England Athletics - Manchester International 2017

From up and coming athletes making their mark through to the 2004 Olympic 4 x100 champions digging out their spikes to return to the track there was a superb evening of action at the 2017 running of the Manchester International, organised by England Athletics.

Perhaps nothing typified the action on offer more than the women’s 800m. There was an epic battle between European Under 20 champion Khahisa Mhlanga (GB&NI Under 20, Chelmsford, Mick Judd), 2011 World Championships 1500m silver medallist Hannah England (England, Oxford City, Bud Baldaro) and British Universities 1500m champion Mari Smith (BAL/UKWL, Birchfield Harriers, Bud Baldaro). After a cagey opening England attacked off a slow pace with 200m to go and in a home straight battle looked to be edging away from Mhlanga before the Under 20 clawed back past to take the win in a crowd thrilling finish as England did just enough to hold off Smith by the smallest of margins – the top three clocking 2:11.70, 2:11.80 and 2:11.81.

The men’s long jump, too, saw a closely fought and very high quality competition. Adam McMullen (Northern Ireland and Ulster, Birchfield Harriers) opened with an excellent 7.94m (wind +2.4m/s), which led until Dan Bramble (England, Shaftesbury Barnet, Frank Attoh) matched his effort in round three, before winning it at the last with a legal 7.95m.

Another junior making the most of the competition was Joel Leon Benitez (GB&NI Under 20, Notts AC, Alan Richardson) who set a new meeting record in the men’s pole vault as he defied the blustery conditions to make a third time clearance at 5.50 before making three attempts at a GB Junior record of 5.60 which had the crowd showing their full appreciation.

At the other end of the spectrum the event saw Jason Gardener, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis roll back the years to take victory in a fundraising Golden Relay. Having been called into action by Campbell the team were given an enthusiastic reception from the crowd and took the time to pose for pictures and sign autographs with many of the young, and older, athletics fans who had come along to see them.

 In other events Andy Robertson (England, Sale, Sam Robertson) and Diani Walker (England, Birchfield H, Lloyd Cowan) made the most of the strong following wind to take the maximum points in the 100m in swift times of 10.15 (+2.5) and 11.44 (+2.2) respectively. With the wind dropping to a legal level Alisha Rees (GB&NI Under 20, Edinburgh AC, Willy Russell) stormed to a lifetime best of 23.32 (+1.6) to take the women’s 200m clear of Beth Dobbin (Scotland, Edinburgh AC, Leon Baptiste) 23.50.

England Team captain Nathan Douglas (Oxford City, Aston Moore) led by example as he leapt out to 16.80 (+1.7) early in the programme to claim the triple jump from the 15.30 of Jonathan Ilori (BAL/UKWL, Blackheath & Bromley, John Shepherd).

Margaret Adeoye (England, Enfield & Haringey, Linford Christie) ran away from the field into the back straight headwind on her way to taking the women’s 400m in an impressive looking 52.70 ahead of European Under 20 200m champion Maya Bruney (GB&NI Under 20, Blackheath & Bromley, John Blackie) who ran 54.04. By contrast in the men’s race Ben Snaith (England, Enfield & Haringey, Mick Graham) edged past Jamal Rhoden-Stevens (Int Select, Shaftesbury Barnet, David Serrant, 47.53) and then Edmond Amaning (BAL/UKWL, Thames Valley, 47.25) to win by just one hundredth of a second with 47.24 in a great home straight tussle.

A strong kick at the 200m mark from Verity Ockenden (England, Swansea, Tony Houchin) carried her clear to victory as she came home in 9:10.70 ahead of Naomi Taschimowitz (BAL/UKWL, Shaftesbury Barnet, Charlotte Fisher, 9:13.70) and Amelia Quirk (GB&NI Under 20s, Bracknell AC, Beverley Kitching) who clocked 9:21.32 after setting the early running.

Charlene Thomas (Wakefield, Aaron Thomas) produced a front running display in the mile but was unable to run the finishing speed out of European Under 20 Champion Jemma Reekie (GB&NI Under 20, Kilbarchan, Andy Young) who charged for the line over the last 200m to take the win in 4:40.55.

Laura Whittingham (England, Sale, Mike McNeill) led the javelin with a first round 51.56 until the last round when New Zealander Tori Peeters unleashed a 51.72 to take victory.

It was another lifetime best for Iona Lake (England, City of Norwich, Pauline Ash) as she ran away from the field to win the steeplechase in a very impressive 9:48.89 to finish the year more than 20 seconds faster than she came into it.

Robert Sakala (GB&NI Under 20, Croydon, Piotr Spas) demonstrated his quality with a fine display of sprint hurdling in taking the 110m hurdles in 13.60 with a +3.5 behind him.

