Highlight of the opening days of the World Junior Championships was Sian Edwards’ performance in the 5K. Battling it out against tough opposition and tough conditions the Kettering Town Harrier hung on to the lead group as the pace ebbed and flowed before the final break in the last mile. Her sixth place saw her beaten only by two Kenyan, two Chinese and one Ethiopian athlete. Her 15min 47.87sec was just 10sec off a medal.
Newham & Essex Beagles 15 year old Asha Phillip ran her way into the 100m final with a 11.68sec run that saw her advance ahead of many far older athletes.
Emma Jackson of City of Stoke qualified for the 800m semi-finals by winning her heat in 2min 05.68sec. Danielle Christmas of Crawley was more economical in her efforts – easing through in fourth place with 2min 08.53sec.
City of Norwich steeplechaser Ruth Senior continued her outstanding progress this year with a personal best and a place in the final. She took fourth place in her heat for an automatic place in the final and a 10min 12.50sec PB.
Chris Quinn clocked 53.45sec for sixth in his heat of the 400m hurdles which was not enough to progress.
Wade Bennett Jackson of Belgrave Harriers and Harry Aikines Aryeetey of Sutton & District both made the 100m final. Aikines Aryeetey clocked a season’s best 10.38 to win his heat as Bennett Jackson went through as a fastest loser in 10.46sec.
Mark Mitchell of Forres Harriers qualified for the 800m semi-finals with second place in 1min 50.08sec as he moved through in the later stages. James Brewer of Cheltenham Harriers took his heat out to control the qualification proceedings. He crossed the line in third with 1min 49.90sec for another automatic qualification. David McCarthy of West Waterford ran 1min 52.41sec for sixth in his heat.
Earlier in the week Both Martyn Rooney of Croydon Harriers and Grant Baker of Leicester Coritanians had moved through the 400m heats.
Perri Shakes Drayton of Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets set a new PB of 58.04sec to move into the 400m hurdle semi-finals. Ellen Howarth Brown went out after running 61.49sec in the heat of the day. Also finding the midday heat tough was 16 year old Kalyn Sheehan of Ferrybank AC who ran 61.76sec to finish 7th in her heat.
Jason Smyth of City of Derry had suffered from a poor start and went out of the 100m after running 10.85sec.
