by Stuart Weir
The Men’s 800m, FBK Hengelo, June 6, 2021, photo via TV by Stuart Weir
The middle distances races
The two 800s and the men’s 1500 were much anticipated races, given the state of British middle-distance running. They did not disappoint.
The women’s 800 had four British athletes – Laura Muir, Jemma Reekie, Adelle Tracey, and Ellie Baker. Keely Hodgkinson had also been listed. There was a false start, causing Jenny Meadows on commentary to suggest that it looked like the pacemaker and to wonder if you could DQ the pacemaker!
At one stage Renelle Lamote looked like the winner but Jemma overlook her and led from the final bend. Laura Muir came with a late burst to take second and Ellie Baker made in a British 1.2,3. Tracey was a disappointing seventh in 2:02.63.
Racing your training partner is not easy but both girls seemed pleased with race: Jemma said: “I’m very happy to take the win. I’m happy with my progress but feel I have still a lot more to give”.
Laura’s assessment was: “I am really happy for Jemma and me to come 1 and 2. It was really good. I tried something different today in racing and I’m really happy with how that turned out – it’s just that Jemma beat me again! Tokyo – 1500 definitely but not sure about 800 we will wait and see after the next couple of races”.
The placings were:
1 | Jemma Reekie 2:00.77 |
2 | Laura Muir 2:00.95 |
3 Ellie Baker 2:01.02
The men’s 800 fields included Daniel Rowden, Eliot Giles, Guy Learmonth and Kyle Langford. Max Burgin had traveled to Hengelo but had not run because of a niggle. Mateusz Borkowski (Poland) won in 1:47.02 from Robert Benjamin (France) with the British runners finishing as follows:
3 Elliot Giles 1:47.22
4 Daniel Rowden 1:47.24
5 Kyle Langford 1:47.60
8 Guy Learmonth 1:48.50
In the men’s 1500m Jake Wightman ran a tactically excellent race to win in 3:34.67. Piers Copeland was eighth in 3:37.62. Charlie Da`Vall Grice, who at one stage had been ahead of Wightman faded to finish 13th in 3:38.95. Wightman commented: “The main aim was to come here and win. I already have the Olympic qualifying time so today was about racing. Times won’t matter in Tokyo so today was about winning the race and tried to finish strong in the last 200 and I think I did today. I feel good”.
