Track & Field Round-Up

WGEL's senior athletes were in action over the weekend, notably at the Watford BMC Grand Prix,where amongst some good results there was a personal best for Tom Phillips. There was also news of a Club U/20 discus record for Youcef Zatat, and Tiffany Porter was in action at the Birmingham Diamond League.The annual BMC Watford Grand Prix, is usually the best quality domestic middle distance fixture of the season. This year the usual Saturday evening date was replaced with Sunday afternoon, and despite the welcome warm weather, the very windy conditions somewhat held back the level of performances. Tom Phillips was one of only a few who got the better of the wind, as he finished 4th in the "C" 1500m and recorded a personal best of 3m48.58 secs.

Alex Cornwell went faster in the "A" race, but was left a little disappointed with his 3m 45.11 secs for 8th. After having finished 2nd in the recent U/23 Trials race he was hoping for the 3m 42 secs needed for selection for the European U/23 Championships. Fastest of Woodford's 800m men was Jon Cook, but he too was disappointed with his 1m 49.96 secs for 5th in the "A" race. Jon had, only last weekend ,in Bilbao, improved over 1500m with a personal best of 3m42.95 secs.. U/20, Matt McLaughlin, disappointed to find himself in the "C" 800, and despite hoping for faster than the season's best of 1m 50.55 secs which he recorded, was a very impressive winner of that event. In the "D" race, Jordan Donnelly, still a little jet-lagged from a business trip to the Far East, was pleased with his season's best of 1m 51.65 secs for 4th.

In the women's 800m races, Tara Bird was 4th in the "A" with 2m 05.50 secs, Megan Edwards was also 4th, in the "B" with 2m 8.9secs (ht)  and in the "C" race Emily Moss was 5th with a season's best of 2m12.80 secs. In the longer events,Tom Beedell struggled a little in the "D" 5000m where he finished 15th with 16m03.98 secs, and in the 3000m s/ch, HCA man Ryan McKinlay was not at his best, 9th with 9m23.89 secs.

Competing at Copthall on Saturday at the LICC meeting, Youcef Zatat, produced two good performances with the junior implements, winning the shot with 17.20m, and placing 2nd in the discus with 52.46m, improving his own Woodford Club record in the process. Other LICC results, included an U/20 hammer mark of 60.80m for Harry Clarke, and 40.61m discus for Hollie Redman.

Against world class opposition at the Birmingham Diamond League on Sunday, Tiffany Porter placed 3rd in the 100mH with 13.72 secs (-0.5).