Photo – Ted (left) and Jack Higgins (right) in the GB mile trial
The European Cross Country Championships are due to take place in Portugal in December, with British Athletics holding two trials days this month. The first took place at Cardiff on Saturday, where places in the mixed mile relay team were at stake, whilst the longer course trials will be at Liverpool.
Saturday’s event, which included the men’s and women’s mile races, was the UK Cross Challenge, where there were races for all age groups, on relatively flat and fast courses.
The men’s mile had thirty invited starters and was fast from the start. The Tonbridge Athletic Club twin brothers Jack and Ted Higgins were amongst them and didn’t hesitate in positioning themselves near the front of the race. Before halfway, Cameron Boyek, from Morpeth hit the front and pushed for home. He built a gap of around ten metres and held that until the last 200 metres of the race, with both Jack and Ted Higgins amongst the pursuing group. Even with 100 metres to go, Boyek looked like he would take the win, but it was Jack Higgins and Callum Elson, from Cambridge, whose own battle brought them level with the leader. These three crossed the finish line almost together, with Higgins taking the win and being awarded with an automatic selection for the Great Britain team. Ted Higgins finished 7th and will also be encouraged, after being so competitive against some of the country’s top milers.
In the longer races Jamie Macdonald had a fine run to place 23rd in the senior men’s 10 kilometres event. Harrison Fraser showed that he is getting close to the top under 20s, by placing 15th and Annabelle Souter finished 25th in the under 20 women’s race.
On Friday evening, the Kent Athletics Association Awards Dinner was held at the Weald of Kent Golf Club, near Headcorn. The Tonbridge Decathlete Lewis received the Kent Male Athlete of the Year Award and Asha Root, the 400m runner, the Women’s award.
Above – Kent Athlete of the Year winners Asha Root and Lewis Church