Spectacular performances on the British Masters Championships at Lee Valley on February 22-23 with McHarg beating Andrew Ridley in a traditional 1500m showdown
British grasp athletes continued their unimaginable run of report breaking at Lee Valley over the weekend as many athletes continued their preparation for the World Masters Championships in Florida in March, Steve Smythe stories.
This 12 months Rob McHarg and Andrew Ridley’s report breaking has been in comparison with Coe and Ovett’s heyday because the countrymen swap data although the pair appear extra eager to race one another than the previous Olympic winners!
Final 12 months Ridley held the sting, successful world masters M60 titles at 800m and 1500m and breaking world report outside at 800m and the mile.
Ridley began 2025 on prime once more with a close to 3000m report and UK title at Sheffield with McHarg seven seconds again.
McHarg, after a pair of UK 800m marks, struck first although when it comes to world data, breaking the M60 indoor mile mark nevertheless it lasted lower than 10 minutes as Ridley broke it within the very subsequent race.
4 days later McHarg broke the world M60 800m report after which three days after that Ridley broke the 1500m report simply three days earlier than the championships.
With McHarg successful the 800m right here solo on Saturday with the second quickest M60 time in historical past simply lacking the world report, Sunday noticed the primary 800m or 1500m conflict of the 12 months between the buddies.
Ridley, cautious of McHarg’s 800m prowess, began at a livid tempo and 400m in 67 and 800m in 2:17 (faster than all bar McHarg ran within the occasion the day earlier than) arrange a surefire report in the event that they didn’t blow up on the second half.
In one of many best ever masters clashes, Ridley pushed via the second half at the same tempo in try to drop his rival who had completed six seconds behind him in Gothenburg final summer season.
Simply earlier than the bell, McHarg kicked previous in an effort to shock and though Ridley chased all through the final lap the Scot held on via a 33-second final 200m with a time of 4:20.32 to take 4 seconds off of Ridley’s mark as each he and Ridley (4:21.91) had been properly contained in the outside world report too.
McHarg, who has a 30-year-old PB of three:52.6, ran his quickest time for twenty-four years based on Energy of 10. Such was the standard, European Masters 3000m champion Chris Upson was out of the medals in fourth.
There was amount too as the large entry unusually required two 1500m races within the age group. One of many first folks to congratulate McHarg was snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan, who was delighted to witness such an amazing race and world report.
Rob McHarg and Ronnie O’Sullivan
McHarg is on his approach to Florida and is entered for the 800m, 1500m and 3000m though Ridley, who was voted European masters male middle-distance athlete of the 12 months, sadly can not make the journey.
Britain’s finest ladies’s hope for medals within the USA might be W75 Sarah Roberts. She is entered for the 400m, 800m, 1500m and 3000m within the USA and in Lee Valley she broke the 800m and 1500m world data and got here shut within the 400m having already set a 3000m world report on the nationwide championships final month.
She started her weekend on Saturday with an outright 200m PB of 36.24 which received her W75 silver a second behind world outside champion Moira West’s UK indoor report 35.19 with Roberts additionally contained in the earlier report.
West additionally broke the UK 60m report with 10.22 on Sunday.
A number of hours after her 200m, Roberts ran the 800m and improved her world report from 3:01.11 to a floor breaking 2:57.32 which is an outright PB and makes her the oldest ever girl at 75 to interrupt three minutes at 800m.
It will have gained the British males’s M75 title right here by over 15 seconds and is 10 seconds faster than Angela Copson’s outside world report.
She returned on Sunday to run the 1500m and there she improved her personal world report from the week earlier than from 6:05.90 to an indoor PB of 5:58.15 to develop into the oldest runner to interrupt six minutes for 1500m.
Once more it might simply have gained the lads’s title in her age group. What’s extra, the outside world report is a mere 6:14.88.
Her closing race of the weekend was the 400m and probably as too quick a gap lap and her three earlier races caught up together with her and whereas her 81.45 took 5 seconds off of Kath Stewart’s UK mark it simply missed American Jeanne Daprano’s world report of 81.28. Simply as within the 800m and 1500m, it additionally would have gained the lads’s title.
There was additionally some British data in different age teams that are detailed under within the varied age teams.
M35:
The M35 age group was typically surpassed by the older M40 age group within the area however there have been some quick monitor efforts.
Byron Robinson’s 7.13/22.55 dash double made him the quickest man on the day as he surpassed his 2024 instances.
World masters finalist Damaine Benjamin’s 51.24 400m was within the closing race of the championships.
