Strong British team at European Masters Champs in Poland

GB and Northern Eire subject a lot of world and nationwide record-holders in Toruń within the main masters occasion of the winter

Some 330 British athletes are in motion this coming week (March 17-23) on the European Masters Indoor Championships in Toruń in Poland and it additionally comprises a marathon, cross-country and the out of doors throws.

Britain are certain to be among the many prime few nations and certain be vying with hosts Poland (1010 entries) and Germany (418) on the prime of the medal desk.

The UK’s most well-known athlete entered is new to the masters championships scene however to not championship racing – Dwain Chambers.

The 2010 world indoor and 2009 European indoor 60m champion is now within the M45 class wherein he set a world age group document of 6.81 in January. He ran 6.89 a few occasions when he competed within the UK Championships final month.

Dwain Chambers (Getty)

Curiously, although one athlete, Stefan Wnorowski, has given a faster seeding time of 6.80 whereas former document setter, Sweden’s Lion Martinez (6.92), will once more be difficult for medals.

Paul Forbes, who holds the M65 800m (2:15.30) world document, has an enormous time benefit within the 800m and 1500m and in addition goes within the 3000m.

Fellow Scot John Thomson, who was second to Forbes in final yr’s European outdoor 1500m, would possibly effectively be his nearest problem although it’s notable that Forbes has but to finish a observe race this summer season and has solely accomplished parkruns and has but to declare for Poland.

Clare Elms

Although she gained a number of golds within the World Masters Championships, Clare Elms makes her first look within the European occasion since successful a W45 quadruple in Italy in 2009 and he or she goes for a similar 4 occasions – 800m, 1500m, 3000m and cross-country – as she did in Ancona. She has already set world W60 indoor marks at 1500m and mile this winter.

Steve Peters, the well-known sports activities psychologist and creator of The Chimp Paradox, is a extra continuous competitor in masters occasions and he additionally competed again in 2009 – successful the M55 200m and 400m – and he has a giant time benefit within the M70s this yr in these occasions and in addition competes within the 60m the place he was second 15 years in the past.

Steve Peters

Rob McHarg has bettered the European M60 800m mark this winter with a 2:11.60 clocking and has come shut on a few different events too to Anselm LeBourne’s 2:11.20 world document and can be favorite for the 1500m the place European out of doors and world indoor champion Dave Clarke is perhaps his closest challenger.

Different Britons who ought to problem for gold medals within the middle-distances are Zoe Doyle, who has set a W45 UK 800m mark of two:15.87 this winter and in addition goes within the 1500m, M45 Kojo Kyereme, a former world M40 10,000m champion, M55 Mark Symes, who gained M50 gold at 1500m in 2022, and Tony O’Brien, who gained the M50 world masters 3000m final winter.

The large favorite for the M35 800m is native athlete Adam Czerwinski, who ran within the European Indoors 1500m in 2021 and has a sub 3:40 PB on the longer occasion however has been inside 1:50 this winter at 800m and will problem Nico Motchebon’s 1:48.92 world document.

Probably the most well-known Pole competing although is Wanda Panfil. The previous London Marathon winner gained the world marathon title in Tokyo in 1991. She competes within the cross-country and will probably be within the W55-65 mixed race the place she traces up in opposition to Elms and 2023 AW grasp of the yr Sue McDonald, who’s within the W55 class and in addition entered within the marathon right here.

Irish center distance hopes are led by M70 Joe Gough and W55 Annette Kealy.

M50 Joe Appiah and M45 Mensah Elliott ought to once more dominate their hurdles occasions the place they already personal the quickest marks of all-time of their age teams.

Joe Appiah

Don Brown, who has not competed internationally since 2019 when he was European out of doors champion at 100m, 200m and hurdles, and in no way since 2020, competes at 60m and 60m hurdles as he debuts within the M60 class.

W50 Paula Williams set a UK hurdles mark of 9.59 on the British Championships and he or she begins favorite right here and in addition goes within the 60m, shot and javelin with good medal possibilities.

Within the 60m, the place she set a UK mark of 8.24 at Lee Valley, she could also be up in opposition to Yvette Henry who gained the world W45 title final winter and has now moved up an age group however has but to race in 2024.

Helen Godsell (Alex Rotas)

Helen Godsell misplaced her W50 mark this winter however gained W70 European 60m (9.34) and 200m (31.87) information. In Toruń she faces Caroline Powell in these occasions with the latter but to make her debut within the W70 class or race in 2024. Nonetheless she ran 31.07 in her final 200m race within the European outdoor final summer season. Powell additionally goes for the 400m the place she is a big favorite.

Darren Scott turned the primary European M55 to interrupt 24 seconds indoors final week in Manchester and he begins favorite and in addition runs 60m the place he might set a UK mark having missed it by 0.01 in Manchester with a 7.49.

Richard Beardsell was second within the World M40 400m at Toruń final yr however now strikes into the M45s and he appears to be like inside vary of the British mark.

Irie Hill (Tom Phillips)

Commonwealth Video games vaulter and a number of masters champion Irie Hill set a world W55 pole vault document of three.15m within the British Championships and will probably be eager to enhance her document though Finn Marja Eskelinen ought to push her all the way in which.

Jane Horder goes for the W65 60m, 60m hurdles and 200m triple. She gained world titles over the 2 shorter occasions final winter and he or she gained the European out of doors title over 200m final summer season.

Britain has an excellent likelihood of successful medals within the first two occasions of the programme on Sunday with the 2019 European champion Jo Willoughby one of many favourites for the W60 lengthy bounce and a pair of.11m performer Tom Nichols prime ranked within the M35 excessive bounce.