Niamh Emerson takes first England Athletics title of 2016

Niamh Emerson (Amber Valley AC, David Feeney) claimed the first England Athletics title of 2016 with Emma Canning (Whitemoss AAC, Iain McEwan) and Anna Nicole Rowe (Liverpool Harriers, Mike Holmes) in the other medal positions of the U20 Women's Pentathlon.

 The U20 Women's field

 Emma Canning (Whitemoss AAC) in the high jump

Morgan Lake (Windsor, Slough, Eton) in the long jump

 

  Morgan Lake (Windsor, Slough, Eton) in the shot put

 Anna Nicole Rowe (Liverpool Harriers) in the long jump

  Emma Canning (Whitemoss AAC) in the long jump

 

Niamh Emerson (Amber Valley) crossing the finish line in the 800m to win the title

 LtoR: Emma Canning, Niamh Emerson, Anna Nicole Rowe

In the Senior Men's heptathlon, Liam Ramsay (Sheffield & Dearne, Mike Corden) is the overnight leader ahead of Anthony Hogg (Gateshead Harriers, Sam Stanislaus).

 

Elior Harris (Stevenage & North Herts AC), 60m

 

 Luke Cutts (Sheffield and Dearne) in the long jump

In the U20 Men's heptathlon, it is the 2015 under 17 champion Sam Talbot (Exeter Harriers, Eldon Lake) who is almost 300 points clear of Tom Chandler (Central AC, Ian Grant).

 

Joe Hobson (Sheffield and Dearne) in the shot put

Full event details here:
http://www.englandathletics.org/england-athletics-news/emerson-takes-first-england-athletics-title-of-2016

Sheffield Sharks continue their fine run with victory over Bristol Flyers

Sheffield Sharks ran out 70-43 winners over Bristol Flyers at the EIS, Sheffield and continued their fine run of recent wins which has seen them climb the BBL table.

Flyers had benefited from a two-week break since ending 2015 with a defeat away at Leicester Riders but started this game sluggishly, ending the first quarter down 17-10.

Sharks increased their lead to 11 midway through the second, before a couple of threes from Mathias Seilund saw Bristol get within two points of Sheffield.

But it wa not enough as a terrible run of nearly 6 minutes without a point followed forthe visitors , falling 18 points behind.

Sharks continued to dominate and a series of turnovers let them round out the third 55-35.

The fourth went the same way and allowed Sam Toluwase a home debut. 

 Mike Tuck contests the tip

 Colin Sing gets the dunk

 Mike Tuck on the break

 TJ Robinson goes for the slam

 Jerrold Brooks - cleared for takeoff

 Apparently, this is NOT a foul

Greg  Streete checks on his foul

 Kyle Odister shoots for two

 Jerrold Brooks on another break

 Kyle Odister rounds it out to 70-43 with a foul throw

Colin Sing was a deserved MVP -  10pts,  3blocks and overall strong defence

England Athletics - Senior and U20 indoor combined events champs this weekend

Indoor athletics continues this weekend when the English senior and U20 athletes compete for the indoor pentathlon (women) or indoor heptathlon (men) crowns at the EIS in Sheffield. The England Athletics indoor Walks champs will be held in conjunction with the event on the Sunday for all age groups.

The weekend will be incorporating MCAA, Northern Athletics and Welsh Combined Events Championships and Walks, and the SEAA Walks. 

Pentathlon for senior and under 20 women:
60m Hurdles, High Jump, Shot, Long Jump, 800 Metres

Heptathlon for senior and under 20 men:
60m, Long Jump, Shot, High Jump, 60m Hurdles, Pole Vault, 1000m

Senior Men
The senior men contest 7 events over the weekend and the entry list includes the 2014 and 2015 outdoor champions Jack Andrew (Club: Sale Harriers Manchester, Coach: Ian Grant) and Liam Ramsay (Club: City Of Sheffield AC, Coach: Mike Corden) respectively, as well as Anthony Hogg (Club: Gateshead Harriers, Coach: Sam Stanislaus) who moves up to the Senior age group following a win at last year’s event as an under 20 athlete. 2015’s top ranked under 23 David Hall (Club: Dartford Harriers AC, Coach: Ian Grant) is also entered, and one to watch out for is Maxim Hall (Club: Dartford Harriers AC, Coach: James Copeland) who was 4th last year and took bronze in the outdoor decathlon championships. With 43 entries for this event, the competition will be stiff.

