Cutts top of the pile as Dearne duo soar highest

The master outjumped the apprentice yesterday as the battle for the British indoor pole vault title came down to a shootout between two team-mates from a school club in Barnsley.

Luke Cutts, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, claimed the national title for the second successive year with his Dearne ALC club-mate and protege Adam Hague sharing the silver.

A 10-year age gap separates the two but the training partners remain the best of friends as they seek to dominate the discipline for years to come.

Cutts, 27, set the British record of 5m83 14 months ago but had to settle for a winning height of 5m55 yesterday and still has work to do to seal a spot in the Great Britain squad for the European Indoor Championships in Prague next month.

That height of 5m55 is the magic number for Hague. The 17-year-old broke the world junior record with that mark in December, but his three failures at it yesterday left him in a share of second with Andrew Sutcliffe.

“I knew I had victory in me but the main thing today was getting both me and Adam first and second, so it’s mission accomplished,” said Cutts, whose long-time coach Trevor Fox enjoyed one of his finest accomplishments with a one-two for his club.

“I’m delighted for Adam to pull it off and congratulations to him.

“I do some of his coaching. It’s good to be jumping together. We’re not each other’s enemies.”

Hague added: “It always helps training with Luke – he has bigger heights so I can reach for those.

“We’re constantly helping each other.”

On breaking the world youth record, Hague – whose focus this year is on the European junior outdoor championships – added: “I couldn’t believe it. My training paid off at that moment.

“In a couple of years, I want Luke’s British record as well.”

Abigail Roberts ensured a stellar weekend for the Dearne club with a silver medal in the women’s event.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson continues to make hay in Jessica Ennis-Hill’s absence.

Heptathlete Johnson-Thompson won the high jump in a British record of 1m97 on Saturday before placing fourth in the 60m hurdles yesterday.

Sheffield’s Karla Drew came home sixth ahead of club-mate Zara Horn.

“I need to work on my starts which are just not good enough,” said a disappointed Drew.

Sheffield’s Mukhtar Mohammed was unable to defend his 800m title, settling for third in a tense finish. The 24-year-old Somali-born athlete, who was a bronze medallist at the European Indoors two years ago and who spent time training with Mo Farah in Kenya this winter, left his run for glory too late and was nudged into third at the line.

“I thought I had it with 100 to go, so it’s frustrating to lose my title,” said Mohammed.

Lee Emanuel, a winner here in the 1,500m last year, added the 3,000m national title to his growing list of accolades on Saturday.

Emanuel hit the front with 100m to go, thumping his City of Sheffield vest in delight as he crossed the line in 8.03:92.

Emanuel’s club-mate Daniel Gardiner of Leeds took home a bronze in the men’s long jump with a leap of 7m61. City of York’s Scott Lincoln claimed silver in the shot putt with a throw of 17m37, but there was disappointment for his club-mate Thomas Somers who did not finish his 200m heat. The 17-year-old clocked 20.37 seconds at the world junior championships in Oregon last year, a time bettered only by Usain Bolt at that age.

The sprint titles went to Chijindu Ujah – the 2013 European junior men’s champion – and world junior champion Dina Asher-Smith in the women’s in 7.15secs.

Sheffield’s Kristie Edwards impressed in her first major meet. The 17-year-old clocked 7.70secs in the 60m semi-final before improving on that yesterday with fourth place in the women’s 200m final in a time of 24.08 seconds. “Fourth place is the position no-one wants to finish but I can’t complain after stepping up to this level,” said Edwards.

York’s Commonwealth bronze medallist Jess Taylor could finish only 10th in the long jump, while Wakefield Harrier Charlene Thomas was fourth in the 3,000m.