Lucy Reid set a new Tonbridge Athletic Club women’s record, for 10,000 metres, when competing in the British Championships event, at Highgate, on Saturday night. The event was part of a festival of races, over the distance, which attracted top runners from Europe and beyond, as well as many of the best from domestic distance running. The Night of 10,000 metres pbs was established ten years ago and has grown its reputation for being one of the most popular events in the athletics calendar, attracting a crowd of around five thousand spectators, with a party atmosphere.
Reid was in the elite women’s race and recorded 32.54.31 to finish 8th in the British Championship, whilst improving the Tonbridge club record, previously set in 2019 by Nicole Taylor.
Club members were competing at a variety of meetings, during the week and amongst the highlights was international, Harry Kendall, finishing third in his first Decathlon of the year, held in Greece. Kendall scored 7702 points, which was not too far away from his personal best and club record of 7843. The results included a Long Jump personal best of 7.18 metres, although he also recorded 7.44 metres, with the assistance of a wind reading that was above the limit for record purposes.
In the under 20 age group Anne-Sophie Bremans recorded 55.49, for 400 metres, in Belgium, which is not far away from the club age record for the distance. She followed up with an 800 metres in 2.13.41, which is the fastest by a Tonbridge AC female this year.
In Poland, Anton Bachorski was just 0.01 seconds outside the club record that he had set the previous week, when he ran 10.48, over 100 metres, for second place at the Polish University Championships.
On Sunday, a number of Tonbridge athletes competed at the Loughborough International, which included invitation races, but also a match between the home countries, GB under 20s, a team representing the National Athletics League and Loughborough University. Amongst the highlights were the men’s 800 metres, where Simon Coppard finished 4th in 1.50.02, running for Loughborough University, Charlie Crick 6th in 1.50.35 for the National League team and Ben Murphy 7th in 1.50.49. (photo above)
Alasdair Kinloch, representing Loughborough, had a strong run to finish 2nd in the 3000 metres with 8.07.54 and James Kingston ran a personal best of 8.13.20 for 7th. Noémie Thomson was 5th in the women’s 3000 metres steeplechase in 10.45.43 and Miles Weatherseed 7th in the men’s mile in 4.10.11.