Liam Ramsay, 1000m, Combined Event, EIS, 2014

Senior Women
The senior women compete in an indoor pentathlon. There are many familiar faces in the 30-strong entry, including outdoor heptathlon champion Elise Lovell (Club: Hastings AC, Coach: Stephen King) and three of last year’s top 4 indoor pentathletes including Commonwealth Games bronze heptathlon medallist Jessica Taylor (Club: Sale Harriers Manchester, Coach: Mike Holmes), Jo Rowland (Club: Crawley AC, Coach: Antonio Minichello) who is no stranger to England Athletics medals, number 2 ranked Jessica Tappin (Club: Thames Valley H, Coach: Mike Holmes), and U23 Katie Stainton (Club: Birchfield Harriers, Coach: Kelly Sotherton) who won the ESAA heptathlon and took silver in the U20 England Age Group heptathlons in 2013.

Jess Taylor, UK Indoor Championships, EIS 2012

U20 Men
The 2015 under 17 champion Sam Talbot (Club: Exeter Harriers, Coach: Eldon Lake) is entered as an under 20 and is up against 5th UK ranked and last year's Scottish indoor heptathlon champion and England U17 silver medallist in 2014 Tom Chandler (Club: Central AC, Coach: Ian Grant) who has had a year already in the age group. A number of last year’s U18 decathletes also join the mix; Reuben Esien (Club: Solihull & Small Heath AC, Coach: Paul Deakin), Dylan Carlsson-Smith (Club: Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Coach: Ian Grant), Joseph Hobson (Club: City Of Sheffield AC, Coach: Mike Corden) and Will Marklew (Club: Stevenage & North Herts AC, Coach: Norma Harris) covering a wide geographical spread over England!

Joe Hobson, Northern Athletics Indoor Championships, EIS 2014

U20 Women
Thirty athletes are entered for the U20 women’s indoor pentathlon. Morgan Lake (Club: Windsor Slough Eton & H, Coach: Eldon Lake) has held world U18 records in heptathlon and pentathlon and U20 HJ record holder and is entered to compete in Sheffield. Last year’s U17 indoor champion Ada'ora Chigbo (Club: North Somerset AC, Coach: ) also took high jump silver at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa and competed in the IAAF World Youth Championships in Colombia. Niamh Emerson (Club: Amber Valley AC, Coach: David Feeney) was 2nd last year both indoors and out and also has a strong high jump. Annabelle Pask (Club: Coventry Godiva H, Coach: Paul Harrison) was U17 champion in 2014 and English School’s gold last year. Third nationally ranked Michelle Hughes (Club: Havering AC, Coach: Tony Benton) is still 17 years old but already third nationally ranked for the U20 indoor pentathlon in 2015.

Morgan Lake, Sainsburys School Games, Don Valley, Sheffield 2013

Walks
There are 53 entrants for the Walks events - 1k for U17, U15 and U13 and 3k for senior and U20. British senior indoor and outdoor champion Tom Bosworth (Club: Torbay AC, Coach: Andi Drake) should be putting the other athletes through their paces but a number of top overall ranked men are vying for the U20 crown; Cameron Corbishley (Club: Medway & Maidstone AC, Tom Partington (Club: Manx Harriers, Coach: Steve Partington), Guy Thomas (Club: Tonbridge AC, Coach: Martin Rush) and Callum Wilkinson (Club: Enfield & Haringey AC, Coach: Mick Graham). Emma Achurch (Club: Leicester Walking Club, Coach: Steve Arnold) is the current Senior Women's indoor champion and will be hoping to regain that title.

Tom Bosworth, UK Championshps, Birmingham, 2015

More details can be found at: http://www.englandathletics.org/england-athletics-news/senior-and-u20-indoor-combined-events-champs-this-weekend

Sheffield Sharks start the New Year in style!

On a day when we said 'au revoir' to Mike Cook, the Sheffield Sharks came right out of the blocks today at EIS Sheffield to record a 107-55 over Surrey Scorchers.  Eddie Brownell got a 3-pointer for the doughnuts on a day where everyone played and scored in only the 3rd Sharks 50-pointer this century!

 Colin Sing completes a reverse slam in practice

 Colin Sing at the tip

 Jerrold Brooks on an early run

George Brownell hit some good long shots

 Jerrold Brooks denied on this occasion

 Kyle Odister made several great steals and shot some points

 Atiba Lyons and Ariel Parrucci direct the team at the end of the first quarter

 

Colin Sing makes a run through the Surrey ranks

  

Mike Tuck takes a steal in the third and jogs to the basket...

 ...and again.  Sheffield gained a raft of easy points from simple plays.

 

John Barber contributed several points from good play under the basket

  

TJ Robinson making two from some close attention

 Jerrold Brooks on a mission

 And again

 And again.

 TJ Robinson on his way to two more points

 Kyle Odister with a long shot

  Kyle Odister and running the ball through the middle

 Marko Backovic with a free throw in the third

 Jerrold Brooks bursting through again

 John Barber claiming an allez-oop

 Eddie Brownell with a long shot

 

 MVP with 20 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds was Jerrold Brooks.