Photo – Asha Root in the 400 metres at the Loughborough International Meeting
It was the turn of the over 35s and older members of Tonbridge Athletic Club, to commence their league campaign on Friday evening, at Norman Park, Bromley. They did so in emphatic style, with wins coming from both the men’s and women’s teams, in the Kent Division One matches.
The men won with 66 points from Dartford on 62, with another four clubs behind them, whilst the women secured their win with 52 points, 8 clear of Blackheath and Bromley. The women’s B-team also won their Division 2 match, with the men being second in their equivalent fixture.
Over 35 age group wins came from Tom Richards (400m in 54.4), Luke Williams (Pole Vault 3.52m) and Charlotte Nicholls (Discus 24.48m. Over 50 category wins came from Ian Crawley (Pole Vault 2.42m and Long Jump 4.35m), Chris Leach (Discus 30.27m), Nina Ridge (400m 68.4, Discus 25.93m and Triple Jump 8.68m), plus Maria Heslop (3000m 10.58.7).
The under 13 and 15 squad competed in their second match of the UK Youth Development League Premier Division season, improving to a 4th place finish on this occasion, one better than in the first fixture. The overall team effort was emphasised by the fact that points came throughout the team and there were only two A-string victories, from Aimee Watts in the under 13 girls’ 1200m in 3.53.49 and the under 15 boys’ 4x300m relay team of Lucas Bowen, Steven Galliard, Harry Wigley plus Sebby Reynolds, who ran 2.38.03 and broke the Tonbridge club record.
Earlier in the week, on Wednesday evening, some of the club’s middle-distance runners were in action. Over 800 metres, Ben Gardiner ran 1.48.50 at Birmingham and Ben Murphy 1.48.87 to make it four Tonbridge men in the UK’s top thirty-four this year, so far. At Nottingham, on the same evening, Max Selby ran a pb by more than five seconds, over 1500m, when finishing 3rd in 3.52.82.
One of the most popular dates for spectators on the UK distance running calendar is the Highgate Night of 10,000 metres pbs, which took place on Saturday and was screened by the BBC. Ben Cole ran a track pb of 29.53.99, which was a Tonbridge over 35 age group record and Charlotte Alexander also recorded her best of 34.09.10.
Also on Saturday, Phoebe Barker won the 5000 metres, at the Oxford and Cambridge University Varsity match, in 16.28.53, representing the latter.
To complete the weekend action, Tonbridge AC had five athletes at the Loughborough International Meeting, on Sunday. Jack Higgins had been selected for the England team and finished 3rd over 800 metres in 1.52.15, after a slow first lap. Asha Root had a strong finish in the Guest 400m where she placed 2nd, just outside her recent pb with 55.06. Root was representing the National Athletics League team. Ben Murphy was 4th in the mile in 4.10.06, whilst Will Beeston was a close 2nd in the Guest 1500m in 3.54.69 and Ally Kinloch 6th over 3000m in 8.19.91. Matilda Secker was 6th in the High Jump with a clearance of 1.71m.