2002 Review of British 400m Hurdling

Nick Dakin

The 2002 season shows very differing pictures for the Male and Female events, with the Men’s event continuing to prosper into one of Britain’s strongest with progression both at Senior level and also with notable promise in the junior ranks both in the u20 and u17 ranks.

The women’s event, although showing a slight improvement on 2001 is far from the levels shown in the late eighties and most recently in 1996. However, the stimulus of possible Commonwealth Games selection helped spur the development of a number of female 400 hurdlers and along with the cluster of talented juniors whose progress largely stalled in 2002, there is promise of better things to come over the next few seasons.

Senior Men

Senior Men's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
48.21	Chris Rawlinson	48.27	48.14
48.90	Anthony Borsumato	49.30
49.11	Matt Elias	49.59
49.38	Matt Douglas	49.67	49.26
50.16	Steve Surety	51.8
50.30	Liam Collins	--

Ten men broke 51 seconds for only the second time in British event history and the average time for the top twenty performers dipped below 51 for the first time ever [50.76]. There were major strides towards world class for Anthony Borsumato and Matt Elias, with the former becoming only the sixth British male to break 49 seconds whilst the latter set a new Welsh national record and took silver in the Commonwealth, behind British number 1 Chris Rawlinson.

Rawlinson, not for the first time had his season greatly affected by injury and was restricted again to the low 48 second area, when it had at looked that a sub 48 second clocking and a European medal were achievable goals. However, he now has some serious British opposition. Borsumato [also plagued by pre-season problems] ran below his 2001 best on four occasions unluckily missing out on the Munich final in much the faster of the semi finals, as well as just missing a medal in the Commonwealth Games, whilst 2001 European u23 Champion Elias as well as improving his best to a new Welsh record of 49.11, showed much better consistency - from his silver medal in the Australian championships in April, to winning the Commonwealth Games trials and then silver in the Games themselves - as well as impressing in his 4x 400m outings both for Wales and GB. If he can further develop his technical ability across the barriers, Elias, looks to have at least mid 48 second potential.

Behind the top three, Matt Douglas’ return to something like his 2000 best, was almost overlooked as the event performance level reached new heights and had Du’aine Ladejo run the event in 2002 there may well have been five athletes under 49.50 seconds.

The biggest improvers filled the next three spots of the year list with Steve Surety consistently improving upon his times to take 1.6 seconds off his previous personal best and coming close to the 50 second barrier on a number of occasions. Former u23 sprint hurdle International Liam Collins had a great first season at the event and is another who will look to go sub 50 seconds in 2003. Jared Deacon demonstrated his growing aptitude for the 400H in his limited forays at the event and if the 1 lap hurdles ever becomes his main focus , he too has the potential to make a serious mark on the event.

The remaining three sub 51 second clockings came from the two Scots Rich McDonald and Charles Robertson Adams, and top Junior Steven Green. Whilst the two Scots may re-appraise their 400H involvement post Manchester and seasons that failed to take off after promising starts, Green’s 5th place in the World Junior Championships capped an excellent season and should help give him confidence as he moves towards the very competitive arena of senior level British 400m hurdles.

u23 Men

U23 Men's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
50.16	Steve Surety	51.8
50.83	Richard McDonald	50.70
50.96	Steve Green [u20]	52.21
51.14	Richard Smith	52.2
51.33	Jeff Christie	51.82
51.5 .	Liam Collins	52.6

Although after Elias’ European u23 success in 2001, the u23 men’s list appears unexceptional there is in fact cause for cautious optimism. Surety’s progress has been noted above and although he like McDonald leave the age group this season, there will be a competitive age group in 2003. The next four in the 2021 rankings – all of whom ARE eligible for Bydgoczsz have already achieved the qualification time of 51.50 as was used for the previous European u23 championships.

As well as Green, good progress was made by his former u20 rivals Rich Smith and Jeff Christie, who improved by 1 and ½ a second respectively, whilst Nange Ursel showed flashes of the potential he had shown two years earlier. Behind these four Dave Brackstone might well have run 51 second clockings had back problems not interrupted his season.

It is to be hoped that this group will be inspired rather than deflated by the levels currently needed to make senior GB teams in their long term ambitions. But in the short term it is promising to see a cluster of athletes who will be in genuine contention for European u23 Championship selection – it can only help develop performance levels. Green’s current performance level would have qualified him for the last two European u23 finals and it is quite feasible that another Briton might join him there next year.

u20 Men

U20 Men's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
50.96	Steve Green	52.21
51.68	Rhys Williams	53.3 .
52.29	Rupert Gardner
53.18	Daniel Bray
54.0 .	Ryan Dinham	--
54.2 .	Ross Tressider	--

Again the performance level of the medallists at the World Junior’s puts into perspective what can be achieved at the junior level. However it should be noted that Green’s performance in Jamaica was the top European placing, and Rhys Williams, who only just missed a place in the same final, can look forward with cautious optimism to next year’s under 20 European championships, as he was the best placed European of those with a year to go in the age group – although a sub 51 clocking may well be needed for a medal on the basis of the previous European u20 championships in Grossetto.

Britain’s likelihood of having two representatives at the European u20 is strong as Rupert Gardner the schools champion looks capable of achieving the likely qualifying mark if he can continue his progress, as he too returns for his final year as a junior.

Besides Green, another moving up into the age group to look for is Havant’s Dan Bray, although given the depth and quality of this group it may be 2004 or 2005 before he realistically challenges for International vests here.

To add further promise to the long term future of the men’s 400H event, the late season exploits of Richard Davenport provoke much optimism. Having demonstrated his ability to run fast 400m over the past two seasons and a more than useful 800m, Davenport ran a manual age group best of 51.7 in only his second 400m hurdle competition of the year.

