Photo – The over 75s after their 75 metres
Tonbridge Athletic Club was formed in 1947 and on Monday hosted a meeting to celebrate the club’s 75th Anniversary. The day featured open events, a Pentathlon for Kent under 13s, some invitational events and fun relays to finish off the day. Special guests from the past were invited and attended, plus friends of the club.
Highlights included Tom Bosworth, the international race walker, marking his retirement by winning the 3000 metres in 11.41.18. Kieran Reilly pipped clubmate Ben Murphy in the Invitational mile in 4.05.47. James Whiteaker, from Blackheath and Bromley, threw the Javelin 79.26m, which was a personal best and ranks him 2nd in the UK this year. Lewis Church was close to a personal best in the Pole Vault and cleared 4.51m, whilst Tom Hobbs set a new personal best in the High Jump of 1.80m, in the under 17 age group. The organisers of the meeting managed to host an invitational, over 75 age group 75 metres and pulled together eight competitors. The race was won by past Tonbridge AC chairman, Dave Clarke, who is now eighty years old.
Other than the anniversary meeting there were a few highlight performances in the previous few days. At the England age group championships, at Bedford, Matilda Secker finished equal 2nd in the under 17 women’s High Jump, with 1.68 metres, just two centimetres below her personal best. Elicia Lacey ran 11.66 to finish 5th in the under 15 girls’ 75m hurdles and Charlie Ellison was 5th in the under 17 men’s 1500m steeplechase in 4.51.91. In the field, Elsa Pawson set a pole Vault personal best of 2.57m when finishing 7th in the under 15 girls’ competition, whilst Isaac Ridge was 8th in the under 17 men’s Javelin, with a throw of 52.48m.
Matthew Taylor showed that he is getting ready for the cross-country season by breaking the Tunbridge Wells parkrun record by ten seconds, at Dunorlan Park, on Saturday, when he ran 15.50.
Jordan Chambers took on some top-class internationals at Tooting Bec track on Wednesday, where he just missed his 800 metres personal best with 1.50.55, when finishing 5th in the A-race. He was back in action at Loughborough on Saturday, reducing his 1500 metres best to 3.50.34, when finishing 2nd in a British Milers Club race. At the same meeting Ben Murphy finished 5th in the men’s A race 800 metres in 1.48.57.
On the roads Ben Cole continued his fine form when winning the Langley Burrell Lightning Bolt 10km, on Sunday, in 30.14, just ten seconds outside his Tonbridge over 35 age group record.
