Photo – TAC women’s team at Swanley
Tonbridge Athletic Club’s younger runners competed in their final Kent Cross Country League fixture, of the season, at Swanley Park, on Saturday, whilst the senior men and women will have their final race at Bromley, this coming Saturday.
Purdey Hutchings won the under 15 girls’ league title, which is based on performances across all four fixtures. Sam Smialowski did likewise in the under 20 men’s competition. Alan Newman was the runner-up in the final over 70 men’s standings, whilst there were third-placed awards for Leonie Pit (under 13) and Florrie McIver-Hall (under 20). The only team league title, captured by Tonbridge, was that for the under 15 boys.
The third of four senior women’s races was also held at Swanley, where Tonbridge finished 2nd to Medway and Maidstone. They will go into this weekend’s final race in third overall, but equal with Blackheath and just one point behind Medway and Maidstone.
In seven years of Kent League competition, through the age groups, Amelia Beeston had never finished higher than 13th place, but on this occasion ran with great confidence. She was always towards the front of the field and for much of the race was challenging for second place. However, on the final lap of three, of the eight kilometres race, she slipped back to finish a still excellent 4th. Both Lizzie Owen (9th) and Sasha Humphries (17th) helped secure the team score.
Leonie Pit had the best performance of her young career when she finished 2nd in the first race of the day, for under 13s. Maia Soomal (8th) and Poppy Vincent (16th) helped Tonbridge to second place. Rafe Coleman (13th), Toby Noel-Johnspn (15th) and Sam Griffiths (24th) scored for the fifth-placed under 13 boys.
Purdey Hutchings (5th) and Ellis Hill (6th) were the first scorers for the under 15 teams, whilst Isla Murray (7th) and George Jacobs (6th) did likewise in the under 17 races. Sam Smialowski and Florrie McIver-Hall both finished as runners-up in the under 20 age groups, to secure their league awards.
One of the most significant road races, on the world stage, is the Valencia Marathon, which took place in Spain on Sunday. It is renowned for providing one of the fastest courses, with a top-quality international start list and perfect conditions for fast times. This year ended up a little warmer than usual, which hampered some towards the end. However, Verity Hopkins judged her pacing superbly once again and took two minutes from her personal best, which was set earlier this year. Hopkins ran 2.31.19, to cement her position as the second fastest Tonbridge female marathon runner, behind Lucy Reid’s club record. Hopkins placed 27th female runner overall.
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Toby Gwinnell finished 4th in the Schools International Indoor Pentathlon in Glasgow (results below). His performances included a 6.86m Long Jump, which looks like a TAC under 20 age group indoor record, as previously listed as 6.84m by Barry Nevison in 1983.