On his debut in 2012 Wightman won the H 800m in a PB of 1:51.6. On his next appearance three years later he had progressed to the A race and this time clocked a lifetime best of 1:47.36.
On Saturday he choose the meeting to open up his season and once again Solihull worked its magic as the Great Britain international powered to victory in an impressive time of 1:46.36, which is the fastest time by a British runner this year so far.
“It is great to finally get a 1:46 to my name,” said Wightman.
“Being my first race I was as nervous as hell. I was expecting to run around 1:47 so 1:46 was very nice and now I am very hopeful that in the right race I have a 1:45in me this summer.”
For World Junior Championships semi finalist Daniel Rowden it was his third 800m of the season and quite easily his best as he drew inspiration from chasing Wightman out of the pack to carve 1min 27secs off his best with 1:46.86 which also represents a significant breakthrough for the Woodford Green Essex athlete.

MEN’S 800m B-C
Cardiff-based Alex Coomber came through strongly to clinch victory in the B race overhauling leader Jamie Williamson down the home straight.
“I am hoping to run 1min 48secs this season and a 1:47 would be a dream with the Commonwealth Games coming up,” said Coomber, who was fourth in the British Indoor Championships in the winter clocking his PB of 1:50.03.
The C race title went to City of York junior Alex Botterill in a PB of 1:50.85, just shading Sutton’s Ricky Lutakome by one one-hundredth of a second – also a PB.

MEN’S 1500m A
The A race was a real last-lap burn-up with virtually the whole field bunched up at the bell. The lead seemed to swap hands several times before 21-year-old James West took charge when it mattered with a well-time burst in the closing metres to snatch victory in 3:43.92.
“My aim this evening was just to win the race as there were some good guys in there,” said West, who was celebrating his first Grand Prix A race win.
“I need more sharpness but that will come over the next month or so.”

MEN’S 1500m B-C
A change of tactics gave Patrick Dever not only victory in the B race but also saw him shave two seconds off his personal best with 3:46.04.
“Last year I was the one always just behind the pacemaker but this year I am backing myself more to leave my effort towards the end,” said Dever.
“I finished very strongly this evening and I am delighted with that PB having also got a PB over 5000m (14:16.64) at the BUCS.”
Dever kicked hard in the last 200 metres to leave his rivals struggling with fellow Loughborough University student Kyran Roberts, just missing his three-year-old best getting second and on the line from Ellis Cross, woo slashed over three seconds off his best as he broke 3:50 for the first time.

MEN’S 5000m
Doug Musson was left with mixed feelings after winning his first ever 5000m in 14:02.92.
“Being my first 5000m I just wanted to focus on winning but I am gutted at missing out on breaking 14 minutes,” said Musson.
“I felt better as the race went on but at 2k I realised there was still a long way to go. But as the pace wound up towards the end I felt better and better and I was pleased with my finish.”
Musson kicked hard at the bell and quickly opened a gap which he maintained to the finish despite a spirited challenge by Alexander Teuten, who was rewarded with a PB of 14:04.83.
Further back in 10th Stroud junior Tom Mortimer smashed his PB by almost 50 seconds with 14:16.64 which was well inside the European Under 20s qualifying time of 14:20.
“I just cannot believe that time, I am so happy,” said Mortimer.

MEN’S 2000m STEEPLECHASE
The BMC is working hard to promote and support the country’s leading steeplechasers – a seminar on the event was held before the meeting – so it was gratifying to see a strong turn-out for this race led by current UK No 1 Zak Seddon, who ran a lifetime best of 8:30.17 for the 3k event in Florida at the end of March.
The 22-year-old former European Junior champion was quickly at the head of the field tracked by GB international Luke Gunn and Bradley Goater, who was making his debut in the event under new coach Geoff Wightman.
The trio were clear of the field after two laps after which Seddon upped the pace to gradually pull clear for an emphatic victor in a time of 5:36.19 to shave 0.18secs off his PB
“I got what I wanted out of the race,” said a delighted Seddon.
“I am in a heavy period of training so the legs felt tired so this proved to be a good work-out for me ahead of a spell of training at Font Romeu.”
Gunn never gave up the chase to finish second while both Jaymee Rossiter and Zak’s younger brother Matthew, aged 21, finished strongly to catch Goater and claim third and fourth and smash their personal bests as they not only broke six minutes for the first time but also dipped under 5mins 50secs.

