Team GB star Katarina Johnson-Thompson lit up this year’s Loughborough International Athletics (LIA) event on a glorious spring day at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson was in fine form at LIA. Image provided by Still Sport Photography.

Johnson-Thompson stars at action-packed LIA

Team GB star Katarina Johnson-Thompson lit up this year’s Loughborough International Athletics (LIA) event on a glorious spring day at the Paula Radcliffe Stadium.

The 30-year-old, a gold medal winner at last summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, wowed the crowd early, winning the Guest 100m Hurdles final in 13.74 seconds.

It was a fitting start to proceedings as teams from Loughborough, England, Scotland, Wales, GB&NI U20s, and the National Athletics League all went head-to-head in the curtain raiser to the outdoor season.

Johnson-Thompson also featured in the Women's 4x400m final as England dominated the field to take a comfortable team win in 3:37.03.

On a day of high sporting drama, two-time Paralympic Games gold medallist Sophie Hahn stormed to victory in the Women’s Para 100m final, crossing the line in 13.11 seconds. In the Men’s event, England’s Kevin Santos (11.35) pipped Loughborough’s Thomas Young (11.38) in a truly absorbing race.

Thomas Young

Thomas Young (purple vest) just missed out to Kevin Santos (white vest). Image provided by Still Sport Photography. 

The Women’s 100m final proved to be an explosive race as England’s Imani Lansiquot crossed the line in 11.32 seconds, ahead of Scotland’s Alyson Bell (11.55), and Charnwood’s Amy Hunt (11.61).

England also took the spoils in the Men’s 100m as Oliver Bromby claimed first place in 10.56. Loughborough’s Elliot Jones secured second (10.61), with Andrew Robertson in third (10.71).

Alex Haydock-Wilson showed his credentials by claiming maximum points for Loughborough in the Men’s 200m, sailing over the line in a rapid 21.35 seconds.

Elsewhere, Columba Blango (England) powered through in the Men’s Para 400m final to notch an impressive season’s best in 49.61.

In the Men’s Hammer, England athlete Jake Norris recorded a fine 70.40m to break his five-year personal best, taking victory ahead of Loughborough’s Craig Much (71.89) and GB’s Owen Merritt (69.11).

With temperatures rising on campus, GB & NI U23s managed to keep their cool to record double success in the 4x100m relay events.

The Women’s team showed perfect teamwork and power to win in 43.91 seconds, with the Men’s side looking equally impressive in 39.83 seconds.

In the Men’s 400m final, Loughborough’s Rio Mitcham produced a calm and collected performance to record a personal best of 46.13 seconds.

Back in the field, Loughborough’s Benjamin East landed a personal best of 70.08 to win the Men’s Javelin event, and the Women’s Shot Put saw two-time British champion Amelia Strickler continued her fine form to take full points for England with a throw of 17.25m.  

two-time British champion Amelia Strickler continue her fine form to take full points for England with a throw of 17.25m

Amelia Strickler throws 17.25m. Image provided by Still Sport Photography. ‌

There was also an impressive personal best for Rebekah Walton (Loughborough) in the Women’s Javelin. The 23-year-old recorded a sizeable 56.66m to take second place.  

On the track, The George Gandy Mile – held in tribute to the late Loughborough endurance coach – was won by Wales’ James Heneghan in 4:05.46.

Loughborough’s Cameron Fillery clocked 14.07 to edge out close competitor Edson Gomes (14.19 - National Athletics League) in a thrilling Men’s 110m hurdles final.

Elsewhere, in the Women’s Triple Jump, Loughborough’s Lily Hulland claimed first with an outstanding jump of 12.81.

To conclude a fine day of athletics, England’s Laura Zialor added yet more points for her nation in the Women’s High Jump to take the win with a best jump of 1.84m.

Final overall team scores:

England: 202

Loughborough: 154

National Athletics League: 153

GB: 136

Scotland: 123.5

Wales: 79.5

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 23/77

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2023 QS World University Rankings – the seventh year running – and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2023, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2023 and 11th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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