Obviously it remains to be seen if the 400H event is where he see his future, but there is no doubting his potential and it is to be hoped that the recent 400m flat abilities shown internationally by Felix Sanchez and Angelo Taylor and nationally by the relay performances of Chris Rawlinson and Matt Elias will act as a spur for athletes with good 400m potential – world level 400m hurdlers require the ability to develop top level 400m flat capacity as a part of their 400m hurdle arsenal.

 

Senior Women

Senior Women's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
55.68	Natasha Danvers	54.94
56.49	Tracey Duncan	58.02
56.88	Sinead Dudgeon	56.05	55.25
57.69	Katie Jones	60.30
58.30	Kelly Sotherton	--
58.48	Liz Fairs	--

A very mixed report really for the women – at the sharp end it was a disappointing season for our championship runners, Natasha Danvers and Sinead Dudgeon made the finals of both Commonwealth Games and European Championships, but by their own proven abilities neither will be happy with their year. Danvers coming closest to a good result; falling at the last in Manchester when well placed for a medal and a mid to low 55 second clocking.

Both Danvers and Dudgeon had had poor run ins to the season through injury and will be doubly frustrated that at their best they would have figured strongly in a weak European Championship and indeed the weak current world scene.

In depth terms, however, there was an upturn from the poor showing in 2001 & 2000, with for the first time since 1997 the tenth best athlete running below 60 seconds [in fact the top 11 broke the 1 min barrier] and the first time since 1996 that the 20th ranked woman’s time was below 61 seconds [60.75]. The average top 10 and 20 times of 58.04 and 59.18 respectively comparing favourably with 58.33 and 59.62 from 2001[although well down on the 57.20 and 58.26 average marks from as far back as 1988 when 21 athletes broke 60 seconds!]

The improvement was due in no small part to the chase for Commonwealth Games places with Tracey Duncan profiting most as she ran below 57 seconds no fewer than four occasions having entered the season with a 57.92 pb from 2000. Although Duncan was not able to hold her form through into the Championship season, 2002 none the less represented a great step forward.

There was also marked improvement for Katie Jones improving by over a second to 57.69 and Liz Fairs who in her first serious season at the one lap hurdles moved steadily down to mid 58 seconds. There was also late promise from Heptathlete Kelly Sotherton who ran a very impressive 58.72 and 58.30 in her first two outings of the year as a possible prelude to taking up the event in 2003. If she and Duncan can push on towards the low 56 second region, and Danvers and Dudgeon stay healthy there could be a better competitive level in the run into the Paris World championships.

There was also better news for Nicola Sanders the 1999 European Junior silver medallist, who now in her first year as a u23 recaptured some of her form late in the season with a new pb of 58.72 and similarly Hannah Wood also advanced to 58.8. Additionally first ever sub 60 second clockings for Hannah Stares and Susie Williams helped to put a better perspective on the event despite Keri Maddox’s retirement.

u23 Women

U23 Women's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
58.72	Nicola Sanders	61.12
58.8 .	Hannah Wood	59.56
60.0 .	Sam Adamson	60.6 .
60.05	Ruth Brereton	60.30
60.30	Justine Roach [u20]	--
60.46	Claire Brason [u20]	60.8 .

Normally there would not be too much to be excited about from this age group with regard to the 2003 European u23 Championship, however if the current malaise in the women’s event is repeated next year a ¾ of a second+ improvement for either Nicola Sanders or Hannah Wood might put them in contention for a final spot. Certainly they will be strong contenders for selection, but questions remain about both athletes’ flat speed potential in terms of making the grade in the Senior 400H ranks.

More realistically, the women’s event needs to be in a development phase so progress for any of the top 6 u23 athletes will be welcome in gradually raising the event standard. Sam Adamson was denied a probable sub 60 second clocking by faulty electronic timing at Bedford and along with Ruth Brereton will expect to get his mark next year.

Of those in the junior ranks who are moving up this year, Clare Brason looks to have the best chance to run below the minute mark a late season 56 second 400m flat pb suggesting that with good effort distribution further revision of her 400m hurdles time is likely.

u20 Women

U20 Women's Top 6 Performers 2002
	Athlete	2001 Time	PB if Superior
60.30	Justine Roach	--
60.46	Claire Brason	60.8 .
60.48	Sian Scott	60.50
61.3 .	Faye Harding	49.67
61.49	Melanie Canning	--
61.8.	Gemma Dooney	60.04

With three 1st year of 3 u20 age group girls at 60.5 or less from 2001, some notable performance development from this quarter was expected in 2002 headed by Faye Harding, Gemma Dooney and Sian Scott and that there would be stiff competition looking towards the world Junior Championships and sub 60 second clockings.

However, with Harding and Dooney derailed by illness and Scott despite winning both the Schools and the AAA U20 title improving only marginally to 60.48, the hoped for performance advance from this young group failed to materialise in 2002 en masse. Newcomer to the age group Justine Roach started brightly and Clare Brason ran very well at the Commonwealth Trials, but there was little consistency of performance from the junior girls, Scott excepted

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On a positive note for this age group, only Brason from the top six is moving up into the u23 age group and Harding and Melanie Canning still have two years left in the u20 age group. Again with four athletes with pb’s between 60.03 and 60.48 in contention for the European Junior selection, this should provide a positive competitive atmosphere assuming all can maintain health and fitness.

Although it is more difficult to extrapolate potential 400m hurdle talent from the girls u17 300H event than the youths 400H, Elidhi Child may be well worth watching with a consistent series of 42 second clockings including a new Scottish record and third on the all time list. English Schools Intermediate champion Maria Garavand who will have three years in the u20 age group, has already shown that she is coming to grips with the longer event with a couple of late season mid 62 second clockings off a 43 low 300H time.

Nick Dakin National Event Coach - 18th September 2002