Photo – Phoebe Barker, representing England, at Parliament Hill
Tonbridge Athletic Club members produced a range of excellent performances at cross country, track and road events, over the weekend.
At Parliament Hill Fields, North London, the London International Cross Country Meeting took place, on Saturday and included a home-countries international. Phoebe Barker and James Kingston had been selected to represent the England team, in their respective races and both had good runs. Both the women’s and the men’s races were over ten kilometres, with the course designed with five laps.
Barker ran a well-judged race, starting behind the lead pack, before moving through strongly in the second half. At one stage she was in third place, but still finished an excellent 5th and as the first student home is eligible for the GB team to compete in the World Student Championships in Oman, in February. James Kingston finished 6th in the men’s race, 30 seconds behind the winner, Hugo Milner, who had placed fourth in the European Championships, before Christmas.
The London Indoor Games, at Lee Valley, took place over both days of the weekend and produced a few Tonbridge AC club records. Lucy Tallon reduced her own 200m record to 24.68, improving the mark by 0.05 seconds. Kieran Eland recorded 48.59, for 400 metres, improving Lewis Collins’ mark of 49.16. Over the 60 metres hurdles, both Amelie Rabbidge, with 9.01 and Matilda Secker, with 9.06 were inside the old record of 9.08.
In the middle-distance events, Jack Higgins was an impressive winner of the fastest men’s 800 metres race, at Lee Valley, in 1.50.40, whilst Charlie Crick ran 1.50.67 in the USA. Ben Murphy set a 1500 metres personal best at Cardiff of 3.45.23, which like Higgins, secured a qualifying time for the UK Championships, in February.
On the roads, Cole Gibbens won the Canterbury 10 miles race in 53.31, with Imogen Amos 3rd in the women’s race in 61.40.
The Kent Schools Cross Country Championships took place at Dartford, on Saturday, with a few Tonbridge AC members gaining podium places. Tom Claridge and Josh Prendergast finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in the Senior Boy’s race for school years 12 and 13. Toby Bawtree was 3rd in the Inter Boys race, for years 10 and 11 and Charlie Warren 2nd in the Juniors, for years 8 and 9. In the year 7 races, Aimee Watts was 2nd in the girls’ event and Victor Watling 3rd in the boys’ race.