Photo – Jack Higgins in Italy (photo by James Rhodes)
Jack Higgins, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, had experienced a frustrating start to his outdoor track season, but found some good form this week over 800 metres and 1500 metres. Previously, he had travelled to Belfast in late April, where a stomach bug prevented him racing and then had the unfortunate experience in Brussels, where an official stepped onto the track midway through a race, causing several athletes not to finish.
It was third time lucky on Monday, when Higgins travelled to Rovereto, in Italy, for a World Athletics Continental Tour Meeting. Racing over 800 metres, Higgins placed 5th in 1.45.70, just 0.07 seconds away from his own Tonbridge record. Higgins will be hoping to go quicker as the season develops.
Alongside others from Tonbridge AC, Higgins then raced at the British Milers Club Grand Prix, at Birmingham on Saturday. Alongside his twin brother Ted, he raced in a top quality domestic 1500 metres, where they placed 6th and 9th. Despite this, they ran 3.39.55 and 3.40.07, both being personal bests and times that only James West and Olympian Andrew Graffin have run quicker than throughout Tonbridge AC history.
Ben Gardiner continued his terrific season by finishing 3rd in the 800 metres in a personal best of 1.46.39, being second only to Higgins on the club’s all-time fastest list. Rae Le Fae ran 10.37.83 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and Charlotte Alexander 16.10.10 over 5000 metres, whilst Jordan Chambers recorded 3.50.61, when finishing 2nd in his 1500m. All three were just outside their personal bests.
Earlier in the week, the club hosted the latest in their Evening Open Meetings, on Tuesday. Highlights included Helen Gaunt running 9.52.89 for 3000m, which is a club over 45 age record, whilst also being better than the over 35 and 40 marks. Mark Jessup set over 55 men’s records in the Shot Put with 10.65m and Javelin with 35.70m. The furthest Javelin throwers were Steve Simmons with 47.86m and Emma Cowell with 34.80m. Sam Newton Long Jumped 6.40m and Oli Brooke was the fastest 200m runner with 23.12. Cameron Chambers won the fastest 1500m in 3.59.63.
At the South of England age group championships, at Crystal Palace over the weekend, Emily Ghose was one of two medal winners from the club, with a bronze in the women’s 5000m walk in 28.06.43. Grazia Manzotti was just behind her in 4th.
Freddie Keem had a trio of good performances in the under 13 age group, placing 3rd in the Long Jump with a pb of 4.79m and 4th in the 100m in 12.87, although he ran 12.71 in the semi-final. He also made the 200m final, where he ran 26.45.
On Friday evening, Max Selby returned to action, after a few weeks of injury, to win the mile at the Notts AC meeting, where he ran 4.18.4.
Away from the track, Steve Strange won the Staplehurst 10km road race on Sunday in 33.02, whilst Adrian Whitwam was first home in the 5km in 17.10.