Photo – Harriet Medlen
For Tonbridge Athletic Club members there are still some track and field fixtures in September, although thoughts also turn towards the Autumn, road and cross-country season.
Possibly the highlight performance from last weekend came from Harriet Medlen, who recorded the fastest ever outdoor 200 metres time by a Tonbridge AC under 17 female, when she ran 25.09, at the Medway and Maidstone Open Meeting, held at Gillingham. This improved her best time by 0.24 seconds. Medlen also recorded her best-ever 100 metres time of 12.38, with a legal wind reading, at the same meeting. Also, at the same venue, Harriet Woolley sliced more than six seconds from her 800m best with 2.19.21.
There were some Tonbridge successes at the UK School Games, at Loughborough, where athletes were selected to represent regional teams, in under 17 age group competition. Isaac Ridge (Javelin, 59.82m) and Matilda Secker (High Jump 1.69m) both won silver medals, whilst Anne-Sophie Bremans finished 4th in the 300m in 40.84.
On Saturday, both the women’s and the men’s course records were broken by Tonbridge AC athletes, at the Tunbridge Wells parkrun. Nicole Taylor lowered the female record by twenty seconds to a new mark of 17.02, on the hilly course, whilst Steve Strange took just two seconds from the men’s time with 15.48.
The largest road event in the country at the weekend was the Big Half Marathon, held in London, on Sunday, where Tonbridge had a number of runners competing. Despite the warm and humid conditions, Imogen Amos reduced her personal best to 77.45, slicing 1.42 from her previous mark. Competing in the over 40 age group Helen Gaunt ran 78.16 and Dan Longhurst 80.24, as the next to finish from the club.
Also on Sunday, a couple of the Tonbridge under 17s finished 5th and 6th in the Weald St Georges 10km road race. Jack Sharpe recorded 38.35 and Tom Claridge 39.51.
recorded course records at the Tunbridge Wells Parkrun
