Molly Caudery soars to 4.83m win at UK Champs

Pole vault star seals Olympic selection in Manchester as triple jumper Naomi Metzger makes great comeback from injury and Scott Lincoln continues his shot put streak

One week after breaking the British record with 4.92m in Toulouse, Molly Caudery lived up her billing as one of Britain’s brightest Olympic medal hopes in Paris as she flew over 4.83m to claim the UK title on a cool and damp day in Manchester.

The 24-year-old had a crack at trying to improve her UK record to 4.93m on Saturday (June 29) saying: “I think if there’d been no wind I’d have nailed that last jump. The jump was really lined up well, technically it was really good, I was on a good pole. But I’m very happy with where I am right now.”

Apart from the mild disappointment of finishing third in the European Championships in Rome this month, Caudery is enjoying the dream season. In March of course she won world indoor gold on home soil in Glasgow.

“I learned a lot from the European Champs disappointment but once I put it into perspective I was very happy,” she said. “I have had to force myself to review my expectations this season – coming into the season it was definitely about reaching Paris, now it is to win a medal.

“Of course the gold is the dream and after I won at the indoors I know what it is like to win but I have also experienced disappointment. Once I am out there I just focus on my jumps not on everyone else.”

Metzger back from double-surgery and take-off leg switch

Naomi Metzger has undergone surgery on her knee and a further surgery on her quad in the past year – both on her take-off leg – but bounced back literally on Saturday to win her seventh UK outdoor title and 11^th national crown in total.

The 26-year-old jumped 13.71m (0.2) to win, only five weeks after learning to take off on her ‘wrong leg’.

Temi Ojora was runner-up with 13.26m (0.7) with Lily Hulland third with 13.25m (0.8).

“I had surgery last year in my knee and just as I got going again I tore my quad,” she said. “It was all on my jumping leg too. So I switched legs and it’s really been a tight squeeze with training.”

On switching legs, she said: “It’s completely new to me. It’s like flipping your brain and as I’m running toward the board I’m thinking ‘make sure you take off on the right leg’.”

She added: “Christian Taylor (multiple Olympic and world champion) is the only triple jumper I know who has done the same thing successfully.”

She is now pain free and after low-key competitions in Leigh and Carlisle in recent days, she will now compete in Sweden in a few days’ time.

Scott Lincoln wins 10th consecutive UK shot put crown

Scott Lincoln produced the best men’s shot put at the UK Champs for 20 years and equalled javelin thrower Goldie Sayers’ record of 10 successive titles.

Unusually using a throws circle near the finish line of the track in the damp conditions, Lincoln continued an excellent season that has seen him throw a PB of 21.31m and finish fourth in the European Championships in Rome.

Fincham-Dukes hopeful of Olympic selection

Jacob Fincham-Dukes won the men’s long jump with 7.95m (0.5) and will now hope the GB selectors add him to the team for Paris. “It was a good competition despite the cold and the wind,” said Fincham-Dukes, who lives and trains in Texas, “but I got the job done and that’s all that matters.”

He added: “The policy is top two at champs, I’ve jumped the B standard a couple times now so this is cementing that I have met the criteria and it’s now up to the selectors on Monday.”

The 27-year-old was fourth in a high-quality European Champs won by Miltos Tentoglou this month. “It shows the selectors that I can compete at a championships and jump just shy of my personal best with a head wind,” he said. “I am showing I am capable of an Olympic final. On Sunday I will be going back to the states and on Monday I will be at work waiting for the call.”

Osammor beats Percy to men’s discus title

Nick Percy went No.2 on the UK all-time rankings with 67.73m earlier this summer but it was Chukwuemeka Osammor’s day as he took the UK title in Manchester with 59.98m ahead of Percy’s 58.56m.

“I just tried to focus on each round and my confidence was there but some days just don’t work out,” said Percy. “I will be cross for a few hours but then I will get my head down and prep for Paris. My school where I work breaks up next week so then I can focus on my preparation.”

Osammor said: “I feel like it was a good competition but I felt there was more for me. There was a lot of intensity in the first round but I couldn’t keep it going.”

The Sheffield athlete added: “There is a good vibe out there with the crowd very receptive to the field events. I always enjoy the British Champs – it is always great to compete.”

In the women’s hammer Anna Purchase took her first national title with 68.79m but was short of the Olympic qualifying standard. “Being based in America means the season is long and I have had to transition out of college and sort things out,” she said. “I am ranked No.15 on Road to Paris (rankings) so I am hopeful.”

Bekah Walton won the women’s javelin with 54.11m and said: “I broke today down into a few parts. First I wanted to retain my title that was my big priority. Of course I did want to throw further and get the B standard for Paris but I came into the competition with an ankle injury so I had to be realistic.

“Obviously I want more for the year but that will have to do,” added Walton, who is hopeful of getting into the Diamond League in London on July 20.

William Grimsey jumped 2.15m to win the high jump as Akin Coward and Divine Duruaku jumped 2.11m and world para champion Jonathan Broom-Edwards cleared 2.07m in fourth as he prepares for the Paris Paralympics.

Grimsey said: “I am retiring at the end of this season so I’m hoping tI could get an invite for the London Diamond League. It would be great to go and finish my career there.”

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