WOMEN’S 800m A
Alexandra Bell made it two wins in a row at Solihull as she showed real grit and determination to hold off a fast-finishing Sarah McDonald.
It may have been Bell’s first 800m of the season but there was no hesitation in following the pacemaker through the bell in a shade under 59 seconds.
Bell maintained her from through 600 in 1:29 but then really had to dig deep in the home straight as McDonald closed in, with just 0.08secs separating the pair on the line.
“I knew the first one would be tough but that has blown away the cobwebs,” said Bell.
“I could sense someone coming in the last 20 metres so I had to work hard. I am happy and that time is the quickest I have ever opened up a season by around two seconds so that is encouraging.”
Georgie Hartigan just missed her PB in third.

WOMEN’S 800m B-C
In the B race Shaftesbury Barnet junior Ellie Baker was rewarded for staying patient as she came through the inside lane to snatch victory by just 0.25secs from fellow junior Emily Thompson.
“I got boxed in and was quite worried but I told myself to stay patient and then I got the break I needed to come through on the inside for my first Grand Prix victory,” said Baker, a former English Schools’ champion.
“That blew off the rust and I can move on from there as the target for the season is the European Under 20 Championships.”
There was a blanket finish in the C race with the top four girls all just inside 2mins 12secs but with barely half a second between them.
Radley’s Emma Haley got the verdict but just one one-hundredth of a second from Bethany Williams, both women just a fraction outside their PBs.

WOMEN’S 1500m A
Remarkably this popular win was Jess Judd’s first Grand Prix A race victory for five years.
Back in 2012 she won the 800m at Watford in 2:01.09, a summer that saw her go on to finish runner-up over the same distance at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona and also place fifth in the 1500m.
The two seasons after she didn’t race a Grand Prix event and while in 2015 she clocked her lifetime PB of 4:09.56 at Watford she has never placed higher than second.
She was enjoying plenty of success elsewhere but it was good to see the emphatic way she won the 1500m at Solihull and also the enjoyment she was clearly taking from the event.
“Tonight I just thought I would go for it and see what happened,” said Judd.
“I felt very strong and I enjoyed the race. It is just so nice to be back racing well again and I am enjoying it.”
Junior Harriet Knowles-Jones finished very strongly to just miss her PB set last year when placing eighth at the World Junior Championships in Poland. Her time was a European Junior qualification.

WOMEN’S 1500m B-C
Ignoring the pacemaker and going off at her own pace 15-year-old Liverpool Harrier Ella McNiven was rewarded for her bold approach with a massive personal best to win the C race.
McNiven, who this winter won the Northern cross country title, went into the race with a best of 4:33.86 but she smashed that with her brave tactics to finish in 4:26.95 and go second in the UK Under 17 Rankings.
“I felt strong tonight so I just kept pushing it,” she said.
“Initially I thought I might have gone off too fast but I kept going and I am so happy with that time as I really wanted to break my PB.”
McNiven will be topped in the UK Rankings by fellow teenager Olivia Mason after the Tonbridge runner broke her PB to win the B race in 4:25.71.
“That is my first 1500m of the season and I am hoping to go faster in the next couple of weeks,” said 15-year-old Mason.
“I have been short-listed for the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas and I need to get the qualifying standard f 4:25.”

WOMEN’S 5000m
Louise Small came to Solihull for a last sharpener ahead of the Highgate Night of 10,000m next weekend – and went home with a morale boosting victory.
Small paced her effort well, using her strength to overhaul long-time leader Claire Duck of Leeds City in the final 1k before pushing on to win in 15:42.27, just 0.33secs outside her personal best.
“I am over the moon as I didn’t expect that,” said Small.
“I came here as a warm-up for Highgate and that has given me a big lift. I am really looking forward to the 10,000m bt I am not putting any pressure on myself.
“If I can run 33 minutes something I would be happy; sub 33 and I would be over the moon again!”

WOMEN’S 2000m STEEPLECHASE
Jade Williams declined to commit her future to the steeplechase after making a successful debut at the event winning in a time of 6mins 38.76secs
“I had no idea what to expect and it was very hard,” said Williams.
“I have practiced over hurdles but this was the first time I have gone over the water jump so that was quite an experience!
“I just wanted to see how it went and I can confirm it is definitely a lot more painful than running 800m and 1500m races. As for the future we will see how it goes.”
Katie Ingle just missed her PB in second with Laura Riches third.