Photo – Ted Higgins (193) and James Kingston (237) to the fore in the Elite Men’s race at Battersea
Whilst many around the country were preparing to see in the New Year in with a party or a night out, a contingent of Tonbridge Athletic distance runners headed to Battersea Park, London for their final races of 2025. Cold but sunny, dry and windless conditions helped towards some very fast times being recorded on the four lap course, over five kilometres. There were three open races, graded on ability, plus a male and a female elite race.
The men’s elite race featured some of Tonbridge AC’s best distance runners, before they headed towards either cross country or indoor races in the new year. All had shown fine recent form, and this continued as James Kingston, Ted Higgins and Jack Higgins featured towards the front, throughout the race. The first kilometre went by in 2.43 and soon afterwards Kingston started to push the pace, going through the second kilometre in 2.39. This reduced the lead group to five runners, with Ted Higgins part of this. The paced slowed a fraction around halfway, with a 2.53 kilometre, followed by a 2.47, before the race for the finish line commenced.
With just 300 metres of the track remaining, Kingston was behind Ted Higgins, Joe Wigfield from Wirral and Sebastiano Parolini, who had been part of the Italian gold medal winning relay team, at the recent European Cross Country Championships. Higgins was the first to sprint, but Wigfield responded in the last 50 metres to win in a course record of 13.36.5. Higgins finished 2nd in 13.37.1, breaking James West’s Tonbridge road record, set in 2024. Parolini was 3rd in 13.37.4 and Kingston 4th in 13.42.6. Jack Higgins was a superb 7th in 13.52.0. Alex Howard (14.22.0), Jamie Macdonald (14.34.4 pb) and Isaac Arnott (14.51.5 pb) also placed well.
Anna Sharp ran 17.42.4 in the Elite women’s race, whilst Amelia Beeston improved her personal best by over a minute, with 17.41.3, in the first open race of the day. In the fastest open race, Lewis Mills almost took the win, but missed out over the final 50 metres, although he still recorded a big personal best of 14.32.3. Toby Bawtree (14.41.7), Tom Claridge (14.49.0) and James Crombie (14.59.9) all finished inside 15 minutes, with the first two setting personal bests.
Also on New Year’s Eve, Cole Gibbens won the Ely 10km road race in 31.06. Then, on New Year’s Day, Anna Palmer ran 2.19.54 for 800 metres, at Lee Valley, which was an indoor personal best.
The Kent Cross Country Championships take place at Brands Hatch, this coming Saturday, but many other counties held their events last weekend. Anna Sharp had her best race in a county cross country championship, when she finished 3rdin the senior women’s race at the Hampshire event. George Marshall was 14th and Ollie Smith 19th in the men’s race at Hampshire, whilst Mark Pepper was 7th in the men’s race in Shropshire.
There was another indoor meeting at Lee Valley, on Sunday, where Diane Wright set a Tonbridge AC over 55 women’s record over 60 metres with 9.12. Her daughter, Asha Root, ran a personal best of 7.70 at the same distance and later recorded a 200 metres in 25.11. Sam Newton opened his indoor season with a 60 metres in 7.49 and a High Jump clearance of 1.90 metres.
At the Penshurst Village 5 miles cross country race, on Sunday, James Taylor finished 2nd overall, whilst Rebecca Morton was 4th female. James Carter and Emily Butcher won the under 18 categories.