Laura Weightman and Sam Stabler win in Armagh
Laura Weightman and Jess Judd showed good form ahead of the Commonwealth Games as they finished one-two in the women’s 3km at the Armagh International Road Races.
Weightman successfully defended her title as she strode home four seconds ahead of Judd in 8:59, while Verity Ockenden was third in a high-quality women’s race and Lauren Howarth fourth. In total, 16 women ran 9:30 or quicker, and 34 dipped inside 10 minutes.
The men’s 5km, meanwhile, was won by Sam Stabler in 13:59 on Thursday evening (February 15) as the Wreake & Soar Valley athlete continued his fine winter with victory in the 28th running of the Armagh event.
Runner-up was Charlie Hulson in 14:00 with American Jordan Mann third in 14:01. Such was the quality of the race, with 94 runners breaking 15 minutes, Dewi Griffiths was back in 11th in 14:07.
Elsewhere in Europe, at the Copernicus Cup meet indoors in Torun the Polish athletes Piotr Lisek, Konrad Bukowiecki and Adam Kszczot excelled on home soil.
Lisek pole vaulted a world lead of 5.91m, while Bukowiecki set a world under-23 shot put best of 22.00m for the performance of the night. Still only 20, Bukowiecki is a former world and European junior champion and reigning European indoor gold medallist.
Kszczot, meanwhile, continued his 2018 unbeaten streak with a 1:46.76 800m win.
Several Brits were in action as well with Dina Asher-Smith running 7.14 in the women's 60m behind Marie-Josee Ta Lou’s 7.11. Imani Lansiquot clocked a PB of 7.21 in fifth to move to joint eighth on the UK all-time list.
Elliot Giles ran an indoor PB of 1:47.61 for fifth in the 800m and Charlie Da’Vall Grice was fourth in the 1500m in an indoor PB of 3:39.05.
Adelle Tracey was fifth in the women’s 800m in 2:02.87 behind Angelika Cichocka’s 2:00.76.
For results from Armagh, see here, while for indoor results from Torun, see here.
