Harry Aikines-Aryeetey wins 100m in Loughborough as Yohan Blake is disqualified for false start, while Jake Heyward goes third on GB U20 all-time 3000m list in Watford
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Meghan Beesley both claimed victories at the Loughborough European Athletics Permit meet (LEAP), with headliner Yohan Blake disqualified for a false start, David Brown reports.
Despite claiming victory in his 100m heat in a time of 10.34, the former 100m world champion from Jamaica left his blocks too early in the final, resulting in his disqualification. In the end, victory was claimed by Commonwealth relay champion Aikines-Aryeetey. After running 10.36 to win his heat, he took the title thanks to a time of 10.42.
Ghana’s world indoor finalist Sean Safo-Antwi finished in second place in 10.48, with Canada’s Brendon Rodney finishing third in final A.
Also in action were para-athletes James Arnott and Zac Shaw, with Arnott posting times of 11.47 and 11.37 and Shaw running in a time of 11.83.
Beesley achieved double success at LEAP. Firstly, in the women’s 400m hurdles she won in a time of 55.83, with Canada’s Noelle Montcalm taking second in 56.38 and European junior relay champion Lina Nielsen producing a lifetime best in third with 57.19.
Beesley later claimed victory in the women’s 400m in a season’s best of 53.07, her fourth quickest run over the distance, and a second faster than American sprinter Asha Ruth, who was runner-up in 54.09.
In the women’s 100m, Olympic relay silver medallist Simone Facey claimed victory in a time of 11.51 over Canada’s Jellisa Westney and Britain’s Hayley Mills (both clocking 11.65). Charnwood’s Amy Hunt ran for the first time since competing at the European U18 Championships and finished fourth in 11.76, while European relay champion Ashleigh Nelson won her heat in 11.60.
After her 100m race, world relay medallist Mills was the leading 200m runner thanks to a season’s best of 23.85, ahead of Westney.
It was a busy afternoon for Tom Somers, who has recently become double Paralympic champion Libby Clegg’s guide runner, as he finished second in both the 200m and the 400m. The 400m was won by Birchfield Harrier Sadam Koumi in 46.77, with Somers improving his personal best by 0.01 with a 46.91 run.
The 200m was won by Olympic relay medallist Rodney in a time of 20.59, with Somers running 20.63, his third quickest time (and fastest since 2014).
Asian champion Hassan Taftian produced a lifetime best of 20.74, while world indoor semi-finalist Lee Thompson ran a time of 21.86.
National champion Alicia Barrett led a British one-two-three in the women’s 100m hurdles in a time of 13.26, with world indoor representative Megan Marrs in second (13.42) and Jessica Hunter third (13.53). In the men’s 400m hurdles, Belgium’s Romain Nicodeme just claimed victory (51.45) over Britain’s Jack Lawrie (51.53) and Niall Flannery (51.66). The men’s 110m hurdles was won by Denmark’s Andreas Martinsen in 13.94, with European under-23 medallist Khai Riley-La Borde second (14.02).
A highlight in the field events saw Olympians Chris Bennett and Mark Dry in action in the men’s hammer. Bennett missed out on victory by 3cm (72.11m), with Dutch world junior shot put medallist Denzel Comenentia winning (72.14m) and Dry finishing third (70.48m).
In the other field events, victories were awarded to Commonwealth Games representative for the Isle Of Man, Joe Harris, in the men’s javelin (68.85m), Ireland’s Ruby Millet in the women’s long jump (5.85m), Lucy Marshall in the women’s hammer (60.91m) and Reynold Banigo in the men’s long jump with a 1cm improvement to his personal best (7.67m).
Athletes named Sophie topped the women’s pole vault competition as Athletics World Cup guest star Sophie Cook won with a 4.06m vault ahead of Sophie Dowson and Sophie Ashurst, who both cleared 3.86m. A PB for 15-year-old Ashurst, who is the daughter of 1986 Commonwealth champion Andy, that mark adds 1cm to her previous best recorded in Carlisle earlier this month and is the best result achieved by an athlete her age globally so far this summer.
PBs aplenty in Watford 3000m
Meanwhile, over in Watford a number of athletes were targeting sub-eight minutes in the elite men’s 3000m and a total of 11 achieved it, led by Luke Traynor’s big PB of 7:53.88.
Richard Allen was second in a PB of 7:54.06, also going sub-eight for the first time, while Kieran Clements was third in a lifetime best of 7:54.72 and Tom Lancashire fourth in 7:55.00.
After running a 1500m PB at the Anniversary Games over the weekend, World U20 Championships fourth-placer Jake Heyward ran another lifetime best, this time clocking 7:55.17 for fifth over double the distance to move from 11th to third on the British under-20 all-time list. It’s the quickest time by a British under-20 athlete since 1983.
Watford elite men’s 3000m went quite well tonight. Thanks lads for supporting it !!!! pic.twitter.com/Pbwf6ysF0D
— Mark Hookway (@markhookway) July 25, 2018
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