The Under 20 Women’s Indoor Pentathlon championships at Sheffield saw the first England Athletics medallists of 2015 decided and competition for the Senior and Under 20 men’s events off to a great start.

It was Ebony Wake (Club: Birchfield; Coach: Julie Holman) who took gold in the Under 20 pentathlon after an exciting battle for the medals. Ebony was never outside of a medal position and her final tally of 3744 was in the top 20 all-time list.

She commented, “It’s nice to finally get the gold,” having formerly taken bronze and silver medals home from these championships. After the 60mH and High Jump she lay in bronze medal position but a 10.50 in the shot put her up into second. The long jump saw her out on top in both the event and overall scores as she went out to 5.84 before a 2:28.66 800m made the title safe.

Everything was changing during the shot and long jump in a great competition. Having been in second after the high jump Niamh Emerson (Club: Amber Valley AC; Coach: Jim Feeney) was back down to 7th after a 7.78 shot, one place ahead of Emma Canning (Scotland, Club: Whiteross AC; Coach: Iain McEwan).

But the points scores behind Wake coming off the long jump were very tight. Early leader Mollie Courtney (Club: Cheltenham; Coach: David Warner) was still lying second after her 5.11 jump and Annabelle Pask (Club: Coventry Godiva, Coach: Paul Harrison) lay third with Canning now fourth after 5.55 in the long jump.

The 800m saw Emerson go fastest of all with 2:17.62 and the associated 856 points earned her the silver medal. Canning was third fastest with 2:22:05 and 796 points moved her into third ahead of second quickest over 800m, Anna Rowe (Club: Liverpool Harriers, Coach: Mike Holmes), who moved to fourth after running 2:21.50.

Senior Men’s Heptathlon
Heading into Day Two it is 2012 Champion Daniel Gardiner (Club: City of Sheffield AC) who has been leading from the off in the Senior Men’s Heptathlon. A 6.85 60m was followed up with a 7.66 long jump, 14.35 shot and 1.88 high jump to see him close the day on 3,357 points. Those first three performances were the best achieved in those events as a 300 point gap was built up.

England Commonwealth Games representative Martin Brockman (Club: Medway & Maidstone/St. Mary’s Uni) was the one who excelled in the final event of the day with his 2.03 high jump 9cm higher than anyone else could manage and thereby moving him from fourth to second place (3,059 points). Welsh Commonwealth Games international Ben Gregory (Club: Vale of Aylesbury, Coach: Julie Hollman) lies third with 3020 and last year’s Under 20 champion David Hall (Club: Dartford Harriers AC, Coach: Paul Searing) is fourth on 2,957. But with six men over 2900 points tomorrow looks set to be a very competitive day.

Junior Men’s Heptathlon
Anthony Hogg (Club: Gateshead Harriers, Coach: Sam Stanislaus) has led from the off in the U20 men’s event. He came out on top of both the 60m (7.10) and long jump (7.00). But the top four are all very tight as Linton Gardiner (Club: Cheltenham, Coach: Kerry Eddie-Jury) sits on 2,641 points, Lewis Church (Club: Tonbridge, Coach: David Hull) on 2,614 and Harry Maslen (Club: Ilkley Harriers, Coach: Shirley Wood) on 2,613. Again tomorrow’s competition looks set to be very close with seven athletes currently outside the top three all within 200 points of a medal overnight.