ELLINGTON HITS THE STREETS!

Tomorrow (Saturday 17^th) sees the return of the unique, Great North City Games, part of the Bupa Great North Run weekend 2011, and Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington will be taking on the Americans in a unique event.

Top international athletes from both sides of the Atlantiic go head-to-head on a purpose built track on the streets of Newcastle Gateshead Quayside, and James will contest the 150m for Great Britain.


As in previous years, the Great North CityGames 2011 is a completely free event that offers spectators the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the biggest names in sport and even if you can’t make it to Newcastle all the action will be televised live on BBC 1 from 1:30PM. 



Now in its third year, the CityGames event will play out one of the greatest rivalries in international sport; with the Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland team taking on their American counterparts over six disciplines including the pole vault, long jump, track sprints and road races.
Tune in to see James rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in athletics compete for the last time before 2012.


Aviva GB&NI Team

Men

100m - Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Christian Malcolm

110mH - William Sharman, Andy Turner

150m - Marlon Devonish, James Ellington

1 Mile - Andrew Osagie, Bruce Raeside

2 Mile - Mo Farah, Jonny Mellor, Andy Vernon, James Wilkinson

Long Jump -  Ezekiel Ewulo, JJ Jegede

Women

100mH - Ashley Helsby, Sara McGreavy

150m - Anyika Onuora, Abi Oyepitan

1 Mile - Hannah England, Jenny Meadows, Emma Pallant

Pole Vault - Holly Bleasdale, Lucy Bryan

Team USA

Men

100 - Ivory Williams, Jeff Porter

150 - Walter Dix, Maurice Mitchell

1 Mile - Bernard Lagat, Kyle Miller, Donald Cowart

2 Miles - Scott Bauhs, A J Acosta, Brian Olinger, Jeff See 

110h - David Oliver, Jason Richardson

Long Jump - Dwight Phillips, Jeremy Hicks

Women

150 - Carmelita Jeter, Virginia Crawford

100H - Dawn Harper, Danielle Carruthers

PV - April Steiner Bennett, Becky Holliday

James Ellington's final appearance on the circular track ended with a 10.42 (-0.7m/s) 100m outing in the B-race at the IAAF Grand Prix in Zagreb on Tuesday.  

SEASON DONE - ALMOST!

It's been a blast - and that's official!  One of the best seasons ever for Trackspeed1 has seen PB's for every athlete not suffering from injury this summer, culminating in James Ellington's rise to world class in 200m and relay for Great Britain.


James's World Championship campaign may have been brief, but when his achievements of 2011 are seen in the perspective of the bigger picture, boy, what a season!

James had a potentially career-terminating injury in June 2010, and he has confounded even the most optimistic of coaches' predictions this year in not only coming back from that hamstring tear, but rising to the form of his life, with the ultimate reward of a berth i the World Championships in South Korea.

His season is far from finished though.  Al;ready he has contested the Diamond League in Zurich last Thursday, running a blistering leg for Britain's sprint relay team.  James burst out of the blocks on first leg, passing on to a renewed British quartet involving Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis.  Finishing second behind World Record holders Jamaica was an outstanding performance, and stood in stark contrast to the disaster a few days earlier in Korea (which did not involve James!)

In the 100m James didn't quite hit his drive phase right and clocked a winning 10.40s, but he will have another crack at the individual spring in Zagreb's IAAF Grand Prix this Tuesday.

Meanwhile, James's training colleagues have all hung up their spikes for the season, and are taking a well-deserved rest before recommencing training in October.

"Everyone gets together for session one on October 9th," explained coach John Powell, "but every athlete will need to be doing some preparation training well before that with the possible exception of James, who will need a later rest period."

Another late performer of 2011 was 16-year-old Omari Carr-Miller, whose 48.66s personal best over 400m in the age-group national championships last month was outstanding given his chequered injiury history stretching back two years.

"Omari has immense talent," said John, "and he and I have already met twice to discuss a strategy for the coming year that will hopefully see him get into serious shape for 2012, and keep him free of injury."

