Holly Bleasdale vaulted her way to the top of the world rankings with a clearance of 4.77m at the EIS in Sheffield on Saturday.
The Olympic sixth-placer attempted the UK-record height of 4.90m, but it wasn’t to be. However, her vault on day one of the British Athletics European Indoor Trials and UK Championships was enough to put her ahead of Katie Byres, Zoe Brown and Lucy Bryan who all finished in that order behind her, clearing 4.20m.
Speaking afterwards, Bleasdale said: “I felt really confident in my warm up and I was blowing through all my poles so I knew that I could be on big poles today.
“I was really happy when I cleared 4.77m on my last attempt, I didn’t quite hook things up how I’d like to but I can’t complain with 4.77m and I know that once I hook everything up I’ll be in a good place. I’m looking forward to getting a few more competitions in before I go to Gothenburg.”
The 21-year-old’s performance was the highlight of the first of two days of action, in which athletes placing in the first two with the UKA qualifying standard guaranteed themselves a place on the team for the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg next month.
A total of 13 athletes have now earned automatic places, with Eilidh Child (400m), Shana Cox (400m), Laura Muir (1500m), Yamile Aldama (triple jump) and Asha Philip (60m) set to join Bleasdale in Sweden.
Child’s comfortable victory in the 400m saw her secure her first UK indoor title, a feat she later admitted she was “over the moon” with.
“I’ve had so many silvers at UK Championships before so it’s great to finally get a gold,” said Child, who crossed the line in 52.13 ahead of Cox (52.97) and Meghan Beesley (53.15).
Muir demonstrated a superb change of pace over the last 400m to take the 1500m title in 4:13.59. The Dundee athlete, who has been showing a great deal of promise of late and went into today’s race off the back of a 4:12.39 PB set in Vienna at the end of January, was followed home by Rosie Clarke (4:17.09 PB) and Melissa Courtney (4:17.57 PB).
Aldama retained her triple jump title with 13.44m and, although she later admitted she wasn’t happy with the distance, it’s a promising result following the surgery she had at the end of September.
Margaret Adeoye won the women’s 200m in 23.22, while Christine Ohuruogu looked happy to cross the line second in 23.58, a time not too far outside her indoor PB of 23.41 set in 2008.
A strong final 50m from Ireland’s Claire Tarplee in the women’s 800m secured her the win in a 2:03.66 PB. Alison Leonard followed in 2:03.88 while Dawn Hunt finished third in 2:05.39. Marilyn Okoro, who had set off powerfully, dropped out with the line in sight.
Lauren Howarth destroyed both the field and her PB in the 3000m, crossing the line in 8:56.46 to take almost 15 seconds off her personal best. Jess Judd led for much of the race, but had to settle for third after Howarth surged in the final 800m, knocking Stewart into second. Judd’s 9:14.71 is the fastest indoor performance by a British junior since 1985.
Irish Olympic 100m hurdles semi-finalist Derval O’Rourke claimed the 60m hurdles win as a guest with an 8.11 season’s best ahead of Sarah Claxton, who clocked 8.16 to win the UK title, while Yasmin Miller crossed the line in 8.25 for a British indoor age-17 best.
Dominique Blaize took the long jump win with a 6.29m season’s best ahead of Jade Surman who leapt to a 6.19m PB.
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Image: Mark Shearman
