Photo – Asha Root
The Tonbridge Athletic Club 400 metres squad were out in force at the Kent Championships, held at Medway Park, Gillingham, across the weekend. They came away with wins in both the men’s and women’s finals, both with club records.
On Saturday, the men had seven competitors in the heats of the 400 metres, with six of them qualifying for the eight-man final. In that final, Dylan Purton ran an aggressive first half and held on to defeat his more favoured training partners Henry Marshall and Kieran Eland. In that final Purton ran 47.17 to break Eland’s Tonbridge record, whilst Marshall’s 47.45 was a personal best, with Eland recording 47.71.
Whereas conditions on Saturday had been warm and breezy, Sunday was cold and windy. However, this didn’t deter Asha Root, who chased down pre-race favourite Holly Mpassy, from Blackheath and Bromley, to win in 53.74. Root’s time bettered the club record set in 1970 by Avril Bowring. Root also won the women’s 200 metres on Sunday, with a. personal best of 24.51. To cap the 400 metres successes Tom Daly won the under 20 men’s championship in 48.99.
Tonbridge athletes won seven other gold medals at the Kent Championships. Lewis Mills won the men’s 2000 metres steeplechase, improving his own championship record to 5.50.16. Emily Ghose took the women’s 3000m walk title in 15.56.17. Lewis Jessup won the under 20 men’s 800 metres with a personal best of 1.55.20. Guy Bowers and Purdey Hutchings won the under 16 boys and girls 1500 metres finals in 4.25.6 and 4.45.65, respectively. In the same age group, Victor Watling won the 300 metres hurdles in 43.10.
The Belfast Milers Classic Meeting, on Saturday, featured some of the UK’s top middle-distance runners, plus some international athletes, where three from Tonbridge AC were opening their Summer seasons. Jack Higgins was close to winning the International Men’s 800 metres, losing by just 0.11 seconds in 1.45.87, only half a second away from his Tonbridge record. His brother Ted Higgins was third in the International 1500 metres in 3.39.73, whilst Jordan Chambers won the men’s 800 metres B-race in 1.50.70.
Two Tonbridge AC members represented the England veterans’ team at the Bideford 10k road race, on Sunday, which incorporated a home countries international. Nichola Evans finished 8th in the women’s race in 37.41, whilst Ben Reynolds was 6th in the over 60 men’s race in 37.16.
Above – Dylan Purton