Photo – Lucy Tallon (under 17) who ran 12.1 and 25.1 for 100m/200m at the weekend
The Tonbridge Athletic Club junior teams completed their league fixtures for the Summer, at the weekend, finishing second in both the lower and upper age group matches. On Saturday, the under 13 and 15 age groups squad finished behind the home club, Crawley, of the five clubs and then on Sunday the under 17s and 20s finished behind just Blackheath of the six clubs competing, at Dartford.
There were plenty of fine individual performances that caught the eye. Lucy Tallon ran the fastest ever sprint times, recorded by a Tonbridge AC under 17 female, with 12.1 for 100 metres, followed by 25.1 for 200 metres. Tallon was racing at the Dartford fixture, on Sunday, whilst maybe the highlight on Saturday came from under 15 Joe Stone, who Long Jumped a new personal best of 6.51 metres, a personal best and the second longest in the UK this year, in the age group. The distance is just 26 centimetres short of Barry Nevison’s prodigious Tonbridge age record, set in 1981. Stone also won the High Jump with 1.60 metres.
At the younger age group match, there were double wins from Alex Coutts (u15 300m in 40.16 and Discus with a 27.83m pb), Harriet Medlen (u15 100m 13.20 and 300m 44.71), plus Theo Kreuzberg (u13 Shot Put 7.37m and Javelin 30.99m).
At Dartord, another sprinter impressed, as Ethan Tasker ran personal bests of 11.1 and 23.0 to win the under men’s 100m and 200m. Kirsty Ebbage won the Shot Put, Discus and Hammer, James Kingston the 1500m and 3000m, plus Freya Ridge the 400m hurdles and High Jump, the latter with a 1.68m pb. Saskia Lean won the under 17 women’s High Jump (1.50m) and Pole Vault (2.45m).
Strong Tonbridge performances on the roads
Two local races, at the weekend, featured Tonbridge AC runners to the fore. On Saturday, Jay Smith won the Harvel 5 miles race, on a tough multi-terrain course in 26.05. Smith is in fine form, having recently ran 1.54.05 for 20 miles at Lydd and is targeting the London Marathon, at the start of October.
The Paddock Wood Half Marathon took place on Sunday morning, in much warmer conditions. Despite this, a number of the athletes set personal bests. Dan Bradley finished 9th in 69.29 and was closely followed home by Neil McClements 10th in 69.41 and Steve Strange 12th in 69.59, all three running their best-ever times. McClements is entered for this coming weekend’s Brighton Marathon and recently finished 3rd in the Lydd 20 miles race in 1.53.47. Helen Gaunt finished 8th in the women’s race at Paddock Wood in 87.01.