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More news articles Pickering’s 60m win seals GB win in Glasgow five-way international
Jessica Ennis was the star athlete of the Aviva International in Glasgow though, as the world heptathlon champion set a UK indoor record in the 60m hurdles and an indoor high jump PB
Jessica Ennis celebrates her UK record
Final team standings – 1. GBR 63, 2. USA 60, 3. GER 51, 4. COM 49, 5. SWE 30
Ennis edges out Jones in 60m hurdles thriller
JESSICA ENNIS stunned world indoor champion Lolo Jones in the 60m hurdles and the City of Sheffield athlete romped to a UK indoor record of 7.95. The world heptathlon champion matched Jones out of the blocks but Ennis, who set a 60m PB of 7.36 a fortnight ago, found this speed handy as Ennis had an extra gear off the final flight of hurdles to take the scalp of the tenth fastest woman of all-time.
After the race, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist said: “I never really expected to win here because it’s such a high calibre, so I’m happy to get a good quality race and see where I end up. So to win it is fantastic. I feel everything is slotting in nicely for Doha.”
To reaffirm Ennis’s fine shape, the 24-year-old also cleared 1.94m in the high jump, which equates to an indoor PB but Ennis had to settle for the runner-up spot, as 2005 world silver medallist Chaunte Howard from the USA won on countback.
Ennis’s British record in the 60m hurdles also netted her a tidy bonus of 5000 USD.
Pickering claims fourth successive 60m victory
FORMER European indoor silver medallist Craig Pickering took his fourth consecutive victory at Kelvin Hall and his win in the 60m clinched the match for the British squad over the US team, who trailed by two-points heading into the deciding event.
In a thrilling climax to the five-way international, Pickering’s experience told as the Marshall Milton Keynes athlete edged out the USA’s Mark Jelks and compatriot Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who was competing for the Commonwealth team.
In his first race of the year, Pickering clocked 6.66 to defeat Jelks and Aikines-Aryeetey by two-hundredths.
The winner said: “It was great to get a win and retain my title, not a great performance but it’s the first of the year. I got back from warm weather training in South Africa three days ago and I am looking forward to the rest of the indoor season.”
Jeter shows class with dominant 2010 debut
CARMELITA JETER eased to victory in her first 60m race of this indoor season. The second fastest 100m runner of all-time did not get the best of starts but the 30-year-old accelerated away in the final portion of the race to clock a respectable 7.19, to move to second on the 2010 indoor lists.
Birchfield Harrier Bernice Wilson continued her very good indoor form, equalling her PB of 7.37 to finish second, ahead of luminaries such as Chandra Sturrup, third in 7.38.
Meadows storms to 800m victory; Dobriskey beaten in 1500m
JENNY MEADOWS looked in fantastic shape after a warm weather training stint in South Africa and the world 800m bronze medallist looked comfortable en route to her second Kelvin Hall victory. The Wigan & District athlete took a gun-to-tape victory, clocking 2:02.53 to defeat Commonwealth 800m finalist Neisha Bernard-Thomas by more than two seconds.
After the race, Meadows commented: “I felt really comfortable and a win’s a win. The curved bank made me set off fast and it was a little physical but I stood my ground and I will have to get used to that in Doha.”
World 1500m silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey suffered a shock defeat in her first indoor race in two years. The Commonwealth Games champion looked heavy-legged in the final 300m and Dobriskey, who is renowned for having one of the finest finishes in middle-distance running, was unable to make any impact in the closing stages.
Taking advantage of Dobriskey’s race rustiness, the little known American Heidi Dahl overtook Dobriskey in the home straight, clocking 4:17.96 to Dobriskey’s 4:18.22.
At the age of 36, Helen Clitheroe still had more than enough speed to win the 3000m. The UK steeplechase record-holder, who now trains under the guidance of Trevor Painter (Jenny Meadows’s husband and coach), decisively overtook German marathoner Sabrina Mockenhaupt in the final 100m to claim maximum points for the British squad. Clitheroe clocked 9:05.87 to Mockenhaupt’s 9:06.39.
Home-soil wins for Baptiste and Tomlinson too
ENFIELD & HARINGEY’S Leon Baptiste took the best win of his career as the 24-year-old won the 200m, defeating a very strong line-up in the process. The UK indoor champion, who had the advantage of the favourable outside lane, clocked 21.34 to defeat the German teenager Robert Hering by two-hundredths, and Baptiste also took the scalps of Brendan Christian from Antigua & Barbuda in third and the former Olympic champion Shawn Crawford, who was a lowly fourth in 21.60.
Former Olympic finalist Chris Tomlinson won the long jump but the 8m barrier narrowly eluded the Newham & Essex Beagle. The experienced Brit took the lead in the fourth round with a 7.99m leap, to defeat Sweden’s Michel Torneus by six centimetres. World indoor champion Godfrey Mokoena did not start the competition due to a groin strain.
* See this week's Athletics Weekly, out on Thursday, for full reports and pictures.
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