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Welsh clinch final Commonwealth netball spot

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Rob Burgess 26 February 2001

A round-up of the weekend's Great British performances...

THE WELSH became European Netball Champions this weekend, and in doing so qualified for the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.

Wales overcame the favourites England in a thrilling climax to the FENA Open in Canterbury. At halftime in the final Wales led 32-27, a lead they managed to hold at the end of the third quarter.

But England, unbeaten in the FENA competition for four years, rallied strongly in the final quarter and came within a point of regaining the title and qualifying for the Commonwealth Games themselves. But the Welsh showed great fighting spirit and held on at the death to win by one point, 58-57.

COACH RAEWYN Henry paid tribute to the Welsh Institute of Sport afterwards:

"The Academy has made a huge difference to us in terms of extra support from the Sports Council for Wales - through funding, physiotherapy back-up and sports psychology. The girls have really taken on board the sports science advice and have become more professional in their attitude.

"Only ten teams can enter the Commonwealth Games so to be one of those ten is a big achievement," Henry added.

Meanwhile despite the defeat England qualify for the Games, automatically as hosts.

JOHN MAYOCK ran the fastest ever indoor 2000m race by a Briton, as he chased home Noah Ngeny of Kenya at the indoor athletics meet in Lievin, France.

Mayock finished in second place, more than five seconds inside the previous mark that he set a year ago. Mayock's time of four minutes 57.09 seconds was the perfect boost ahead of next month's indoor athletics world championships in Lisbon.

There was further good news for Great Britain on the track, as Christian Malcolm set a Welsh record in the 200m, a race he won after a photo finish. Malcolm's time of 20.46s moved him to second place on the UK All-Time best performance list.

Meanwhile Jamie Baulch won his fourth consecutive indoor 400m race in the last two weeks, easing to a comfortable 46.74s win ahead of American Ramon Clay at the Energizer Flanders meeting in Ghent.

Baulch was hoping for a fast time to improve his chances of selection for the indoor world championships. The selectors have until next Tuesday to decide between Baulch and Mark Hylton for the remaining 400m spot alongside Daniel Caines.

ELSEWHERE, A dramatic weekend of squash on the glass court at the Manchester Velodrome saw Lee Beachill crowned national champion. Beachill, the 23-year-old 13th seed, became the lowest seed to win the title in the event's history. In an equally eventful women's event, fifth seed Sue Wright took 58 minutes to overcome top seed Fiona Geaves, the 1995 champion, in the women's final.

And England's cricketers succumbed to a disappointing defeat in the first Test Match against Sri Lanka in Galle. Upset by a succession of questionable umpiring decisions, the tourists fell to an innings and 28 runs defeat.

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