Photo – Ben Gardiner (number 3) at Watford
Very warm conditions across the weekend helped several Tonbridge Athletic Club members produce national class performances, at various locations.
Ben Gardiner came within 0.03 seconds of setting a Tonbridge AC 800 metres record, when he finished 2nd in the men’s A-race at the British Milers Club Grand Prix, at Watford, on Saturday. Gardiner ran 1.45.66 and will hope to take this form into the World Student Games Championships, at the end of the month, where he will represent Great Britain, in Germany.
Also at Watford, Ted Higgins was a convincing winner of the men’s 800m B-race in 1.47.20, improving his best by more than a second. Toby Bawtree, at just 17 years old, had his first experience of this level of senior competition and placed 2nd in his race in 1.52.06, which was another pb. James West finished 3rd in a top class 1500m A-race in 3.40.41. Charlotte Alexander ran 4.30.12 in the women’s 1500m C-race. Also on Saturday, Jack Higgins won the 800 metres at the Motonet Grand Prix Meeting, in Finland in 1.46.27.
Tonbridge AC had two silver medallists at the English Schools Championships, which took part at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, across Friday and Saturday. Matilda Secker cleared 1.75m in the Senior Girls High Jump and Rae Le Fay set a new Tonbridge AC record in the 1500m steeplechase with 4.53.02, just over a second behind the winner. Toby Gwinnell was close to his best in the Inter Boys Javelin, where he threw 57.82m and finished 5th.
The 400 metres squad at Tonbridge continues to produce some excellent performances, which included, on Sunday, Kieran Eland running 47.60, as he returns from an early season injury. Henry Marshall ran 47.99 and Lewis Collins 48.92, both close to their bests this season. Eland and Marshall, in particular, are trying to achieve the 47.50 standard, which would qualify them for the British Championships, at the start of August.
Tonbridge AC hosted the latest match in the Southern Counties Veterans League, Kent Division, on Friday evening, where both the men and women won their matches. There were plenty of A-string individual winners who, alongside others, contributed to the team scores. The women’s team had nine individual wins in total and the men two.
In the over 35 age group, Bethan Armory won the 200m in 27.8, whilst Helen Gaunt set a new Tonbridge AC age group record in the 1500m of 4.43.6. This was not only an over-35 record, but improved the over 40 and 45 marks. Charlotte Nicholls won the over 35 Shot Put and Javelin.
Grazia Manzotti improved here own over 55 age group walk record when winning in 10.36.2, whilst in the process beating all the men and women competitors. Also in the over 50 age group, Diane Wright won the 200m, Nina Ridge the High Jump and Shot Put, plus Sarah Westrap-Boon the Long Jump. The two men’s wins came from the over 50s, where Nick Arnott won the 1500m in 4.38.2 and Mark Jessup, the Javelin with 34.75m.
Away from the track and field action, Dan Bradley and Lizzie Owen won the men’s and women’s races at the Romney Marsh 10k road race, whilst Jake Greenwood finished 2nd in the Sevenoaks 7 miles race, at Knole Park.
Above – Rae Le Fay 2nd at English Schools Championships
Above – The TAC veterans squad at Tonbridge