Trackspeed1's profile alters slightly each year, and this year sees the welcome return of squad old boy Andrew Matthews.  An athlete who PB'd last time he was in the squad as a junior, and who went to European Junior Championships to, hasn't quite clicked since, and decided to return to his old squad to see if he could rekindle some of the old talent.

Now 25, the time could well be right to peak in a year that could see additional international opportunities for athletes not targeting the Olympics, including the European Championships.

Former British junoior and Under-23 sprinter,
Andrew Matthews, is rejoining Trackspeed1

TWO HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND AND OUT!

James hits the straight in the heats of the 200m in Daegu

James Ellington's dream of entering the semi-finals of the World Championships crumbled in South Korea today, as the cruelest of margins eliminated him from the 200 metres at heat stage.


Just two hundredths of a second stood between James and an automatic place in the semi-finals, as he took fourth place in his heat in 20.82 seconds.  Only the first three went through as of right.

All the athletes were way below their season's best, partly affected by the swirling wind in the stadium, which can be a 200m sprinter's nightmare.  James's cause was not helped as he stumbled at the start, and his normally electric bend tamed to holding the stagger.

"I'm gutted for him," said coach John Powell afterwards.  "He has worked so hard for this, and to go out when, in another heat, 21.03 went through automatically, it does make it a little hard to swallow.

"He should hold his head high though, and be proud of what he has achieved.  Last year he had a potentially career-terminayting injury, and here he's at the World Championships.  He has done exceptionally well, and now we must move on and focus on the biggest year ever in British Athletics - 2012!!

IT'S GO TIME FOR ELLINGTON: Korea update 1/9/11

The Daegu Stadium, where James Ellington will run 200m

It’s his first major senior games, and they are now just hours away!  Trackspeed1 sprinter James Ellington goes in the World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, at 0310hrs UK time (1110 local).  For the now published draw for the 200m heats, see the end of this blog.

He will learn who he must face, and who stands between him and what would be a sensational achievement in reaching the semi-finals, later today.  The semi’s take place at 11.55am UK (1955 local).

It could be anyone from the more obscure nations to World Record holder Usain Bolt, but James is ready for any of them:

“Obviously I’d rather not have Bolt in my heat, because that’s one of the automatic qualifying places gone,” he said, “but I reckon I’m in good shape and I have every intention of getting into the semi’s, and then we will see.”

Coach John Powell, also in Korea with his athlete, was equally upbeat: “James is in fine shape, but knows he has a real job ahead of him.  But there is no reason why he should not progress beyond the heats, and for someone who has got here with absolutely no support whatsoever in terms of sponsorship or funding, that would be fantastic.

“We’ve talked about the various scenarios, including if Bolt is in his heat, but it really comes down to focussing on his own job, and running the race of his life.  I’ve known James a very long time, and he has been a championship performer in the past, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t produce the goods here.  It will be tight though - there are 25 entries with faster 2011 best times than James, and only 24 places exist in the semi's!”

James completed his final training session yesterday (Wednesday 31st) and will rest today before he opens his account at what has thus far been a spectacular world championships.  212 nations have combined to thrill a virtually capacity crowd most evenings and a healthy attendance in the morning.  And in true Far East tradition, the event has gone like clockwork.

James Ellington completes his final training session before the 
World Championship 200 metres, in Daegu, South Korea, Friday 0310hrs UK

 “It’s very well organised,” said John, “and has been very entertaining so far – I’m sure the 200m will be equally as enjoyable!  The only real issue now is the heat.  The rainy season has finished and we hit 39 degrees today, so that needs to be managed very carefully.”

It will of course depend on how many heats there are as to what the qualifying conditions are, but if the women’s event was anything to go by today, give heats allowed the first four plus the next fastest four times through to the semi’s.

“That sort of qualification sounds easy,” said John, “but believe me it isn’t – you’ve got the very best in the world here, and some decent athletes fell foul in the heats and will not run again.  It really is fight or flight!“

James will learn on Saturday if he is to be part of the 4 x 100m sprint relay effort in heats or final on Sunday.

