Sunderland Stroller Alyson Dixon heads the British team in World Championship marathon

Alyson Dixon will be competing in her second World Championship marathon when she competes in London on Sunday, August 6.
Alyson Dixon crosses the line in the London Marathon.Alyson Dixon crosses the line in the London Marathon.
Alyson Dixon crosses the line in the London Marathon.

This latest accolade follows on from past Commonwealth and Olympic selection and is another feather in the cap for last year’s Rio Olympian.

Her 2011 World Championship marathon in Daegu, Korea sadly ended in disappointment, finishing 42nd after limping home injured in 2.50.51.

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This time she heads the British team after finishing 14th and first British woman in Sunday’s London Marathon in a personal best of 2.29.06.

The Sunderland Stroller was not only the first woman home from the North East, she also beat all the men. Morpeth Harrier Ian Harding being the first local man in 2.31.01.

Dixon’s performance in London has seen her improve her standing on the UK all-time list in moving up from 17th to 15th. Her first marathon performance was in 2010 where she clocked 2.43.48 at London.

As well as the World Championships, her time in London will put her in contention for a place in next year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

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The Games start in April and selectors have stated the following, ‘England Athletics can confirm marathon performances from September 1, 2016 will be taken into consideration.’

As well as the 38-year-old Dixon’s superb London run, there were good performances from two other North East women.

Gateshead Harrier Michelle Nolan recorded 2.47.48 to beat her previous best of 2.48.52 from London in 2015 and Birtley Harrier Tracy Millmore made her marathon debut with a 2.49.40 performance.

Sunderland Harrier Alice Smith chopped nearly 20 minutes off her previous fastest, from Taunton in 2008, with her 3.01.40 London clocking for a club record.

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Sunderland Stroller Richard Wilson’s charity run of five marathons in five days got underway at London where the 62-year-old clocked 4.23.01.

On Monday evening he completed his second marathon with 106 laps of the Silksworth track!

Tonight he runs to Sedgefield where he will run the last leg of the Neptune Relay to complete the 26 miles and 385 yards marathon distance for his fourth marathon.

Tomorrow, his final marathon will be run in Sunderland.

Stroller Gary Hargrave headed to the States and the Boston Marathon where he completed the distance in 3:13:44.

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* Sunderland Harrier Steve Rankin returned to competition after a long absence to win the Chase the Kite Derwent 10km in 35.30.

Houghton Harriers had Alan Foster in eighth (38.56) and Shaun McGrath 14th (40.36).

Morpeth Harrier Scott Beattie was just one second outside the course record in the Wallsend Harrier Terry O’Gara 5km.

The 18-year-old clocked a hand-timed 15.00 minutes. Gateshead Harrier Stacey Smith smashed the women’s record in 10th place overall in 16.15, beating Justina Heslop’s (Elswick) old mark of 16.42.

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Sunderland Harriers placings were Kevin Calvert fourth in 15.41, Paul Merrison M55 17.50, Alan Hodgson M45 18.04, Paul Collins M55 18.07, Steve Gordon M45 18.09, Darren Stokoe M45 18.37, Tony Allinson M45 19.13 and Dean Phillips M45 20.03.

H Eritrean Weynay Ghebresilasie, who gained asylum in the UK after competing in the steeplechase in the 2012 London Olympics and then joined Sunderland Harriers, has been competing with much success in Scotland.

Now based in Birmingham he has been competing for Shettleston Harriers and since March he has won the Inverness half marathon (66.48), the Tom Scott Memorial 10m (49.40), Nigel Barge 10km (31.10) and the Jim Dingwall 10km (30.55).

H In the first North East Grand Prix of the season at Monkton, Houghton Harrier Under-15 Philippa Ellis won the 75m hurdles in a grade one standard of 11.81 and she also won the 100m in a grade two standard of 12.9.

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Henry Johnson had a good performance in the Under-15 1,500m in winning in 4.13.5 and Luke Carroll won the Under-20 300m (40.9).

Sunderland Harriers’ saw Jade Thirlwell win the Under-15 Girls’ 1,500m in 5.28.3 and Aaron Swainston, in his first competition for the Harriers, won the Under-20 long jump with a distance of 5.54.

H South Shields Harriers stage their Sand Dancer 10km multi terrain race on Sunday at 11am. Late entries will be accepted on the day (£16) and £18 unattached.

The event includes the North East Masters AA Championships. The start and venue is at the Sand Dancer Pub on the promenade, outside Gypsies Green Stadium. There is also a Young Athletes race at 10.30am (£4).

Entries to the Events of the North 10km and Half Marathon close on Wednesday, May 3. There are no entries on the day.