10.05 win for Simeon Williamson in Birmingham (© Getty Images)
Sprinter Simeon Williamson lived up to his own predictions when he snatched the British men’s 100m crown at the Aviva World Trials and UK Championships in Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium this weekend.
The 23-year-old had boasted that he would beat the reigning champion Dwain Chambers here and he did so with style in a scintillating final hampered only by headwinds.
Indeed, if the breeze had been in the right direction Williamson could well have been celebrating his entry to the exclusive sub-10 club.
Williamson won in 10.05 despite a wind of 1.8m/s in his face – a performance surely worth close to 9.90 in calmer conditions. “It’s the equivalent of sub-10 but it’s not sub-10,” shrugged the 2007 European under-23 champion who had to be satisfied with his new status as the quickest European of the year.
“That’s the next step for me, sub-10, that’s the goal. It’s great to win a national title, my first after being the bridesmaid so many times. I’m happy with the run.”
Chambers admitted he was surprised to lose his title after he finished second in 10.22. “The best man won in the day,” he said. “It’s a bit funny for me to lose to a British compatriot. He ain’t doing it again.
“This was always going to be the hard part, the Trials. Hopefully we have both secured our place and now we can start having some fun and dropping some times.”
Williamson pulled away from Chambers comfortably just before half way and was never pressured while the reigning champion had to work hard to hold off Tyrone Edgar for the silver by 0.06s.
Williamson will now face Usain Bolt in Paris next Friday and already has his eyes on a place in the World Championships final. “Hopefully, if I make the final anything is possible. I’m hoping to go sub-10 and then who knows, people can get disqualified.”
Two titles for Ennis
If he was the star of Saturday’s action, Sunday belonged to the world’s number one heptathlete Jessica Ennis. The former European junior champion confirmed her superb 2009 form with two victories, and came close to the British record in the 100m hurdles for the second time this year.
Aiming for Angie Thorpe’s 1996 mark of 12.80 she ran 12.90 in her semi-final before lowering that to 12.87 in the final to win by nearly three tenths from Sarah Claxton. “If I run like that in the Berlin heptathlon I’ll be happy,” she said. “I lost my balance a bit but I’m pleased with the time.”
Earlier she leapt 1.91m to take the High Jump, her best of the year. She followed with three decent attempts at 1.94m. “I’m a bit disappointed not to get it,” she said. “Everything is going well at the moment and I’m really enjoying myself.”
Kelly Sotherton was also pleased with her weekend’s work. Sotherton was third in the High Jump but withdrew after clearing 1.82m saying she’d achieved her goals for the weekend.
On Saturday the former Olympic medallist came close to her best in the Shot Put with 14.51m, and produced a windy Long Jump of 6.22m. This was her first competition of the year following five months absence with a foot injury.
“My aim today was to bang out a 1.82m and then finish,” said Sotherton. “I know I don’t have to push myself right now. I could probably have gone higher but I don’t want to put any pressure on the foot.”
Ohuruogu defends 400m title
No doubt Sotherton had Berlin on her mind – as did Christine Ohuruogu who retained her 400m title on Saturday. The Olympic champion had planned to double up in the sprints this weekend but switched to her main event after a sluggish performance in Oslo.
Ohuruogu went off hard and won in 51.26 although she was almost caught in the home straight by Perry Shakes Drayton, a young 400m hurdler who beat Tasha Danvers last year before Danvers went on to win the Olympic bronze.
“If I compare my progression this year to last it’s pretty much the same,” said Ohuruogu who ran 51.86 in the semi-final on Friday night. “I always say, just get me to the line fit and healthy and I’ll be ready.”
Mason and Idowu victorious
Danvers is out for the season with injury, but Britain’s two other Olympic medallists both won here.
High jumper Germaine Mason produced his best of the year, 2.24m, to win ahead of Samson Oni and Tom Parsons who both reached the same height. The Jamaica-based Olympic silver medallist is slowly returning to form after losing two months’ winter training following a knee operation.
Meanwhile, Phillips Idowu won the men’s Triple Jump with a first round leap of 17.05m, his only attempt of the afternoon. “I’m jumping well and in good shape,” he said. “The best will come out in Berlin.” Nathan Douglas was second with 17.01m his best so far in 2009.
Dennison raises her national record to 4.57m
Kate Dennison was the pick of the field eventers, though. The 25-year-old cleared 4.57m to break her own British pole vault record by a centimetre after winning the competition with a clearance at 4.25m. She went on try 4.70m and came close twice.
Henrietta Paxton set a Scottish record of 4.15m to finish second.
Thomas upsets Twell
Top prize for most delighted new champion went to Charlene Thomas, however. Thomas sprung a huge surprise to beat the world junior champion Steph Twell over 1500m.
The 19-year-old Twell had opened a commanding lead with a lap to go but Thomas reeled her in over the final 200m to win in 4:09.18. Twell held off Hannah England for second.
There was a landmark performance in the men’s 800m as Michael Rimmer eclipsed Steve Ovett’s record of three consecutive two-lap titles by winning his fourth in four years. Rimmer dominated the race from 300m out and crossed the line in 1:46.48.
Jemma Simpson was equally impressive in winning the women’s 800m, beating previous champions Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro with a strong finish off a slow first lap. Simpson clocked 2:01.16.
David Greene secured his place in Berlin with an impressive victory in the 400m hurdles. The Welshman – who has run 48.62 this year – won in 49.07, more than a second ahead of silver medallist Rhys Williams.
Andy Turner battled a -1.9 wind to win his fourth 110m hurdles title in 13.47, while the evergreen 35-year-old Joice Maduaka also fought the breeze to win the women’s 100m in 11.52.
There was another surprise in the men’s 200m as The largely unknown Toby Sandeman beat the British number one Jeffrey Lawal Balogun. The 21-year-old stormed through the field in the closing 50m to overtake Marlon Devonish, Leon Baptiste and Christian Malcom in a personal best 20.69.
Talking of storming runs, Emily Freeman defended her 200m title in style, winning by some 0.7s in 22.92, the widest winning margin in UK championships history.
Robert Tobin won the men’s 400m in 45.85, resisting a challenge from Conrad Williams in the home straight.
Jo Jackson broke her own stadium record to win the 5000m walk in 21:21.67. She not only destroyed the women’s field, but beat all the men too in the mixed race.
Elsewhere in the field events, Chris Tomlinson was in 8.00m form in the Long Jump despite a sore Achilles. The British record holder leapt 8.03m to win by nearly 50cm, an agonising 2cm short of the World Championships B standard.
Goldie Sayers won the women’s javelin but she is still recovering from a back injury and was well short of her best with a winning throw of 55.33m.
British number one Steve Lewis lost his Pole Vault title to Luke Cutts. Both cleared 5.55m, but Lewis lost on count-back after one failure. Despite his win, Cutts was disappointed to fail at the Berlin qualifying height of 5.70m.
Finally, the men’s Hammer Throw on Friday night was a triumph for the Smith family from Humberside. Twenty-one-year-old Alex won the title with a PB of 69.79m to emulate his father who won the national championships in 1984 and 1988, while his younger brother broke the British junior record.
The 18-year-old Peter actually threw further than the gold medallist, reaching 76.67m, but he was using the lighter junior implement in preparation for the European junior championships in Novi Sad next week.
Matthew Brown for the IAAF
