Photo – The TAC squad at Eton
Despite putting up a battle to the very end of the season Tonbridge Athletic Club were relegated from the Premier Division of the National League, on Saturday. Going into this final match, at Eton, they were level with both Windsor and Birchfield, with one of the three teams likely to join Swansea in dropping to next year’s Championship Division. On the day Windsor, the home club, placed 5th of the eight teams, with 454 points, ahead of Birchfield in 6th on 443 and Tonbridge 7th on 420. Thames Valley Harriers were crowned National Champions, having had a season long battle with Harrow as the top two clubs.
Ultimately, despite having some superb multi-eventers, Tonbridge lack the national class field eventers to stay in the Premier Division and it was across the throws and jumps where it was particularly difficult to gain significant points. A highlight, however, was Toby Gwinnell, who set a club under 18 age group High Jump record of 1.98 metres, although even this only achieved a 5th place finish.
On the track, Asha Root racked up the points in the sprints, competing in the 100m, 200m, 400m plus both relays. Her performances included an A-string victory in the 400 metres in 53.96, which was the only Tonbridge women’s win of the day. The men’s sprinters performed well and finished 3rd in the 4x100m relay in 41.51 and were 2nd in the last event of the day, the 4×400 metres in 3.14.06, despite dropping the baton and losing vital time at a changeover.
The two 3000 metres races secured almost maximum points for the club. Jamie Macdonald won the men’s race in 8.24.47, with a strong last lap, whilst Will Beeston was the first B-string runner in 8.26.56. Annabelle Souter ran a big personal best of 9.50.57 to placed 2nd in the women’s race, with Amelia Beeston winning the B-string, despite having also run the 1500 metres less than an hour earlier.
Perhaps the highlight performances on the track came from the Higgins brothers, who both had a go at breaking league records, which had stood since the 1980s. Jack went first, winning the 800 metres by seven seconds in 1.46.89, which was just 0.71 seconds away from Sebastian Coe’s record set in 1987. Then later in the afternoon Ted, aided by some good pacing help by teammate Jordan Chambers won the 1500 metres in 3.38.75. This improved the league record set in 1989 by Ian Hamer, by 0.15 seconds. Chambers had led for 900 metres, before slipping back and then valiantly pulled back places to be the first B-string runner to finish. This and the men’s 3000m were the only events in which Tonbridge secured the maximum points available.
Earlier in the week, Ted Higgins won the B race at the British Milers Club meeting, at Tooting, in 1.46.28, which was a personal best and a time which was quicker than the winner of the A race. James West raced his first 1500m of the season and similarly won the B race in 3.37.21, which would also have finished highly in the A race.
On Sunday, at the National track relay championships, at Birmingham, the men’s 4×400 metres squad won silver medals, finishing just 0.62 seconds behind Sheffield. The team of Henry Marshall, Dylan Purton, Tom Daly and Kieran Eland ran 3.09.08, to break the club record by five seconds. There were two more records, coming from the under 18s. The 4x400m team of Lucas Bowen, Tom Chaffin, Sebby Reynolds and Arthur Munt ran 3.26.81 and placed 4th. The 4x100m team included three of the same athletes, with Max Osborn replacing Tom Chaffin and they ran 43.77 in the heat.
Above – men’s 4x400m team at Birmingham (Henry Marshall, Dylan Purton, Tom Daly, Kieran Eland)
Stop Press – Tonbridge under 12s win at Kent Young Athletes League fixture (results below)