West setting new marks in USA
James West, of Tonbridge Athletic Club, has been enjoying his best ever form, during the indoor season in the USA, setting new club records at the weekend for 3000 metres and the indoor mile.
Racing in Seattle, at the Husky Invitational, on Friday, West was up against a world class field, including the eventual winner Lopez Lomong, who finished seventh in the World Championships 10,000m final in October and Evan Jager the American steeplechase record holder.
In a very close finish Lomong won in 7.45.82 with West sixth in 7.47.10. The time improved Mark Scrutton’s Tonbridge record set in 1983, by more than three seconds. It also moved West to second on the current UK rankings and fifteenth on the all-time list.
The following evening West came back to race the men’s mile, winning the fastest race in 3.57.43, despite the fatigue in his legs. This shaved his own Tonbridge indoor mile record by a fraction of a second and moved him to seventeenth on the UK all-time list, whilst being ranked second for this year, so far. At the same venue, in an earlier race, George Duggan ran an excellent 4.00.81, to reduce his best mile time by more than three seconds.
Another club indoor record was set abroad by Anton Bachorski, at the Polish under 20 championships, in Torun. Bachorski placed seventh in the under 20 men’s 60 metres final in 6.95, but had run 6.90 in his heat. The latter improved his own club under 20 men’srecord, set in December, whilst also equalled Jack Lennard’s overall Tonbridge men’s record.
On the roads there were a few wins in local races by Tonbridge AC runners. Helen Gaunt won the women’s race at the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon in 83.44, Luke Hooper won the Headcorn Half Marathon in 77.50 and Dan Bradley won over five miles at Tenterden in 27.54. On Saturday Lucy Reid won the women’s event at the Battersea Park 10km race in 35.29. Over in Barcelona, on Sunday, Nathan Chapman with 74.20 and Becky Morrish with 82.09, both reduced their half marathon personal bests by more than a minute.
On Saturday morning Nicole Taylor warmed up for this coming weekend’s National Cross Country Championships by being first home at the Malling parkrun, over 5km. Taylor set a new women’s course record of 17.17. Also due to race at the National Championships, Alasdair Kinloch and Miles Weatherseed had good performances at the Armagh 5km road race, on Thursday evening, running 14.29 and 14.31, respectively.