A busy weekend for Cole
Ben Cole, of Tonbridge Athletic Club, had a busy weekend, as after racing for Kent in the UK Inter Counties Cross Country Championships, on Saturday, he travelled to Woking on Sunday morning and won the Surrey Half Marathon.
Cole was one of thirty Tonbridge AC runners in action at the inter counties championship, held at Prestwold Hall, near Loughborough. He finished 21st and was second Kent scorer for the team, which finished 6th from thirty counties. Once again the muddy conditions for a cross country event sapped the strength of many competitors, so to bounce back and win a half marathon the following day, in 70.17, was impressive. Becky Morrish was third female finisher at Woking in 84.37.
Loughbourough
At Loughborough there were a few other good Tonbridge AC performances from from county representatives in all ten age group races.
Nicole Taylor finished 13th in the senior women’s race, representing Sussex, whilst Dom Brown (53rd) and Corey De’Ath (58th) , aswell as Ben Cole, scored for the Kent men’s team. In the under 20 men’s event James Kingston (15th) and Dan Schofield (44th) both scored for the Kent team that won silver medals. Matthew Taylor went one better in the under 17 men’s event by finishing 9th and helping the Kent team win the team title. Lily Slack was also amongst the team medals, as she was the first scorer home for the third placed Kent under 13 girls’ team, as she finished 7th , from more than three hundred finishers.
British Masters Indoor Championships – Lee Valley
At the British Masters Indoor Championships, held at Lee Valley, across the weekend, four Tonbridge athletes won medals. Diane Wright ran 9.15 in the over 50 women’s 60 metres to finish second, whilst Steve Tester also won a silver medal, running 52.18 in the over 35 men’s 400 metres. Nina Ridge added a bronze medal to the collection, as she placed 3rd in the over 45 women’s 400 metres with 64.95, which was a personal best. She also ran a pb for 200m of 29.19, when placing 5th. Alan Newman was 3rd in both the over 65 men’s 1500m and 3000m, with times of 5.57.06 and 12.59.27.
Other podium finishes
Other than Cole and Morrish, there were two other road race podium finishes from Tonbridge AC runners on Sunday. Dan Bradley placed third at a very windy Lydd Half Marathon in 76.33, whilst Helen Gaunt was second female home in the 20 mile race, at the same venue, recording 2.13.49.