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20th May 2007 |
ACCENTURE
LOUGHBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL MEETING |
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Report by Tom Gayle
Three of the clubs top athletes were in
action at the annual international match in Loughborough which pits the host
university team of past and present Loughborough students against senior
teams from England, Scotland and Wales, Great Britain juniors, and British
Universities select.
The clubs leading
performance came yet again from Emma Jackson in the 800m. Competing for
Great Britain juniors and like the British University Championships a
fortnight earlier despite being the youngest in an high quality field the
18-year-old again showed her enormous potential as she lowered her own
personal best and club record to 2.03.57. Frustratingly for Jackson again it
was another Loughborough student who was just too strong for her as
21-year-old Charlotte Best took the honours in 2.03.11. Unlike the BUSA
championships though where Jackson dictated the pace from the off, this time
she was towed along with a swift opening lap of 58/59 seconds which she
described as a “killer!” and was delighted to be strong enough to hold
on for a personal best. Given this early season form Jackson is most
certainly distinguishing herself as a possible medal contender for the
European Junior Championships in July.
Rodger Skedd, making his
Scottish international senior debut, endured mixed fortunes. First up came a
season’s best in the long jump with a leap of 6.54. For an athlete who has
jumped over 7 metres this could easily been seen as a poor performance but
he remarked that “You have to remember that I injured my take off foot
over the winter, and now that it is healed it’s just building my
confidence to take off with the same venom that I know I can”. Later came
the 110m hurdles, which was looking really promising for the British
international decathlete until he struck hurdle number six with his lead leg
and subsequently came very close to falling. Frustrated, but unfazed Skedd
noted that he needs to “Control my stride length in between the hurdles,
but also learn to react better as the hurdles are now coming at me faster
than ever!”.
16-year-old
Ashlee Nelson took the event as a chance to compete in one of the guest
races and took full advantage of the opportunity in winning the second round
of 100m races. Her time of 11.89 leaves her just 0.09 outside of the entry
standard for the European Junior Championships.
Stoke AC Results
Men
110m
Hurdles
8.
Skedd 16.14 (0.0)
Long Jump
9.
Skedd 6.54 (+1.1)
Women
100m
Race
2
1.
Ashlee Nelson 11.89 (-0.6)
800m
2.
Emma Jackson 2.03.57
Full
results can be found at www.athletics-results.co.uk/site/liac.pdf
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