Photo – Helen Gaunt with a TAC women’s record and also the UK’s fifth fastest ever over 40 age group time.
Helen Gaunt, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, produced another superb performance at the London Marathon on Sunday, when she finished third British female, setting a club record of 2.35.38. This took 3 minutes and 32 seconds from her time set in last year’s marathon. After going through halfway in 1.15.26, Gaunt battled all the way to the finish, to also capture the London Marathon over 40 age group title. Her time is the fifth fastest ever by a British female in the over 40 years old age category.
Sean Molloy, better known over the years as an 800 metres track specialist, made his marathon debut and ran 2.27.04 and ran the first half in 1.14.06, before picking up the pace with a 1.12.58 second half. Michael Ellis also made his marathon debut in 2.30.00, although he was on target for a much quicker time until a hamstring tightened in the last 10 miles. Also under three hours were Charles Adair (2.37.24), Julian Rendall (2.46.46), Lucy Thompson (2.50.09) and Tom Rule (2.50.57).
On Saturday evening, James Kingston finished a very close second to Tomer Tarragano, of Brighton, in the GB under 23 trial for the European Championships 10,000 metres. A group of about a dozen runners were together at halfway, passed in about 15.05. It was Kingston who made the decisive move with about three kilometres to go, which reduced the lead pack and he held the lead until the final 100 metres, when Tarragano sprinted home for the win in 29.34.05 from Kingston in 29.35.84. Only the winner can gain automatic selection for the GB team, if they run quicker than 29.20 by the selection deadline. Kingston will now focus on some shorter distances for the rest of the track season.
Charlie Crick opened up his track season with a win over 800 metres, at a very wet Gillingham, on Sunday. Crick won the British Milers club men’s A-race in 1.50.75, just half a second away from his personal best and winning by more than three seconds.
Amongst the other Tonbridge performances at the meeting, Henry Marshall’s 49.04 for 400 metres stood out, improving his personal best set seven years ago. Joseph Hunt (2.00.62) and Jacob Hunt (2.01.28) set big personal bests in the 800 metres, in the under1 7 age group.
The weekend’s action had started at Battersea Park on Friday evening, where a series of 5 kilometres road races were held. Lucy Reid won the women’s race, equalling her own Tonbridge record of 15.52, with Verity Hopkins improving her own pb to 16.16, which was third fastest female on the night. Dan Bradley (14.52) and Will Beeston (14.54) also set personal bests.
Also on Friday evening, Chris Olley showed that he is returning to near his best form when he ran 5000 metres in 13.55.22, at the Payton Jordan Invitational Meeting, at Stanford, California.
Charlie Crick at Gillingham on Sunday