Great Britain’s success in the 10,000 m and the javelin throw in Madeira
Great Britain won three golds and ten medals on the opening day of the European Masters Championships in Madeira (October 9).
The track gold medals were won in the track final over 10,000 meters, which was held in sweltering conditions.
Sarah Roberts won the W75 title by 10 minutes, although her time of 47:41.41 was almost two minutes off her world record set in much colder conditions in Oxford in May.
In the same race, Marian Grace took W65 silver in 50:44.86 and Carolyn Gale took W75 bronze in 60:06.62. The overall race was won by Denmark’s Tove Schultz-Lorentzen in 42:41.98.
Chris Upson was a big winner of the M60 event as his 37:05.86 allowed him to cover the entire field. He poured water on his head every lap to say “cool” and won by just under two minutes.
1987 European junior 5,000m champion Simon Mugglestone won his first European medal in 38 years when he finished second in the M55 10,000m in 36:02.08, behind Dutchman Peter van der Velden (35:50.78), the highest-ranked men’s 10,000m competitor in terms of age of all categories. Andy Green was fourth in 36:52.24.
Mike Burrett finished second in the M45 10,000m in 35:13.39 and Italy’s Gabrielle Frescucci won gold (34:24.00). Geoff Newton was second in the M80 10,000m in 54:00.76, behind Dutchman Wim Oedejans in 50:13.63.
Great Britain’s other gold came on the field when previous world and European throwing champion Evaun Williams easily won W85 gold in the javelin with a throw of 18.77m. She also beat champion W80 in the combined W75-90 event.
Warwick Dixon, Britain’s oldest English schools champion, took bronze in hammer M90 with a UK record of 20.34m. Germany’s Lothar Huchthausen was the gold medalist (26.71 m).
Paula Williams won bronze in the W50 javelin with a throw of 33.27m, while Agnes Preisinger (38.98m) gave Hungary the title.
In the men’s 400 m M65 heats, Great Britain had four of the six fastest athletes, with world indoor champion Richard White the fastest in 61:24. World outdoor champion and 100m world record holder John Wright remains the favourite.
Ireland’s John Dwyer won the M40 weight with a throw of 16.24m.
Gareth Cook was fourth in the M55 weight with a throw of 17.00m and that position was equaled by M75 hammer thrower Barry Hawksworth (37.93m).
Former AAA discus finalist Guy Dirkin was fifth in the M70 weight with a throw of 41.99m, while Graham Holder also placed fifth in the M50 weight (17.50m).