David Scott gained a aggressive 800m with Chris Loudon additionally inside two minutes.
Bronze medallist Oliver Williams gained the next day’s 1500m.
European Indoor masters excessive leap champion Tim Nichols was the decide of the sector eventers.
60/200: B Robinson 7.13/22.55
400: D Benjamin 51.24
800: D Scott 1:58.78
1500: O Williams 4:13.83
60H: S Wilcockson 8.87
HJ: T Nichols 1.85
PV: S Gower 3.60
LJ: I Nworgu 5.48
TJ: G Paxman 11.27
M40:
A number of world championships senior finalist Will Sharman gained a aggressive 60m hurdles in 8.36, his quickest for 5 years.
The 2023 world masters indoor excessive leap champion Martin Lloyd impressed with a 1.95m leap.
60: D Showler-Davis 7.40
200: A Spour 23.44
400: D Awde 51.29
800: Okay Hutchinson 2:02.49
1500: D Acheson 4:15.76
60H: W Sharman 8.36
HJ: M Lloyd 1.95
PV: B Ahmet 3.70
LJ: J Poxon 5.77
TJ: C Holcombe 11.99
SP: R Skedd 12.75
M45:
Former Scottish senior 800m champion Andy Brown impressed with a quick end at 1500m as he utilised his former 1:48.30 velocity on the shorter distance.
James Robinson was the decide of all of the age teams within the pole vault.
60: TJ Ossai 7.41
200: 1 B Boyce IRL 24.50; 2 C Carr 24.60
400: 1 Carr 53.53
800: N Laud 2:07.05
1500: A Brown 4:14.78
60H: J Rodwell 10.02
HJ: C Nicholls 1.50
PV: J Robinson 4.10
LJ/TJ: G Stirling 5.33/12.11
M50:
European Masters indoor shot bronze mefallist Stephen McCauley impressed with a PB 15.92m.
60: J Wooden 7.43
200: M Tarnawsky 24.89
400: A Cameron 56.16
800: R Scott 2:07.90
1500: B Brodie 4:35.13
60H: G Smith 9.17
HJ: A Lombaard 1.65
PV: 1 R Kingman 3.40
LJ: A Morey 5.73
TJ: G Britton 10.63
SP: S McCauley 15.92
M55:
The 2019 European Masters champion Guiseppe Minetti scored a dash double whereas double World Masters champion Mark Symes was a category aside at 800m and 1500m.
Wilford Floyd Wilks gained a double at 60m hurdles and excessive leap and was additionally first Brit within the lengthy leap.
60/200: G Minetti 7.62/24.97
400: R Bruce-Model IRL 57.24; 3 S Baldock 58.89
800/1500: M Symes 2:11.21/4:27.88
60H/HJ: W Wilks 9.62/1.61
LJ: 1 O Van Zyl RSA 4.90; 3 Wilks 4.75
SP: J Twiddle 13.11
M60:
Rob McHarg dominated this age group however there was additionally a double for sprinter Anthony Burniston.
One among Britain’s best ever grasp excessive jumpers Steve Linsell confirmed the shape that noticed him win European silver final winter with a 1.58m leap.
One other runner-up in Toruń final 12 months Allan Leiper was in good kind within the shot.
60/200: A Burniston 7.92/26.11
400: W Odele 58.74
800: R McHarg 2:09.79
1500: 1 McHarg 4:20.32 (WR); 2 A Ridley 4:21.91
60H: N Tunstall 9.42
HJ: S Linsell 1.58
PV: J Andrews 3.00
LJ: A Waddington 4.60
TJ: A Pringle 10.15
SP: A Leiper 14.20
M65:
Triple world masters outside dash champion John Wright dominated with one other tremendous triple and he was near his 58.12 British report within the longer occasion.
Dave Clarke who has moved into the age group this winter after successful European M60 medals final 12 months at 800m, 1500m and 3000m gained a powerful double right here.
60/200/400: J Wright 8.03/25.98/58.57
800/1500: D Clarke 2:25.89/5:03.43
60H: T James 9.56
HJ: S O’Keefe IRL 1.35; 2 I Torode 1.25
TJ: H Hopkins 9.32
SP: M Hausler 13.59
3000W: S Allen 18:13.90
John Wright (centre)
M70:
Eire’s Joe Gough, who is likely one of the all-time masters greats, confirmed his lightning ending velocity at 800m and 1500m however narrowly fell quick at 400m.
There Ian Broadhurst, who final summer season gained world masters titles at 400m and 300m hurdles, improved his UK report from 64.76 all the best way all the way down to 62.61.
