Harry Kendall, who finished sixth for England in the decathlon at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, states “it was disappointing to have zero clarity on the standard of competition”
Gabby Pieraccini reports from Sheffield
Several athletes have commented they didn’t realise the recent UK Combined Events Championships title was at stake until they got to the actual podium and saw the medals.
Some of the UK’s top combined eventers arrived at the English Institute of Sport last weekend (January 6-7) for what they thought was primarily the England Athletics Combined Events Championships.
The event is open to athletes outwith England and the distribution of English and regional medals always requires much shuffling on and off the podium, particularly when international athletes are in attendance.
However, on this occasion there was an additional twist.
As the pentathlon ceremony drew to a close, the stadium announcers called up the athletes to receive their final medals – for the UK titles. A murmur of surprise spread through the group of coaches, friends and families assembled on the track, many of whom were clearly not aware the UK title was being handed out.
Pentathlon podium at EIS in Sheffield (Gabby Pieraccini)
A short while later, the equivalent ceremony for the heptathlon followed. Again, an air of surprise and confusion, as UK championship medals were hung around the necks of the top three.
“We didn’t know about this,” one coach said in surprise. Many were frustrated at the confusion, including Harry Kendall, who finished sixth for England and lit up the Alexander Stadium in the decathlon at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
After the event, he said: “It was disappointing to have zero clarity on the standard of the competition last weekend, as it could have encouraged a larger turnout of athletes or inspired better performances.
“For all of us athletes it feels like another slight towards combined events, in an attempt to continually sideline us from the main events. We’re just asking for equal treatment, not special treatment.”
Harry Kendall (Getty)
The competition itself saw 20-year-old Abi Pawlett impress over the five events at EIS to win the English pentathlon title.
She led from start to finish, scoring a lifetime best of 4325 points. That mark will position her well against the highly competitive international field in Tallinn in early February.
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