Birmingham UK Indoor Grand Prix Saturday 18th February

Birmingham is known for it's fast track and it sure didn't disappoint as world stars and great britain's athletes such as the likes of Jessica Ennis Joe Thomas and Nigel Levine produced life time bests.
The day started off with the 60 metres women heats and with Jeanette Kwayke being talked about after her success last week at the UK indoor trials finishing in a blistering 7.20 seconds sadly disappointed after a poor start tensed up and was unable to qualify from her rather slow heat. However on a brighter note 21 year old Asha Philip who had the heartbreak of false starting at the UK trials qualified to the final as a fastest loser, then took to the final and produced a promising performance in a personal best of 7.19 seconds gaining 4th place and retrospectively the 4th quickest on the all time British list. The unknown Tianna Madison of the united states showed blistering form, the former 2005 long jump world champion easing a 7.07 second victory.
Next on the track is the figure face for british athletics miss Jessica Ennis. After her 60m hurdle performance last week equalling her best time of 7.95 seconds she came up against the silver world champion medallist Danielle Carruthers. Carruthers any other day would have loved her performance faultless over the hurdles yet finishing in second is probably still wondering exactly who she was beaten by. Many thinking Ennis would crack under pressure showed composure, determination and pure class in what if she wants to be Olympic champion come August time will be key. The heptathlete crossing the line  in 7.87 seconds was over the moon by her reaction making it the fastest time this year for 60m hurdles ahead of the infamous Lolo Jones.
The 60m men sprint brought the country of Jamaica to play showing strength and depth with former world record holder Asafa Powell attending, Nesta Carter and Lerone Clarke. Powell in the first heat eased through to the final winning in 6.5 seconds. Whilst GB Andy Robertson featured in the next heat alongside the jamaicans of Carter and Clarke both finishing first and second, Robertson ending up in fourth and made no fool of himself only missing out by one hundredth of a second to the final. Coming into the final many thought Powell would take it, however it was the inform Lerone Clarke breaking the 6.5 time to win the final in 6.47 seconds ahead of Carter then Powell, with such strength it will question Powell's quality come olympic qualification for the under ten second man.
Liu Xiang and Dayron Robles were next on track in the 60m hurdle heats and it was Xiang who shun after forcing disqualification on Robles in Daegu steaming through his heat in what was his first run of the season, whilst Robles looking rusty qualified, Xiang took control in the final starting off the quickest and Robles was unable to catch the chinamen who eased a 7.47 seconds who will most likely go in favourite for London. Good news for GB athletics as Lawrence Clarke who i spoke of last week was sadly disqualified in the UK trials got to the final producing a life time best.
Back on to the 200m track it was the men 800 metres in which Joe Thomas who had won his last 6 races producing personal bests in everyone stood up against world class athletes. Thomas sadly was unable to reproduce another victory although he did yet again gain a personal best in a mature performance running 1.46. 35 behind 18 year old Ethiopian sensation Mohammed Aman who ran a 1.45.40 definitely a massive prospect for the 2 lap race. Also Britons Andrew Osagie finished behind Thomas in a life time best swell in what seem to be the case for many british athletes.

After Nigel Levine's succes in the 400m last week in Sheffield, there was still a place up for grabs on the plane to Istanbul with Birmingham hosting a 400m national indoor race earlier on. With Richard Buck smashing the 7th quickest time so far this year with a personal best of 45.89 to his delight. That putting him ahead of Levine's time, the qualified car mechanic proved he was no pushover when it came to the open 400m race later on in what was a quick race Levine coasted into second and looked unable to keep up with Costa Rican Nery Brennes as he was coasting to victory until a bizarre fall after colliding with the advertising boards 50m from the line allowed Britain's Levine to take not only the victory a 45.71 second win putting him as the 4th quickest in the world this year giving him a chance of a podium finish come Istanbul next month.
Whilst in the women's 400 Shana Cox showed yet again why the former american has a lot more time she can drop down to her 50 second best winning the race in 52.18 with ease, as sadly former silver medallist Nicola Sanders drifted back after such an impressive first lap as she tries to gain her endurance come the Olympics.
In news on the field side there was a national record broken as Shara Proctor put herself right up there as the 5th longest jump in the world to date with 6.80 metres and a win in the mens long jump for Newham and Essex Beagle J.J. Jegede who produced a personal best of 8.04. Holly Bleasdale also secured another victory in the Pole Vault beating former world champion Anna Rogowaska showing why she is one of the best vaulters in the world at the moment.
So in what proved to be a fast day of work on the track, british athletes showed to impress coming up against some of the worlds best and although there is still work to go, as Jessica Ennis proved that the belief of an athlete can defeat anyone on their day, lets hope this will be the case come London!
Charlie Gibson