"Perfect 10" for Joel Fearon at the Manchester International

On a sunny summer's evening at Sport City in Manchester, Joel Fearon (England, Birchfield Harriers) produced a 10.00 second run in the Men's 100m to win the title at the inaugural Manchester International. This was the event that the crowd had been anticipating following his 9.96 at the England Championships, and he didn't disappoint - pulling away from a quick field

 

 

The Women’s 100m was also a great spectacle with Rebecca Campsall (England, City Of York) edging it with 11.68 over Rachel Miller (BAL/UKWL Harrow) in 11.69

In the Women's 400m, Phillipa Lowe (England) came home in 53.58, ahead of Ella Barrett (GB Juniors) in 55.59

 

Jenny Meadows was in fine form awarding prizes for the Women's Mile (winner Jess Judd is reflected in the trademark sunglasses):

In the Men's 400m, Conrad Williams (England) came in a close second in 46.62 to Dwayne Cowan (BAL/UKWL) in 46.46

Richard Weir (England) took the Men's 3000m in 8.12.68 ahead of Adam Hickey (Southend) in 8:14.31

Angelita Broadbelt-Blake (England) took the Women's 100m hurdles in 13.53

On a lovely sunny evening, Charlotte Green (England) won the Women's 200om steeplechase in 6:36.03 ahead of Aimee Pratt (GB Juniors) in 6:39.54

 

The Women's 200m was won by Finette Agyapong (GB Juniors) in 23.72

while the Men's 200m was taken by Reece Prescod (England) in 20.57

In the 800m races, Katy-Ann McDonald (England) won the Women's race in 2:05.03 and Ben Greenwood (Scotland) took the Men's title in 1:50.45

 

Tommy Horton (England) led from the front to win the Men's 2000m steeplechase in 5:36.25

England took both 4x100m relay races - the Women's in 45.02 and the Men in 40.13

 

Alex Tovey (England) won the Men's Mile in 4:13.95

England took both 4x400m relay races - the Women's in 3:40.71 and the Men in 3:08.06

In the field events, Adam Hague (City of Sheffield and Dearne, GB Juniors) won the Men's Pole Vault with a first time clearance of 5.25m ahead of Jack Phipps (England) with 5.20m and Ben Gregory 5.00m

Danielle Opara (England) with 14.08m was runner-up in the Women's Shot to Kirsty Yates (Scotland) - 14.56m

Alex Farquharson (GB Juniors) in action in the Men's Long Jump - third with 7.50m

Bethan Partridge (England) took the Women's High Jump on countback from Sommer Lecky (Ulster & N.Ireland) - both cleared 1.80m on their second attempts, but Sommer had failed 1.72m at the first time of asking

Scott Lincoln (England) was a clear winner in the Men's Shot with 18.87m

Full results can be seen here: http://www.englandathletics.org/athletes/england-athletics-team/england-athletics-team/manchester-international

Press call for the Manchester Great City Games

In a move away from the traditional Saturday afternoon session of city athletics, this year's Great City Games in Manchester will be run from 6pm on Friday evening.

This meant that the press call was bumped forward to Thursday, but at least the sun was shining a bit for the athletes as they walked down the still-being-built-mind-the-wet-paint track.

The athletes: Greg Rutherford, Chijindu Ujah, Lucy Hatton, Tiffany Porter, Treyvon Bromell

 The runners: Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba, Zane Robertson

 Kenenisa Bekele and Anthony Crolla swap bling

 Lucy Hatton, Silver at the 2015 European Indoor Championships, 60m hurdles

 Greg Rutherford - Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth long jump champion

 Tiffany Porter - 2014 European Champion at 100m hurdles

 Trayvon Bromell - 2016 World Indoor 60m Champion

 Chijindu Ujah - 2015 British 100m Champion

Kenenisa Bekele - 2004 Olympic 10000m Champion; 2008 Olympic Champion at 5000m and 10000m; 16 times a World Champion

Tirunesh Dibaba - 2008 Olympic Champion at 5000m and 10000m, 2012 Olympic 10000m Champion

Zane Robertson - New Zealand record holder at half-marathon

Haile Gebrselassie retires after Great Manchester Run

The 42 year old Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie has announced his retirement from competitive running.
It came after finishing 16th in the Great Manchester Run last Sunday.

It brings to an end a 25 year career which included two Olympics golds (10,000m in Atlanta and Sydney), eight World Championship victories and 27 world records - he remains the world record holder at 20,000m and the one-hour race (13 miles 397 yards).

"For me a day without training is like a day without eating." is one of his most famous quotes.

Nice bloke, very easy to talk to - wish him all he best

Good news for the GreatCity Games in Manchester

Some fab news for next Saturday....my accreditation has come through to photograph the GreatCity Games in Manchester!

Been watching rather than shooting athletics for the last couple of months so it'll be good to try to get some photos of KJT as her great year continues, and perhaps something of Jess Ennis on her comeback....

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, long jump, Grand Prix, Birmingham NIA, Feb 2015

Jessica Ennis-Hill confirms participation at the Anniversary Games

Jessica Ennis-Hill has added to her growing list of comeback events this year by confirming that she will compete at the Anniversary Games Diamond League meeting in London on 24-25th July.

This comes after confirmation of her entry at the Manchester City Games and Gotzis Hypo meet, both in May.

"My race schedule is starting to take shape and it will be good to compete," she said.  "My main goal this season is to be as competitive as possible with the long term goal being at the Rio Olympics."

Jessica Ennis-Hill returns to action at the Manchester Great City Games

Jessica Ennis-Hill has announced her return to competition in Manchester this May.  The Olympic Heptathlon champion who has not competed since the 2013 Anniversary Games in London is now on he way back.  She has announced that she will compete in the 100m hurdles on Deansgate.

Jessica Ennis-Hill romping home in the 60m hurdles, UK Indoor Championships, EIS Sheffield, Feb 2012

It will be Ennis-Hill's first major event of 2015 and there will be huge interest in her form as she prepares to go head-to-head with Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the seven-event Heptathlon in Gotzis, Austria at the end of May.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson will also be competing in the Manchester Great City Games, but in the 200m hurdles and the long jump.

Nick Matthew claims a record seventh national squash title

Well done (again!) to Sheffield's Nick matthew on securing a record-breaking seventh national squash title with a dominant victory over Daryl Selby in Manchester yesterday.

Nick Matthew on his way to winning gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Before the weekend, Nick had shared the record of six victories with Cassie Jackman, but took the outright lead with a 11-5, 11-3, 11-2 win.  He claimed "To beat her record was a massive goal of mine and it makes me feel young again," 

All the best for 2015 Nick!

Nick Matthew wins British Squash Grand Prix

Sheffield's Nick Matthew became only the ninth player to win 30 Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour titles by beating Mathieu Castagnet in the British Grand Prix final.

Nick Matthew winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  See more at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_622920.html

Three-time world champion Matthew beat the Frenchman 11-7 11-6 11-5 in 50 minutes in Manchester to cap a great year for him after he won gold in Glasgow following knee surgery.