M&M’s best in a decade
Athletics
Medway & Maidstone AC’s men’s team equalled their best result at the Southern CrossCountry Championships.
The event in Brighton is considered by many as the toughest major cross-country race in the country.
Senior men tackled a 15k course and, in wet conditions, finished 11th, a position that equalled their previous best from 10 years ago.
A top-10 place could have been achieved had the squad not been hit by injuries.
There were more than 740 finishers and first home for M& M was Tewelde Menges, finishing in 27th place with a time of 44min27sec. This was his first senior race after running as an under-20 in previous years.
He was followed home by Tom Collins (46.16), Chris Fullerton (47.44), Mark Wilkins (48.55), Lee McMeekin (50.55), Adam Featherstone (59.31), Gareth Williams (1hr01min57sec) and Alun Rodgers (1: 04.32).
The senior women had only three women racing and just two finishers, with Stephanie Hearn finishing in a strong 123rd (36.48) followed by Mo Fazakerley in 201st (40.50).
Both M&M under-17 and under-20 men’s teams were severely hampered by sickness.
The under-17s were placed 16th overall. Ben Hughes continued his fine form this season with an individual 25th placing (21.21). Reece Perkins (24.59), Alex Donnelly (25.34) and Reagan Archer (27.16) completed the team.
Just two under-20 athletes made the starting line. Robert Meyer finished in an impressive 15th place (28.12), with Marley Godden in 42nd (30.01).
The under-15 boys finished 19th overall with Dan McGlynn first home (79th, 16.00) followed by Ethan Gear (90th, 16.13), Luke Stringer (16.41) and George Wallace (16.52). There was further support from Max Eldridge (17.16), Finlay MacDonald (17.26) and Finn Rodgers (18.30).
There was a 10th-placed finish for the under-13s, led home by Alistair Shelley (45th, 11.03), ahead of Cameron Featherstone (11.12), Callum Featherstone (11.42), Hayden Gear (11.43), Elliot Chamberlain (12.28), Jack Morris (12.30) and Kyle Buckley (13.37).
There was a field of 211 for the under-15 girls’ event, with Alex Baker-Jones first over the line for M& M in 87th place (16.03), followed by Charlotte Young (16.11), Rachel Anderson (16.22) and Millie Morris (17.30).
There were 222 competitors in the under-13 girls’ event and M&M were led home by Anna Palmer in an excellent 26th spot (11.44). She was chased by Abigail Royden (12.15), Annabel Young in (12.39) and Fern Curran in (12.51). They were followed home by Sarah Mitchell (13.17), Katie Stringer (14.35) and Ciara Harrop (15.51).
For the penultimate Kent Fitness Cross-Country League race of the season, Medway & Maidstone only had five runners.
The event, in Meopham, came just a day after the Southern Championships but the race still had more than 400 runners.
New club member Michael Major finished an excellent 12th on his debut in this league. He was followed by Alun Rodgers (M50) who, despite running the 15k Southern Championship the previous day, finished in a creditable 76th place.
Ivan Whitmore (M65) was 224th in what was his 101st KFL race. Kat Ford was the only women runner from the club, finishing as 87th woman. Nigel Read (M65) was 346th.
Several M& M athletes took part in the London senior/ under-20 indoor games over the weekend.
In the senior men’s 60m, Reece Dimech was fifth in 7.26.
Alex Marshall ran 7.05 in the under-20 men and then 7.00 for a 60m personal best and new club record.
Nathan Isaac ran a 7.36 and then a PB in 7.31 while Rory Kuypers timed 7.41. In the 200m, Alex Marshall recorded 22.48 and Nathan Isaac 23.76.
In the senior women’s 200m, Darcey Kuypers recorded a season’s best 25.84, as did under-20 athlete Lucy Hope, with 27.65.
In the senior men’s 400m, Adam Thompson set an SB 51.88 and Michael Watson clocked 53.82.
In the England Age Group Championships in Sheffield, Ashleigh West set two new club indoor records in the under-20 women’s age group, recording a high jump of 1.65m and a pentathlon score of 3,119 points.
West also set a new club indoor record in the 60m hurdles of 9.07 at the London Games at Lee Valley.
In the South of England AA’s under-20/senior Championships, Jack Royden was fourth and set a club indoor record in the under-20 men’s shot of 13.35.