“James has established himself as a world class third leg at all the other internationals this year,” said John, “and he has proved time and again he is one of the best bend runners this country has ever seen.  It would be a scandal if he were not selected, but we will have to wait and see.”


Draw now published.  James lane 2 heat 5 (scroll to the right for SB / PB / country)....

Heat 1

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:10

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	530	Roudy Monrose	HAI	20.69	20.69
2	874	Femi Ogunode	QAT	20.30	20.30
3	477	Sebastian Ernst	GER	20.42	20.36
4	985	Sibusiso Matsenjwa	SWZ		21.93
5	1073	Walter Dix	USA	20.02	19.69
6	941	Kim Collins	SKN	20.56	20.20
7	315	Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud	EGY	20.65	20.36
8	968	Marc Schneeberger	SUI	20.52	20.42

Heat 2

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:18

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	157	Michael Mathieu	BAH	20.38	20.38
2	294	Pavel Maslák	CZE	20.66	20.66
3	783	Churandy Martina	NED	20.38	20.08
4	216	Bryan Barnett	CAN	20.54	20.31
5	1009	Emmanuel Callender	TRI	20.67	20.40
6	448	Christian Malcolm	GBR	20.54	20.08
7	588	Usain Bolt	JAM	19.86	19.19

Heat 3

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:26

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	384	Jonathan Åstrand	FIN	20.50	20.50
2	557	Paul Hession	IRL	20.51	20.30
3	165	Khalilur Rahman	BAN	21.34	21.34
4	1110	Darvis Patton	USA	20.25	20.03
5	623	Yuichi Kobayashi	JPN	20.59	20.59
6	943	Brijesh Lawrence	SKN	20.59	20.59
7	801	Jaysuma Saidy Ndure	NOR	20.26	19.89
8	532	Rolando Palacios	HON	20.97	20.40

Heat 4

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:34

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	731	Mosito Lehata	LES	20.93	20.93
2	633	Shinji Takahira	JPN	20.49	20.22
3	969	Alex Wilson	SUI	20.51	20.51
4	886	Lebogang Moeng	RSA	20.58	20.58
5	413	Christophe Lemaitre	FRA	20.21	20.16
6	112	Brendan Christian	ANT	20.60	20.12
7	584	Marvin Anderson	JAM	20.27	20.06
8	938	Leeroy Henriette	SEY	21.70	21.70

Heat 5

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:42

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	1074	Jeremy Dodson	USA	20.33	20.33
2	438	James Ellington	GBR	20.52	20.52
3	585	Nickel Ashmeade	JAM	19.95	19.95
4	564	Calvin Dascent	ISV	20.66	20.66
5	1147	Gabriel Mvumvure	ZIM	20.67	20.67
6	629	Hitoshi Saito	JPN	20.55	20.42
7	204	Sandro Viana	BRA	20.42	20.32

Heat 6

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:50

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	258	Ben Youssef Meité	CIV	20.60	20.37
2	967	Reto Schenkel	SUI	20.51	20.51
3	198	Bruno de Barros	BRA	20.16	20.16
4	1028	Omar Jouma Bilal Al-Salfa	UAE	20.92	20.63
5	813	Alonso Edward	PAN	20.28	19.81
6	217	Jared Connaughton	CAN	20.45	20.34
7	770	Luka Rakic	MNE	21.94	21.94
8	891	Thuso Mpuang	RSA	20.56	20.53

Heat 7

Friday 02 September 2011 - 11:58

Lane	Bib	Athlete	Country	2011	PB
1	191	Nilson Andrè	BRA	20.56	20.41
2	466	Holder da Silva	GBS		21.01
3	360	Marek Niit	EST	20.43	20.43
4	591	Mario Forsythe	JAM	20.29	20.29
5	262	Daniel Grueso	COL	20.83	20.49
6	1015	Rondel Sorrillo	TRI	20.16	20.16
7	283	Michael Herrera	CUB	20.52	20.31
8	851	Arnaldo Abrantes	POR	20.61	20.48