Broadhurst additionally gained the 200m and there have been area doubles for John Spriggs and David Blunt.
60: D Hinds 9.02
200: I Broadhurst 27.47
400: 1 Broadhurst 62.61 (UK rec); 2 J Gough IRL 62.97
800: 1 J Gough IRL 2:35.19; 2 Okay Archer 2:41.04
1500: 1 Gough IRL 5:25.40; 2 D Bedwell 5:30.46
60H/TJ: 1 J Spriggs 3.61/7.77
HJ/PV: D Blunt 1.30/2.40
SP: T Straker 11.05
M75:
There have been doubles for John Exley, Dave Cowley and Charles Ryder.
60/200: C Ryder 9.96/31.94
800: 1 D Jones 3:14.78
400/1500: J Exley 84.71/6:22.43
HJ: G Kitchener 1.10
60H/TJ: D Cowley 11.80/7.36
SP: G Tyler 10.72
3000W: P Boszko 18:32.47
M80:
European masters M75 bronze medalist Victor Novell went third all-time at 60m with 9.45 as he narrowly defeated British record-holder Allan Lengthy.
World champion Pete Giles gained a snug 800m and 1500m double whereas Ron Davies gained two area golds.
60: 1 V Novell 9.45; 2 A Lengthy 9.47
200: 1 V Novell 34.43
400: 1 J Gibson Gribben 2:03.19
800/1500: P Giles 3:46.90/7:39.68
60H/HJ: R Davies 15.16/1.00
PV: M Herring 1.30
TJ: P Rees 4.57
SP: I Ivanovic 8.48
M85:
Roger Bruck smashed the British report within the excessive leap and in addition gained a dash double whereas Tony Bowman, who hits the M90 class later within the 12 months, additionally gained a double.
60/200/HJ: R Bruck 11.98/41.96/1.05
800: D Milsom 4:20.52
TJ/SP: T Bowman 4.54/4.28
M90:
Colin Spivey, who often limits himself to parkruns (472 of his 475 performances on Energy of 10) did his first recorded 200m and got here inside three seconds of the British report.
200: 1 C Spivey 54.97
W35
European Masters bronze medallist Kat Sutton was a transparent winner of the 800m.
Wales’ Caryl Moore a 56.49 400m hurdles performer at her peak gained a powerful triple as she loved her first outing within the masters successful at 200m, 400m and the hurdles.
European masters runner-up Stacey Downie was the quickest 60m runner with a 8.02 clocking.
Natalie Le Beau gained a area double.
60: S Downie 8.02
200/400/60H: C Moore 25.27/57.05/8.88
800: Okay Sutton 2:14.78
1500: E Ciesielska 4:58.43
PV: E Lyons 3.40
HJ/LJ: N Le Beau 1.45/4.87
SP: C Edwards 11.96
3000W: A Majewska-Ani 18:08.54
W40:
European Masters 3000m runner-up Laura Haggarty gained a powerful 800m and 1500m double whereas different double winners had been world masters fourth-placer Lisa Boland and Lucinda Money-Gibson on the hurdles and 400m.
60/200: L Boland 7.83/25.55
800/1500: L Haggerty 2:18.71/4:47.97
400/60H: L Money-Gibson 60.24/9.42
PV: C Parkinson 3.10
HJ: Okay Morgan 1.40
LJ: E Fry 4.75
TJ: E Hand 10.05
SP: L Rann 10.52
W45:
Wales’ Clare Bryant was the one double winner within the age group.
The W45 800m British record-holder Zoe Doyle sharpened up for Florida with a transparent 800m victory then chased dwelling European masters silver medallist Susie McLoughlin at 400m.
60: Okay Burles 8.22
200: C Spurway 27.90
400: S McLoughlin 61.33
800: Z Doyle 2:22.72
1500: H Bough 5:10.27
60H/LJ: C Bryant 10.64/4.27
HJ: C Gratrix 1.35
PV: J Eastwood 2.20
TJ: E Murray 9.24
SP: E Gatrell 12.26
3000W: C Derbyshire 17:04.15
W50:
World masters shot champion Paula Williams additionally added the 60m and 60m hurdles titles to her victories.
W40 and W45 Pentathlon outside world record-holder Di Norman confirmed her versatility with a 800m and excessive leap double and in addition set a 12.48m PB within the shot behind Williams.
Tracey Ashworth gained a 200m and 400m double and was an in depth second within the 60m to Williams.
