Two-lap race highlights a stunning night of middle-distance action on July 23 at the Saucony-sponsored event
Ben Pattison, who finished fourth in the 800m at the British Championships and runs for England at the Commonwealth Games, ran a time that would not have looked out of place in the same night’s World Athletics Championships with a stunning 1:44.60.
It improved his previous PB of 1:45.16 set in Sollentuna in June and took 0.15 of a second off Max Burgin’s previous record set on the same track in a BMC Gold Standard meeting on August 11th 2020.
That gave him a £1,500 pay day for breaking the British Milers Club record.
“I have been trying to run 1:44 something for over a year now so I’m very happy with that,” said Pattison. “It has been a long time coming.”
The 21-year-old Basingstoke & Mid Hants athlete went through 400m in 51.62 and reached 600m in around 1:18.
In a superb high quality race (five under 1:46.5) European Indoor medallist Jamie Webb (1:46.02) was second with former European Youth 3000m champion Thomas Keene showing unprecedented speed – his previous best was 1:47.83 – and here he run 1:46.18.
Webb said: “I’m first reserve for the 800m at the Commonwealth Games and my head has been all over the place since the news about Max broke.”
British indoor record-holder Ellliot Giles, who runs the 1500m at Birmingham, was a hundredth of a second behind Keene while David Locke showed his recent two-second PB was no fluke with a 1:46.47 to further trim down his PB.
The B race was also quick as Emsley Carr Mile winner Matt Stonier – whose official PB was 1:59.34, improved his best by over 12 seconds as he won in 1:46.91. That’s impressive speed for the current English National under-20 cross-country bronze medallist.
Stonier also runs the 1500m at Birmingham.
“That was a pleasant surprise!” said Stonier.
James McMurray set a 1:47.35 PB in second.
Isabelle Boffey led home the women’s two-lap race in 2:02.84 from Australian Sarah Billings (2:03.09).
In the women’s 5000m, Calli Thackery, who runs the Commonwealth Games for England, improved her PB to 15:02.55 but just missed out on breaking the 15-minute barrier.
“Yes, I wanted to go under 15 minutes but I have to be happy with that,” said Thackery.
Eloise Walker set a PB 15:25.21 in second with Izzy Fry (15:34.16) third just ahead of Birmingham 10,000m prospect Sam Harrison (15:35.94) as ten athletes went inside 16 minutes, with Philippa Bowden (15:44.54) and Grace Carson (15:57.95) among the PB’s.
Phil Norman, the UK’s second-ranked steeplechaser of 2022 ( with 8:26.28) and British Championships runner-up gave further evidence of his improving speed as he dipped under 3:40 for the first time at 1500m with a 3:39.89 clocking as he narrowly led home James Young (3:40.03) and Ian Crowe-Wright who is coached by Geoff Wightman, father and coach of the new world champion, Jake.
England under-20 champion Ethan Hussey improved his PB to 3:40.71 to go seventh all-time among British Juniors.
More PB’s followed too – Ben Greenwood (3:40.82) , Luke Duffy (3:40.95), Dave Mullarkey (3:41.48) and Arlo Ludewick (3:41.89) were all inside 3:42 as 11 men bettered the barrier.
Hannnah Nuttall was also in PB form too as she won the women’s race in 4:09.66 as the British Championships fourth-placer went inside 4:10 for the first time.
Niamh Bridson-Hubbard, who had shattered her mile PB midweek, added another here with 4:14.12 in second.
Jess Bailey, the English Schools and English nation al cross-country winner who showed her growing track prowess with a silver medal in the recent European under-18 Championships trimmed her PB to 4:22.56 in winning the B race.
Jacob Cann (14:01.18) won the 5000m from the PB’s of Alfie Manthorpe (14:04.57) and Lewis Jagger (14:04.93).
In tenth, under-20 Ben Brown (14:18.41) set a 11 second PB which means a healthy seven UK juniors have gone inside 14:20 this summer.
Will Battershill won the steeplechase in 8:42.12 from Mark Pearce’s 8:49.76.
Men:
800: A: 1 B Pattison (BMH) 1:44.60; 2 J Webb (Liv H) 1:46.02; 3 T Keen (C&C) 1:46.18; 4 E Giles (Bir) 1:46.19; 5 D Locke (Card) 1:46.47; 6 T Staines (BMH) 1:51.17.
B: 1 M Stonier (Inv EK) 1:46.91; 2 J McMurray (St Alb) 1:47.35; 3 Z Curran (WSEH) 1:47.73; 4 M Wharton (Hal) 1:48.29; 5 B Murphy (Ton) 1:49.23.
