Photo – The women’s team who finished 3rd
Tonbridge Athletic Club took teams to the Aldershot Road Relays on Saturday, as many of the top clubs from the South of England supported the event, rather than the usual championships, held at this time of the year. There had been some controversy regarding the poor organisation of events by the South of England Athletics Association in recent years, which led to many clubs backing this alternative event. However, the move was so well supported that the Aldershot Relays were effectively a regional championship for the South of England.
The Tonbridge main successes came from the men’s and women’s races, both held on the six kilometres course at Rushmoor Arena. The men’s race had teams of six runners and the women’s teams made up of four, with Tonbridge winning silver and bronze medals, respectively.
A total of 79 teams started the men’s race, with Alex Howard going for Tonbridge on the first leg. Howard had run 66 minutes for a half marathon the previous weekend, but was with the lead group for much of the distance and came home 12th in 18.20. Corey De’Ath went next, moving the club up five places with 18.25. Ben Cole went third and produced one the best performances of his career, overtaking some national class athletes and eventually moving into 2nd place. Cole ran 17.49, which at the end of the race was the 6th fastest recorded on the day. Aldershot, however, had a commanding lead at this halfway stage.
Jamie Goodge closed Aldershot’s lead to about one hundred metres, with an 18.21 clocking, before handing over to James Kingston. Kingston started so quick that after about two kilometres was level with the Aldershot runner, in the lead, but only drew clear in the final half mile to give Ben Murphy a slight advantage, going into the final leg. Kingston’s time of 17.36 represented one of the best relay performances in the club’s history, with it ending up as the second fastest of the day, only six seconds slower than Jack Rowe, of Aldershot, who has a 5000m pb of 13.26.
It was Rowe’s final leg in 17.30 that sealed the victory for Aldershot, whilst Ben Murphy ran 18.29 for Tonbridge. The B team finished 20th and should qualify for the National Relay next week. Their line-up consisted of Matthew Dubery (18.55), Ed Coutts (19.24), Matthew Taylor (18.46), Isaac Arnott (19.46), Cameron Chambers (19.43) and Miles Weatherseed (19.58).
Nicole Taylor showed that she is back to her best by finishing ahead of a few internationals on the first leg of the women’s race, which she won in 19.55, the fourth fastest of the entire race. Imogen Amos (21.53), Lucy Thompson (22.24) and Charlotte Alexander (21.32) brought the team home 4th, of the 60 teams, but with two Aldershot teams ahead, they were awarded the bronze medals. The women’s squad could be potentially even stronger at the National Championship and if they are will be hoping to compete for medals.
The young athlete and masters teams were also in action, with the under 17 men 10th, under 17 women 13th, under 15 boys 5th, under 15 girls 24th, under 13 boys 21st and over 40 men 13th.