Lewes’s Rob Mullett made another step on the road to run for Great Britain at the World Championships in London next month when he dominated the 3000m steeplechase in the British Championships at Birmingham on Saturday.
Running well within himself he controlled the race striding clear to a convincing victory over Bracknell’s Zac Seddon in 8:41.43 some ten seconds outside his best time this season.
Sussex was well represented in this final and Brighton & Hove’s Will Gray was only three seconds adrift placing fifth in 8:44.57s while Crowborough’s Ryan Driscoll placed seventh in 8:53.00.
This was the only final on Saturday involving Sussex athletes but there were many involved in the heats and some fought their way through to Sunday’s finals.
Seb Rodger from Eastbourne, the reigning champion, won his heat of the 400m hurdles in 50.51s to go through as the second fastest qualifier while Charlie Grice (Brighton Phoenix) also won his heat of the 1500 metres in 3:42.76s, the fastest qualifier, while in the same heat Brighton & Hove’s Ian Crowe-Wright filled eighth place in 3:50.88s.
Rob Fitzgibbon (Phoenix) also qualified for to-day’s final when placing second in his heat in 3:43.66 while club mate Archie Davis placed seventh in 3:49.64s.
Kim Baptiste from Crawley finished second in her 100m heat in 11.62sec but then missed out on a place in the final when filling fifth place in the semi-final in 11.63s.
In the 800 metres both former County champion Rory Graham-Watson and Finley Bigg (Phoenix) finished fourth in their heats in 1:51.55s and 1:51.38s respectively while Ed Dodd from Eastbourne clocked 1:51.72s when placing sixth in his heat and Dan Stepney (Phoenix) 1:52.47s but none of these made the final.
Holly Turner (Crawley) finished fourth in her 400m heat in 54.92s and Elise Lovell placed fifth in her 100m hurdles heat in 14.07s while Sussex Record holder Beth Close looked in line for a final place before hitting the final two hurdles in the 400m hurdles even and finishing fourth in her heat in 59.50s.
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