Potential Breakthrough British Athletes In 2023

[Occasional Hope]

Intriguing, and nice to have two young female hurdlers coming through to succeed Cindy Sember.

[RunUnlimited]

Jessica Duncton could be a breakthrough athlete to watch in the U20 women's 100m hurdles. Yesterday at the Loughborough International meeting, she finished 3rd behind KJT and Mia McIntosh running a PB of 13.84 into a -1.0 m/s headwind. But according to Paps who saw the race, if not for absolutely clouting the final hurdle, Duncton looked odds on to win it ahead of her more illustrious colleagues.
Even without that mishap, the first year U20 athlete went under 14 seconds for the first time over the senior height hurdles and in doing so, made it the fourth straight race in which she had set a lifetime best. On April 30th, she had her first 100m hurdles race over the 83.8cm barriers and record a 14.37 finishing time. Her next race just a day later, saw her run 14.05. On May 14th, she improved slightly again at the Somerset Count Champs with 14.03, before she went on in yesterday's race to get under 14 seconds.

3 of those 4 races were all run into headwinds of -1.0 or stronger, suggesting that she can go faster still in better weather conditions. Also, that she was on par with last year's European U18 champion and World U20 representative Mia McIntosh, shows that she is one to consider for spots at the upcoming European U20s. Duncton's yet to go under the Q standard for those championships (13.80), but it's surely only a matter of time before she gets it.

[Runner88]

I initially thought there was a mistake with the results but turns out it’s just a wonderful breakthrough! 15.48 on your track 5k debut is pretty remarkable

[Loop-guru]

I thought is was worth ressurecting this thread after just watching Kate Axford's performance in the comeback 5000. She won the race in 15:48 in what is her debut at the distance beating a good but not great domestic field. She only has 4 previous performances on Power of 10 in total in the last couple of years (just 1 performance in total last year, a marathon completed in 3:17) after coming back to the sport from a hockey background. I feel we could have another Sam Harrison type developing over the next few years.

[RunUnlimited]

Seems weird to call it a breakthrough since he won British Champs in 2021 and 2022, but I think Tade Ojora might have more for us yet: he is at an advantage in the NCAA with Trey Cunningham and Eric Edwards Jr. having gone pro, and he has Zeller there with him who will hopefully drag him up. I wouldn't be surprised if they went 1-2 at British Trials again, and since it's their last year of college it might be the start of a new hurdling era in the UK, with Pozzi leaving much to be desired recently.

I also am interested to see what Yemi Mary John gets up to in college at USC (the same college as Ojora incidentally)

Been awhile since Ojora was mentioned on this thread, but with the NCCA DI Indoor Championships upcoming this weekend, I thought it was time to revisit this guy as a potential breakthrough athlete.

Already this indoor season, he's run 7.53 for 60mH, a time that if replicated at the European Indoors last weekend, would have won him the silver medal. And Ojora has also run 7.58 this winter. He'll go into those Indoor Championships as one of the top seeds.

Also, more significantly, these 60mH times Ojora has run, indicate to me that he is ready to substantially improve upon his 110mH PB of 13.38 he set in 2021. Tade currently sits joint 5th on the UK all time list for the 60mH, sharing it with William Sharman. Of those men on that list, it is only Allen Scott who never made it to an Olympic, World and/or European Championship final, or run sub 13.2 in the 110mH. (Scott's 110mH PB was 13.53, also from 2008. He still made an Olympic team, 2 EIC and a WIC, reaching the finals in the latter two in a career blighted by injuries.)

This rather suggests to me that Tade Ojora could be set for big things in the coming months at least.

[SprintRelayFan]

This aged well

[MysteryBrick]

I don't think anyone's bigging him up, but I am intrigued as to his progress. I agree, our men's multieventers are sub-par...

[RunUnlimited]

Considering what we just saw in Istanbul, having to try and big up our British guy who might *perhaps* get close to 7800 points, let alone 8000 points and above, is pretty depressing. Skotheim, for instance, will get to 8400+ points this year.

[Occasional Hope]

7291 was his u20 PB. He scored 7659 with the senior implements in 2021. He did a couple of decathlons last year, finishing third in the UK champs with 7121, and got a windy 7487 at a US comp.

[Occasional Hope]

Talking of Jack, he PB'd in two events yesterday: 400m (48.32) and 110 hurdles (14.32). The latter a big improvement, down from 15.13.

[Ladyloz]

And her indoor season isn't done with the NCAA Indoors next weekend

[MysteryBrick]

I'm interested in what Jack Turner, US-based decathlete, can do this outdoors. Hasn't done a Decathlon in a couple of years, but based on indoors it looks like his 7291 PB is due a big revision, and he could threaten 7800.

[Occasional Hope]

Amber Anning might finally be ready this year, after her 50.68 indoors.

[carterhatch]

I sat through last weekend's Indoor Champs hunkered over my laptop hoping for a young athlete to have a major breakthrough. Sadly the one or two I had in mind didn't meet my expectations and on the whole I was rather 'underwhelmed' by the whole event.

However, given Gourley's performances I'd like to nominate him for the 'breakthough' award for the indoor season. I realise this might be premature, given that we still have the Europeans next weekend, and yes I know he is not quite the age-group one has in mind for this thread, but he has produced the sort of results that deserve recognition.

[RunUnlimited]

Over at the DNA meeting in Madrid just now, Daniel Goriola further lowered his 60mH lifetime best with a storming 7.69.... That time moves him up to 6th on the UK U20 all time list, replacing Josh Zeller.

Goriola was pipped to the line by Spaniard (we think?) Daniel Castilla however, who set a Spanish U20 record of 7.67 in winning the 12 points for the event.