With road, cross country and indoors all taking place the action is coming thick and fast and it’s hard to keep up! There was a very competitive half marathon over in Houston as well as plenty of indoor action in Europe. Locally we saw some very quick road race performance. Read on for race results!
International
One of the most exciting races of the week was the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. The men’s race came down to a dip finish between Addisu Gobena (Ethiopia) and Conner Mantz (USA) with both athletes clocking 59:17 and Mantz running a new American record. Gabriel Geay (Tanzania) was only one second behind in 59:18 for third. Patrick Dever (Great Britain) went fourth all-time on the UK rankings clocking 1:00:11. The women’s race came down to a final burst of speed by Senayet Getachew (Ethiopia) finishing in 1:06:05 to beat Weini Kelati (USA) in 1:06:09 which was also a new America record. Buze Diriba Kejela (Ethiopia) was third in 1:06:48. There was also a marathon. The Chevron Houston Marathon was won by Haimro Alame (Israel) in 2:08:17 and Kumeshi Sichala (Ethiopia) in 2:20:42. The leading British athlete was Jessica Warner-Judd who finished 11th in 69:07.
The Mitja Marato Internacional Vila de Santa Pola half marathon in Spain was won in under 60 minutes by Vincent Langat (Kenya) in 59:55. Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya) was second in 1:00:00 and Jonathan Kipcoech Kamosong (Kenya) was third in 1:01:25. Brit Ben Connor is back to form running 1:01:54 for fourth. The women’s podium was made up of Kidsan Alema (Ethiopia) in 1:07:07, Mulat Tekle Godu (Ethiopia) in 1:07:34 and Nancy Sang (Kenya) in 1:08:03.
The European indoors season continues with action in Germany at the Sparkassen Indoor Meeting Dortmund. In the women’s races there was an 800m victory and PB for Malin Nyfors (Norway) in 2:04.14 and a 1500m world lead for Patricia Silva (Portugal) in 4:12.26. The men’s 800m was won by Patryk Sieradzki (Poland) in 1:47.52 with Marius Probst (Germany) taking a home win over 1500m in 3:38.77 as James Gormley (Great Britain) finishing third in 3:40.56.
In Spain the Meeting Internacional de Ourense included a men’s 800m won by Tom Dradriga (Uganda) in 1:46.48 and a women’s 1500m won by Adele Gay (France) in 4:18.58. Meanwhile in Italy, in Italy, the Memorial Alessio Giovannini included a men’s 800m won by Francesco Pernici (Italy) in 1:47.61, a women’s 1500m won by Valentina Gemetto (Italy) in 4:24.45. Giuseppe Gravante (Italy) ran a meeting record to the win the men’s 3000m in 7:57.03.
The CMCM Indoor Meeting in Luxembourg featured a women’s 1500m won by Marta Zenoni (Italy) in a new Italian record of 4:03.59. The men’s 1500m was won by Pieter Sisk (Belgium) in 3:36.71, a new meeting record. A quick men’s 800m saw Elvin Josue Canales (Spain) clock 1:44.65 to win in Spanish record. And the men’s 3000m saw Florian Bremm (Germany) just beat Ruben Verheyden (Belgium) in 7:39.01 for a meeting record.
The collegiate indoor meets continue to pick up pace in America. Standout performances at the Arkansas Invitational included a 3:55 mile clocking by Reuben Reina (USA), Austen Dalquist (USA) winning the 3000m in 7:53.64, and Krissy Gear (USA) winning the 800m in 2:00.67. The Jimmy Carnes Invitational saw a British victory in the 1000m by Bethan Morley in 2:41.20 with fellow Brit Tia Wilson finishing second in the 800m in 2:10.44.
The Washington Indoor Preview included Nike athlete Sinclaire Johnson (USA) winning the 1000m in a quick 2:35.11, Kyle Reinheimer (USA) running 1:46.45 for 800m and a very quick men’s 3000m won by Thomas Boyden (USA) in 7:41.85 with Brit Henry McLuckie third in 7:48.05. An invite field in the mile included Gabija Galvydyte (Lithuania) winning the women’s race by a few seconds in 4:27.96. The men’s race was closer with Nathan Green (USA) winning in 3:50.74 ahead of Sam Prakel (USA) in 3:51.28 and Ronan McMahon-Staggs (Ireland) in 3:51.85.