C: 1 S Koumi (Bir) 1:48.65; 2 N Hassan (Sale) 1:49.51; 3 B Waterman (ESM) 1:49.81; 4 W Onek (Sale) 1:49.89; 5 J Fradley (Newc S) 1:51.03; 6 S Brown (Edin) 1:51.07; 7 E Savage (Sale, U20) 1:51.94.
D: 1 H Cox (Chilt) 1:50.21; 2 A Peacock (BRAT) 1:50.82; 3 B Brunswick (Sale) 1:51.12; 4 J White (Ports) 1:51.27; 5 L Hainey (I’clyde, U20) 1:51.55; 6 B Sandilands (Fife, U20) 1:55.29.
E: 1 E Hunter (Leeds C) 1:51.63; 2 A Parkinson (Corby, U20) 1:52.75.
F: 6 P Clisham (Cov, U20) 1:54.36; 7 S Stephens (Vale R, U20) 1:54.48.
G: 1 S O’Loughnane (BMH, U20) 1:53.08; 3 F White (Bir, U20) 1:54.36; 5 O Denson (Chilt, U17) 1:54.85; 6 C Campbell (Tm E Loth, U17) 1:55.39.
Ht: 1 D McBride (Lisb, U20) 1:53.19; 2 K Crawford (A’deen, U20) 1:54.16; 3 M Price (Bir, U20) 1:54.50; 6 R Hodgson (Wirr, U20) 1:55.66.
I: 3 C West (Linc W, U17) 1:55.51; 4 B Smith (Mans, U20) 1:55.54; 8 J Phillips (Kil’k, U17) 1:56.81; 9 G Mullen (SHS, U17) 1:58.45.
1500: A: 1 P Norman (WG&EL) 3:39.89; 2 J Young (Morp) 3:40.03; 3 I Crowe-Wright (B&H) 3:40.21; 4 E Hussey (Leeds C, U20) 3:40.71; 5 B Greenwood (Perth) 3:40.82; 6 L Duffy (Mans) 3:40.95; 7 D Minors (BER) 3:41.24; 8 D Mullarkey (Leeds C) 3:41.48; 9 M Wilson (Sun) 3:41.67; 10 G Berlin (SWE) 3:41.82; 11 A Ludewick (Herne H) 3:41.89; 12 S Beattie (Morp) 3:43.48; 13 D Bebbington (B’burn) 3:44.90; 14 J Howorth (Bath) 3:47.38.
B: 1 S Charig (Ports) 3:43.95; 2 G Smith (Cambus) 3:45.70; 3 K Kelly (IRL) 3:46.55; 4 J Dickinson (Leeds C) 3:46.58; 5 J Whan (C’liffe) 3:47.08; 6 J MacKinnon (Cambus) 3:47.24; 7 J Pena Pizarro (CHI) 3:47.26; 8 M Byrne (IRL) 3:47.34; 9 A Burrows (Tel) 3:47.73; 10 K Clements (SB) 3:47.80; 11 M Heyden (AFD) 3:49.60; 12 R Miell-Ingram (Rad, U20) 3:50.85.
C: 1 D Proctor (Sale, M35) 3:49.21; 4 G Keen (C&C, U20) 3:50.79; 12 A Alston (Bed C, U20) 3:54.15; 14 M Ramsden (B’burn, U20) 3:56.60.
D: 1 J Gumm (Bath) 3:48.68; 2 C Roberts (SHS, U20) 3:51.65; 9 A Thomson (Fife, U20) 3:57.10.
E: 1 O Smart (TRP, U20) 3:52.51; 3 O Schofield (Sale, U17) 3:53.16; 4 C Livesey (Salf, M40) 3:53.88.
F: 1 D Holman (B’burn, U20) 3:52.87; 3 J Phillips (Kil’k, U17) 3:55.85; 6 R Marshall (Fife, U17) 4:03.01.
G: 6 E Banks (Bir, M35) 4:04.76.
5000: A: 1 J Cann (NEB) 14:01.18; 2 A Manthorpe (Shef/Dearn) 14:04.57; 3 L Jagger (Shef/Dearn) 14:04.93; 4 C Perry (Vale R) 14:10.39; 5 A McMillan (York) 14:13.12; 6 N Potter (Chich) 14:15.13; 7 T Graham-Marr (Centr) 14:17.19; 8 R Warner (B’burn) 14:17.36; 9 M Ferguson (TVH) 14:17.96; 10 B Brown (Soton, U20) 14:18.41; 11 S Gebreselassie (Belg) 14:23.30; 12 C Jones (Corn) 14:24.26; 13 A Brown (Morp) 14:24.90; 14 T Lefroy (THH) 14:29.92; 18 D Ragan (BMH, M35) 14:47.50.
