Viner helps England win 10k gold in France
HANNAH Viner’s senior England career got off to a dream start when her team swept the board at the Sobhi Sport 10K in Rennes last weekend, claiming the top three individual places to win team gold. “We hit the front at two kilometres and managed to stay together while opening up a gap between ourselves and the next group of runners,” said Viner, of Highgate Harriers.
“I was second until about the last 300m, when I was outkicked by my team-mate, but I ended up only two seconds behind her, and my time of 35.15 was nine seconds faster than last year.”
Commenting on her first experience as a senior international, Viner said: “England has a reputation for being good at distance running and I was happy that we were able to deliver on that, and that I contributed to it.
“It was amazing to put on the England vest, and I felt quite emotional hearing the national anthem on the start line during the flag ceremony and afterwards when we were presented with our medals.”
Sara Black overcame freezing conditions at the Chicago marathon to place eighth out of nearly 3,000 athletes in the W45-49 age group. “I was using this as a practice run and had no intention of going for a particularly fast time,” (right) met Paula Radcliffe MBE in Chicago
said Black, “so I was very happy indeed to cross the line in 3:05.32, especially given how cold and windy it was.”
Sara’s husband, who shares his name with famous ex-athlete, Roger Black, completed the race in 4:14.19 and has now run all six marathon majors. Family Black added to their achievements as JCoSS pupil Jack Davis-Black, 14, again won the Barnet Schools cross country meet at Allianz Park, this time on his first attempt at the Year 10 and 11 title.
ISRAEL’S Anat Leilor looks set to ride the Olympic waves in Tokyo.
The Tel Aviv native, 19, qualified after finishing as the top woman in Europe at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games in Miyazaki, Japan last month.
Leilor’s opponents will include recently-qualified Pan Am champion Daniella Rosas and the top surfers from Africa and Oceania, South Africa’s Bianca Buitendag and Ella Williams from New Zealand.
“I’m blessed to be surrounded by people I love who support me and push me to be the best version of myself I can be,” Leilor shared on Instagram.
“I’m more than happy to announce I will be taking part at the Olympics 2020. It hasn’t really settled in my mind.”
Leilor, who started surfing with sister Noa when she was five, placed ninth in the competition, ahead of Nadia Erostarbe of
Anat Leilor Spain and Eveline Hooft from the Netherlands. It was enough to confirm her place in the Israel squad in Japan next year.
Surfing is one of four sports debuting in Tokyo and 20 surfers of each gender will compete at Tsurigasaki Beach in Chiba.
As the host nation, Japan automatically secures one slot in each gender category, with the remaining places to be decided at two upcoming competitions. Only two surfers from each country are allowed to compete at the Olympics. While Leilor is celebrating, there is a highly unlikely scenario that would see her lose her place. As only two surfers can qualify from each country, if two Israelis finish ahead of Leilor in qualifying positions at the 2020 World Surfing Games she would lose her place. However, only one other Israeli, Advah Bar Sade, competed this year and she finished well behind Leilor in 65th place.