This is a selection pf photos from the night.  They are available to buy from: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_725274.html

 Margaret Adeoye, Women's 400m

 Joel Khan, Men's High Jump

 Ben Snaith, Men's 400m

 Sarah Abrams, Women's Long Jump

 Josie Oliarnyk, Women's Long Jump

 Jade Nimmo, Women's Long Jump

 Jade Nimmo, Katie Stainton, Josie Oliarnyk - podium, Women;s Long Jump

 Rebecca Campsall, Women's 100m

 Andy Robertson, Men's 100m

 Callum Brown, Men's Hammer

 Tom Gale, Men's High Jump

 Mike Edwards, Men's High Jump

Khai Riely-La Borge, Men's 110m hurdles

 Luke Traynor, Men's 3000m

 Sophie Merritt, Women's Shot Putt

 Eden Francis, Women's Shot Putt

 Amelia Strickler, Women's Shot Putt

 Jessica Hunter, Women's 100m hurdles

 Iona Lake and pace-maker, Women's 3000m steeplechase

Kerry O'Flaherty, Women's 3000m steeplechase

Emily Moyes & Emily Brown, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Iona Lake and pace-maker, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Lauren Riches, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Emily Moyes, Women's 3000m steeplechase

Lauren Stoddart, Women's 3000m steeplechase

Iona Lake, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Kerry O'Flaherty, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Emily Moyes, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Iona Lake, Women's 3000m steeplechase

 Diani Walker, Women's 200m

 Elliott Powell, Men's 200m

 Hannah England, Women's 800m

 Khahisa Mhlanga, Women's 800m

 Andreas Bube, Men's 800m

 James Beeks, Men's 3000m steeplechase

 Douglas Musson, Men's 3000m steeplechase

 Clare Maurer, Women's Pole Vault

 Rachel Gibbens, Women's Pole Vault

 Sarah McKeever, Women's Pole Vault

 Molly Caudery, Women's Pole Vault

 Scott Lincoln, Men's Shot Putt

 Kelsey Stewart, Women's 4x400m

 Andrew Mellon, Men's 4x400m

 Jason Gardener, 4x100m Golden Relay

 Mark Lewsis-Francis, 4x100m Golden Relay

Scott Quigg, Aaron Campbell, Richard Callender, Anthony Crolla, 4x100m Golden Relay

 Mark Lewsis-Francis, Marlon Devonish, Darren Campbell, Jason Gardener, 4x100m Golden Relay

 Jonathan Davies, Men's mile

 Katy Wyper, Women's 4x100m relay

Chris Stone, Men's 4x100m relay

Full results can be found at: Results

Cliffhanger 2017

Got back into the groove a bit this weekend with Sheffield's annual/activity climb-fest that is Cliffhanger.  It's always had good support, especially since it moved into the city centre a couple of years ago.  Will be busy this week getting some pix together, but here's one of Shauna Coxsey for now.

Runcorn born and now Sheffield based, Shauna is the 2017 World Cup Bouldering Champion for the second successive year.  Out from this year's British Bouldering Championships she wowwed the crowd at the start of the finals.

Congratulations to Reece Prescod

Yesterday I was at the Doorthy Hyman stdium in Cudworth for one of the early outdoor athletics meetings (North of England Senior League) and, true to early British 'summertime', it was blooming freezing.  I volunteered to rake the sandpit for the jumps just to keep warm!

No such problems today for Reece Prescod who has opened his outdoor season with 10.09 in the 100m at Newham - a performance good enough to knock on the door of the World Championship qualifications.

 Reece Prescod, Manchester International, August 2016

The Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships final - before and after

It was Day 17 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships and the fourth and final session of the final between defending champion Mark Selby and four-time winner John Higgins.

The stage is set, the audience are taking their seats.  MC Rob Walker is warming up teh crows and has one final request for all mobiles to be put on silent.

 The press are gathered to capture the formalities beforehand.

Barry Hearn, Chairman of World Snooker, makes a presentation of thanks to Star snooker tables for the 10 years that they have been involved with World Snooker.

 Jason Ferguson, head of the WPBSA.

After the play has finished and the presentations have been made, before all the masses and masses of de-construction to make the Crucible a theatre again.....the confetti still adorns the table.

 Referee Jan Verhaas at the Champion's Dinner afterwards at the Mercure hotel.

 Nico McBrain, drummer with Iron Maiden, with Mark Selby and then in action

Betfred 2017 World Snooker Championships- Final, Day 2

Well, it's all over again for another year and Mark Selby came back from 4-10 down to win 18-15 against John Higgins at the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships at the Crucible theatre, Sheffield.  It was a late night, made even later by a generous offer from Betfred to attend the Champions Dinner at the Mercure hotel afterwards.

A selection of photos from the snooker part of the evening.

 John Higgins and Mark Selby get the star-studded entrance

 The handshake and trophy shot

 John Higgins breaks off in frame #25 at the start of play in the last session.

 The players come back out after the mid-session interval

 Referee Jan Verhaas checks for a touching ball

 Mark Selby celebrates his 18-15 win

 With good friend Bobby Lee