St Mary’s in Top Form at British Athletics Indoor Championships

The Endurance Performance and Coaching Centre (EPACC) at St Mary’s University, Twickenham enjoyed success at the Sainsbury’s British Athletics Indoor Championships at the English Institute of Sport (EIS) in Sheffield on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th February. Andy Vernon, a former student who has been training at St Mary’s for several years, won the men’s 3000m race automatically qualifying him for a place in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Poland, which will take place on Friday 7th March to Sunday 9th March. In the women’s 1500m race Jemma Simpson also placed first, and will hopefully gain automatic selection for the World Indoors if she runs the qualifying time at this weekend’s Birmingham Grand Prix. Three EPACC athletes finished in the top six of the men’s 1500m race, with current student Charlie Grice taking the bronze medal, Kris Gauson followed in fourth position and Ben Coldray in sixth. Adelle Tracey, also a student at the University, finished in sixth place in the women’s 800m finals running a personal best. Zane Duquemin, who graduated from St Mary’s last year, won the British title in the shot put with a throw of 18.31m. St Mary’s alumnus and Olympic finalist Andrew Osagie won the 800m but unfortunately was disqualified for stepping on the inside lane. He already has the qualifying time for the World Indoors and hopefully will be selected next week.