British Indoor Season

[dunedine]

Holly Bleasdale has also set a new total British record of 4.87m in Lyon, third of the night as she also cleared 4.80 & 4.72m en route, in France to go back top of the world rankings. She's put the bar up at 5.01m as we speak!

Robbie Grabarz has soared over a big PB of 2.34m to win at Wuppertal and claim the top of the global rankings in the high jump.

In doing so, he beat Daegu silver medallist Aleksey Dmitrik into second at 2.32m for a further confidence boost.

That was an improvement of 5cm on his recent previous best in Birmingham and an Olympic A qualifier in the process, third highest indoors and equal third (with Germayne Mason) ever in the British all-time lists.

Good news also from the Armory where Andy Baddeley looked good again to hold off a resurgent James Brewer in the mile in 3:57.22 to 3:57.92 respectively - very pleased to see the latter fully fit again, was always in the top three but couldn't find a way round Badders in the end.

Tiffany Offili-Porter set a world-leading 8.06 secs (WL) in her heat and came later on to win the final in 8.08 secs over 60mh at the Simmons-Harvey Inv in Michigan.

[mump boy]

WOW

only 7 athletes have ever jumped higher indoors or out !

[dunedine]

WOW

only 7 athletes have ever jumped higher indoors or out !

WOW indeed!!

Actually only four, and only Isinbayeva indoors, as she raised the UK record further over 4.87m and even attempted at a mighty 5.01m - off 14 strides still as I understand!

Nikol Kyriakopoulou, who cleared 4.70m last summer, has told me that Holly could challenge the world record if she can reach such heights off no full run-up.

Kate Dennison was also out for the first time since her injury in Daegu to set 4.34m. I don't know yet how Katie Byres did.

[Rineanna]

off 14 strides still as I understand!

4.87 off a shortened run-up?

Istanbul, Helsinki and London are going to be very interesting in the wPV.

[mump boy]

2nd of all time indoors and 4th overall utterly ridic AMAZING but ridic

[72]

glad to notice that , so far, the regular posters and great fans of track and field on this Forum have been utterly impressed by the outstanding performance yesterday by Bleasedale, not to mentin Mr Grabarz.

[dunedine]

Simeon Williamson has just run 6.70 in his semi on his return in the 60m at the SEAAs easing down, looks like more to come later on. Glad to see him back!

[tandfman]

What's scary about Bleasdale is that she's only 20 years old (won't turn 21 until November). Her progression over the years has been just astonishing. 2009 - 4.05, 2010 - 4.35, 2011 - 4.70. And now 4.87 and it's just January. At the rate she's going, she'll hold the WR before very long. Now obviously, her rate of improvement can't stay like that forever. But her future prospects are very, very exciting. If everyone is healthy, the women's pv could be sensational in London.

[Jon]

The other scary thing is that this 4.87m wasn't off her full approach!

She is so down to earth and still doesn't realise how good she is.

[dunedine]

Simeon Williamson ran 6.64 secs in the final, his fastest ever season starter despite missing effectively two years of action, James Ellington 6.69 (PB) in his first dash race (ran 2 400s in quick succession last weekend) and Abi Oyepitan 7.34 (if I'm not mistaken) at the SEAAs earlier on.

Danny Talbot also ran 6.73 and 6.74, his fastest two times ever, before he moves up to his specialty of 200m in Glasgow next weekend.

[IanS_Liv]

I wonder what Jenn Suhr is thinking? Isi opened with 4.70.

Is a full approach 16 or 18 or even 20 strides? I'm completely ignorant over the technical details of vaulting. Is it just that the extra strides help you develop more momentum/speed?

[dunedine]

Full run-up, turning on the athlete, definitely helps develop best possible momentum and speed to rise powerfully and effectively up to the bar but one gradually builds up towards that into the season, Ian.

But to take, eg, 16 strides you have got to be able to sustain your speed along the way, transfer that momentum onto the pole and be strong and mobile enough so that you can bend it properly to rise up high maintaining your form and technique. If you can't, a longer run-up is no use for you.

Vaulters also use different poles within a competition depending on the height attempted and/or their tactics and not anyone can handle any given pole. So you've got to use what is useful for you.

Going back to Abi Oyepitan, her time was 7.31 secs in the 60m at the SEAAs, her fastest since 2004 and only 0.04 secs off her PB set that year, setting her on the way to the Olympic 200m final in Athens and a big PB of 22.50 in the quarters.

[dunedine]

By the way, if you'd like to check out the Athletics Stargate view of some of the above events, here they are:

Holly Bleasdale's new UK record
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/bleasdale-blazes-into-new-spheres-in-lyon/
Robbie Grabarz's world-leading display
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/grabarz-on-top-of-the-world/
New Balance Mile
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/baddeley-and-brewer-dominate-the-new-balance-games-mile/

[oldvaulter]

deleted

[dunedine]

A performance that has gone under the radar is Joe Thomas's solo 1:47.82 in the heats ofthe 800m in Cardiff this weekend (didn't race later) from the off, an indoor best. I feel there's a 1:45 on the cards down the indoor season there!

