Georgina Hunter Bell shatters a 31-year-old championship record in the women's 800m, while Jake Wightman uses all his championship know-how to hold off Ben Pattison in a gripping men's final.

There were several close finishes in the middle-distance events at the Novuna UK Athletics Championships, but Georgina Hunter Bell's dominant 800m victory stood out.

The world indoor 1500m champion moved into an early lead and went through the bell in 57.02 with Issy Boffey chasing hard in second.

But Hunter Bell cruised around the second lap to clock 1:55.93 – breaking the 31-year-old championship record of 1:57.56 held by Kelly Holmes and Francine Niyonsaba’s 10-year-old stadium record of 1:56.92.

Runner-up Boffey clocked 1:59.56.

Hunter Bell said: “I was trying all the way to the line, so I am really happy. I wanted to have a really hard run and see where I am at. It was a bit of an exercise in getting some answers to some questions, and I am really pleased with what I produced out there.

“It’s really nice to get a championship record and win another UK title. I was visualising it before I came out here. I have some great memories here, so I can’t wait to be back here for the Europeans in a couple of months.”

Sarah Calvert was a surprise winner of the UK women’s 1500m title 12 months ago and on Sunday she proved it was no fluke as she won again.

Calvert once again employed a strong sprint finish to run 4:07.82 as Katie Snowden ran 4:08.22 in second and Laura Muir 4:08.73 in third, just ahead of Erin Wallace.

The men’s 800m was an exciting, tactical affair with Jake Wightman using all his experience and race craft to outmanoeuvre Ben Pattison in the closing stages.

Wightman, the 2022 world 1500m champion, kicked into the home straight with a slight lead on Pattison and held off the 800m specialist with a gritty display.

Wightman ran 1:45.40 with Pattison nine hundredths of a second behind and Alex Botterill third in 1:46.01.

Wightman said: “I go into a champs knowing that I can run the best out of myself at a championships. If I can get close to 100% of myself in a race and I don’t make a mistake, I hope that makes me dangerous.

“I feel like today I was close to that, it’s just knowing and having the confidence that I can run well when it matters. It’s a big tool to have, I’ve had it from a young age. When you get older and continue to develop the skills to pull it off, you really see the results.”

Kristian Imroth was an impressive winner of the men’s 3000m steeplechase in 8:18.97, narrowly missing Phil Norman’s championship record of 8:18.65 from 2024.

Will Battersill was runner-up in 8:22.97 with Zak Seddon third in 8:23.99.

“It was kind of everything I wanted from today’s race,” Imroth said. “I have had a really strong NCAA season, and came here wanting to win. I was sort of in the Euro qualifying places but I didn’t have the time. The boys set it up well today, I don’t think they meant to do that, but it worked out for me, so I am very happy.

“It is a home Euros, I went to University in Birmingham, so it feels even more at home to me. The job isn’t just to make it to the Championships, it is to try and make that final and get a medal. That’s exactly what I plan on doing."

Arlo Ludewick will be a relatively new name to many as he made his mark in the men’s 1500m with victory in 3:38.85.

The Herne Hill Harriers athlete boldly hit the front with 600m to go and maintained his lead to the line in style.

Finishing hot on his heels, Jake Heyward continued his fine comeback after surgery with Thomas Keen winning his first medal at these championships in third.

Elsewhere in the endurance races, David Mullarkey won the men’s 5000m in 13:27.00, although it means Dave Bedford’s 1972 championships record of 13:17.21 survives another year.

With a fast finish for second place, Andy Butchart continued his renaissance with a 13:27.52 season’s best, just ahead of former champion James West with Scott Beattie fourth.