Photo – James West (photo) at the European Indoor Championships
James West, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, made his debut for Great Britain at a major international event, at the weekend, competing over 3000 metres, at the European Indoor Championships, in Istanbul. His only previous GB vest had been awarded four years ago at the European team championships. A tough timetable meant that the 3000 metres heats were on Saturday morning and the final on Sunday evening, with Jacob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1500m champion, being the favourite.
Saturday’s heat went very well, with West finishing third in 7.50.73 to qualify automatically for the final. Then in the final, after a steady first kilometre run in 2.42, the pace really picked up, with the second passing in 2.33. By this time Ingebrigtsen was at the front, where he had been gradually increasing the pace. West fought hard to stay in the top four, as gaps appeared in the field, but slipped back over the final 400 metres to finish eighth in 7.48.22, four seconds away from a medal, as Ingebrigtsen won in 7.40.32.
Also, competing indoors at the weekend, Anne-Sophie Bremans won the Belgian under 18 women’s indoor 400 metres title, in 55.70. This improved her own Tonbridge AC indoor club record by half a second.
Verity Hopkins had perhaps the biggest race win of her career, when she finished first at the Cambridge half marathon, on Sunday. Hopkins won by 30 seconds and in the process improved her best ever time by 21 seconds. Also, setting new personal bests were Imogen Amos in 5th with 75.46 and Lucy Thompson in 14th with 78.20.
Alasdair Kinloch showed a return to his best form, when he finished 7th in the Trafford 10k road race, near Manchester, on Sunday. Kinloch ran 29.25, just 22 seconds behind the winner, which was a new personal best and his first run at the distance in under 30 minutes.
Jacek Traczynski won the Maidstone Road Runs 10k in 37.24, whilst Calum Lain finished 2nd in the Dorney Lake 5k in 16.22, both performances being in personal best times.