[dunedine]

Steve Lewis started off to 5.50 off 16 strides in the PV in Germany tonight, looked pleased with his opener.

[dunedine]

The last week or so in some more detail (apart from Glasgow and some performances in the US that I'll be adding shortly) from a British perspective:

Joe Thomas and Andy Pozzi winning in Vienna last night:
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/thomas-and-pozzi-keep-up-winning-habit-in-vienna/

Tiffany Porter sets UK best over 50mh at the 'Garden':
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/tiffany-porter-sweeps-to-uk-best-at-the-garden/

The return of Asha Philip & London Games & Celtic Cup:
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/philip-stages-staggering-return-to-form/

Samson Oni gets Olympic qualifier in Hustopece:
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/oni-leaps-closer-to-dream/

Run-up to last weekend:
http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/midweek-action/

[nevetsllim]

Super performance from Andrew Pozzi (pre-2012 PB 7.87) at the Birmingham Games - 7.58 in the 60mH. Only 19 and he's at No.7 on the UK all-time lists (not too far behind Turner at 7.55 and Ridgeon at 7.56). Looks like Malcolm Arnold has done a good job with him!

Edit: Time has been since rounded down to 7.62.

[dunedine]

The official time for Andy Pozzi is 7.62 secs, as I see now in the results, but it's still as superb and inside the qualifying standard for Istanbul.

Andy Baddeley also comfortably drew inside the standard in an indoor best of 7:47.09 over 3000m in Boston last night.

[mump boy]

The official time for Andy Pozzi is 7.62 secs, as I see now in the results, but it's still as superb and inside the qualifying standard for Istanbul.

Andy Baddeley also comfortably drew inside the standard in an indoor best of 7:47.09 over 3000m in Boston last night.

I can't keep up with all these young UK hurdlers there are too many of them and i have no idea which one is which :-S

[dunedine]

The official time for Andy Pozzi is 7.62 secs, as I see now in the results, but it's still as superb and inside the qualifying standard for Istanbul.

Andy Baddeley also comfortably drew inside the standard in an indoor best of 7:47.09 over 3000m in Boston last night.

I can't keep up with all these young UK hurdlers there are too many of them and i have no idea which one is which :-S

haha... Well, as concerns the three main prospects of the new generation in the high hurdles, Andy Pozzi, Jack Meredith and Lawrence Clarke that is, they're all training under Malcolm Arnold, and I would add Gianni Frankis who's under Tony Jarrett and looks on the brink of a breakthrough himself.

Pozzi set a UK U20 record of 13.29 over the junior 99cm hurdles last summer and also set 13.73 over the senior sticks, fourth fastest ever behind the trio of Colin Jackson, Jon Ridgeon and Jarrett.

In my view, that's the best generation since that great crop of around 1985-87 when all of Britains' top three high hurdlers ever emerged, mentioned just above, although maybe not yet of the very same level. But they could develop into top class seniors as well without a doubt.

The reason is that Jackson, Ridgeon and Jarrett could compete against top seniors on a very competitive footing and ran most of their times over the senior hurdles too.

Although maybe less known to many, Ridgeon was maybe the most talented, but also the most injury-prone, of the three in my view. The guy could just do anything. He ran 13.92 as a 17-year-old (1984), 13.46 as an 18-year-old (1985, faster than Jackson) and made the European senior final in 1986 although not at his very best due to injuries. Also won silver at the senior Worlds at 20 in 1987 in an equal British record (his at the time).

[dunedine]

Another notable performance was Richard Kilty's 6.61 secs in the 60m in Birmingham, a massive PB by a full 0.2 secs. He's been more of a 200m specialist in previous seasons but now looks poised for a big breakthrough. Linford Christie looked very excited at his time!

Young Isobel Pooley cleared 1.88m and even attempted 1.92 later on and could be a hope for Britain to find a representative in the high jump for London.

Very good day for U20 heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson with a UK U20 record of 6.39m in the LJ, a PB of 11.56 in the shot and 8.63 secs in the hurdles.

Tiffany Porter marginally lost to Christina Manning in the 60mh at Champagn in Illinois in a European-leading 8.00, the latter set 7.99 secs.

Carl Myerscough got the qualifier for Istanbul with a 20.03m put in California, I believe that was outdoors but counts, and added a 60.90m in the discus.

[dunedine]

You probably all know what happened in Birmingham yesterday but you may not know what happened today!

