Middle-distance runner continues fine summer as Josh Kerr impresses over 5000m, Neil Gourley wins 1500m and Phil Norman wins exciting steeplechase battle
Fans of Max Burgin always have their heart in their mouth due to his injury-hit history. But fresh from a 1:42.36 PB in London two weeks earlier and after looking so relaxed in his heat at these Novuna UK Athletics Championships, the Halifax Harrier was the hot favourite in Sunday’s 800m final.
He didn’t disappoint as he led from the start despite blustery conditions, stretching away on the final lap to clock 1:43.92 – just outside William Tanui’s long-standing championship record of 1:43.90.
In the battle for the minor medals, Tiarnan Croken of Preston Harriers clocked 1:45.56 to pip Alex Botterill’s 1:45.57 as recent European under-23 medallist Justin Davies was fourth and 2023 world bronze medallist Ben Pattison, on the comeback from injury, jogged in last in 1:51.58.
“When you have a few seconds advantage over everyone else coming into the race, you always feel a responsibility to lead from the front,” said Burgin, “so that is why I went out like I did.
“That kind of jeopardy (to get top two) has been the case at trials for the last few years, so it is nothing new to any of us, so it makes it an exciting race, I guess.”
Josh Kerr might light work of the 5000m at these championships as he breezed to victory by nine seconds, waving to the crowd Ovett-style in the final metres.
His winning time of 13:44.73 didn’t get close to Dave Bedford’s championships record of 13:17.2 from 1972. Neither will it worry Olympic and world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.
Still, it was a fine demonstration of stamina by the world 1500m champion as he prepares to defend his crown in Tokyo.
With British record-holder George Mills absent due to a recent operation on a broken wrist sustained at the London Diamond League – plus James West missing due to injury – it meant a couple of big contenders were not here.
But after some slow cagey early stages, Rory Leonard surged with four laps to go and threw in a 61-second lap which only Kerr was able to go with.
Kerr then breezed past Leonard with 950m to go, immediately building a big lead and he clocked around 2:01 for the final two laps as Jack Kavanagh pipped Leonard for silver with Will Barnicoat outsprinting Charlie and George Wheeler for fourth.
“This is my second ever British title,” said Kerr….
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at Athletics Weekly…