Athletes impress in landing u23 and u20 titles
University of Bath-based athletes produced a string of strong performances at the Aviva England Athletics U23 and U20 Championships at the weekend with Lawrence Clarke, Megan Southwart, Danny Talbot and Andrew Pozzi all collecting titles
The championships at Bedford were also the trials for the next month’s European Under-23 and European Junior Championships.
Lawrence Clarke, the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist who is coached by Malcolm Arnold, UKA National Events Coach – Hurdles, took the under-23 110m hurdles title in a time of 13.78 seconds. In his first outing of the season, Clarke clocked a European Under-23 Championships qualifying time of 13.74 seconds in the heats.
“I haven’t even started speed work yet, so there’s obviously a lot more to come,” he said. “I was very rusty. All the work I’ve done since the indoors has been on technique, but that’s definitely got better.”
Megan Southwart (Sports Performance) took the under-20 400m hurdles title in a personal best time of 59.49 seconds. She now tops the UK junior rankings with one week remaining until the European selections. She is coached by Colin Bovell, the University of Bath’s Head Track and Field Coach.
University of Bath Sports Performance student Danny Talbot, coached by Dan Cossins, battled hard to win the under-23 200m title in 21.03 seconds with fellow Sports Performance student Joseph Kibirige, coached by Colin Bovell, coming fifth in the final in 21.68.
Sports Performance student Jack Green, coached by Malcom Arnold, ran 49.06 to gain second in the 400m hurdles. He crossed the finishing line neck and neck with winner Nathan Woodward and the pair were both credited with the same time, which was a championship best as well as a World Championship and European Under-23 Championships qualification time. Simon Merrill, Sports Performance student coached by Colin Bovell, came fifth with 51.17, a personal best.
Andrew Pozzi, coached by Malcolm Arnold, won the under-20 110m hurdles in a European Junior Championships qualification time.
Psychology student John Bird, coached by David Saker, ran a 1.50.29 personal best for second in the under-20 800m and Economics student Alex Warner came third in the hammer with 63.36m.
For further information please contact the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd on 01225 383518.
