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Like last year the Pole Vault got the crowds going in the main stand and like last years event Janine Whitlock excited the crowd with another great display of vaulting. This time going clear of 4.26m to break the Welsh All Comers record and earn her self some decent UK Challenge Points. But she later said that she wanted to go higher and get past 4.50m which is qualifying for the European Championships in Gothenburg in the summer. In the men’s event UWIC Based Scott Simpson cleared 5.20m, beating the Walker brothers, Paul and Michael, who cleared 4.70 and 4.50 respectively.
The male and female high jump had the potential to be the top event. In the Male event Commonwealth Finalists Rob Mitchell of Wales and Tom Parsons of England battled it out with Rob Mitchell fending off Tom, going 5cm higher than he did in the Welsh Indoors with a 2.20m Jump. 3rd Place was American Student David Pell of Cornell Uni which a clearance of 2.10. In the equivalent event, the favourite was Commonwealth Medallist Julie Crane, but she could only clear 1.81 and came 2nd on count back behind Cardiff’s Sharon Heveren.
The line up of the Men’s 100m looked set to be a very good race with Tim Abyie, Darren Campbell and Welsh Young Gun Andrew Watkins all set to start along side Mark Findlay and Leon Baptise but neither Tim, Darren or Andrew reached the starting gun. The winning time was set by Mark Findlay with a modest 10.55 in front of Leon in 2nd with 10.75. Neither going as quick as Christian Malcolm last year in 10.28. The female race had two big names, Commonwealth 4th place Laura Turner and Jeanette Kwakye. Laura was hoping for a last ditch attempt at reaching the European Cup team after a spell out with injury. The Final was very close but Jeanette just clipped Laura to the win with an 11.42 in a 1.0+m/s wind.
Two of Wales most decorated athlete’s ended there careers at the Championships this year. Commonwealth bronze medallist Hayley Tullet at 800m ended her career with a defeat to Amanda Pritchard in the 800m. But unfortunately Catherine Murphy did not start her event. Both of them a real lost to Welsh Athletics.
In other events first year u20 Non Stanford won the 3000m while fending off two runners from the Penn University from America. Also first year u20 and Welsh Senior #1 Brett Morse was kept in 4th by 45cm from Eric Roneker from Cornell in the Discus and lost out on £50.
A Championship Record fell to Wales’ David Greene in the 400mH were he clocked a 50.66 to win by nearly 4 seconds. Another member of Darryl Maynard’s group went off in the 400m. Gareth Warburton came a close 2nd behind Trafford’s Andrew Steele, with Andrew winning in a time of 46.55. Belgrave’s Set Osho came 3rd in 47.39.
The Men’s 800m was won in 1:52.33 by Newport’s Steve Davis with 2nd year u20 Joe Thomas in 2nd with a nearly a 2 second PB with 1:52.66
Written By: Gareth Sutcliffe