Kingston makes history by winning National Cross Country Championship

Photo – James Kingston winning the Senior Men’s race at the English National Cross Country Championships

James Kingston, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, became the first ever member of the club to win an English National Cross Country Championship, when he did so at Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire, on Saturday. The race was first held in 1876 and since then many Olympians and internationals have stepped onto the podium after winning the men’s title, but Tonbridge athlete had managed to win an individual medal.

Around 1500 runners, from more than 100 clubs across England, started the 12 kilometres race, which consisted of two laps and after a large group had been in contention for the first half, it was Kingston, alongside Jack Gray of Cambridge and Coleridge AC, who battled it out. Despite there being few significant hills and relatively dry underfoot conditions, some significant gaps developed. As they entered the last five hundred metres of gradual incline to the finish, Kingston made his final effort to draw clear and won in 36.01, by six seconds, with the third placed finisher another 25 seconds back.

Kingston has developed his running through the age groups, being a regular for the club, but in this, his first year as a senior athlete, has shown significant improvement, now being able to compete alongside some of the best distance runners in the country. On this occasion, he helped Tonbridge to the bronze team medals, as he was supported in the scoring team of six by Kieran Reilly (15^th), Alex Howard (23^rd), Ben Cole (34^th), Max Nicholls (63^rd) and Nathan Marsh (78^th). Leeds took the title, with Cambridge and Coleridge in second and Highgate, the Southern champions finishing 4^th.

The Tonbridge under 20 men’s team clinched a National Championship win in their age group, with some excellent performances. Ed Coutts produced another performance, where he ran a very strong second half to the race, having been outside the top thirty not long before the halfway stage in the 10 kilometres event. He eventually finished 8^th and with Jamie Macdonald 13^th, Matthew Dubery 24^th and Matthew Taylor 25^th, they won by 34 points from Aldershot.

Both the under 15 boys and under 17 men won medals, the former collecting bronze and the latter silver. George Hopkins (12^th), Tom Claridge (21^st), Harrison Fraser (46^th) and Jack Sharpe (80^th) all scored for the under 17 team, whilst Oliver Head (14^th), Henry Cleary (53^rd), Connor Prendergast (67^th) and Peter Fitzmaurice (80^th) did likewise for the under 15 team.

The Tonbridge senior women’s squad finished 12^th, from more than 100 clubs, with Phoebe Barker finishing 19^th. Katie Goodge in 37^th was first home of the under 20 women, as they placed as 9^th team. Jess Poland, running in her first National Championship, was the first under 17 to finish in 71^st and Millie Watts (21^st) had one of her best races to date, leading the under 15 girls to 13^th team spot. Charlie Warren finished 27^th in the under 13 boys’ race, as his team finished 9^th, whilst Aoife Foley was 84^th in the girls’ event, within the same age group.

Church clinches another National title for Tonbridge

Lewis Church won the UK Athletics Indoor Heptathlon Championship at Birmingham over the weekend, with a score of 5529 points, just shy of his own club record. On Saturday, he opened up with a 7.40 for 60 metres, before adding a Long Jump of 6.99 metres, 13.97 metres Shot Put and a 1.99 metres High Jump. Then on Sunday he returned to run 8.42 for 60 metres hurdles, clear a Pole Vault height of 4.54 metres and run 2.46.67 for the 1000 metres. Church retained his title, having also won in 2022. Harry Kendall finished 6^th overall with a total of 5141 points.