Photo – Ben Murphy just missing out on an 800 metres win at the London Indoor Games
Ed Coutts, from Tonbridge Athletic Club and Judd School, headed a string of excellent performances from the club, as more than sixty members took part in the Kent Schools Cross Country Championships, at Dartford.
Coutts was in the Senior Boys race, for school years 12 and 13, held over 7,350 metres, which comprised of four laps. In the early stages, Jamie Keir, from Canterbury, built up a significant lead with Coutts remaining in the chasing pack. However, Keir was reeled in as the race entered the second half, with Coutts winning in 22.56 from Jake Stevens from Thanet. Isaac Arnott also produced a well-judged race to come home 3rd, whilst Keir placed 4th. Tom Claridge (6th), Angus Currie (7th), Jamie Macdonald (8th) and George Hopkins (9th) all from Tonbridge AC made the top ten.
There was another individual victory from a Tonbridge AC athlete, as Purdey Hutchings won the year 7 girls’ race, with Sienna Ellis also running well in 5th. Jess Poland was the only Senior Girl to finish in the top 10, with 8th place and Emily Boyd was first home for the club in the Inter Girls race (years 10 and 11) in 13th.
Tonbridge AC had four in the top ten of the Inter Boys’ event, through Harrison Fraser (4th), Toby Bawtree (5th), Oliver Head (9th) and Connor Prendergast (10th), whilst the Junior Boys (years 8 and 9) went one better through Henry Cleary (4th), Peter Fitzmaurice (5th), Ben Catchpole (6th), Ewan Prendergast (9th) and Charlie Warren (10th). Millie Watts (7th) and Isabel Gowing (8th) led the Junior Girls home and in the year 7 Boys’ race the first home for the club were Luca Szumilewicz (5th) and Jamie Rogers (6th).
The London Indoor Games took place across both days at the weekend with plenty of Tonbridge AC athletes in action on the track and in the field. Over 60 metres, Lucy Tallon ran 7.76 to record the fastest Tonbridge female time of the year and Jack Lennard ran 6.99, although Anton Bachorski ran 6.83 in Poland. Tallon also ran 25.09 for 200 metres, which also tops the club rankings.
Over 400 metres, Kieran Eland was not too far away from the Tonbridge indoor record in 49.45, with the current record holder, Lewis Collins recording 50.40 behind him. Meanwhile, at Sheffield, Charlie Crick ran 49.62, for 400 metres, after winning the 800 metres earlier in 1.53.90. Over 800 metres, Ben Murphy was just beaten at the finish line, at Lee Valley, in 1.50.70, which is one of the fastest times in the UK so far this year, whilst Jordan Chambers finished 3rd in 1.53.25. At the same distance Anne-Sophie Bremans won the Flemish title, in Belgium, in a tactical race with 2.19.35.
There were a few masters or veterans’ records set during the weekend, including Ben Richardson with 8.91 for 60 metres hurdles, for an over 35 mark. Mark McAllister set over 50 age group indoor records of 25.73 for 200 metres and 59.99 for 400 metres, whilst Ian Crawley set over 60 marks at 200 metres with 29.54, 400 metres with 64.95 and Shot Put with 10.64 metres. On the roads, on Sunday, Dan Bradley ran a personal best of 69.13, when finishing 9th in the Farnborough Half Marathon, which is a Tonbridge AC over 35 age group best.