Weekly Update - 2nd July 2025

Tonbridge AC Penshurst Midsummer Relays (Wed. 25th June)

Tonbridge AC hosted their second annual Midsummer Relay at Penshurst Place last Wednesday, which attracted 138 teams. The race was run on a warm sunny evening, over three legs of four kilometres starting with a mainly uphill cross country section and finishing downhill on road.

The Cambridge Harriers A Team of Bobby Baker (12:52), Brett Baker (13;15) and Ben Shearer (13:32) finished second to the host club with a total time of 39:40. Our mixed team comprising Liam McLaughlin (13:40), Stephen Hodges (14:28) and Rose Baker (18:32) were 23rd overall and 6th in the mixed race category. The men's B team, Nam Bui (16:06), Foyez Ahmed (19:15) and Ian McCarthy (20:49) finished 75th overall.

Southern Counties Veterans League (Kent) #3, Dartford (Fri. 25th June)

The third SCVAC league took place at Dartford on Friday, resulting in another win for the women in division two, albeit only one point ahead of Bexley, and a third place for the men in division one, who now sit fourth in the league.

The women again dominated the middle distance races, this time over 800m, with W35 wins for Katie Sanders (W40 2:44.7s), Chantelle McGinty (W40 3:08.2s) and a W50 win for Julie Backley (3:00.1s). Natalie Mann (W40) continued her string of first places, this time in the hammer (33.27m) and shot (6.70m). Other wins came from Joanna Parke (W45) in the W35 200m, and Maria Macdonald (W70) in the W60 100m and long jump.

The men covered all the events on the night with wins achieved by Felix Ananda Jehanmohan in the M35 shot with 10.62m, Wole Odele M60 800m - 2:28.5s and John Barron recording his first win for the club in the M70 800m - 3:03.4s.

Wole Odele (M60) improved on his own age-group club record with a jump of 4.74m.

SEAA Senior & U20 Championships, Chelmsford (Sat. 28th & Sun. 29th June)

Lily Gayle, smashed her PB, broke the club record and won gold in the Under 20 100m hurdles all in the space of 14.06s at the South of England Championships in Chelmsford.

Noa Maoundus and Callum Nason both set PBs, just missing out on a medal finishing 4th in the senior women's 100m hurdles (14.81s) and senior men's javelin (58.31m) respectively. Doyin Aderinto took 6th in the senior women's 100m (12.13s), whilst Michael Somade (U20M 100m), Sophie Fenner (SW HT), and Meredith Cummins (U17W 1500m steeplechase) at finished 7th in their events.

Lily Gayle - Running in the inside lane

Welsh Championships & Open, Cardiff (Sat. 28th & Sun. 29th June)

On Sunday, Hannah Hopper recorded a personal best and reduced her own 10,000m race walk club record by twenty-five seconds with a time of 50:54.32s, taking the overall race win.

North Downs Run, Gravesend (Sun. 29th June)

The 30k North Downs Run is one of Kent's best trail races, the surroundings of the Cyclopark on the outskirts of Gravesend are nothing special but once you are on the other side of the A2 you are in some of the best scenery that the county has to offer, writes Clem Dixon. With its usual date being the last Sunday in June the heat can often be a factor and this year was no exception. Of those running for the club Kyle Hurst coped best with the conditions for a fine 6th place. In addition to our six finishers Chantelle McGinty started but took a tumble after 2 kms and had to retire; no lasting damage fortunately.

Results: 6 Kyle Hurst 2:02:45, 15 John O'Mahony 2:13:02, 27 Stephen Hodges 2:18:41, 141 Clem Dixon 3:03:59, 279 Stephen Brown 3:39:15, 289 Russell Buchanan 3:41:52.