Jackson continues strong start to 2010

Leeds Met Sports Performance student Jo Jackson continued her fine start to the 2010 race walking season with a fourth place finish in an international 20km event in Switzerland.

Following her recent record breaking success at the CAU Inter Counties Championships Jackson competed in the EAA Permit Meeting  Gran Premio Citta di Lugano in Switzerland in a high class field over 20km. A slow tactical race which saw a large bunch of 10 athletes pass 10km in a pedestrian 46.48 put any hopes of a fast time and new British Record out of the window.

It was not until the 15km point that the Chinese duo of Yanfei Li and Li Li made a move that split up the front group. Jackson and Olympic top eight placer Ines Henriques (Portugal) gave chase and moved away from the rest of the field. Yanfei Li (1.31.26) held off compatriot Li Li (1.31.32) for victory and Jackson despite walking a 2nd half of 45.30 was unable to break Henriques (1.32.30) to come home in 4th place (1.32.36) to go top of the UK Rankings for 2010 and clock a UKA B standard for the European Championships in Barcelona.

In the men's 20km race Sports Performance student Brendan Boyce, despite suffering from severe sickness throughout the race, battled hard to clock a new personal best of 1.28.37 to come home in 16th place in a high class field that saw Italy's Olympic 50km champion Alex Schwazer dominate the filed in setting a new personal best of 1.18.23.