Find local news in Kent

Home   Kent   Sport   Article

Sprinters Adam Gemili and Dina Asher-Smith claim two titles apiece at English Athletics Championships as Kent athletes impress

10:50, 17 June 2013

Adam Gemili at the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park.
Adam Gemili at the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park.

Adam Gemili stole the headlines with a world class sprint double at the England Athletics under-20 and under-23 Championships at Bedford at the weekend.

The 19-year-old London 2012 semi-finalist, from Dartford, showed his class by demolishing fields packed with the cream of young British talent to claim the 100m title and break his personal best for 200m as he added another title.

Gemili now has A-standard qualifying times for the World Championships in Moscow in August and will be red-hot favourite to repeat his World Junior Championship title from last summer should he line-up in Ukraine next month.

Gemili cruised through his 100m heat in 10.38secs before scorching to a time of 10.09 in breezy conditions on Saturday.

The following day the former Dartford Grammar School pupil blew away his rivals in the 200m heats, winning in 21.19, with Medway & Maidstone's Andre Wright narrowly missing out on a place in the final, finishing fourth in 21.75.

In the final Gemili sounded a warning shot to the world's best, stopping the clock in 20.30secs, almost a third of a second ahead of second-place and 0.08 inside his previous best, to go eighth in the UK all-time list and third in Europe this year.

Gemili told fans on twitter: "Double national champion and a PB in the 200m - I couldn't ask for more."

Gemili's Blackheath & Bromley AC teammate Dina Asher-Smith looks set to join Gemili as Britain's brightest sprinting prospects after collecting a double of her own in the under-20 events at Bedford.

The 17-year-old is dominant over 200m this season and has already run a B-qualifying time for Moscow in the 200m.

On Sunday she romped to victory in 23.19secs at Bedford, just 0.05 outside her PB, and has now set the three fastest under-20 times in Europe this season.

The previous day Asher-Smith, from Orpington, had smashed her 100m PB by almost a quarter of a second to claim gold in 11.30 - which would have been enough for silver in the age-group above her.

Another B&B star who could feature in Moscow is Bexleyheath long-jumper Lorraine Ugen, who is definitely part of the GB team for the European under-23 Championships in Finland after winning the under-23 event with a leap of 6.31cm at Bedford.

A superb final 400m from Invicta East Kent's Bobby Clay, 16, from Wingham, helped her secure a comprehensive win in the under-20 1,500m, stopping the clock in 4:20.54, almost three seconds clear of the runner-up.

IEK teammate Rebecca Weston, 18, continued her superb form with a storming win in the under-20 3,000m, setting a new PB by 14 seconds, crossing the line in a European Junior Championship qualifying time of 9.23.37, 20 seconds clear of second-place.

Tonbridge AC's Sophie Foreman was 10th.

Sittingbourne's Sean Molloy, who runs for Tonbridge AC, was the defending champion and fastest qualifier for the under-20 800m final, winning his heat in 1.54.20, but was pipped to gold in the final on the line by Jordan Bransberg (1.49.08) and had to settle for silver.

Tonbridge's Matt Blandford was 5th in the under-20 discus whiel Luca Russo was 11th in the 1,500m final.

London Olympian Jack Green returned to action at Bedford but could only claim bronze in the under-23 400m hurdles, finishing in 50.60secs, a full two seconds behind his winning time from 2012.

Green did claim a silver medal in the flat 400m in 47.24, being Welling's Dan Putnam in 47.16.

Ellie Gooding of Ashford AC finished joint third in the under-20 pole vault (3.30m) while clubmate Rachel Hanagan was fourth in the under-23 triple-jump (11.44m) and George Huxley was seventh in the under-20 men's 110mH (14.71).

Cameron Corbishley of Medway & Maidstone AC took silver in the 10k walk in 47.49.05.

Blackheath & Bromley's Cheriece Hylton was 5th in the final of the under-20 400m (56.06) while her twin Shannon pulled out of the 100m and 200m through illness.

Elsewhere Lisa Dobriskey raced to victory at the Kusonicki Memorial meeting in Szczecin in a time of 4.04.81, fourth fastest by a European this term and an encouraging mark this early in the season for the Ashford AC ace, who said she was 'really happy' with her performance.

The time was an A-qualifier for Moscow for the 2009 World Championship silver-medallist.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More