AW in 2010
Sometimes older events are easier to recall than more modern ones. I was reminded when I picked up an AW issue from 2010 and what happened in that issue seemed less memorable than what happened in an issue I had earlier browsed through from 1970!
The March 18, 2010, issue’s cover star is Jessica Ennis-Hill and the two major events featured are the World Indoor Championships in Doha and the Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships at Cofton Park.
Ennis won pentathlon gold in Qatar with a British record of 4937 points. That score moved her to third on the British all-time list.
The world outdoor heptathlon champion had opened in style in the 60m hurdles with 8.04, the best ever in the competition to get a good 36-point lead.
She further increased her lead in the high jump when she jumped 1.90m. Her lead was now 75 points.
A solid shot of 14.01m kept her ahead but with Nataliya Dobrynska throwing 16.43m, the gap was down to just 18 points.
The pressure was now on as the Ukrainian was deemed the stronger long jumper but the Brit responded with a 6.44m PB and she extended her lead to a fairly safe 53 points.
She needed a perfectly feasible 2:08.85 to break the world record and that seemed on when she passed 200m in 30.63 but looked more challenging with a 64.14 halfway time.
The record chance disappeared on the third lap with Ennis not quite at her best after injuries in the winter and she had to settle for a time of 2:12.58 which enabled her to take 10 points off Kelly Sotherton’s UK best and take gold by 86 points from Dobrynska.
The other British winner was Dwain Chambers in the 60m. He was the fastest in the first round (6.59) and semi-finals (6.51).
In the final, Mike Rodgers - who is still going strong and won Doha 4x100m world gold in 2019 - got the better start but was unable to hold off Chambers who passed him to win in 6.48, half a metre clear of the American (6.53).
Jenny Meadows gained a silver medal in the 800m. She ran a brave race, powering past 600m ahead in 1:28.73, and finished strongly but was unable to repel the late kick of Mariya Savinova (1:58.26) who won by a metre.
Meadows’ reward was a British record 1:58.43. Savinova’s win now looks tainted as a retesting of her drugs test expunged all her medal winning results from 2011.
Britain also won a bronze in the men’s 4x400m.
Britons aside the best performance came from Teddy Tamgho who won the triple jump with a world record of 17.90m.
It was an exciting competition as he only secured the gold and his record with his final leap.
On the track, Meseret Defar won her fourth straight 3000m title, outsprinting world 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot in 8:51.15, while Bernard Lagat won the men’s equivalent in a more respectable 7:37.97.
The McCain-sponsored Inter-Counties race also incorporated the World Cross Country Championships trials.
Mo Farah, a year before he would win his first global title on the track, won the men’s race by around 250 metres from Andy Vernon. He would go on to finish 21st in the world championships, over a minute down on the winner Joseph Ebuya.
Freya Murray won the senior women’s race from Steph Twell but in Bydgoszcz, Twell was the leading Brit in 23rd, nearly two minutes down on winner Emily Chebet.
Richard Goodman won the under-20 race, though Callum Hawkins in third and Andy Butchart in 38th would ultimately impress more in their senior careers.
Emelia Gorecka, one of Britain’s most successful ever junior cross country racers, won the women’s under-20 race. Kate Avery in eighth and Lily Partridge in ninth have both made their mark as senior internationals.
Kate Holt won the under-17 event with future European Indoor 3000m medallist Melissa Courtney in fourth.
Ross Matheson was first in the under-17 boys race. Future English National senior champion Ben Connor was third.
Sam Atkin, who recently made a stunning breakthrough at 5000m and 10,000m, was seventh and featured as the 'rising stars' interview. There is also a feature on him in our January 2021 magazine.
James McMurray, now a 3:39.0 1500m performer, won the under-15 boys' race.
Jess Judd was no stranger to winning major titles back then or after and she won the girls' race in that age group.
Tom Holden and Katie Rowe were the under-13 winners.
The issue also featured the British Masters Cross Country Championships at Stormont Castle.
Annadale’s M35 Dave Morwood won the men’s race from M45 winner Brian Rushworth.
W45 Clare Elms won the women’s race overall from top W35 Helen Fines.
The following day Elms won the South of England overall title at Trent Park.
M40 Andy Morgan-Lee won the men’s Southern title from top M45 Ben Reynolds.
There are also the results of the Scottish Schools Championships.
Laura Muir, then a 2:23.3 800m and 4:47.92 1500m performer, was fourth in the senior girls' race.
Another bound for senior glory with then 2:18.0 and 4:22.47 PBs was Jake Wightman and he was sixth in the under-17 race, one place up on current Scottish cross country champion Jamie Crowe.
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