'I want the outdoor title now as well' - Hull's Archie Yeo wins first UK Indoor title as York's Scott Lincoln wins his eighth

Archie Yeo of Kingston-upon-Hull Athletics Club is celebrating the biggest title of his career after jumping to a gold medal at the UK Indoor Championships in Birmingham at the weekend.

The 20-year-old triple jumper, who attends Loughborough University, took command of the competition with a third-round leap of 15m55, an indoor personal best that would not be bettered.

Seun Okome claimed silver with a best of 15m36 while Daniel Akinradewo snatched bronze with a last-effort attempt of 15m19.

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Yeo said: “You always want more as an athlete but it is what you do on the day and the medal was the goal today.

Soaring high: Archie Yeo of Kingston-upon-Hull Athletics Club won the UK Indoor triple jump title in Birmingham on Saturday (Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Soaring high: Archie Yeo of Kingston-upon-Hull Athletics Club won the UK Indoor triple jump title in Birmingham on Saturday (Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Soaring high: Archie Yeo of Kingston-upon-Hull Athletics Club won the UK Indoor triple jump title in Birmingham on Saturday (Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

"It’s a lifetime PB indoors so I can’t complain with that. Moving outdoors I’d like to win the British title there as well.”

City of York shot putter Scott Lincoln continued his long period of dominance that stretches back to the middle of the last decade by winning another British title.

It was Lincoln’s first throw of 20m08 that proved decisive, before he followed up 19m86 in round two and 19m71 with his last attempt.

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A win in 2024 adds to the titles he won in 2023, 2022 and 2020 through to 2016 and sets him up nicely for a year which he hopes will end with a second Olympic appearance in Paris.

Molly Caudery of Great Britain celebrates after equalling the national record during the Women's Pole Vault Final on day one of the Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships 2024 at Utilita Arena Birmingham on February 17, 2024 in (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)Molly Caudery of Great Britain celebrates after equalling the national record during the Women's Pole Vault Final on day one of the Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships 2024 at Utilita Arena Birmingham on February 17, 2024 in (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Molly Caudery of Great Britain celebrates after equalling the national record during the Women's Pole Vault Final on day one of the Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships 2024 at Utilita Arena Birmingham on February 17, 2024 in (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Next stop for the 30-year-old is the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow next month.

“I am really chasing that British record now as I want to prove the doubters wrong,” he said.

"I hope to get to Glasgow and compete with the best in the world. I have been busy competing against the world leaders; this is my fifth comp this season. I have been holding my own so I know I can do it.”

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And Lee Thompson who runs for Sheffield & Dearne took gold in the men’s 400m.

Thompson led from gun to tape to take the UK title for the first time since 2018.

Elsewhere in Birmingham, Jeremiah Azu won the British 60m title on Saturday, while Amy Hunt took the women’s crown at the Championships, which doubled as the trials for next month’s World Indoors in Glasgow.

The men’s 60m was overshadowed by the appearance of 45-year-old former world champion Dwain Chambers, who clocked 6.89s to reach the semi-final as the slowest qualifier before coming last in his semi.

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Chambers was banned for two years for a positive drugs test in 2003 but UKA interim head coach Paula Dunn refused to rule out using him as an advisor to young athletes.

Chambers said: “I want to be able to contribute in any way I can and I would never turn down the opportunity. It is a case of a conversation that needs to be had as and when the time permits.

“It is nobody else’s responsibility but mine. Yes I was young, but at the same time, I had a decision or choice to make and I chose to look at what other people were doing, and spend very little time looking at what I could improve.”

Performance of the opening day came from Molly Caudery as she won the women’s pole vault by soaring to a Championship record, personal best, the national title and a joint world lead height of 4m85.

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The 23-year-old from Cornwall said: “It is amazing and almost overwhelming. I know I am in great shape, but it is still fantastic to execute on the day. You could hear a pin drop when I went for that last height. I have to trust my training and not do too much; just build that consistency.

“I need to re-evaluate my plans for the season as 4m80 was my target so I have already gone above and beyond so of course the British record will be amazing and probably my new target."

Laura Muir was the star of the show on Sunday, claiming the 3,000m title after running eight minutes 58.80 seconds to seal victory .

Muir is planning her assault on the 3,000m at the World Indoors in Glasgow next month, with the British squad announced on Monday. The Scot said: “I’ve got a lot of fond memories from that track.”

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