The weekend’s action in Wales (watch back here) saw the highest ever pentathlon score by a British teenager, as Niamh Emerson triumphed with a world leading score of 4,544 to win the Combined Events International.
Victories in three out of four multi-event competitions meant Great Britain and Northern Ireland won overall, thanks to Jack Turner and Holly Mills placing first at under 20 level.
For the senior men, European Indoor silver medallist Jorge Ureña’s mark of 6,124 was also the best points tally set this year, with the Spaniard managing a 7.83s 60m hurdles clocking.
In the Welsh Athletics Indoor Championships a dead heat on the line saw Shannon Malone given the 60m title from World Junior finalist Hannah Brier, with both running the same 7.45 time ahead of Winter Olympian Mica Moore in third.
There was drama in the men’s equivalent as pre-race contenders Jeremiah Azu and defending champion Sam Gordon were both disqualified, with Arron Owen taking gold.
Niamh Emerson’s pentathlon also put the World Junior Champion fourth on the UK all-time list behind Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Kelly Sotherton.
The 19-year-old is likely to have secured qualification for March’s European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, for which she must be in the top twelve in the continental rankings come 16th February.
Elsewhere, England’s Amelia Strickler threw 17.20m to win the shot put overall, with Adele Nicoll taking the gold medal behind her by virtue of being the best-placed Welsh athlete.
Your Welsh medallists in the Senior Women's Shot Put, with @adelenicoll crowned Welsh Champion #WelshChamps19 pic.twitter.com/naTSEAfH4g
— @welshathletics (@WelshAthletics) January 26, 2019
Steffan Dylan Jones took an impressive medal double with gold in the 400m and silver in the 200m, the latter coming with a 22.55 PB. He finished behind Ben Paris, who successfully defended his title, a feat also managed by Laura Turley in the women’s 400m.
At the time of her 2018 victory, Turley’s time of 55.97 was a lifetime best. But she has since gone on to lower that significantly to 54.69.
For full results from the weekend’s action in Cardiff, see the Welsh Athletics site, with detailed breakdown of the combined events scores available here.
