British records for Smith & Davies at British Weightlifting Championships

Zoe Smith and Sarah Davies ensured a Team England 1-2 at the British Weightlifting Championships as they both broke the British record in their battle for top spot.

Competing in the women’s 64kg class, Smith narrowly edged out Davies by 1kg in the final standings, setting a new British record with a combined lift of 225kg, while runner-up Davies set also set of British record with a 101kg snatch.

Elsewhere at the championships in the para-powerlifting event there was a further British record for Louise Sugden who achieved a lift of 116kg.

Fraer Morrow and Kelly Jo Robson both finished as runners-up in the 55kg and 49kg class respectively, while Owen Boxall and Emily Campbell claimed bronze medals in the men’s 109kg and women’s 87+kg events.

 

Learmonth on podium in Leeds

Jess Learmonth clinched her third medal of 2019 World Triathlon Series as she finished in bronze medal position at her home event in Leeds.

The Commonwealth silver medallist finished with a time of 1:57:22 as British compatriot Georgia Taylor Brown took the title ahead of USA’s Katie Zaferes.

“I’m delighted to have achieved a podium in Leeds. After difficulties in T1, I managed to keep it together and I’m so happy with the result,” Learmonth told British Triathlon.

“Going forwards it is a case of taking it race by race and performing the very best I can in every event I compete in.”

There were also top ten finishes for Vicky Holland (7th) and Sophie Coldwell (9th) while in the men’s race Tom Bishop was the highest placed Team England athlete in 13th position.


Hughes clocks sub-10 in Kingston

Zharnel Hughes set a season’s best time of 9.97 in the men’s 100m to clock the fastest British time of the year at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, Jamaica.

Hughes, who last season set a personal best time of 9.91 at the same meeting beat local favourite and former world champion Yohan Blake into second in 10.01.

“The start wasn’t my best,” Hughes told IAAF.

“My execution was OK. I know it can be better but the season is long so I have time to fix it.”


Queen's Birthday Honours

Team England netball player Ama Agbeze has been made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Nigel Walker, Commonwealth Games England non-executive director and English Institute of Sport national director was also given an OBE for services to elite sport.

Agbeze, 36, was captain of Team England when they won a historic gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

"You definitely don't start a netball career hoping to get an MBE so I'm just proud and honoured," Agbeze said.

Well-known female sports personalities feature prominently on the list at the start of a busy summer for women's sport, with the football World Cup in France having started on Friday and the netball World Cup taking place in Liverpool from 12-21 July.

The England netball team won both the Team and Greatest Sporting Moment awards at the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year show following their success with Commonwealth gold,

Agbeze said of her MBE: "It's a huge thing because it shows we are heading in the right direction. We had the Sports Personality of the Year award and now this, and it all helps to keep netball at the forefront of people's minds."

Out of a total of 37 sporting honours, 15 women were awarded, or 41%. Last year it was 12 women out of 31 people awarded, or 39%.

"We are delighted to award so many talented sportswomen in this Queen's Birthday Honours List," a Cabinet Office spokeswoman said.

"Encouraging nominations to improve representation on the list continues to be a huge focus for us.

"With an exciting summer of world-class female sporting events ahead, we hope to receive even more nominations for future rounds."

Several female sporting administrators have also been recognised including Team England Chef de Mission for Glasgow 2014, Jan Paterson MBE and England Hockey CEO, Sally Munday MBE who have both been made OBEs.

Bowls England Chief Executive,  Tony Allcock MBE, has been made an OBE for services to lawn