The Battle of the Hill – LUCA Outdoor Series Meet 1 Report

King’s top the Outdoor Series Championship after the first meet at Parliament Hill.

The fourth annual LUCA Outdoor Series got underway on a mild April Sunday in Highgate. The original fixture had been postponed due to snow, but conditions were almost perfect for the start of the outdoor season.

The event started with the traditional 10,000m championship, won by Ula Krajinska (KCL) and Philip Coales (UCL). Then, onto the short hurdles and 1500m. UCL took 1st place in both the 100 and 110 hurdles with wins for Juliette Champaud and Joshua Hia. Imperial enjoyed success in the men’ 1500 with Oliver Newton and James Millett finishing first and second. UCL’s Tara Bage strode to victory in the women’s 1500.

Next up was the 100 and 400. Shad Aaron, the LUCA Outdoor Series record holder in the 100 won the race in 11.20, in front of St Mary’s Keano-Elliott Paris-Samuel. King’s sprint captain, Chloe Hocking won the women’s 100 ahead of Shannon Anderson of St Mary’s. Hocking then went straight into the 400m and finished in second, behind teammate and Distance Captain Francesca Ashworth. King’s President Harry Browning took maximum points in the men’s 400, finishing ahead of teammate Daniel Woodburn who made the transition into shorter distances this year.

King’s now held a lead that they wouldn’t relent for the rest of the meet.

The morning field session featured the Long Jump, Shot Put and Hammer.

Christian Pugsley (UCL) impressed in the Long Jump, finished first with fellow UCL athlete Joshua Hia in second. Kerstin Pohlmann and Gina Meile completed a King’s one-two in the women’s long jump.

But it the shot put that provided one of the main talking points of the day. Two championship records were broken here. First by Urysla Cotton of UEL with 10.72 and then Daniel Cork of RVC who beat his own championship record set at Battersea last year with a 14.56.

Records were set in the Hammer as well – the first time this event was held in the outdoor series. Reiss Senior’s 44.6 and Carey Hollick’s 14.68 are now the benchmark for future records.

After the lunch break and back on the track, the 5000m was getting underway. Controversy ensued as the volunteers struggled without the assistance of photofinish, resulting in some confused runners who thought they had run too many – or too few – laps. UCL president, Henry Murdoch and King’s Ula Krajinska took took max points.

In the field, Sarah Jordan (King’s) set a new championship record in the High Jump and made it a one-two finish alongside Kerstin Pohlmann. Joshua Hai won the men’s event and extended his claim for the LUCA MVP award (athlete with the most points).

Back on the track, the 200m was getting underway. Keano-Elliott Paris-Samuel, who had finished second in the 100m, broke the championship record in the 200m with a time of 22.30. He finished ahead of Harry Browning and Tom Sanders (RHUL). Chloe Hocking took first place in the Women’s 200, positioning herself for a trio of 100, 200 and 400 medals.

The day on the track finished with the relays. King’s, whose men’s 4X100 team blundered the baton in Varsity,  produced a strong performance to beat UCL 46.00 to 46.80. The King’s women’s team also won in the 4×100.

LSE surprised themselves and the rest as they beat teams from King’s, UCL, Imperial and the RVC in the men’s 4X400. King’s won a tight race against UCL in the women’s 4X400.

The weather, which had held for so long despite the forecast of rain, finally gave in during the final event of the day in the field – the triple jump. Joshua Hia cemented his position as LUCA MVP with an 11.6 jump to take first place. Kerstin Pohlmann came top of the women’s triple jump – an effort that makes her tied with Carey Holick of UEL for second place in the LUCA MVP.

LUCA Outdoor Series Championship

LUCA MVP