B: 1 C Graham (Lass) 14:21.07; 2 J Burns (Glas C) 14:38.99; 9 S Cotter (IRL, U20) 14:55.56.
3000SC: A: 1 W Battershill (Erme) 8:42.12; 2 M Pearce (SB) 8:49.76; 3 J Dybdal Abrahamsen (DEN) 9:01.31; 4 F Daly (IRL) 9:03.27; 5 M Cameron (TVH) 9:09.89; 6 P Noonan (IRL) 9:28.35
Women:
800: A: 1 I Boffey (E&H) 2:02.84; 2 S Billings (AUS) 2:03.09; 3 J Bromell (IRL) 2:04.02; 4 S Driscoll (Liv H) 2:04.44; 5 N Power (IRL) 2:05.58; 6 R Linington-Payne (Card) 2:06.11; 7 H Archer (C&C) 2:07.53; 8 E Simpson (Shef/Dearn) 2:08.86.
B: 1 E Colbourn (H’gate, U20) 2:07.30; 2 M Grice (AFD) 2:07.64; 3 M Hudson (Der) 2:09.08; 4 T Brockley-Langford (Salf) 2:09.26; 6 A Lloyd (Wig D, U20) 2:10.12; 8 A Quaid (Tyne, W40) 2:12.20.
C: 1 L Holmes (IRL) 2:07.70; 2 H Taylor (A’deen, U17) 2:08.83; 3 J Spilsbury (Traff, U20) 2:09.39; 4 I King (Wig D, U20) 2:11.62; 5 K Foster (Willow, U20) 2:12.00.
D: 1 I Burke (Sale, U20) 2:10.76; 2 A Hedge (St Alb, U17) 2:11.07; 3 L Scothern (CleS, U20) 2:11.60; 6 F Bennett (Cov, U20) 2:12.97; 7 A Macleod (Falk, U17) 2:14.22.
E: 1 K Sandilands (Fife, U17) 2:14.35.
1500: A: 1 H Nuttall (Charn) 4:09.66; 2 N Bridson Hubbard (B&B) 4:14.12; 3 C Sweeney (IRL) 4:16.80; 4 R Franklin (Manx) 4:18.54; 5 S O’brien (IRL) 4:19.22; 6 S Tarver (Wirr) 4:19.23; 7 P Stone (M’bro) 4:19.37; 8 J Walsh (Leeds C) 4:19.50; 9 M O’Sullivan (IRL) 4:20.00; 10 M Deadman (BMH) 4:21.13; 11 M Davies (Sale) 4:21.32; 12 N Markham (IRL) 4:22.55.
B: 1 J Bailey (Lev V, U17) 4:22.56; 2 S Pennycook (Fife) 4:23.28; 3 S Mason (Salf) 4:24.94; 4 A Hancock (Read) 4:26.47; 5 A Stratton (B’burn, U20) 4:26.74; 6 N Bretherton (B&W) 4:26.79; 11 A Wright (Phoe, U20) 4:32.04.
C: 1 O Martin (Abing, U20) 4:29.30; 2 A Teasdale (Kilb, U17) 4:37.57; 4 R Simpson (Shef/Dearn, U20) 4:39.20.
5000: A: 1 C Thackery (Hallam) 15:02.55; 2 E Walker (Edin) 15:25.21; 3 I Fry (Newb) 15:34.16; 4 S Harrison (Charn) 15:35.94; 5 M García Alonso (ESP) 15:43.45; 6 P Bowden (AFD) 15:44.54; 7 G Hansen (AUS) 15:52.56; 8 V Ockenden (Swan) 15:55.20; 9 G Carson (Mid U) 15:57.95; 10 N Bové (DEN) 15:59.79; 11 V Dahle (NOR) 16:12.79; 12 O Tsim (P’pridd R) 16:33.28; 13 N Kearney (IRL) 16:34.74; 14 S Calvert (Living) 16:39.17; 15 L McNeil (Hallam) 16:45.64; 16 L Small (AFD) 17:04.24; 17 E Ruane (Norw) 17:09.39; 18 R Hamilton-James (W’bury) 17:19.49; 19 M Reid (I’clyde, U20) 17:34.99
Full results on Power of 10 here