Molly Caudery provided one of the highlights on the first day of the British Championships which were held in Birmingham on Saturday (2) afternoon.
Vaulting in the Alexander Stadium which will be hosting the 2026 European Athletics Championships, Caudery cleared 4.85m on her third attempt - the highest vault achieved outdoors in 2025 with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo just over one month away.
Former European U20 200m champion Amy Hunt won the women’s 100m title in a lifetime best of 11.02 while four-time European champion Zharnel Hughes strode to victory in the men’s 100m in a marginally wind-aided 9.94 (+2.4) ahead of world and European indoor champion Jeremiah Azu (9.97) and Louie Hinchliffe (10.01).
Other championship records set on day one included Elise Thorner in the 3000m steeplechase in a gun-to-tape 9:22.05 ahead of Sarah Tait who set a Scottish record of 9:25.17.
Anna Purchase also added further lustre to her victory in the hammer, improving the championship record to 72.96m with her sixth throw.
Another huge throw from Alekna
World record-holder Mykolas Alekna was in excellent form in the discus at the Lithuanian Championships in Palanga on Saturday (2).
Alekna, who has improved his own world record to 75.56m this year, hurled the discus out to 72.15m on his first attempt for victory over older brother Martynas (66.01m) and 2017 world champion Andrius Gudzius (65.35m).
His winning throw ranks as Alekna’s fourth longest throw of his career and was the seventh time that he has broken the 70 metre-barrier in 2025.
In-form middle distance runner Gabija Galvydyte produced another standout result, winning the 800m in solo fashion in a lifetime best of 1:58.69.
Bebendorf outsprints Ruppert for German 3000m steeplechase title
European Athletics Team Championships winner Karl Bedendorf outsprinted pre-race favourite Frederik Ruppert in a highly anticipated 3000m steeplechase at the German Championships in Dresden on Saturday (2).
In a tactical race, Bebendorf won in 8:32.90 ahead of Ruppert - who moved to third on the European all-time list with a massive lifetime best of 8:01.49 in the Rabat Diamond League in May - in 8:33.79.
Marike Steinacker won a highly competitive women’s discus with 65.56m ahead of Shanice Craft (64.05m) and 2020 Olympic silver medallist Kristin Pudenz (63.25m) and world leader Julian Weber won the javelin title with 84.36m ahead of 2016 Olympic champion Thomas Röhler (78.74m).
Recently crowned European U23 champion Aileen Kuhn was also crowned German champion in the hammer with a mark of 70.92m.
