Photo – Cole Gibbens tracks Ted Higgins at the Kent Cross Country League
Cole Gibbens, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, won his first ever cross-country race, on Saturday, at 23 years old. The win came at the third fixture of this Winter’s Kent Cross Country League, which was held at Danson Park, Bexleyheath, where Gibbens contested the senior men’s race over a course just over eight kilometres long. It meant that across the first three fixtures there have now been three different individual winners from Tonbridge, after Ted Higgins and Ben Cole in the two others.
Despite commencing his club running career in 2013 and competing through the young athlete age groups, it is only in the last couple of years that Gibbens has developed into one of Kent’s best distance runners. After a while spent on the injury sidelines, earlier this year, he is now showing his best-ever form.
From the start, Jack Shayler, from Blackheath Harriers, set off strongly and soon had a thirty metres lead, with Ted Higgins and Cole Gibbens trying to stay in contact. As the race developed, the three came together and raced in close proximity until the final two kilometres, when Higgins and Gibbens managed to shake off Shayler. These two had finished first and second in the very first fixture, in mid-October, where Higgins had won. However, on this occasion Gibbens pushed the pace over the final kilometre and managed to drop Higgins, going on to win in 25.41, six seconds clear.
Sean Molloy, in his first race since his wedding in October, finished 14th, with Calum Laing 16th to give Tonbridge enough to win the four to score team competition, from nineteen clubs. They also won the competition for the first twelve runners home.
Tonbridge also won the under 15 boys’ and under 13 girls’ team competitions. Charlie Warren (2nd), Luca Szumilewicz (6th) and Steve Galliard (7th) all ran well amongst 71 finishers, to score for the boys. Aimee Watts (3rd), Arianne Launders (5th) and Jessica Hill (11th) scored for the girls, with Hill making her club debut.
Three other age group teams finished second. Sam Smialowski led the under 17 men home with his 6th place, supported by James Petrie (10th) and Oscar Graffin (11th). Isabel Gowing was the first home for the under 15 girls, in 4th, with Aoife Foley 5th and Jemima Wellesley 12th. Zach Ward (7th), Daniel MacPherson (11th) and Ellis Hill scored for the under 13 boys’ team. The under 17 women finished as third team, with the scorers being Olivia Owen (5th), Millie Watts (7th) and Emily Boyd (12th).
On Sunday, Steve Strange ran 52.50 to win the Stebbing 10 miles road race in Essex.