Photo – Guy Thomas and Grazia Manzotti
Grazia Manzotti, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, travelled to the Isle of Man, on Saturday for the UK 20 kilometres walk championships and had one of her best performances to date. She not only finished second overall in the women’s race, but also set a UK over 55 age group record of 1 hour 59 minutes and 20 seconds. It also improved her personal best, set when in a younger age group. Her time improved the previous UK record by more than four minutes. Guy Thomas competed in the men’s race, where he finished third in 1.33.37, which was his fastest time for four years.
James West had his last track race of the season, competing over the rarely run distance of 2000 metres, in Zagreb, Hungary, on Sunday. The event was a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting. West finished fifth, showing some fast-closing speed to record 4.56.23. His time was the fifth fastest ever time by a Brit.
The Kent Track Relay Championships took place at the weekend, where a few Tonbridge teams collected gold medals. There was a double win for the under 20 women sprinters. The 4x100m relay team consisted of Isabelle Bridgeman, Harriet Medlen, Amelie Rabbidge and Lucy Tallon and they ran 47.7 to break the club record. They also won the 4x200m relay, where Evie Dixon ran, instead of Rabbidge.
The under 15 boys and girls both had wins in their 3×800 metres championships. The girls’ team consisted of Purdey Hutchings, Isabel Gowing and Aoife Foley, with the boys being Harry Wrigley, Steven Galliard and Oliver Lester.
At the South of England Inter Counties Championships, near Oxford, Sebby Reynolds finished second in the under 15 boys’ 300m in 37.27 and Sam Newton was third in the under 17 men’s High Jump with 1.85m.
At the Great North Run Half Marathon on Sunday, Ben Cole finished 27th in 66.33 and Cole Gibbens, returning to full fitness after injury, was 77th in 73.13.
This coming weekend sees the unusual case of the National Cross-Country Championships, being held in September, following the postponement from February after flooding at the venue, in Shropshire.