Photo – Ben Murphy
Ben Murphy, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, lowered the club record for 800 metres, at Watford, on Wednesday evening to 1.47.17, taking 0.59 seconds from the previous mark, set by Sean Molloy in 2017. Murphy was racing in the British Milers Club Gold Standard meeting, in the men’s A-race and finished strongly to take third place in a race won by James McMurray, of St Albans in 1.46.96. Murphy has moved to 20th on the UK rankings for this year, although he still has a few races planned. These involve three more 800 metres races, including representing Tonbridge in this coming weekend’s National Athletics League final. He also plans to run in the Invitational Mile at the Tonbridge AC 75thAnniversary Meeting on Monday 29th August, which takes place at Tonbridge School track. Also, on Wednesday evening, at Watford, Toby Emm lowered his 800m best to 1.54.63.
Competitors were faced with extremely hot conditions across the weekend, although events continued as planned. At Chelmsford, the South of England Championships, for the young athlete age groups, took place where Tonbridge hurdlers Elicia Lacey and Harry Wrigley struck gold. Lacey won the under 15 girls’ 75 metres hurdles in 11.63, whilst Wigley won the equivalent under 13 boys’ championship in 12.15, which was a personal best. He also finished 2nd in the High Jump with 1.48m, whilst Matilda Secker collected a silver medal in the under 17 women’s High Jump clearing 1.68m.
The major league focus for the Tonbridge AC senior athletes is the National Athletics League final, at Bedford, this coming Sunday, so there was a weakened squad for the Southern League home match, on Saturday and the team finished 3rd behind Woking and Blackheath. Asha Root dropped down from the 400m to compete in the shorter sprints and came away with two wins, both with big personal bests. She recorded 12.1 for 100m and 25.0 for 200m, which bodes well for when she next competes over her specialist distance. There were also wins for Freya Ridge (High Jump 1.49m) and Kirsty Ebbage (Discus 41.78m).
Lewis Church was on good form for the men, taking three field event wins in the Pole Vault with 4.50m, Shot Put with 13.91m and Discus with 38.88m. On the track, Ben Richardson won the 110m hurdles in 15.9, whilst Steve Strange and James Kingston worked together to fill the top two places in the 3000m in 8.50.7 and 8.51.2, respectively. Harry Paton won the 3000m steeplechase in 10.16.2 although, due to the hosepipe ban, no water jump was included.
On Sunday, at Newham, Ewan Wood improved his personal best by 0.01s to 48.88, when winning a 400 metres and at Aberdeen Kieran Reilly finished 4th in the Scottish Championships 800 metres in 1.54.36.
On the roads, there have been some excellent performances over the last week. On Monday, Helen Gaunt improved her personal best and Tonbridge women’s over 40 age group record, over 5km, to 17.09 at Battersea Park. In very warm conditions, on Friday evening, George Marshall won the Rye Summer Series 10km in 33.28, whilst Corey De’Ath had his first race for three months finishing 3rd at the Colchester 5km in 15.09.
This coming weekend Tonbridge AC has a men’s team invited to compete in the Cardiff Podium 5km road race, which also features teams from the home countries, whilst on Sunday the club is involved in the final championship division match of the National Athletics League, at Bedford.
Above photos
Elicia Lacey, Harry Wrigley and Matilda Secker at the South of England Championships