Ted Chamberlain opened his track season in emphatic fashion with victory and a personal best over 800m at the Birmingham University Gold Standard BMC meet on Wednesday 10th May.
Chamberlain, the 2023 North of England Indoor 800m champion, who also ran 1:53.68 indoors in January, struck late to beat Notts AC and Birmingham University athlete Finlay Hutchinson in the Men’s B race in 1:51.74, knocking 0.04 seconds off his lifetime best from July last year.
This was Chamberlain’s opening race of the 2023 outdoor track season.
Paced expertly by Blackheath & Bromley’s Ben Gardiner, the nine-man pack swept swiftly through the first 400m in 53/54 seconds.
Birchfield Harriers’ Christian Byron, Finlay Hutchinson and Luke Richardson of Bromsgrove & Redditch gave chase with Chamberlain slightly boxed in on the inside.
As Hutchinson wound up the pace on the back straight, the field was stretched, allowing Chamberlain to nip past Richardson with 200m to go before making his moves beyond Byron with 80m left to run and the tiring Hutchinson just metres before the finish to clinch victory.
Wednesday win means Chamberlain extends his unbeaten run over 800m to four races although he said, “The primary target is running faster. I love winning and never take it for granted but it’s good performances and PBs I’m even more excited to chase this summer.”
Saturday sees Chamberlain compete over 400m at the Yorkshire County Championships before another 800m at the Trafford BMC Gold Standard match on Tuesday.
