Day 1:
Day one Novuna Great Britain Athletics Indoor Championships It certainly gave spectators value for money with the first race at 11.26am and the men’s pole vault finishing just before 7.30pm. The quality is always mixed, partly because many athletes choose not to compete in the indoor season and also because GB has a limited number of world-class athletes. It The 60m races were brilliant and classy. see separate post. Seeing a 16-year-old compete in the national triple jump is simultaneously exciting because an athlete of the future has been discovered, and depressing when no athlete reaches 16 meters, let alone 17 or 18.
The two pole vault events again showed the nature of the national indoor championships. It was a world class performance Molly Cooder who retired after 4.65 cleaning; But there was new competition, as all but one were out before Molly took her first flight. The men’s competition wasn’t world class, but it was really interesting to watch.
Jax Thirs (from Scotland) was disappointed to have to train alone with COVID and withdraw from competition. In Commonwealth Games host Scotland, he decided to see if he could be selected. He led the contest throughout before retiring at just 5.45 Owen Hurd Cleared 5.55 from the third attempt to secure the victory.
Keely Hodgkinson ran 1:56.33 in the 800m prelims to win by almost 9 seconds. Did no one tell him that he just needed to finish in the top five to make the finals? Likewise Gemma Rickey Qualified for the 1500m final with an impressive front-running performance. The average disappointment was getting out late Georgia Hunter-Bell as a precaution due to an injury flare-up this week. He added: “I have to be smart this season.” His absence does not rule him out of the World Indoors if he chooses to take it.
Amber Anning was another world-class athlete performing going into Day 2’s finals. The last final of the day saw a photo finish in the men’s 60m hurdles, Daniel Goriola (Blackheath & Bromley, Tony Jarrett) edge out Tade Ojora (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) to repeat the British indoor titles, with both times of 7.78, season bests for Goriola.
You can find the results of the Novuna UK Indoor Athletics Championships here.
