Sprint hurdler shines on second day of England Athletics Under-20/23 Championships

On a scorching day in Bedford it was left to Chesterfield’s Alicia Barrett to really set the track alight, flying to not one but two UK junior records, reports Paul Larkins.

She improved the mark to 13.07 in the heats before overcoming a slow start to clock the same time in the final.

The championships were all about achieving qualifying times for the summer’s major under-20 and under-23 championships and plenty did just that, securing team slots, but it was Cameron Chalmers who was perhaps the most impressive in the men’s events as he flew to a 45.64 clocking in the under-23 400m to win by more than second.

His brother might have something to say about that, though, as he took the 400m hurdles in 52.06 earlier in the day.

Understandably, given the 31C temperature, distance racing was more of the championships tactical variety left to the big kickers (in most instances) so it was left to the sprinters and field eventers to really strut their stuff, with Leroy Cain’s 20.94 lifetime best in the 200m and Tom Gale’s 2.18m in the high jump standing out.

» Full coverage from Bedford in Thursday’s magazine