James West, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, is having a testing season and last week just missed targets on two occasions. Running for the University of Oregon he ran 3.39.81 to finish 6th in his semi-final at the USA National Collegiate Championships. All twelve qualifiers for the final ran under 3.40, equivalent to well inside a four-minute mile.
The Olympic Games qualifying standard, required for possible GB team selection, is 3.35.00 and although West ran inside this twice last September, those times were recorded outside the specified qualifying periods. Following the NCAA championships, a small meeting was taking place on Sunday evening, at Oregon, and pacing set up to help West run a fast 1500 metres time. Feeling back to his best, he finished very strongly to win in 3.35.59, tantalisingly close to the required Olympic mark. Automatic GB team selection requires an athlete to finish in the top two at the trials which start on 25th June at Manchester, whilst having the standard.
Meanwhile, at Watford, Ben Murphy (photo) became the latest Tonbridge middle distance runner to record a qualifying time for the British Championships, as he won over 800 metres at the British Milers Grand Prix meeting, at Watford, on Saturday in 1.48.84. This was a personal best and his fifth win from six races this season. Also running a personal best, at Watford over 800m, was Charlie Crick with 1.52.07, whilst over 1500m Miles Weatherseed with 3.42.92 and Simon Coppard with 3.43.15 both lowered their recent times even further. Amongst the other performances were strong runs by Kieran Reilly over 1500m with 3.46.94 and Nicole Taylor over 5000m with 16.16.94, both being season’s bests.
Tonbridge athletes picked up six medals at the South of England Championships at the weekend, although some events were weaker than usual, due to clashes with other fixtures. In the senior men’s 1500 metres Stuart Brown and Steve Strange both ran superbly to finish 1st and 2nd, recording times of 3.55.52 and 3.55.58, after a slow first 800m run in 2.11. Jordan Chambers won a bronze medal over 800m in 1.58.30.
In the under 20 age group, Freya Ridge finished 2nd in the High Jump, equalling her personal best with 1.65 metres. Rebekah O’Brien finished 2nd in the 400m hurdles with a time of 64.33, just 0.10s away from her recent club record. A third silver medal in the age group, came from Emily Bowart, over 400m, with a time of 57. 97.
The Kent Schools Championships took place at Ashford, on Saturday, where Tonbridge club members won fourteen gold medals, with plenty more finishing in second and third places. In the senior age group, for school years 12 and 13, Zac Beasty won the High Jump, adding 1cm to his pb with 1.86m, whilst Adam Singleterry won the 800m in 2.03.39 and Matthew Dubery the 2000m steeplechase with a new best of 6.27.12.
At Inter age group level, there were first places for Georgia Baker (80m hurdles 12.36 pb) and Sophie Slack (1500m steeplechase 5.52.08 pb), whilst Lucinda White Pole Vaulted 3.30m, which was a personal best and moved her to third on the UK under 17 rankings. Josh Prendergast won the boys 3000m in 8.50.43 and Jonah Radcliffe the Javelin with 53.35m, both being personal bests.
In the Junior Girls age-group there were wins for Elicia Lacey (75m hurdles 11.73 pb), Lily Slack (1500m 4.51.52), Isabelle Cannon (Discus 25.50m) and Neve Bachelor (Pole vault 2.30m pb). In the Junior Boys events both Tom Walker (Pole Vault 3.00m pb) and Joe Stone (Triple Jump 12.45m) both performed superbly, with Walker moving to 3rd on the UK under 15 rankings and Stone maintaining his top spot.
Results Kent Schools –
Results South of England Championships –