Trafford AC has recently been awarded a National Lottery Grant of about three quarters of a million pounds which is to go towards improving the facilities at their Longford Park site, the most used track in Britain. This means a new 8 lane surface with an improved grandstand with changing rooms, officials rooms and more enabling it to host large competitions and home fixtures for their longstanding woman's British Athletics League side and the newly promoted men's team. Belgrave Harriers have also benefited from these handouts also receiving a large grant which will go towards advancing the Battersea Park facilities in order to make them appropriate for the best athletics club in the country.
Haile Gebrselassie set his second world record this year by setting a new 2000m indoor mark of 4:52.86 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham taking over a second off the previous mark set by Eamonn Coghlan. A little disappointed not to go sub 4:50 he was taken through the first kilometre in 2:23.89 by Kenyan pace makers Vincent Malakwen and Reuben Chesang. The record was completed with Gebrselassie putting in a final 59 second lap, obviously over his cold, and to regain a world record mark after losing the 3000m indoor record to Daniel Komen. By special request his favourite song was played during the race so as to vive him his rhythm although being interviewed after the race said he couldn't here it due to the amount of noise from the large gathering of the newly formed Gebrselasie British fan club.
At the same meeting Britain's triple jumpers were in form with both Jonathon Edwards and Ashia Hansen winning their events. Ashia Hansen set a new British record of 14.85 just one centimetre behind the current world lead while Edwards's winning leap of 17.64m was just 19cm off the world record.
Other notable results in this top class event were Maurice Greene winning the 60m in 6.47s and Britain's Julian Golding winning the 200m in 20.57s ahead of Jon Drummond.
The following athletes were chosen to represent Great Britain in Valencia in March:
| Men | Event | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Darren Braithwaite Dwain Chambers Jason Gardener |
60m | Joice Maduaka |
| Julian Golding Allyn Condon Doug Turner |
200m | Donna Fraser |
| Solomon Wariso Sean baldock Paul Slythe |
400m | |
| 800m | Hayley Parry | |
| John Mayock Ian Gillespie |
3000m | |
| Tony Jarrett Andy Tulloch Damien Greaves |
60H | Diane Allahgreen |
| Ben Challenger | HJ | Susan Jones Debbi Marti Michelle Dunkley |
| LJ | Denise Lewis | |
| Nick Buckfield | PV | Janine Whitlock Rhian Clarke |
| Julian Golley Jonathon Edwards Francis Agyepong |
TJ | Ashia Hansen |
| Shaun Pickering Mark Proctor |
SP | Judy Oakes |