Grazia Manzotti, an Endurance Coach at Tonbridge AC, crowned her superb improvement over the last couple of years as a Race Walker by breaking the Great Britain, women’s over 50 track 10km record, at Leeds Beckett University recently, at the first of a number of Commonwealth Games Race Walk Trials.
A 400 mile round trip, a 5 am start and pouring rain throughout the event were no deterrent to Manzotti, who took about three quarters of a minute from the old record, which has stood for over 30 years to finish in 57minutes 22.20 seconds. (note – the age 55 and 60 records are shown at 57.07 and 56.56 here http://bmaf.org.uk/outdoor-track-records/
Manzotti was up against some of the top race walkers from England, Wales (Heather Lewis from Cardiff won the event and achieved the required standard for the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham in July/August ), Isle of Man and Ireland.
The photo shows her battling with 17 year-old Abi Smith, from Blackheath and Bromley, who also recorded a PB. Abi’s first race was as an 11 year-old at Tonbridge in 2016.
Manzotti will now be concentrating on taking the record even lower when she competes in another qualifying race, at Coventry, in March.
As a postscript with Grazia Manzotti, Diane Bradley, who has made a very noticeable return to race walking and Emily Ghose, who is now able to achieve more regular training, Tonbridge AC do have a very strong women’s team….”so come on some of you young ladies why not join them ! “
Pete Selby