Records tumble on day one of Euro under-20 and under-23 trials

NATIONAL indoor bronze medallist Sally Scott broke Kate Dennison's UK under-20 pole vault record on her way to capturing gold at the England Athletics under-23 and under-20 Championships and European Trials in Bedford.

Scott - who finished fourth at last year's Olympic trials - vaulted 4.05m to book her place at the European U20 Championships in Serbia next month. 

Records tumbled elsewhere in the field with 17-year-old hammer thrower Sophie Hitchon improving on her championship best from last year - winning under-20 gold with a throw of 61.36m.

A championship record also fell to Dearneside High's Luke Cutts - who stole the show in the under-23 pole vault with a final effort of 5.41m to overhaul Joe Ive's previous record - set in 2007 - by one centimetre.

It proved to be a stellar day for the under-23 and under-20 100m sprinters with all four winners achieving the European qualifying standard.

Southern Champion Max Galliers captured the men's under-20 gold in 10.54 seconds - despite a 2.3m/s headwind - while 15-year-old Jodie Williams, powered home in the women's under-20 100m final with a dominant performance.

Not satisfied with breaking her personal best in the semi-final, Williams lowered it again in final, finishing in 11.48 secs - and will now turn her attention to July's World Youth Championships in Italy.

"Two PB's in one day - it's just an amazing feeling - but I've got to focus on the World Youth's now and get my time down again to be in with a chance," she said. 

"I want to make the final in Italy and then take it from there. I just want to keep lowering my time. 

"I've been ill so I was wondering how this was going to turn out but it's turned out really well and I'm very happy."

Elaine O'Neill, silver medallist at under-20 level here last year, went one better to take under-23 100m gold in 11.57 sec, with RJ Pierre winning the men's race in 10.34secs.

Meanwhile, in Saturday's other track finals, Stephen Lisgo won the men's 3000m steeplechase comfortably in 9:08.47m, while Benjamin Nagy took the under-20 event in 9:10.70m. 

GEORGE SCOTT