2022 Outdoors

[LuckySpikes]

For all things not indoors!

COVID permitting it'll be a very busy year what with the 3 major championships and 4 other WA Series events (including the World Indoor Champs).

[LuckySpikes]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed but a new "Challenger" level has been added to the WA Continental Tour, a level below the Bronze level meetings. They've really gone to town too and added a ton of them for the Outdoor season (see https://www.worldathletics.org/compe...lendar-results) and a few for the Indoor season as well. Most of them are what were Area Permit meetings last year (e.g., European Permit meetings). However, still noticeable by their absence are any meetings in South America. The meeting that Brazil used to host on the World Challenge series seems to have gone by the wayside.

[philipo]

if you give us the same great info you did last year you are going to be a very busy poster, Lucky
The American season is much busier than it used to be years ago.

[Grassmarket]

Phillipines vying with Nigeria for the title of “World’s Least Helpful National Governing Body”. As with Nigeria, I suspect that the situation could be resolved with the judicious use of the wonder drug BMW.

Pole Vaulter Ernest Obiena has been thrown out of the National Team.

https://www.infobae.com/aroundtherin...medium=twitter

[trickstat]

No way to treat someone who is probably already the greatest athlete the country has ever produced.

[Occasional Hope]

Excellent performance from Emile Cairess in Valencia: 27.44 on the roads, equalling Mo Farah's British record: Emile Cairess equals Mo Farah's British 10km record in Valencia - AW (athleticsweekly.com)

[alfie]

Slightly surprised this hasn't drawn a bit more excitement ? OK it is a road time and conditions vary ; but this looks like a rather promising performance for a fairly young (24) fellow...who also has a 27.53 on the track. Will watch his progress with interest...

[Ladyloz]

I note Jade Lally has put out one of her customary decent performances down under of 61.78, a post baby PB.

Let's see what she does in the summer.

[LuckySpikes]

Ahead of the World Race Walking Team Championships in Oman in early March, World Athletics highlights what a global discipline Race Walking has become - https://www.worldathletics.org/compe...line-muscat-22

[LuckySpikes]

Lots to report from the Houston Marathon and Half Marathon including 2 US records, three good British debut performances and maybe a bit of British heartbreak too.

Starting with the women's half marathon, Vicoty Chepngeno won in 65:03 (#11 all-time) and in 2nd place Sara Hall ran 67:15 breaking Molly Huddle's NR by 10 seconds. Two other American women ran sub-68 (Fiona O'Keeffe & Emily Durgin) and Jess Judd placed 5th on her half marathon debut, running 67:52.

The Men's race was won in a sprint finish by Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) in 60:24.

In the Women's marathon Keira D'Amato said she was targeting Deena Kastor's 2:19:36 NR. I thought she had no chance of that but she surprised me hugely by winning in 2:19:12. Alice Wright was making her marathon debut and at the moment the results are showing she ran 2:29:08. However, watching the live feed I'm pretty sure I saw her finish just outside 2:29:30 which is the World Championships standard - she looked maybe about 25s behind Maggie Montoya who has also been credited with 2:29:08. I'll update that in the comments later.

In the Men's marathon Britain's Luke Caldwell (also on his marathon debut) passed through halfway in 66:09, 40 seconds off the lead pack. But, by about 28 or 29km he was right at the front leading a pack of 7 or 8! For a while it was a throwback to the 70s with 2 moustachioed athletes running 1-2 (Caldwell & Frank Lara). Caldwell started to be dropped around 36km but he hung in really well and negative splitted to 2:11:33, agonisingly just 3 seconds outside the World Championships standard. Caldwell is a 13:30/28:29 man (back in 2014/2015). James Ngandu (a US-based Kenyan, also on his debut) won in 2:11:03.

[LuckySpikes]

Alice Wright still showing as 2:29:08. My eyes must have deceived me!

[Occasional Hope]

That 67.52 for Jess Judd in her HM debut puts her 4th on the British all time list, just ahead of Charlotte Purdue and just behind Eilish McColgan.

[trickstat]

There can't be that many women under 68 who have run sub 2 minutes for 800m. Sifan Hassan is an obvious example.

[LuckySpikes]

Just caught up with Thursday's Vic Milers Club meeting near Melbourne.

16 year old Claudia Hollingsworth continues to really impress. In her first 1500 since she became as good as she is, she won the 'A' race in 4:12.1 (faster than any British 16yo has ever run).

She already has an 800 PB of 2:01.6 and 2:36.7 for 1000.

[Aussiestatman]

Jess Piasecki is smashing her PB finishing second over the half in Santa Pola

[Aussiestatman]

67.18 approx

[LuckySpikes]

Jess Piasecki is smashing her PB finishing second over the half in Santa Pola

I'm really chuffed for Jess. Things have really come together for her after a few tough years.

Her time was 67:20 officially, putting her #3 on the UK all-time list behind only Paula & Liz McColgan. She's now faster than the likes of Molly Huddle & Emily Sisson (by 5 & 6 seconds respectively) and it's not often that a British woman beats 4 Kenyans (some good ones included like Brenda Jepleting and Vibian Chepkurui)!

In Lisbon a few months ago Jess went out at a very similar pace but died a death in the second half. Not today! Her splits were:

5km - 15:50
10km - 15:58 (31.48)
15km - 15:59 (47.47)
20km - 16:02 (63:49)

The stream is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ik5o4c5K7g - there was plenty of coverage of the women's race.

I wonder if a 2:21/2:22 Spring marathon is on the cards for Jess? Anything faster than 2:23:12 would put her #2 UK all-time. Her PB is 2:25:29 from when she won the Florence Marathon in 2019.

I think if she's smart she should target the European Championships marathon. Presuming that Lonah Salpeter is doing the World Championships marathon, Jess would probably start as a co-favourite for Gold with Volha Mazuronak.

[LuckySpikes]

Just caught up with Thursday's Vic Milers Club meeting near Melbourne.

16 year old Claudia Hollingsworth continues to really impress. In her first 1500 since she became as good as she is, she won the 'A' race in 4:12.1 (faster than any British 16yo has ever run).

She already has an 800 PB of 2:01.6 and 2:36.7 for 1000.

Claudia Hollingsworth is in the 1500 tomorrow at the Zatopek:10 meeting. Can she go even faster? This time she'll have Abbey Caldwell (4:07 PB) to pull her along.

Charlotte Purdue is in the 10,000 at this meeting. Does she just have eyes on a Comm Games qualifier or will she be taking a shot at the Worlds standard of 31:25? My guess is that Izzy Batt-Doyle and Rose Davies will be targeting the Worlds standard tomorrow so Purdue could try to hang on to them for as long as possible.

[Aussiestatman]

I have been writing elsewhere how Sinead may have a try for the O45 WR later in the year. I am guessing a good result here could get her a berth at comm games. Remember she holds the O40 record from worlds 2019

[Occasional Hope]

Fast 600 time for Laura Muir, 1.26.89.

[Christy93]

Fast 600 time for Laura Muir, 1.26.89.

1.26.95 for Jemma Reekie in 2nd, and young Erin Wallace made it a Scottish 1-2-3 in a very eye catching 1.27.86. Definitely one to watch over 800 & 1500 this summer. I'd love to know what Andy Young is doing up there.