Photo – TAC women’s squad at the Kent League
Tonbridge Athletic Club had very strong men’s a women’s teams out at the second Kent Cross Country League fixture, which they hosted at The Schools at Somerhill, on Saturday. Rarely have they pulled together as many good runners, operating near the front of both senior races.
Phoebe Barker was a convincing winner of the women’s race, run over eight kilometres, finishing 45 seconds clear of Chloe Taylor-Costin, from Blackheath, who had won the opening race of the season. Charlotte Alexander (4th), Lucy Thompson (5th), Anna Sharp (6th) and Elle Baker (7th) helped towards probably their most dominant ever league win, in both the three and six to score competitions.
There was a Kent league race four years ago, when Tonbridge filled the first five positions in the men’s event, but on this occasion, they went even better by having the first seven home. James Kingston warmed-up for representing an England team, in Belgium, this coming weekend, by winning in 24.27, almost a minute clear of Ted Higgins. Jack Higgins (3rd), Lewis Mills (4th), James Crombie (5th), Ben Cole (6th) and Harrison Fraser (7th) completed the sequence, whilst Jordan Chambers had one of his best cross-country races, finishing 9th, from 220 starters. In the four to score competition Tonbridge had the perfect 10 points, with Cambridge Harriers runners-up with 80 and 15 clubs completing scoring teams.
Tonbridge had two further individual wins, with Purdey Hutchings repeating her under 15 girls’ race victory, from the first fixture. Guy Bowers looked superb when winning the under 15 boys’ race in convincing style, as he led Tonbridge to a team win.
Ewan Prendergast was the highest placed Tonbridge under 17 men’s runner in 3rd and Jess Hill 4th in the under 13 girls’ event. Rafe Coleman had his first ever competition for the club and placed a fine 6th in the under 13 boys’ race, where there were 72 finishers.
Neve Raymond was 5th in the under 17 women’s race and alongside Isla Murray (7th) and Aoife Foley (9th) won the team competition. Toby Bawtree was 3rd in the under 20 men’s category, where the team win was completed by Jake Greenwood in 4th and Sam Smialowski in 5th.
At the European Veterans Championships in Madeira, Diane Wright won a gold medal as part of the over 55 women’s 4x100m sprint relay team.