| 20/06/2005 |
Nick Dakin |
Hurdles Performances Reflect Team Joy & Dispair |
Britian's hurdles performances at the European Cup in Florence and Leiria very much reflected hugely contrasting performances by the Great Britain & N Irelands respective mens and womens teams.
Where as the men's team met with huge disappointment as they were relegated from the top flight for the first time in 35 years, the women's team bounced straight back from theuir relegation last year to gain a convincing team victory in Portugal.
Three time winner Chris Rawlinson could manage no better than 6th place in 50.44 in the 400H won by France's Olymopic bronze medallist Naman Keita. Rawlinson only two weeks post operation had run an encouraging 49.61 4 days earlier in Athens, but although he went out much harder in Florence he strugged over the last 120m, just holding off the Russian Lipaski, to prevent an even more disappointing result.
In the 110H David Hughes was making his senior debut as a relacement for the injured Damian Greaves, but things went even worse as he crashed out at the 4th hurdle after a good start.
In stark contrast, Liz Fairs excelled in Portugal with the best victory of her career as she set a new best on 56.65. She finished well clear of a good field, which set the tone for a highly successful weekend for the women's team. Fairs won by over a second from Ireland's Michelle Carey [58.22] and having seen Nicola Sanders go to the top of the UK rankings in midweek, responded in great fashion to set up an exciting looking AAA event in a few weeks time.
Britain's number one female sprint hurdler Sarah Claxton was aslo successful, winning in a season's best 13.02, again followed home by the Irish, Derval O'Rourke clocking 13.12 in second place. This gives Claxton her first World Championship B qualifying standard of the year as she chases 12.96 for the A standard. |
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