Photo – TAC women at the Kent Veterans Championships
Tonbridge Athletic Club had plenty of competitors taking part in the Kent Veterans Cross Country Championships, held at Central Park, Dartford, on Saturday, coming away with three team medals from the six competitions.
Maria Heslop (2nd) and Tina Oldershaw (3rd) combined their individual podium positions with Grazia Manzotti (9th) to win the over 55 women’s team gold medals by a convincing margin from Cambridge Harriers.
Ben Reynolds calmly sat with the lead pack in the over 60 men’s race, before pulling away in the latter stages to claim a 25 second victory. Phil Coleman showed good form in 7th, with Tony Fullbrook being the crucial final scorer in 19th. This gave Tonbridge 27 points and just three clear from both Kent AC and Tunbridge Wells Harriers.
The over 35 women’s team finished second to Kent AC, through Nichola Evans (5th), Rebecca Morton (8th) and Charlotte Warren (12th). There were no team medals from the other age categories, but the individual Tonbridge highlights were Lizzie Owen 2nd in the over 45 women’s event, Craig Halsey 4th in the over 40 men’s race and James Beeston 16th in the over 50 men’s category.
There were some more excellent veteran’s performances at Lee Valley on Sunday, where both Mark McAllister and Mark Jessup set Tonbridge club indoor age group records over 600 metres. McAllister ran 1.37.40 to set a new over 50s mark and Jessup 1.42.23 as an over 55 time.
James Kingston has been selected for the Great Britain under 23 men’s team, which will compete at the European Cross Country Championships, in Turkey, on Sunday.
Marathon records fall in Valencia
The Valencia Marathon has become known as the fastest marathon in the world, offering perfect conditions and a flat course, which attract plenty of Brits and others each December, seeking fast times.
This year, following floods in the Spanish region, there were doubts that the event might go ahead, but it did on Sunday and didn’t disappoint. Verity Hopkins set a new Tonbridge AC club record of 2.34.20 when finishing 39th in the women’s race. This improved the previous mark, set by Helen Gaunt, by 1 minute and 18 seconds. Hopkins achieved remarkably even pacing throughout the 26 miles, with her fastest mile being 5.51 and slowest 5.53.
Additionally, Nathan Chapman ran a new Tonbridge over 40 men’s record of 2.38.18, which also improved his personal best.
Also, on Sunday, Joseph Hunt won the Run Through Goodwood 5 kilometre road race, in very wet and windy conditions, with 16.01.