10th July 2024
Loughborough LEAP European Athletics Promotion meeting
Paula Radcliffe Stadium
Rutland Way
Loughborough University UK
Loughborough LE11 3TU
As a World Athletics Continental Tour meeting, with a D ranking for World Athletics ranking purposes, and being local for Russel, this competition was a good opportunity for another run out against good competition in familiar surroundings and a good addition for this self-funded outdoor competition season for the athlete.
Amongst the competitors for the mens senior 200m final Russel, running as a Malaysian international, was to be the only non-European competitor in the field as Australian Jai Gordon, the fourth fastest Australian junior 100m sprinter ever, originally registered but did not start.
But there was still to be some stiff competition from the GB and UK athletes with the likes of GB Sprinter Alex Haydock-Wilson, a double bronze winner on his Olympic debut.
As it turned out it was in fact Alex Haydock-Wilson who did indeed take first with a 20.75 (w) with Russel putting in a sterling effort to take silver with 20.96 (w).
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Russel was proud to take a silver whilst flying the flag for Malaysia at one of the homes of Great British athletics and also to dip under 21 seconds but in equal measure ultimately frustrated to not have the race deemed wind legal being +2.2 so very unfortunate with wind conditions just over the permissible range! Not the first time this season to be thwarted by the uncontrollables on race day variables with the weather conditions.
But a good indicator of the seasons training progress and Russel was pleased with a seasons best result and to produce a performance 00.19s off his PB and a potential new Malaysian National Record.