Photo – Lucinda White set a Tonbridge AC Pole Vault record
Tonbridge Athletic Club opened their Southern League Division One season, with a convincing victory on Sunday, over Peterborough, Southampton and Eastbourne. The match was held at Tonbridge School and was blessed with warm, sunny conditions, which encouraged many good individual performances.
The highlight of the day was a new Tonbridge women’s Pole Vault record from Lucinda White, who added four centimetres to her own mark set a year ago. Other victories from the women’s field events came from Charlotte Nicholls (Shot Put 9.24m and Javelin 23.81m) plus Saskia Lean in the High Jump, with 1.50m. Georgia Baker made her Triple Jump debut, winning with 10.18m and was an impressive winner of the 100 metres hurdles in 15.8.
On the track, Emily Bowart was close to her best, when winning the 400 metres convincingly in 58.3, whilst Jess Murphy produced her best performance yet, since moving from the sprints to middle distance events. Murphy won the 800 metres, slicing more than five seconds from her best, with 2.16.1
Helen Gaunt was a late addition to the 3000 metres line up, running as a non-scorer, but was first home, setting new Tonbridge over 35 and 40 age group records, with 10.34.3. Nichola Evans secured the match points in the same race with 11.06.7. Sophie Slack produced the final victory for the women in the 2000 metres steeplechase, running 8.02.3, in her debut at the distance.
On the men’s side, Lewis Church won the 110 metres hurdles in 14.9 and the Javelin with 53.17m, whilst fellow multi-eventers Harry Kendall and Reef Page, added field event wins. Page jumped over six metres, in the Long Jump, for the first time, with 6.23m and Kendall threw the Discus 41.96m.
The remaining wins came on the track, from Ewan Wood (400m, 50.1), Sean Molloy (800m, 1.54.1), Dan Bradley (5000m, 15.26.7), Matthew Dubery (2000m steeplechase, 6.25.1 pb) and the 4x400m relay team. Amongst the other notable performances, Ben Reynolds set a new Tonbridge over 55 men’s age group record in the 5000 metres with 16.22.4.
On Saturday, at Bracknell, the Tonbridge under 13 and 15 squad finished 3rd of six clubs in the UK Youth Development League Premier Division fixture. This was the second fixture of the season and the result keeps them third overall.
The under 15 girls’ squad of Elicia Lacey, Evie Dixon, Amelie Clark and Georgiana Sweeting, lowered the Tonbridge age group record in the 4×100 metres relay to 51.1, taking 0.2 from the previous mark. Lacey also tasted individual success when winning the 75 metres hurdles in 11.6, an event in which she is currently ranked 3rd in the UK. Emily Willcox was the other under 15 girl to taste victory and did so twice in the Pole Vault, clearing 2.30m and Hammer Throw with 21.57m.
Toby Bawtree was the only under 15 boy to win maximum points, when he won the 800m in 2.09.4, whilst Charlie Warren (800m, 2.20.0 pb), Lucas Bowen (Long Jump 4.65m pb and Jago Veale (Javelin, 26.17m) all won under 13 events. Matthew Buttery lowered his recent club record in the under 13 boys’ 150 metres to 19.8, when finishing 3rd.
Away from the league action, there were some fast middle-distance times recorded on Wednesday evening at Watford. Ben Murphy finished 2nd in the British Milers Club 800 metres in 1.50.21, with Jordan Chambers improving his personal best to 1.50.69. Then, in the 1500 metres, Miles Weatherseed was 2nd in 3.47.89 and Sean Molloy 5th in 3.48.64.
In Scotland, on Friday evening, Kieran Reilly trimmed his 1 mile personal best to 4.01.37, when finishing 2nd in the Monument Mile Classic, at Stirling. On Sunday, Verity Hopkins lowered her best time over 3000 metres to 9.35.02, at the Loughborough International meeting.