Photo – Dylan Purton
Last week Jack Higgins from Tonbridge Athletic Club raced 800 metres in Poland, at a World Athletics Continental Tour Meeting, where he finished 3rd in 1.44.81. This was just 0.01 seconds away from the qualifying time required for consideration for the GB team to compete in the upcoming European Championships. This was followed up at the weekend by several other national class performances from Tonbridge AC athletes.
The England Athletics Championships took place at Bedford and for many are a step down in level from the UK Championships, which took place two weeks earlier. However, for the multi-eventers it is the main National Championships. Lewis Church missed the event following his selection for the England team at the Commonwealth Games, but Harry Kendall and Steve Simmons placed 2nd and 4th, behind the winner Sammy Ball, of Reading, who will compete alongside Church at the Commonwealth Games.
Kendall is perhaps managing his most consistent season for a few years and scored 7495 points which included a Discus personal best of 45.15 metres and an equal pb of 15.15 in the 110 metres hurdles. Simmons scored 7361 points, with a personal best in the 1500 metres of 4.47.81. Very warm and windy conditions across the weekend made it tough to score highly in many of the events.
Tonbridge athletes won silver medals at the championships from Jordan Chambers in the men’s 800m and Lewis Mills in the 3000 metres steeplechase, with Henry Marshall third in the 400 metres. Emily Ghose was third in the 3000 metres walk.
On Sunday, at Gillingham, Dylan Purton and Kieran Eland both produced superb 400 metres and 200 metres double performances. They finished 1st and 2nd in the fastest 400 metres race of the meeting in 46.64 and 47.08, respectively. Purton’s time improved his own club record, whilst Eland’s was a personal best. Later they both went on to again place 1st and 2nd, recording significant personal bests over 200 metres with 21.33 and 21.51. Purton’s time was only 0.19 seconds away from Anton Bachorski’s club record.
At the Southern Counties Veterans League meeting, at Ashford on Friday, the Tonbridge AC men’s team won their match, whilst a weakened women’s team could only manage 4th, despite still being top in the league.
Tom Richards won the over 35 men’s 800 metres in 2.03.4, whilst he also helped the 4x100m relay team, alongside James Farmer, Mark McAllister and Steve Tester, secure victory in 48.3. The women’s squad had more individual wins, which came from Diane Wright (w50 100m), Helen Wrigley (w50 Hammer), Sarah Westrap-Boon (w35 Shot Put), plus Sally Vine (w60 100m and Hammer).
Above – Four of the Tonbridge AC medal winners at the England Championships
Henry Marshall, Harry Kendall, Jordan Chambers, Lewis Mills