Bedford and County athletes have been escaping from the cold to compete indoors over the last few weeks. Here is a roundup of what has been going on.

Lee Valley New Year Open – 1st January

Daniel Steel: 7.85 60m; 60.58 400m; 9.18 Shot Put.

London Games – 18th, 19th & 25th January

Raphael Bouju ran a 6.75 60m whilst finishing fifth in a high class field won by Chijindu Ujah.
Joe Bennett (U17): 7.35 for 60m.
Tenny James (M60) clocked a 62.16 400m.
Peter Benedickter (M50): 58.68 400m.
Stephen Simmons (U20): 8.27 60m Hurdles.
Etienne Maughan (U17): 7.88 for 60m
Lauren Russell: 26.11 for 200m

Cardiff – 19th January

Beatrice Rodriguez-Caresia: 8.54 for 60m
Julie Rogers: 10:55 for 60m

Sheffield – 22nd January

Matt Bergin won a 3000m in 8:14.52.

Newham – 22nd January

Lauren Russell: 8:01 for 60m

Loughborough Open – 1st February

Tenny James: 10.03 60m hurdles
Simon Eastwood (M50) and Mark Burgman (M60) both pole vaulted at Loughborough on 1st February, clearing 2.80 and 2.35 respectively.
Steohen Simmons (U20): 3.10 pole vault; 6.51 Long Jump.

South of England Indoor Championships at Lee Valley – U15s on 12th January; Seniors and U20s on 2nd February

Congratulations to Gracie Wall, who won the U15 girls High Jump with a jump of 1:55.
Isobel Jakes (U17): 3.83 Long Jump; 8.16 Shot Put.
Joe Strange got to the final of the Senior Men’s 800m, coming fifth in 1:58.68, having also run a sub-2 whilst finishing second in his heat a couple of hours earlier. In the Under 20s, Jamie Webster didn’t manage to make the final, but did produce a solid 1:57.13 in his 800m heat, having run a 1:59 800 in a BMC event at the same venue a few days previously.
Frankie Johnson took the silver in the U20 pole vault, and Peter Benedickter (M50) flew the flag for the masters, running 58.46 in his 400m heat.