Fight to the Finnish as pair face world’s finest
DUO FLY THE FLAG FOR NORTH EAST
To come past the under-20 world record holder the way I did at the end is huge
Jason Nicholson
THE region’s two representatives at the World Under-20 Championships in Finland both performed with distinction - although it could well have been better.
Gateshead’s Jason Nicholson and Crook’s Markhim Lonsdale both made it through to their respective 110 metres hurdles and 800m finals, but unfortunately missed out on a podium place.
Despite that, Nicholson especially had plenty to be pleased about in finishing in fifth place in his event after progressing through the heats and semi-final.
In the opening round, with the first three automatically qualifying for the semi-finals, the Tynesider faced Jamaica’s Damion Thomas - the world under-20 record holder.
However, he was not daunted by that and, despite taking a tumble as he crossed the line, finished second behind his Caribbean rival in a lifetime best of 13.58secs.
After getting his championship off to a flying start, Nicholson said: “I am very happy with that considering the ending was not ideal.
“It was a good start and a good middle, so I know I have that in the tank for the semi-finals.
“I knew I was going to fall at the end. I just had to get over the hurdles and then let it happen – that was not planned at all but I styled it out!’’
Seven hours later Nicholson was back in Tampere’s Ratina Stadium for the semi-finals, with coach Janice Kaufman watching in the stand.
He could not have wished for a better performance as he gained the better of Thomas to win his contest in another lifetime best of 13:32s which proved to be the quickest qualifying time from the three semifinals.
Nicholson added: “I looked up at the time straight away and that pb is just huge! I am not shocked I have made the final because I knew I had it in me to run that fast.
“To come past the under-20 world record holder the way I did at the end is huge.’’
Twenty-four hours later Nicholson, who is set to attend Northumbria University, was ready to take on the world in the biggest race of his career. However, after the high of the previous day, the teenager just failed to rise to the occasion- but although he finished with a time (13.62s) quicker than before he set off for Finland he was still upbeat about how he performed.
“I suppose it is a bittersweet moment,’’ confessed Nicholson after seeing Thomas receive the gold medal. “I knew I could have run faster than that but to be in the final I am happy enough.
“It was not the best start and towards the end of the race I was clipping a few hurdles, but I am still happy with it.
“To be in the final was amazing, I am just happy to be at the World Championships. It is a massive honour to wear the GB vest and hopefully there will be many more. “Recording two new pbs here, I could not have wished for much more. It was just a shame one was not in the final!’’ While Nicholson came through his final charge unscathed, that certainly cannot be said for Lonsdale who looked comfortable before taking a nasty tumble before the race had reached halfway. The County Durham teenager had to pull out all the stops just to make it through to the semi-finals - but in finishing fifth in a season’s best time of 1min 48.60sec he made it as one of the fastest losers. It was a close call, but Lonsdale (inset left) was more than happy with his performance. In the semis Lonsdale again had to wait to see if he had made it to the final as one of the fastest losers - despite running another season’s best of 1:47.73 after crossing the line in fifth place. He said: “When I crossed the line I did not think I had done enough and I thought I had just missed out, but when it came up I was in the final, the top eight in the world, I just thought let’s give it a go for a medal!’’
However, things certainly did not go the way he had hoped when he lined up the following day.
Lonsdale settled midway in the pack once the athletes had broken at the start of the back straight and looked comfortable as they approached the bell with the field still tightly grouped.
As the pace increased, a stroke of bad luck caught out Lonsdale as he was clipped from behind and he went headlong on to the track.
He managed to pick himself up but, try as he may, he had no chance of making up the lost ground and crossed the line in eighth and last place in 1:57.39, his slowest 800m time for six years.
It was a sad ending to a superb championships for Lonsdale, who added: “It is so annoying.
“I felt so comfortable and I knew it was going to take a pb to win and I knew I had it in me to do that.
“When I was on the floor I questioned whether or not I carry on but I did. I am so gutted and I don’t know why it happened to me.’’
Algeria’s Oussama Charrad, who crossed the line in third place, was deemed to be responsible for Lonsdale’s tumble and was disqualified which moved the Crook athlete up a place to seventh.