Photo – Michael Ellis (TAC Team Manager) in the steeplechase at Kingston
The Tonbridge Athletic Club men’s and women’s team finished third in their last match of the regular season in the National Athletics League Championship, on Sunday. This was enough to remain top of the South Division, one point ahead of Belgrave, who won this fixture.
With stormy conditions passing over the Kingston track, in South West London, there were doubts that the fixture could continue at one stage, but after a delay, all the events were completed. Unusually, track wins were hard to come by for Tonbridge, although the day started well with George Blake winning the 400 metres hurdles A-string in 56.14 and Tom Richards doing likewise in the B-string, whilst setting a club over 35s record of 59.16. The only other A-string win, on the track, came from Harry Kendall in the 400 metres with a time of 49.39.
Kirsty-Anne Ebbage won both the Hammer and Discus throws, with 48.81m and 47.64m, being less than a metre away from her personal bests in both events.
Bronwyn Yeandle won the women’s Pole Vault with a clearance of 3.53 metres and Lewis Church won the men’s competition with 4.42m. Church also won the Discus with 42.82m and Shot Put with 14.21m.
Ella Thomas added a centimetre to her personal best, when winning the High Jump, with a clearance of 1.70 metres. This moves her to fifth in the UK under 17 women’s rankings, for the year. Matilda Secker won the Long Jump with 5.19 metres.
Earlier in the week, Tonbridge AC hosted an evening open meeting, where highlights included Max Selby winning the fastest 800 metres, with a big personal best of 1.52.70. Under 17 athlete, Toby Bawtree ran a personal best of 1.54.84, as he finished second. Ben Pearce improved his pb when winning the fastest 1500m race in 3.54.23.
On Wednesday evening, James Kingston improved his best over 5000 metres by 0.3 seconds, when he ran 13.54.54 to win at the Tracksmith Twilight Meeting, at Tooting.
On the roads, Ted Higgins won the Brands Hatch 10k on Friday evening and Julian Rendall the Whitstable 10k on Saturday.