Trafford Grand Prix – 10 Aug 2019 – Result

Races:27
Finishers: 239
PBs 47 (20%)
Power of Ten results: Here

Videos
Videos from the meeting can be seen Here

Report

Wins for Elliot Giles, Ellie Baker in the 800m and Verity Ockenden and Ossama Meslek in the 1500m were the highlights of the final GP of the season.
Giles (1:45.03 this year, with a best of 1:44.99 from 2017) made a cautious start in the first of two laps and was clearly just aiming to win a tactical affair. The Birchfield man trailed England Athletics Champion Joe Reid through 400m in around 53 seconds. With 200m to go, Reid still held pole position, with 2018 World Junior sixth placer Alex Botterill moving into contention.
A powerful last 150m saw the Birchfield man pull clear of the York man 1:47.28 to 1:47.72, a PB for Botterill. Christian Von – Eitzen closed strongly to edge Reid by a couple of tenths with 1:48.65.
“It was a good race, I knew it was going to be tactical with the gale force winds, at times I felt like I was running into a brick wall, so I was happy to sit in and take the win,” Giles revealed afterwards.
“I’m looking forward to the trials after a training stint in St Moritz I’m feeling quite strong, and this was a nice little race. There are several of us who have the Doha qualifying standard so it should be a great race in two weeks,” he added.
European U23 800m Silver medallist Ellie Baker, also pronounced herself satisfied with her evenings work following a pulsating 800 race.
Baker was happy to stay in the pack for the first 300m and was left a few metres back when Jackie Fairchild attacked at the bell reached in a shade over 60 seconds. England Athletics Champion Kirsty Fraser followed a couple of strides behind.
The trio moved into the straight in tandem, with Fairchild still holding pole position. However, it was Baker who managed to break the tape first with 2:04.43 with Fairchild second (2:04.87) and Fraser third (2:05.17).
“It was a really good race, I didn’t want to take it out in the conditions, so I was happy to take the win from such a strong field,” she reflected.
“It was good to get a race in like that after a tough training stint at altitude in St. Moritz (with Giles and others in the group, so I’m ready for the trials in 2 weeks and to have a strong second half of the season.”
Ahmed Bashir – Farah, also produced impressive front – running display over two laps to win in a near PB of 1:49.33 from Will Snook (1:50.22).
The other 800m races were affected by the weather but were no less exciting. Daniel Joyce was close to his PB with 1:51.23 with Ricky Harvie returning a SB of 1:51.97. Kane Elliot (U20) out-dipped Matt Linsley who recorded a lifetime best of 1:52.45. Jack Dee-Ingham took the H race in 1:53.26 and Daniel Maud (1:45.26) leading Alistair Douglas and Archie Rainbow to new best times.
Ossama Meslek (8th in the recent Euro – 23 champs, held in Gavle, Sweden) looked imperious over the metric mile to earn his Best of British £200.00 cheque in style.
Taking command of affairs with 600m left to run, Italian International, swept to a sub-60 second final quarter to break the tape in 3:43.05. World trials 10,000 winner Ben Connor showed great speed for a distance man to return a best of 3:45.05, edging Enil Dannielsson of Sweden.
“I just stayed near the front and tried to win, it so I’m happy with the outcome,” Meslek said afterwards. The Leeds man moves onto the mile at Cork Wednesday where he will be a good bet to go under the sub-four-minute barrier.
Ethan Hussey (3:45.85) continued his rise to go second on the UK U17 all-time 1500m list, behind Matt Shirling’s 3:44.11. European Under 18 3000m champ, Thomas Keen (3:45.84) also acquitted himself superbly.
Fintan Stewart took 2 seconds off his best in taking top spot in the B 1500m with a commanding 3:46.46 win. The quality continued right down to the E race where James Donald made a quantum leap to take several seconds off his previous best with 3:50.57.
Verity Ockenden is better known for her exploits over the longer distances having run 15:40.48 over 5000m in April. The Swansea runner hadn’t raced over 1500m for two years.
Ockenden had early company from Amy Griffiths and Irish international Nadia Power. When the Swansea Harrier made a move with 250m left to run it was decisive, and she was delighted to break the tape with a new best of 4:12.26. Power enjoyed a breakthrough run, in second place (4:13.93).
Dani Chattenton (4:15.35) and Elizabeth Bird (4:16.32) also went home happy with new lifetime best performances.
“I feel as if I executed the race really well, and my kick was at an unexpected time. I felt good the whole way. A couple of issues have affected my confidence leading up to this event, so I’m delighted with the way it went,” she said before taking on her favoured 5k in the British Champs.
Aussie steeplechaser Georgia Winkcup, who achieved the Doha standard with 9:37.43 at the Birmingham relays a week earlier, led from the front to return a new metric mile PB of 4:17.57 with fellow ‘chaser’ Alycia Butterworth of Canada (4:21.35) also recording a PB, just ahead of Saskia Millard (4:21.87) who also went home having raced faster than she ever has before.
There were decent outings for Zoe Wasall (4:30.11) and a superb performance from Pippa Bailey to win the 1500m B race in 4:38.03.
“We don’t normally have paced races over in Australia, so it was such an advantage to be able to go out and follow the pacemaker, and maintain that tempo, I’m stoked at the result. Hopefully I can gain selection for Doha and these races have been so good for me,” said Winkcup.
Kieran Clements was satisfied with a solo 14.05.64 5000m win, to close the evening, ahead of Shaftesbury team-mate Liam Dee (14:13.02) and Frank Baddick (14.20.93) taking third place.
Lucy Crookes raced within the mixed 5k in 16:26.49, to win the women’s race from Lauren Hall (16:45.55). The race resulted in a win for Sweden’s Fredrik Johansson in 15:00.35. A strong finish from Lee Milburn meant that he went home with new figures of 15:04.05.
“It was quite lonely to be honest, so I’m happy with the outcome, I’m looking forward to the British Champs, think I think I’m in 13:40-45 shape, so this was a decent outing,” said Clements.
Despite the gale force winds affecting the performances, especially early in the evening, the PB percentage was 20% which was outstanding given the conditions.
The BMC would like to extend the warmest of thanks to every single one of the athletes, officials and coached that have made this a vintage season. Without this support this would not be possible.
Thank You also for the support of our new sponsors Saucony UK, whose sponsorship means we can continue helping our members excel to International Standard.
The Best of British to all competing in the British trials a week on the 24Th August and to all those who compete in the World Championships in September

Results