Gateshead Harrier clocks 3:37.76 in Watford as athletes complete final preparations for the British Championships

Ross Murray raced to a superb victory in the 1500m at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix in Watford on Saturday night.

Murray fought off a strong challenge from Tom Lancashire and Tom Farrell to win in 3:37.76 – a season’s best and his fastest since 2012.

With just a week to the Sainsbury’s British Championships, Lancashire, who led into the home straight, will take encouragement from his time of 3:38.33, his best time since 2012, with Farrell just behind in 3:38.57.

The women’s 1500m saw the quickest all-women’s 1500m in BMC history as Kenyan Nancy Chepkwemoi clocked a superb 4:03.00.

The African was in a class of her own but, behind her, British international Jess Judd and Melissa Courtney had a terrific battle.

Judd just held on to clinch second in a lifetime best of 4:09.56 with the new England under-23 champion also ducking under 4:10 for the first time with 4:09.74, which attains the European Under-23 Championships qualifying standard.

The women’s 800m A race saw a fast time for New Zealander Angie Petty, who clocked 2:00.62. In third, Alexandra Bell set a PB of 2:02.57.

The men’s two-lap races were not particularly quick, though. Dale Clutterbuck won the A race in 1:49.05, but the fastest overall was 43-year-old Anthony Whiteman, who won the B race with 1:48.97.

In a women’s 3000m steeplechase won by Kenyan Juliet Chekwell, Iona Lake was top Brit in third, going below 10 minutes for the first time with 9:56.64.

The men’s event also went to a Kenyan – in the form of Ben Siwa. In second was Notts’ Doug Musson, who set a PB of 8:51.89.

However, the 5000m A races resulted in a Polish double as Marek Skorupa (13:59.71) and Dominika Nowakowska (15:29.26) beat the home athletes. Jon Thewlis, with 13:59.85, was second in the men’s event. Lauren Deadman set a PB of 15:45.12 for runner-up in the women’s.

See the July 2 issue of Athletics Weekly magazine for a four-page report from Watford

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