Hillingdon Stadium, Middlesex - Wednesday 23 July 2008
Final Event report
By Event Coordinator - A/Insp Ron Neil
The Metropolitan Police hosted the Police Sport UK Track & Field Championships in Uxbridge on 23 July 2008. Last year saw an increase on recent years entries with over 170 athletes entering. This year’s event proved to be even more successful by attracting around 230 entrants.
The day started with a bang. Ben Ellis (Hampshire) and Jonathan Browne (Met) started the day with exceptional performances in the 100m. Chris Carson (Fife) has won the sprints in recent years. Carson found himself trailing home in 6th in the final, such was the quality of the event this year. Ellis won in 10.6 sec with Browne following home in 2nd with 10.8 sec. This meant that Ellis broke the record of 10.7 sec that had stood since 1969. Ellis then went on to win the 200m in 21.3 sec. This again broke the previous record that had stood since 1970. These two performances saw Ellis awarded the trophy for most exceptional performances of the Championship. The 400m was won by Paul Clarke (Dyfed Powys) in 51.6 sec from 2nd place Simon Reed (TVP) with 52.2sec. Clarke tried to take the double by attempting to take the 800m title. A sprint finish proved too much for Clarke as he finished 2nd with 1min 58.4 sec behind James Miller (Glos) who ran 1min 57 sec. Miller doubled up and won the 1500m title with relative ease after Richard Vint (TVP) pulled up with injury at the bell.
The Open 5000m proved to be a spectacle as Ben Whitby (City Of London) took on previous winners Peter Tucker (Met) and Steve Cairns (Lothian & Borders). Whitby a previous Commonwealth games runner, proved too strong for the duo. Cairns was dropped with a few laps to go as Tucker and Whitby fought it out. Whitby showed Tucker his heels with 200m to go and won in 15min 13sec. The Met took gold and silver in the Veterans 5000m with Terry Fowler winning over Mick Lane in a sprint finish. Fowler finished in 17min 02sec. Mensah Elliott (Met) returned from a long-term injury to compete this year. Elliott a previous Commonwealth games participant in the 110m Hurdles, won the 110m Hurdles with ease in 15.0 sec. This was only 0.3 sec outside the existing record. George Dunn (Met) completed a double for the Met in the hurdles events as he took gold in the 400m Hurdles for the 3rd year in succession.
Steve Cairns contested the Steeplechase after his brave 5000m run. Cairns has been uncontested in the event for many years. This year a Met new comer, Joel Clewett managed to beat Cairns into 2nd place. Clewett won the event with 9min 44 sec from Cairns who finished with 9min 55 sec. Gary Witton (Sussex) stamped his authority all over the 3000m walk again winning by over a minute. Marc Beer (Derby) took two gold medals as he won the High Jump and Pole Vault with relative ease. Sam Bobb beat his Met rival Elliott in the long jump with a leap of 6.58 against Elliott’s 6.52. Bobb took another gold in his preferred event of the Triple jump beating 10 time winner Michael McDonald (PSNI) with a leap of 13m 78cm.
Simon Fricker (Dorset) narrowly beat Ali Ferguson (Met) in the Shot Putt with 12m 90cm against Ferguson’s 12m 79cm. Fricker added to his Gold tally by also taking the Discus. Ferguson again fell a bit behind but managed to add to his tally with a bronze in the discus. Rob Careless (Derby) smashed the field in the Hammer with a throw of 52m 83 cm. The Met duo of Tom Harrington and Steve McEvoy took the silver and bronze respectively with throws of just over 42m. Tim Phillips (Hampshire) and Stewart McMillan (Fife) were a class apart in the Javelin. Phillips edging the gold with a throw of 53m 46cm over McMillan’s 52m throw.
The day was finished off in the Men’s events with the Met winning the medley relay in a time of 3min 55sec. The team of Clewett (Steeple winner), Dunn (400m Hurdles winner), Elliott (110m Hurdles winner) and Stuart Timms a 400m finalist were too strong for the Gloucester composite team. As composite teams cannot count West Midlands took the silver in 4min 09sec and Essex finished with the Bronze in 4min 28 sec.
Alyssa Fullelove (Strathclyde) dominated both sprints emulating last years victories in both the 100 and 200m. Bella Clayton (Met) returned to familiar ground on the Track after her performance on the TV series Gladiators. Clayton took gold in the 400m and bronze in the 200m. Suzanne Mullen (Strathclyde) took the silver behind Clayton in the 400m but bettered her silver by taking the gold in the 800m. Janine Brown (Kent) dominated the 1500m winning in 5min 02secs. Natalie Farrow (Humberside) took an early pace in the 5000m open race. Farrow eventually won in a time of 17min 49 sec, some 46seconds ahead of the Met’s Libby Cameron. The Veteran’s 5000m was won with even more ease as Jacqui Reid (Met) won in a time of 21min 12sec, over 2 minutes ahead of the silver medallist.
Sharon Woolrich (Hampshire) won the High Jump by a clear margin of 23cm with a jump of 1m 63cm. Hayley Fox (Lincolnshire) emulated that in the Pole Vault with a comfortable win clearing 2m 10 cm. Steph Morgan (West Mids) took a double in the Long and Triple Jump, narrowly beating Woolrich in both events. Debbie Collinson (West Yorks) took a convincing gold in the Shot with a throw of 11m 63 cm. Collinson followed this up with an equally convincing gold in the javelin. Claire Cameron beat her Strathclyde counterpart, Jayne Kirkpatrick in the Discus. Cameron throwing 35m 91cm to Kirkpatrick’s 33m-11cm. The ladies Hammer was a very closely contested event. Only 3m separated the top 5 in the event. Shirley Quinn (Essex) took the gold by 7cm over Odette Butson (BTP).
The ladies event finished with the 4x100m relay. Strathclyde have proven to be hard to beat in recent years. The Strathclyde team had two very strong runners and looked like heavy favourites to regain the title. A poor first change over cost the Strathclyde team dearly. As the athletes entered the home straight, the Met had a clear lead. Strathclyde were not to be written off as the gap was closed rapidly. Unfortunately for Strathclyde the gap proved that little bit too much. The Met hung on for victory in a time of 56 sec only 1 sec ahead of the Strathclyde team.
The Metropolitan Police would like to thank all those that participated and made the event a massive success.
A/Insp Ron Neil
Metropolitan Police AC - Team Manager
Links
Final Results
Picture Gallery
Event Itinerary
Entry Form - Force Contact Word document
Entry Form - Competitors Excel Workbook
Events to be contested and timetable