George Couttie (Great Britain) won the 3000m at the Virginia Tech Invitational in 7:52.29. There were some quick 3000m races at the Battle in Beantown at Boston University with Ben Allen (USA) and Aleksandra Szulska (Poland) winning in 7:49.27 and 9:58.07. The men’s 800m at the Nittany Lion Challenge was won by Darius Smallwood () in 1:46.55.
National
There were more quick times at another British Milers’ Meet this weekend. The event in Sheffield saw Isabelle Boffey (Enfield & Haringey) run 2:02.82 to win the 800m ahead of Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley) in 2:03.57. The men’s race was won by Ted Chamberlain (Jersey) in 1:51.04. Tom Dodd (Birchfield Harriers) won the 1500m in 3:43.13 with Gemma Finch (Basingstoke & Mid Hants) being the quickest woman in 4:16.72.
A stacked men’s 3000m which saw nine men break 8 minutes was won by Baldvin Magnusson (Iceland) in 7:45.13 ahead of Sean Tobin (Ireland) in 7:51.39 and Tyler Bilyard (Great Yarmouth) in 7:53.19. The women’s race was won by Lucy Jones (Herne Hill) in 9:11.48 with Emily Parker (Poole AC) second in 9:12.58 and India Weir (Thames Valley) third in 9:13.45.
The Welsh Indoor Championships took place in Cardiff over the weekend. Holly Sanigar (Bristol & West AC) and Thomas Loynes (Neath) were the 800m champions. Oliver Williams (Les Croupiers) and Megan Marchant (Western Tempo) won the 1500m titles.
The Newcastle 10k was won in a quick 29:45 by Samuel Gebreselassie (Belgrave Harriers) ahead of Omar Ahmed (Birchfield Harriers) in 29:54 and Finn Brodie (Morpeth Harriers) in 29:57. Camilla McKnespiey (Leeds City AC) won the women’s race in 34:15 with Mollie Williams (Stockport Harriers) second in 34:36 and Charlotte Penfold (North Shields Polytechnic) third in 35:12.
The Brass Monkey half marathon was won by Lawrence McCourt (Morpeth Harriers) in 1:05:27 ahead of Freddie Roden (Abbey Runners) in 1:06:56 and Dan Garbutt (Durham City Harriers) in 1:07:00. The women’s race was won by Heather Townsend (Leeds City AC) in 1:14:15 with Charlotte Dillon (Houghton Harriers) second in 1:15:14 and Charlie Thornton (Lincoln Wellington AC) third in 1:16:20.
Local
On Saturday evening there was a night race at Brean Down. Storm the Fort which forms part of the Dark Skies Night Run Series and involves running up to a 19th century fort saw 5k victories for Jacob Peach in 25:22 and Hazel Shears in 26:42. The 10k races were won by Glyn Edwards in 46:16 and Mafalda Johnson in 50:31.
The Linda Franks 5 Mile road race run around quiet residential roads in Cheltenham was won in a quick 23:38 by Jacob Cann (Newham & Essex Beagles AC) ahead of Jacob Pickering (Western Tempo) in 25:12 and Andy Raynor (Forest of Dean AC) in 26:14. Stephanie Lane (Cheltenham & County Harriers) won the women’s race in 29:14 with Georgina Greenwood (Stroud & Distrct AC) second in 29:27 and Amber Watson (Western Tempo) third in 29:29.
Over in Wales the Lliswerry 8 mile road race which is nicknamed the “flattest race on the planet” and takes place on country roads around villages outside Newport was won by Ben Miles (Micky Morris Racing Team) in 38:18 and Olivia Tsim (Pontypridd Roadents AC) in 44:00. Jonathan Butler (Swansea) and Ceri Merwood (CDF Runners) were second in 40:20 and 48:37. And Michael Ward (Cardiff Amateur AC) and Kristie O’Connell-James (Pontypridd Roadents AC) finished third in 40:30 and 48:42.
The Kymin Winter Race is a 4 mile trail race in Monmouth and includes sausage and chips in the entry fee! Wyndham Turner (Mynydd Du) won the race ahead of Jonathan Ford (Mynydd Du) and Iain Large (Westbury Harriers). Lucy Williamson (Mynydd Du) won the women’s race with Rhian Probert (Mynydd Du) second and Katie Ironside (Mynyddwyr De Cymru) third.