60/60H: P Williams 8.41/9.84
200/400: T Ashworth 27.27/60.87
800/HJ: D Norman 2:32.82/1.45
1500: L Tait-Harris 5:24.85
LJ: N Ridge 4.30
TJ: J Quinn 9.01
SP: 1 Williams 13.80; 2 Norman 12.48
3000W: C Kwok 19:55.05
W55:
Christine Harrison-Bloomfield, who ran within the 1999 World Championships and has a 22.85 200m PB, gained a dash double.
Kate Ramsey, who’s the mom of Sport of Thrones and The Final of Us actress Bella, gained a middle-distance double though solely gained the 800m by seven hundredths of a second from Anna Critchlow.
Wendy Valentine additionally gained a successful triple, albeit unopposed.
A number of world and European champion Irie Hill once more impressed within the vault.
60/200: 1 C Harrison-Bloomfield 8.54/27.64
400: 1 E Viiklaid EST 68.05
800/1500: Okay Ramsey 2:40.59/5:27.04
60H/LJ/TJ: W Valentine 14.96/3.20/6.79
PV: I Hill 3.10
SP: S Van Vuuren 8.57
3000W: M Peddle 17:04.33
W60:
A number of former world and European champion Virginia Mitchell simply gained a 400m and 800m double whereas Julie Hicken gained a dash double.
Probably the most profitable athlete within the age group was Melanie Garland who gained a jumps triple.
Every week after breaking the W60 world 1500m report, Clare Elms initially tried one other report however drawn within the oldest ladies’s race which included W85 opponents, determined the multi lapping was not conducive to report breaking and eased again however she was nonetheless faster than the W45 to W55 age teams.
60/200: J Hicken 9.15/30.28
400/800: V Mitchell 65.60/2:34.12
1500: C Elms 5:11.06
PV: R Zeffertt 2.30
HJ/LJ/TJ: M Garland 1.25/4.22/8.86
SP: S Vine 8.32
3000W: H Middleton 19:14.22
W65:
Karen Brooks, who had set a British report the week earlier than, got here near her 5:33.55 with a 5:34.48 as she adopted Elms dwelling within the W60 plus race and however for having to run huge to lap runners she would have virtually definitely have damaged the report.
Eire’s Edel Maguire was first in three occasions highlighted by her 400m the place she took on W60 Mitchell and fell lower than a second in need of the world W65 mark.
Jenny Brown was the highest Brit at 200m and 400m and in addition gained the triple leap.
200: 1 E Maguire IRL 30.14; 2 J Brown 33.64
400: 1 Maguire IRL 68.22; 2 Brown 77.50
800: L Jeffries 3:08.30
1500: Okay Brooks 5:34.48
60H: N Buckwell 12.76
60/PV: T Eades 10.11/2.10
HJ: 1 Maguire IRL 1.35; 2 J Ashton 1.10
LJ: J Pryce 3.29
TJ: J Brown 8.17
SP: C Cameron 9.00
3000W: S Payne 18:41.34
W70:
European masters champion Helen Godsell simply gained a dash double and her 31.83 got here moderately near her 31.17 set in successful in Toruń.
Former World and European champion Nancy Hitchmough additionally gained a middle-distance double.
European masters pole vault champion Sue Yeomans additionally was in good kind.
60/200: H Godsell 9.40/31.83
800/1500: N Hitchmough 3:26.99/6:58.70
PV: S Yeomans 2.20
LJ: E McMahon 3.10
SP: C Marler 7.76
3000W: D Brian 19:14.16
Sarah Roberts (Cliff Cover)
W75:
Sarah Roberts and Moira West had been in record-breaking kind nevertheless it was Sally Hine who went dwelling with most golds with wins within the lengthy and triple jumps, hurdles and shot and she or he adopted West dwelling within the 60m for a silver.
60: M West 10.22
200: 1 M West 35.19 (UK rec); 2 S Roberts 36.24
400/800/1500: Roberts 81.45 (UK rec)/2:57.32 (WR)/5:58.15 (WR)
LJ/TJ/60H/SP: S Hine 2.86/6.17/26.58/6.30
W80:
Reigning world indoor 800m champion Iris Hornsey gained a double whereas considered one of Britain’s most bemedalled throwers gained one other however her first indoor W80 gold having gained 5 outside titles final summer season.
400/800: 1 I Hornsey 1:57.32/4:37.02
SP: L Sissons 7.39
W85:
World champion Kathleen Stewart, runner-up in AW’s masters athlete of the 12 months, and Betty Stracey each gained doubles.
60: D Fraser 16.69
200/400: Okay Stewart 41.15/1:41.41
800/1500: B Stracey 5:31.77/11:10.59
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