Mark Dry

Tiffany Porter, Shana Cox and Mark Dry all have to settle for second in Birmingham

Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies athletes had to settle for second best on three occasions at the Aviva GB Trials and British Championships which were held over the weekend in Birmingham.

Tiffany Porter went into the 100m hurdles final as favourite, but after hitting the ninth hurdle she the lost the lead she had over GB’s European Champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to get back on terms and took second spot with a time of 13.21 seconds.

In that final, Porter was joined by club-mates Sarah Claxton and Stephanie Gaynor who finished third and eighth respectively in times of 13.27 and 13.83.

However, the 24-year-old already has the A standard and therefore qualifies for the GB Olympic squad.

She will be joined by Shana Cox, who also took second in the 400m, having already achieved the qualifying standard earlier on in the season.

In that race, Cox finished behind reigning Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu.

Another second place went to Mark Dry in the hammer, but the A standard throw of 78.00m required to assure a spot at the Games still eludes him.

He recorded a throw of 74.32 in the fifth round of the competition, which was originally ruled a no-throw, only for the judges to overrule that decision after reviewing video evidence after an official complaint from Dry.

There were a number of other good field event performances from Woodford athletes.

In the long jump, Ezekiel Ewulo was fourth with a season’s best of 7.61m, and Dan Awde 9th with 7.37m.

In the women’s event Kitty Eleyae recorded a new personal best of 6.25m for 7th.

Hannah Frankson took fifth in the women’s triple jump with 13.02m, while Stephanie Aneto was seventh with 12.82.

In the shot putt, Anthony Oshodi was seventh with 15.71m and in the discus, Emeka Udechuku was sixth with 57.34m.

Tom Norman took seventh in the same event, while Ben Challenger was seventh in the high jump with 2.12m.

On the track, Joice Maduaka again made a major domestic final as she placed fifth in the 200m with 23.57.

Also making a track final was Oli Heeks who was eighth in the 800m with 1.52.88.

Jon Cook just missed out on that final after also placing second in his heat, but with 1.50.99.

In the men’s 200m, both Jordan Kirby-Polidore and Sam Watts were third in their heats with times of 21.19 and 21.36 respectively.

In the 100m heats, Eugene Ayanful recorded 10.96 and in the women’s event, Elaine O’Neil finished in 11.81.

Graham Hedman recorded 47.10 in his 400m heat, and in the women’s 800m, Tara Bird narrowly missed out on a final place with 2.08.96.

Richard Alleyne recorded 14.02 in his 110m hurdles heat, and Dan Awde achieved a personal best of 14.23.

The 400m hurdles heats saw Mike Baker record 52.61, and in the women’s event Tracey Duncan finished in 60.34.