Photo – Lucy Reid running 2.26 at the Malaga Marathon
Lucy Reid, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, finished fourth female in Sunday’s Malaga Marathon in Spain, in 2 hours 26 minutes and 35 seconds, to become the 4th fastest on the 2024 UK rankings. The time also ranks her 14th on the UK all-time women’s list and sets a new Tonbridge AC club record, improving the 2.34.20 set by Verity Hopkins, just two weeks ago.
Reid had hoped to make her marathon debut on a few occasions, since 2019, but had been thwarted by various injuries or circumstances, including withdrawing from the Valencia Marathon, just two weeks ago. However, she utilised the months of training this year to attack her debut in Malaga, amongst the leading women. She was in the lead pack of four runners through the halfway stage in 73.11 and remained with them through the 30 kilometres point, with just 12 kilometres to go. The winner ran 2.25.10.
There were also national class performances from Tonbridge athletes, at the South of England Indoor Combined Events Championships, at Lee Valley, across the weekend. The Senior Men’s Heptathlon developed into a battle between Lewis Church and his training partner, Stephen Simmons, with Church winning with 5706 points to Simmons in second with 5513 points.
In the opening event, the 60m sprint, Simmons ran 7.07, to Church’s 7.29, before Simmons set a new Tonbridge AC indoor Long Jump record of 7.18m, compared to Church with 6.88m. It was then Church’s turn to set a club record in an individual event with a Shot Put of 14.81m, whilst Simmons threw 13.25m. To complete the day-one events Church High Jumped 1.98m and Simmons 1.89m, to give Church 3130 points and lead by 28.
Day Two started on Sunday, with Simmons improving the fifteen years-old Tonbridge 60m hurdles record to 8.14, with Church at 8.25. This left the two athletes just one point apart, but with Church being typically stronger in the remaining two events of Pole Vault and 1000 metres. He cleared 4.60m in the former, with Simmons at 4.50m, before winning the 1000 metres in 2.40.67, very close to his best. Simmons finished off an excellent two days by running 2.56.04.
Grazia Manzotti and Emily Ghose travelled to Dublin to compete for a Great Britain team in a World Race Walking Tour Event, over 20 kilometres. Manzotti recorded a time of 1.58.30, which improved her own British over 55 age group record, set earlier this year, by 50 seconds. Ghose finished in 2.01.37.
This coming Saturday, Tonbridge Athletic Club are hosting the South of Thames Cross Country Championships, at The Schools at Somerhill.