British masters one-lap wonders take seven golds

A rare day for Nice Britain within the 400m on the European Masters Championships in Madeira

John Wright, Stephen Peters, Gavin Stephens, Colin Spivey, Virginia Mitchell, Tracey Ashworth and Kathleen Stewart all struck gold over 400m on day three of the European Masters (October 11), whereas there have been additionally steeplechase golds for Lisa Thomas and Kirstie Sales space in addition to throws titles for Man Dirkin and Evaun Williams.

These rush of golds (at midnight) gave Britain 22 golds, 18 silvers and 14 bronzes as they strengthened their maintain on second place within the medal desk to Germany.

All eyes had been on world masters outside champion John Wright within the M65 race occasion. This summer season he has set world age-group data at 100m (12.15) and 200m (24.47), so American Charles Allie’s mark of 56.09 regarded inside attain. He got here shut however his 56.36 simply missed that point and his personal European and British document of 56.22 set in Gothenburg.

He simply gained from Germany’s Gerhard Zorn (58.80) with world indoor champion Richard White third in 59.43. With Britain boasting 4 athletes within the high six – with Stuart Lynn (60.75) and Tennyson James (62.15) additionally excelling – there may be little doubt who begins favourites in subsequent week’s 4x400m relays!

That also needs to be the case within the W60 class the place Britain once more had 4 within the high six. Multi-world champion Virginia Mitchell defended her title in 65.04, bettering her mark from two years in the past.

Chasing her in second was Lisa Thomas in 65.75, who earlier within the day had extremely gained gold within the 2000m steeplechase with 8:46.69 from former British athlete Jane Wickham (8:53.00), who was now representing Spain. Within the 400m Jan Ellacott was fifth (69.09) and Christine Anthony (70.11) sixth.

Steve Peters added to his many medals as he simply gained the M70 400m in a British document 61.62. Spain’s Juan Rodriguez was second on 63.21 as David Cooke was sixth in 66.39.

Gavin Stephens went one higher than in 2023 as he superior to M45 gold  on the age of 48 with a quick win in 50.89. Sweden’s Anders Legg was second in 51.16 with Craig Carr third in 52.36.

Based on Energy of Ten, M90 Colin Spivey, who has run practically 500 Huddersfield parkruns, was making his 400m debut on the age of 91 and he gained the 400m in 1:46.77 forward of France’s Jean Pierre Wermuth’s 1:52.22.

In her first worldwide outside championships Tracey Ashworth gained the W50 400m in 59.99 forward of Belgium’s Sonia Boterdaele’s 60.65.

The W85 closing wasn’t fairly as aggressive as world record-holder Kathleen Stewart gained one other British gold in 1:40.78, nearly 40 seconds away from runner-up Smaragda Mandyla of Greece.

Two days after successful W75 10,000m gold, Sarah Roberts secured silver on the 400m in a UK document 80.81. Anne Dockery was fourth in 94.17 as France’s Michelle Peroni gained in 80.03.

Annette Quaid of Eire gained the W45 400m in 58.67 with Britain’s Liz Amos second in 61.60.

World Masters M60 indoor champion Roland Groger gained gold for Germany in 54.61 as Florida medalist Wole Odele added one other bronze in 56.94. Utilizing the energy that had seen him run over 400 parkruns, Odele caught team-mate Vincent Elie (57.96) on the road because the pair went equal seventh and ninth on the UK all-time lists.

Lewis Robson was third within the M35 400m in 49.03 as gold went to Israel’s Dor Kollwitz’s 48.37. Craig Cox was fifth in 50.29. Popsie Wootten was a detailed fourth within the W55 race in 66.67 as Spain’s Esther Colas was a transparent winner in 62.81.

Richard Scott was fourth within the M50 400m in 54.45 as Italy’s Ivan Mancinelli gained gold in 51.59. Laura Jobsen was fifth within the W35 400m in 59.70 in a race gained by the 2021 Olympic 4×400 silver medalist Ida Baumgart-Witan’s 53.54. The latter’s PB is 51.02.

Eire’s Edel Maguire gained the W65 gold in 68.44 with Louise Jeffries (fifth in 81.45)  and Hilary West (sixth in 83.54) main the UK problem. Doreen Craig was sixth within the W70 400m of 87.33.

Britain’s different steeplechase gold got here within the W45 occasion as Kirstie Sales space had a runaway win in 6:54.31 as she made a courageous solo try on her personal world document as she gained by over a minute. The time was a lot faster than the youthful W35 and W40 athletes achieved within the subsequent closing. Jaqueline Etherington was second in 7:55.03.

In the identical race, Ana Ramos-Villaverde gained W50 bronze in 9:02.23.

Steven Gardner was second within the M60 steeplechase with 7:17.09 shut behind Netherlands’ Peter Musberg (7:15.01). Simon Allen set a PB in sixth in 7:58.14.

Damian Nevins was a detailed fourth within the M45 3000m steeplechase in 10:02.64 with Gurmit Singh sixth in 10:25.05.

The throwers additionally had an amazing day regardless of very late finishes and a few slack measuring by the officers robbing achieved throwers of many metres.

W85 Evaun Williams gained her third gold of the championships as her 28.87m gave her a close to 9 metre victory and she or he additionally simply beat the W80 champion too as she completed a exceptional second out of 18 W75 plus throwers.

Former AAA discus finalist Man Dirkin additionally struck gold as his 18.89m throw gave him the M70 weight title from Greece’s Vasileios Manganas’ 18.09m.

Colin Spivey was not the one UK M90 medalist of the day as Warwick Dixon added to his hammer haul with a weight silver with one other British document 10.65m.

Sweden’s Oster Edlund took gold with a 11.70m throw. Janet Smith (38.36m) and Ruth Fowl (34.82m) had been fourth and sixth within the W60 hammer. Bob Broadbridge was fourth within the M65 weight with a 15.01m throw.

Extra medals had been anticipated however plenty of throws happening on Saturday weren’t anticipated to complete earlier than Sunday morning and can be included in Sunday’s report!

There have been additionally British medals within the walks as Melanie Peddle gained W55 bronze within the 5000m occasion with 28:05.16 as gold went to Katalin Bodorkos-Horvath who achieved 27:17.20.

Aleksandra Majewska-Ani picked up W35 bronze in 29:38.82 as Netherlands’ Anne Van Andel recorded 25:06.82.

Wilford Floyd Wilks was fifth within the M55 decathlon with 6465 factors as Swede Mattias Sunneborn scored 7576 to win gold.

Alistair Hill leads the M75 decathlon in a single day on 3491 factors and Jo Rowland heads the W35 heptathlon with 3036 factors.

Jodie Albrow is third within the W40 occasion midway. Sunday sees all of the 1500m finals and whereas most occasions can be straight finals many Brits impressed in qualifying on Saturday together with M60 Rob McHarg (4:52.53) and M60 Dave Clarke (5:20.70) who had been quickest.

M45 Paul Grange (4:15.32) and M50 Dean Richardson (4:21.44) and M55 Mark Symes (4:31.70) had been second quickest.