Photo – Grazia Manzotti and Mark McAllister with the Veterans League trophies
Tonbridge Athletic Club had a busy weekend, with one season ending and another starting up. The older members of the club had the final of the Southern Counties Veterans League, on Sunday, near Oxford, where they competed against seven other clubs for the end of the Summer season championship. The final comprised age groups from over 35s through to over 60s, with all the track and field events being included. The thriving Tonbridge veteran’s squad came away with wins in both the men’s and the women’s competitions.
Also on Sunday, another Tonbridge master’s athlete set a new club, over 40 men’s record, at the Berlin Marathon. Ben Cole, who turned 40 in the Summer, ran 2.27.23, breaking the previous mark by more than 10 minutes, despite quite warm conditions towards the end.
The biggest event of the weekend was the South of England Road Relay Championships, held at Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot, on Saturday. Tonbridge had teams in seven of the eight races, plus an over 60 men’s team in their competition.
The team highlight for Tonbridge were silver medals, being won by the under 17 men’s team. Over three legs of 4.6 kilometres, Will Bachelor set the team off with a 14.16 split, putting them in 3rd, before Ewan Prendergast took them into a clear lead with 14.03. However, Oscar Graffin, who ran 14.54, was caught by St Mary’s Richmond towards the finish, as 80 teams started this race.
The under 15 boys ran three legs of 3 kilometres and put in a strong showing to place 7th of 71 teams. Guy Bowers ran 9.17, Joel Graffin 9.53 and Sebbie Mottram 10.04.
The senior men and women raced over the 6 kilometres course, with the former having six legs per team and the latter four. The men moved up from 15th at halfway to finish 8th through Alex Howard (18.20), Toby Bawtree (19.17), Ted Higgins (18.34), Harrison Fraser (18.53), James Kingston (17.23) and Lewis Mills (18.55). A total of 113 teams started, with Tonbridge qualifying for the National Championship, which take place at the start of October. James Kingston’s time was the fastest of the entire race.
The women placed 21st through Anna Sharp (22.10), making her club debut, Ellie Baker (22.23), Anna Palmer (24.34) and Amelia Beeston (23.46). The under 13 boys were 43rd, under 15 girls 14th and under 17 women 15th. The Tonbridge over 60 men’s team won bronze medals through Phil Coleman (25.33), Tony Fullbrook (26.13), Mark Pitcairn-Knowles (23.23) and Graeme Saker (23.25).
Some of the young Tonbridge multi-eventers competed for Kent in the English Schools Championships, at Chelmsford, with two winning gold medals. Toby Gwinnell won the Inter Boys’ Octathlon by just 15 points, scoring a personal best of 5433 points, which places him 2nd in the UK under 17 men’s rankings for this year. His total also broke the Tonbridge under 17 age group record, set by Sam Newton just last year. Matilda Secker won the Senior Girls’ Heptathlon with 4721 points, whilst Ella Thomas was 5th, in the same competition, with 4432.
Ollie White won the Hospice in the Weald 10k road race on Sunday, at Tunbridge Wells, whilst James Carter, who is in the under 13 age group, won the 5km race.proving every day and despite a few small fractures, cuts and bruising seems on her way to a full recovery.
Above – Left Matilda Secker and Ella Thomas, Right Middle Toby Gwinnell