James Kingston (photo), from Tonbridge Athletic Club, continued his superb Autumn form on Saturday when finishing 15th in the men’s race at the British Cross Challenge at Liverpool, which included trials for the upcoming European Championships. Following him home were also very good runs from James West in 23rd and Kieran Reilly 28th.
Kingston, at twenty years old, is in his first season of the senior age group and despite finishing so high up the field, was 7th of the under 23 age group, with only six due to represent GB in Italy at the European Championships. The race was won by Emile Cairess, from Leeds, who recently ran 60.32 for the half marathon, with also the likes of Marc Scott, a sub 13 minutes 5000m runner and Matthew Stonier a Commonwealth Games 1500m finalist amongst the athletes ahead.
James West, better known as a track athlete, showed that his Winter training is going well with his 23rd position, although his sights may well be on the indoor season, after Christmas, rather than more cross country. Kieran Reilly had his best performance at the event, when finishing 28th and will be hoping to contribute for Tonbridge at the main championships in the new year.
Meanwhile, the Kent Cross Country League fixture took place at Footscray Meadows, near Sidcup, where there were races for all the age groups, excluding the senior women, on this occasion. Steve Strange finished 2nd in the men’s race, losing out to Twelde Menges, from Medway and Maidstone, who now heads him by a single point on the overall league competition. Harry Paton had one of his best races to place 6th, just ahead of Dan Bradley in 7th, whilst Sean Molloy returned to action after a break in 9th. This gave Tonbridge 24 points, equal with Medway and Maidstone, but they won since Molloy, as last scorer, was ahead of their rivals’ last man. However, Medway and Maidstone won the 12 to score contest on this occasion and are now just a single point behind Tonbridge going into the final fixture, in February.
Toby Bawtree produced the only individual victory for Tonbridge when winning the under 15 boys’ race by eight seconds. Peter Fitzmaurice in 9th and Samuel Smialowski 22nd were the other scorers, for the team as they placed 3rd. The under 17 men won their team contest on the day and the overall league title, as Tom Claridge (2nd), Harrison Fraser (5th) and Charlie Ellison (10th) scored.
The under 20 women’s squad finished 2nd through Annabelle Hales (4th), Ella Ayden (8th) and Amelia Beeston (9th), whilst Ollie White finished 6th in the men’s race in the same age group. Emily Geake finished 6th as the only Tonbridge runner in the under 17 women’s age group.
Charlie Warren continued to show very consistent form with a 2nd place finish in the under 13 boys’ race, as Luca Szumilewicz (12th) and Christian Du Toit (16th), also helped the team to 3rd place. In the same age group, Purdey Hutchings (4th), Sienna Ellis (7th) and Aoife Foley (9th) all ran well, as the team finished 2nd to Blackheath. Neve Raymond led the under 15 girls home in 12th, supported by both Olivia Owen (13th) and Emily Boyd (19th) having their best races to date.
Away from the cross-country scene, Tonbridge AC had three young athletes selected for the England Schools’ combined events teams, which competed in the schools home international, at Glasgow, over the weekend. Sam Newton finished 7th in the under 16 boys’ Pentathlon, Dante McNichol 10th in the under 18 event, whilst Oliver Brooke did not finish the same competition.
On the roads, the highlight performance, at the weekend, came from Sasha Humphries who won the over 50 age group category, at the British Masters Athletics Federation Championships, at Gravesend. Humphries finished in 68.37.