AAA Championship Report - Controversey for the Men

Rachel King and Liz Fairs were at their best as they took the respective 100H and 400H titles at the Alexander Stadium Birmingham.Whilst the men's events provided controversy before Damien Greaves and Chris Rawlinson triumphed.

King had looked impressive in the heats with 13.11, but she had to work hard to chase down the fast starting Sarah Claxton, who again looked like the athlete who had run so impressively at the AAA Indoors earlier in 2003. The Welshwoman pulled her way back level by Hurdle 6 and won a tight fought battle in 13.07, to equal the time she had set at Loughborough in June, whilst Claxton was also rewarded with a new best 13.12. Behind these two Julie Pratt continued her return to form taking bronze in a season best of 13.48, in front of Liz Fairs.

Fairs had earlier in the meeting stormed to victory in the 400H with a new best by over half a second 57.06 and now lies just outside the all time top 20 list. With Natasha Danvers' late injury withdrawal, the event looked set for a close battle between Fairs, and England's two other 2002 Commonwealth Games representatives, Tracey Duncan and Katie Jones. However the Brad McStravick coached athlete pulled away on the home straight to win very comfortably from Jones. In only her second season at the event Fairs is edging towards international class and but for a stutter on the top bend could well have run below 57 seconds

Duncan held on for bronze from the fast finishing Jennifer Culley who was rewarded with her first ever sub 60 sec clocking, 59.50. There had been an even bigger break through in the heats where Hannah Stares recorded her first electronic sub 60 second clocking with 58.77, in fininshing narrowly behind Duncan and Jones, and although she was unable to approach that again in the final, it represents a great improvement upon her previous best of 59.8. Claire Heafford also se a new best in the heats with 60.95

In the heats of the Men's 110H Rob Newton again showed his excellent current form running 13.56 into a strong head wind, but frustratingly like his recent pb 13.55 at the European u23 championhsips, just outside the A standard qualifying time for Paris.

Drama and disappointment followed for Newton as he was disqualified from the final for a the second false start under the new IAAF ruling. This left the field clear for training partner Damien Greaves to take the title in 13.66 his best run of the year by far from two other Lloyd Cowan coached athletes Andy Turner and Mohammed Silah Freckleton, with Duncan Malins in fourth.

Greaves' time was just 2/100th's outside the UKA B Standard fo Paris selection and puts him equal second on the UK outoor 110H list with silver medalist Turner. Rich Alleyne narrowly missed joining the sub 14 second club running 14 seconds flat in the heats before finishing 5th in the final just behind Newham's Duncan Malins.

Chris Rawlinson duly won his 5th successive AAA title, holding off a strong a resurgent Matt Douglas and Anthony Borsumato. However, the 31 yerar old yorkshireman very nearly did not make the final as he was initially disqualified for trailing the 7th hurdle. Quick action to review the television footage of the incident clearly showed that no infringement had taken place and the track referee duly reinstated him.

It again showed the contentious nature of the hurdling events, which have been much in evidence in the last two years - Rawlinson was disqualified from the heats of last year's Commonwealth Games trilas in Manchester. On this occasion the filmed evidence was able to prove that a mistake had been made but it highlights the difficulties and problems in split second decision making for the judges - though that will be little consolation to those athletes who have not been been able to present evidence in their defence

Douglas looked in his best shape for since 2000, taking his heat in 49.34, before pushing the British number one close with a 49.41 final time. Like Borusmato who also showed much improved form with a 49.49 for bonze, Douglas will be looking for the 49.20 A standard for Paris in the next week or so.

There was a good pb for Brad Yiend, the Birchfield Harrier clocking 50.61 behind Matt Elias for fifth place and clinishing Selection for the World Universiade team as a result. Rob Lewis one place back crept under 51 seconds for the first by 1/100th, whilst in the heats Steve Green set a new best of 50.90

Women's 100m Hurdles
1	Rachel King	13.07
2	Sarah Claxton	13.12
3	Julie Pratt	13.48
4	Liz Fairs	13.53
5	Tamsin Stephens	13.81
6	Jessica Ennis	13.94
7	Clare Harmon	13.99
8	Fiona Harrison	14.03
	wind	1.4

 

Women's 400m Hurdles
1	Liz Fairs	57.06
2	Katie Jones	58.61
3	Tracey Duncan	59.33
4	Jennifer Culley	59.50
5	Michelle Carey	60.13
6	Susan Williams	60.20
7	Hannah Stares	60.60
8	Hannah Wood	DNS

Men's 110m Hurdles
1	Damien Greaves	13.66
2	Andy Turner	13.85
3	Mohammed Silah Freckleton	13.89
4	Duncan Malins	14.03
5	Rich Alleyene	14.10
6	Tristan Anthony	14.23
7	Paul Gray	14.29
8	Rob Newton.	DSQ
	wind	-0.9

 

Men's 110m Hurdles
1	Chris Rawlinson	49.24
2	Matt Douglas	49.41
3	Anthony Borsumato	49.49
4	Matt Elias	50.04
5	Brad Yiend	50.61
6	Rob Lewis	50.99
7	Steve Green	51.87
8	Liam Collins	52.08

29 July 2003