Written by Bridget Cushen on 30 Mar 2016
Mark Finley runs 6.97sec 60m heat
Land Ladies put British Masters on the Rostrum
Carole Derrien, a 75-year-old retired Jersey farmer won our first medal, bronze in the Weight Throw, at the European Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Ancona, Italy on Tuesday and EVAC’s sheep farmer Anne Martin took silver in the same event in the W80 category. There were bronze medals for M50 Steve Whyte in the Discus, held outside in glorious sunshine as the temperature nudged towards 20C, and Mike Hazlewood in the javelin.
Carole Filer won the 60mH, long (4.35m) and high jump (1.42) putting her well positioned to retain her European Indoor Pentathlon.
The star of the first day of the intense qualification rounds was Mark Finlay as the stadium rose to his 6.97sec clocking in the third of five heats in the M35 age category 60m, the fastest recorded this year. Also through to the semis in the same Age Group are Mensah Elliott, Ben Owen, Marvin Edwards and Liam Collins. Tam Ossai clocked 7.13 to head up the M40 group, Mark Collins and Ciaran Harvey needed 7.38 to get through. Joe Appiah and Jason Carty are through to the M45 final but Guiseppe Minnetti’s 7.58sec semi just missed out.
World M70 200m outdoor record holder Glyn Sutton, Alan Long, Vic Novell and James Smith got through to the final in that group. After a long wait to get an individual Age Group Indoor British title at Lee Valley, Tom Phillips won his M60 heat here and then his 4th place in the semi final was good enough for a fastest loser place in the final alongside Paul Lavender. Pat Logan went through as second fastest M55. W60 Emily McMahon, W55 Jane Horder, Angela Kelly, W50 Angela Bates, W40 Michelle Thomas ran 8.06 and despite a fall in a false start Giare Skervin picked herself up to get through to the next round. The W35-ies ran brilliantly with Joanne Frost, Claire Spurway, Samantha Bickley-Vaile and Naana Adusei all sailing through to the semis.
The 800m runners had to fight hard to get through, M45 Steve Baldock ran a well judged race to qualify, Marc Turner is through to the M40 final. Simon Anderson is fastest M50 qualifier with a 2.10.51 heat, he is also lining up for the 3000 final on Wednesday. 24 men started in the M55 race. Ludwig Ramsey and Kevin Pye took on the lead in their heat and both got through. Ian Snow, Mike Mann and Bruce Hendrie are into the M65 final and M60 David Oxland completes the finalists. Bernadine Pritchard was happy with her 2.34.91 to take her through.