Lee Emanuel from Hastings but running in the Sheffield vest and Charlie Grice (Phoenix) ran themselves into the British team for the European Indoor championships in Prague next month when they dominated their events at the UK Indoor championships at Sheffield over the weekend.
Emanuel who was the reigning 1500m champion and competed over that distance at the previous European championships looked like the firm favourite for Saturday’s 3000m title as he tucked in with the leading group right from the start but before the 2000m mark he was forcing the pace from the front and then never looked like being headed. He took the title in 8:03.92 a full second clear of Philip Hurst (Elswick) with Rob Mullett (Lewes) just missing a medal in fourth place in 8:08.08 and youngster Robbie Fitzgibbon (Phoenix) a little adrift in 15th place in 8:41.91, which was never-the-less his fastest time this season.
On Sunday Charlie Grice (Phoenix) followed Emanuel’s lead by controlling the final of the 1,500m and as both athletes already had the qualifying standard under their belts all the needed to do was win. He stamped his presence on the race right from the start and in a slow run race he surged into the lead with just over one lap to go cruised to an impressive victory in 3:49.79s comfortably clear of any challenger.
In the 800 metres club mate Spencer Thomas, who had set a personal best in his heat on Saturday improved his Pb to 1:50.89s to finish in fifth place.
Jade Brewster (Horsham Blue Star) soared over 3.70m to finish fifth in the pole vault while Charlie Grice (Phoenix) had cruised into the final of the 1500m leading his heat from pillar to post in 4:04.58.
In another heat Adam Clarke (Aldershot/Hastings) had to run more than ten seconds faster to finish third in 3:52.81s and, on Sunday, finished seventh in the final some four seconds slower than his heat time.