by Stuart Weir
British Fans in Bydgosxcz, photo by Stuart Weir
This is Stuart’s comments on Day 2, and the plethora of GBR second places…..
GB day 2
The GB men’s 4 by 100 relay team were declared winners after France were disqualified for a lane infringement. Of course, GB are reigning world champions in the event but the quartet in Bydgoszcz included none of that awesome foursome, with Dominic Ashwell and Olly Bromby making senior debut appearances for GB. As team captain and anchor leg runner, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey said: “I thought we were amazing. It just goes to show that in Great Britain we have a lot of depth of talent. The fact of the matter is that Kilty and I could have gone first and let them see what they could do at the end. But we let them go first. We let them put us in a position to see where we can work from and I think they did a great job”.
Charlie Da’Vall Grice continued his impressive 2019 form with second place behind local hero, Marcin Lewandowski in a slow, tactical race and pronounced himself: “Pretty happy with that. I knew that Marcin was going to be hard to beat today. He’s running very well at the moment. I also knew that everyone would be watching me and I didn’t want to take it out or anything. My own race plan was to stay quiet for the first three laps and then feel it out. I think you always have to go into these races with an open mind. It’s hard to go into a1500 with a hard race plan. But I’m pretty happy with that”.
Dwayne Cowan was one of six athletes who ran 46 something in the 400m but his 46.18 took second place, comfortably exceeding his ranking.
Shelayne Oskan-Clarke was another GB second place finish, just a quarter of a second behind France’s Renelle Lamote. She said: “I am quite happy with the race overall. I wasn’t too happy with the position I was in at 200 to go. I didn’t move up quick enough and I was in a bad position. I didn’t know whether to go around. But I thought ‘be patient and wait for the home straight’ but I had left the gap too big to be to be able to catch her. But I am happy with where the last bit of my race is. It’s coming!”
Daryll Neita had a bittersweet reaction to her second place in the women’s 100m. On Friday night she had run 11.19, slowing down, to win her heat. Then in the final there was a faulty start and a late recall – after Neita had run 60 meters. And the race was into a negative wind of 2.5m. She ran 11.33 to finish 0.02 seconds behind France’s Carolle Zahi.She commented: “I ran a good race in -2.5 wind so if you spin that around, it is fast running. I am just happy to execute a decent model. My races this season have been few and far between so I am happy to execute something decent here, two weeks before trials, I am really confident”.
Rosie Clarke ran a solid 300m steeplechase for third place. She had moved unto second place on the home straight, only to hit the final barrier and drop back. She was pleased with the placing in a race that did not really suit her: “It was quite slow. I was hoping for a faster, steadier pace instead of the abrupt changes of pace. But that is championship racing and you need to learn that as well. . I really enjoyed it and great to get some points for the team. I would like to have done little bit better but it was the last barrier and I clattered into it”.
Chris Baker was one of four high-jumpers to clear 2.22 but having no failures to that point gave him second place:
“I have to keep telling myself it’s second and good points for the team. It would have been great to clear 2.26m and push for more points but it’s better than two years ago when I competed at this event, much better, and it’s points for the team. The wind made things difficult but I feel that 2.30m [world standard] is coming and once I get there I’ll get better and better.”
Chris McAllister, by his own admission “made a bit of a mess” of his 400m hurdles heat. He got it right in the final running a PR and the Doha qualifying time for fourth place and 9 team points. I really got in there and attacked it. I hung on to the good guys who are going to be up there in the worlds. I wasn’t too far off them which, I hope, bodes well for the rest of the season”.
