Bath Alumni Rosie Clarke, David King and Jacob Paul strike gold at British Athletics Championships

26 August 2019

University of Bath alumni David King and Jacob Paul both claimed hurdles gold at the 2019 Müller British Athletics Championships in Birmingham, while Rosie Clarke also topped the podium as she booked her place at the World Championships in Doha.

Sports Performance graduate King (pictured), who is still based at the University’s Sports Training Village with James Hillier’s coaching group, bagged the second British 110m hurdles title of his career after edging out Cameron Fillery in a photo finish.

Both King and Fillery clocked 13.78 in a final that was run into a strong headwind.

Earlier in the afternoon, Paul – who studied Sport & Social Science and was coached by Colin Bovell during his time in Bath – produced a strong finish to overhaul former World, European and Commonwealth champion Dai Greene in a thrilling 400m hurdles final.

Both Paul and Greene ran season’s best times, of 49.57 and 49.67 respectively, while Sports Performance student Alastair Chalmers – coached by Hillier – was fourth in 50.11.

“It’s incredible,” said Paul. “My whole year has been planning towards the end of August and running my fastest time at the British Championships. I’m over the moon with that.”

Cameron Chalmers, Alastair’s older brother and a Sports Performance graduate, also ran his fastest time of 2019 – 45.84 – as he won a superb silver in the men’s 400m behind Matthew Hudson-Smith.

Chalmers, King and Paul will now be looking to set the qualifying time for their respective events to guarantee their places in the British squad for the IAAF World Championships, which are being held in Doha from September 28 to October 6.

They will be looking to join Accounting & Finance graduate Clarke, who held off a strong challenge from Elizabeth Bird to claim a brilliant 3,000m steeplechase gold in 9:46.66. Clarke, who was also coached by Bovell at the University, had already set the Doha qualification standard.

Olympic and World relay medallist Emily Diamond, who does some of her training at the University, has also secured her place in the squad after finishing runner-up to Laviai Nielsen in the women’s 400m in 52.39.

Click here to find out more about athletics at the University of Bath.

Sponsors
Partners and Suppliers