Rob Grabarz cleared 2.30m in the HJ on the bounce after winning at 2.32 and even trying 2.39 at the AVIVA GP last night. He's definitely on fire and something around 2.36 looks well on the cards there.

Nicola Sanders knocked a chunk off her SB to 52.48 secs in the 400m also on the back of heavy lactic in her race yesterday, she looks more and more like herself.

'Maz' Okoro also ran 53.3 (I don't know the exact time yet) having raced over 800m yesterday.

Huge breakthroughs by James Forman and Luke Smallwood with 46.74 and 46.78 over 400m, both indoor world qualifiers.

In Nevers, yesterday, Steve Lewis climbed over an Olympic A standard of 5.72m off 16 strides, Kate Dennison did 4.52m off only 12 and Katie Byres set a new UK U20 record of also 4.52m - third highest ever by an U20 in the world!

http://athleticsstargate.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/lewis-dennison-and-byres-in-nevers-never-land/

[26mi235]

Rob Grabarz cleared 2.30m in the HJ on the bounce[?] after winning at 2.32 and even trying 2.39 at the AVIVA GP last night. He's definitely on fire and something around 2.36 looks well on the cards there.

2.30 after 2.32? [2.36?]

[t_monk]

If Asha had not been DQ'd at the trials she'd have been on that team to the Worlds Indoor Champs. It will be interesting to see how she progresses outdoor.

[Flumpy]

Surely she's going anyway.

She trounced Laura yesterday, has the fastest time by a Brit this year and the 4th fastest ever. Why would she not be on the team?

[t_monk]

Surely she's going anyway.

She trounced Laura yesterday, has the fastest time by a Brit this year and the 4th fastest ever. Why would she not be on the team?

I thought it would be Janaet Kwake and Jodi Williams in the 60m.

[Jon]

UKA doesn't go by a "first two past the post" policy. In their two races this year, Philip has beaten Williams both times. Combined with her run in Birmingham, where she was competitive against the world's best, she's a logical choice to be on the team.

[t_monk]

UKA doesn't go by a "first two past the post" policy. In their two races this year, Philip has beaten Williams both times. Combined with her run in Birmingham, where she was competitive against the world's best, she's a logical choice to be on the team.

Oh! Understood! I thought it was the first two (2), then added with the idea that both Williams and Kwayke have some championships experience (Kwayke being an Oly finalist and an indoor medalist while Williams is being so undefeated until 2010). It would be hard to decide between these two (2) if they were going to depose one of them. On one hand, Kwayke has experience and on the other hand Williams could use the international experience...

[Flumpy]

Oh I'd forgotten all about Jodie

I'm pretty certain she wasn't planning on doing the WI's anyway and even is she Asha has deffo earned her place

Isn't it good to actually be debating which UK female sprinters should be picked. We don't usually have any choice.

[mump boy]

Oh I'd forgotten all about Jodie

I'm pretty certain she wasn't planning on doing the WI's anyway and even is she Asha has deffo earned her place

Isn't it good to actually be debating which UK female sprinters should be picked. We don't usually have any choice.

I also love that Jodie and Asha are training partners (along with Desiree Henry. ), great friends (did u see Jodie's reaction to Asha's DQ) and great rivals. This can only be a good thing have I mentioned 4x1 in Rio

[dunedine]

Rob Grabarz cleared 2.30m in the HJ on the bounce[?] after winning at 2.32 and even trying 2.39 at the AVIVA GP last night. He's definitely on fire and something around 2.36 looks well on the cards there.

2.30 after 2.32? [2.36?]

The way he looked in his 2.39m attempts last night I feel he's definitely got a 2.36m in him.

[nevetsllim]

Really loving the improving depth in women's pole-vaulting in the UK. Byres - who shares the same coach as Bleasdale and Sutcliffe - also moves ahead of Isinbayeva on the world junior all-time lists. Sally Peake also cleared 4.42m in that French meeting and 16-year-old Lucy Bryan cleared a 4.11m PB on Saturday.

Off-topic slightly, but I've heard Bengtsson is an injury doubt for the rest of the season. Can anyone confirm?

[Speedster]

Oh I'd forgotten all about Jodie

I'm pretty certain she wasn't planning on doing the WI's anyway and even is she Asha has deffo earned her place

Isn't it good to actually be debating which UK female sprinters should be picked. We don't usually have any choice.

I also love that Jodie and Asha are training partners (along with Desiree Henry. ), great friends (did u see Jodie's reaction to Asha's DQ) and great rivals. This can only be a good thing have I mentioned 4x1 in Rio

Williams, Phillips and Henry's coach Mike McFarlane is now womens 4x100m relay coach (consultant if not full coach) for the GB team. Based on form, these three plus Kwakye could be the GB team for London?

[dunedine]

I'm under the impression that Asha Philip does no longer train under Mike McFarlane since summer, at least as far as some rumours are concerned.