Tom Parsosns jumps into Olympics place

Jul 14 2008 By Roger Clarke And Nick Pullen

HALL Green high jump star Tom Parsons was living the dream after booking his place at the Beijing Olympics when striking gold at the Aviva National Championships in Birmingham.

Parsons produced the leap of his life at the Alexander Stadium to clear 2.30 metres and obtain the Olympic qualifying height in the process.

Three further attempts at 2.33 metres just failed, but by that stage Parsons had the title and a ticket to Beijing in the bag.

He admitted afterwards: "To join the 2.30 metres club is something I've dreamt about for a long time.

"I just trusted in my body and attacked the bar. But I still think there's a bit more in the body to come.''

Unluckiest athlete of the day was Tipton Harrier Melinda Cooksey, who just missed out on her second sprint final of the weekend in a bizarre parlour game after dead-heating in fourth place in the semi-final of the women's 200 metres.

Cooksey, who suffered a back spasm at the end of the race - a throwback to an injury at the start of the season - could not be separated from Margaret Adeoye, of Enfield, on 24.37 so officials played 'pick which hand the 2p is in' to decide who went through with only eight lanes available.

She said: "They couldn't split us and they don't have any rules in place for a dead heat. It was between a 2p and a 1p and the 2p won - she chose the right hand. There is no run-off so they draw lots. It is gutting but I can't do anything about it. I wanted to run and would have run so maybe it stopped me hurting myself, you never know."

Yesterday she put her injury problems behind her and reached the 100 metres final with a personal best of 11.79 in the heats and said: "In the last few weeks I have had some really good training sessions and my coach has really worked hard with me and it has paid off."

Jade Johnson took the women's long jump with 6.30m while Birchfield's Amy Woodman was third in 6.09. In between the pair was Kelly Sotherton, who took second with 6.28m before withdrawing after her third attempt.

The Beijing heptathlon gold medal prospect said: "I have had a slight problem with my quad muscle for a couple of weeks and I just need to be careful. Pulling out early was just a precautionary measure and is nothing to worry about.''

The Birchfield athlete was happier with her shot and high jump on Saturday than her javelin and long jump yesterday, where she was last in the javelin but with a season's best of 34.31 metres.

She said: "My javelin wasn't what I have been doing in training but it's still three metres further than I did last year. Apart from my kidney trouble and my thigh muscle injury I have not had the greatest preparation. I just have to be smart in the next four weeks and get faster. I'll be there, fit and healthy and doing my very best for the cause."

In contrast, Woodman was ecstatic with her first senior medal and revealed: "I've spent the past year in the USA.

"I could go back to the USA, but otherwise I will come back and get myself a part-time job.'' There was another bronze medal in store for Royal Sutton Coldfield's Laura Kenney in the women's 5,000 metres.

She quickly found herself isolated in third spot as the outstanding Jo Pavey and second-placed Hayley Yelling raced clear of the pack.

Pavey clocked a winning 15mins 22secs with Kenney timed at 15mins 54secs. The Sutton runner said: "I honestly don't know what I was playing at. The gun went and I found myself right at the back. I should have been closer to the first two, but I was still pleased with my performance. I'm still only 23 and this was my first senior medal.''

Leamington's Sara McGreav y grabbed her second silver in the women's 100 metres hurdles repeating her efforts of 2006 when she chased home Sarah Claxton, with much fancied Tasha Danvers right behind her in third spot.

Greavy clocked 13.35 secs and claimed: "I have to be pleased with that - but there's always room for improvement. I false-started, but that had nothing to do with my performance.'' Birmingham-based Nathan Douglas had to settle for third spot in the triple jump despite clearing the same distance as second-placed Larry Achike, of Shaftsbury Barnet, with 17.18 metres. But the pair were well down on winner Phillips Idowu - a genuine medal prospect in Beijing who cleared 17.58 metres. Covent ry's Marlon Devonish, gold medal winner in the 4x100 in the 2004 Olympics, pulled out of the 200 metres with a respiratory tract infection after coming seventh in the 100m final.